Flower arrangements under water
Dr. Sheena. A (Assistant Professor)
Instructional Farm, College of Agriculture, Vellayani
Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, PIN 695522
Arranging flowers is an artistic activity that are an important part of the ambience of many occasions. Due to the high demand of floral arrangements for celebrations of social or individual occasions like weddings, birthdays and other events in life, a lot of novel flower arrangement ideas have been evolved.
The new trend in flower arranging is floral centrepieces with submerged flowers. Submerged flower arrangements are also known as underwater floral arrangements. An Underwater Flower Arrangement is an arrangement that is completely submerged in water and exhibited in a transparent container. Submerged flowers are easy to make and elegant. In order to do an underwater flower arrangement, the same elements and principles of design of normal flower arrangement must be followed. Flowers are usually submerged in tall, transparent containers filled with clear water. Since this kind of arrangement is viewed from outside the container, a container used for the arrangement must be clean and should not have any designs, patterns, or colours. Designs or patterns in the glass will mask the beauty of the arrangement.
Plant components submerged in water are chosen for their lasting quality under water. Firm, hard surfaced plant materials such as tropical flowers, foliage, evergreens, seed pods and some vegetables and fruits can be suitable. When selecting the blossoms, avoid very delicate ones as they deteriorate easily. Select flowers which are showy, freshly open and in good condition. Cut and select the plant material. Wash all plant material and remove any damaged foliage or other imperfections. Avoid flowers that produce a lot of pollen, which can make the water to look cloudy. Orchids, anthuriums, Calla lilies, roses and tulips are extremely popular and shape well under water.
Water visually magnifies all things and the underwater components will appear larger. The dirt and debris will also be magnified. This must be considered when planning the design and working with the plant material. The water should not have any colouring and should be clear and transparent. The water line is also a part of the design. All flowers and plants should be completely under the water level. If some components are in water and others are not, the visual appeal will be lost.
Effective use of colour is important in any floral design. Warm colours like reds, oranges and yellows are generally bright and visually stimulating. Cool colours like blues, greens, and violets are usually calming and visually soothing. Warm colours tend to be advancing colours to the eye, and have more visual weight than cool colours. Cool colours tend to be receding and have less visual weight. A proper colour combination of the colour components will enhance the design.
The same technique to hold the flowers or plant material together in a standard flower arrangement can be used in an underwater arrangement also. Pin holders, floral clay and wires or straws wrapped with floral tape can be used to hold the plant material in position. Floral wire or fish line can be used to hold fine material and foliage together before anchoring to a base. Fine gravel or stones, shells, clear marbles, or glass chips can be used to cover a pin holder. These materials should be washed thoroughly to remove any dirt before using for the arrangement. The arrangement can be done either outside the container or inside the container. If it is done outside, it should be inserted carefully into the vase. After finishing the arrangement and securing it properly in the container, water can be added up to one inch below the edge of the container. Use clean water for the arrangement. Do not use chemically treated water, warm water or heavily chlorinated water. Arranging in distilled water will increase the keeping quality.
In order to highlight the beauty of the arrangement, colourful round glass beads of small size can be added to the vase. The arrangement can be optionally covered on top with a lit floating candle. Using multiple containers of varying heights will give an enhanced visual effect. Use either the same kind of flower in each container or choose different flowers of same hue. In a submerged flower arrangement, the glass magnifies the blossoms, and the water saturates the colours in unique and varying ways. This is what makes them so unique. By combining all the elements that add beauty with care and precision, a true centrepiece can be made.
