how to condition foliage

Followed by the previous blog posts on how to condition flowers, I have made a brief one on how to condition foliage as well. Hope you would find it useful. 

Eucalyptus Cineria care and handling:

1. Start by unwrapping the bunch. 
2. Cut the stems at points that make the longest stems possible and into smaller pieces if necessary.
3. Remove any leaves below the water line.
4. Cut the stems at an angle and set them in a vessel of water.

how to condition flowers (2)

This blog post is a continuation of the previous blog post on how to condition flowers. Scroll down to find out more about the care and handling of tulips and gerbera daisies. 

Tools required: floral scissors or garden shears, flower food, Quick Dip, cellophane

Tulips care and handling:

1. Choose tulips that are tucked down low inside the leaves because once they are harvested, they would grow the length of their head every single day. The further down the heads, the longer they would last. 
2. Loosen or remove the rubber band and plastic.
3. Remove any damage foliage.
4. Wrap them with cellophane or paper leaving the ends extended and staple that together to ensure they are protected and held upright.
5. Cut the stems at angle and set them in a vase or bucket of water with flower food.

how to condition flowers (1)

Although the shelf life of cut flowers is short, taking proper care would help them to last longer. Scroll down for more details on how to condition hydrangeas and roses. 

Tools required: floral scissors or garden shears, flower food, Quick Dip, rose stripper

Hydrangeas care and handling:

1. Prepare a vase or bucket of warm water and mix it with the proper amount of flower food (follow the directions written on the container).
2. Remove plastic or paper around the flowers and possibly any damaged leaves and florets. 
3. Make a slanted cut with sharp knife or garden shears and repeat that on the other side of each stem, set them right down into the water and let them drink overnight before starting to design (absolute minimum two hours but overnight is even better).
4. If hydrangeas are slightly dehydrated, give them an instant hydration treatment by using Quick Dip. Pour 1 to 2 inches of the solution in a small container and give them clean cuts at an angle then, dip them into it for 1 second before setting them down into the vase.
5. On the other hand, if hydrangeas are in a severely stressed condition, give them angled cuts, use Quick Dip, immerse 1 inch of the stems in boiling water and let them cool to room temperature. 

flowers and foliage introduction

My second blog post introduces forms and functions of flowers and foliage used in floral design. 
Flowers and foliage are classified based on their characteristics into categories of mass, form, filler and line. 

• mass materials provide visual weight
• form materials define the focal area
• filler materials add accents or finishing touches
• line materials create the framework for an arrangement

*Floral materials from any single group or combination of groups are used to create an arrangement. A specific flower or foliage type is not limited to one group of categorisation. 

There are several factors to consider in selecting materials for floral arrangements. 

• color scheme or theme of the arrangement
• seasonal availability of the desired floral material
• cost per stem of the floral materials 

Check out the video below and try to categorise the flowers and foliage accordingly. Special thanks to Michelle from Surrealography for the help.