1. Floral Forms & Shapes

2. Forms & Functions of Flowers & Foliage
Floral designers classify flowers and foliage based on their shape, form, and use within an arrangement. Classifications based on these characteristics include:

3. Forms & Functions of Flowers & Foliage
Floral designers use floral materials from any single group or combination of groups to create an attractive floral arrangement.
A specific flower or foliage type is not limited to one group.

4. Functions of Line Flowers
develop the outline and geometric shape of the design.

5. Functions of Form & Mass Flowers
Form flowers create the focal area. Mass flowers add visual weight and balance to the arrangement.

6. Functions of Filler Flowers
Filler flowers provide an accent or finishing touch to the arrangement.

7. Line Flowers
Line flowers are tall spikes of blossoms with florets blooming along the length of the stem.
Most have larger, more open blossoms toward the base of the stem.

8. Line Flowers Snapdragon Delphinium Liatris Gladiolus Stock Cattail
Pussy willow

9. Line Flowers

10. Linear Foliage
Foliage with linear shapes is effective in repeating and complimenting the lines established by the line flowers.

11. Linear Foliage Bear Grass Flax Flat Fern Scotch Broom
Spiral Eucalyptus
Ivy

12. Linear Foliage

13. Form Flowers
Form flowers are the most unique and distinctive flowers within an arrangement.
They are positioned in the focal area of an arrangement because their unique shapes and colors attract viewer attention.

14. Form Flowers
Iris
Anthurium
Calla
Bird of Paradise
Lily
Orchid

15. Form Flowers

16. Form Foliage

17. Form Foliage
In contemporary floral arrangements, altering the natural appearance of a common type of mass foliage creates unusual and unnatural form foliage.

18. Mass Flowers Mass flowers characteristically:
Consist of a single stem with one solid, rounded head at the top of the stem.
Add mass or visual weight to a design.
Draw viewer attention to the form flowers.
Create depth in a design.

19. Mass Flowers
Carnation
Daisy
Gerbera
Rose
Chrysanthemum

20. Mass Flowers & Foliage

21. Mass Foliage
Mass foliage adds mass and visual weight to a floral arrangement.
Mass foliage also functions to cover the floral foam and hide other design mechanics.

22. Mass Foliage
Floral designers often use more than one type of mass foliage in an arrangement to create variety and to avoid monotony.

23. Mass Foliage
Leatherleaf fern
Lemon leaf
Chamaedorea palm

24. Filler Flowers Filler flowers consist of small sprays of flowers.
They function to fill in open spaces among the mass flowers within the framework of an arrangement.

25. Filler Flowers

26. Filler Foliage
The small leaves of filler foliage is effective as an accent in creating unity and harmony.
Fine textures of filler foliage lighten or soften an arrangement. Coarse textures provide contrast.

27. Filler Foliage