Arranging Permanent Flowers Variety quality and variety of

Arranging Permanent Flowers

Variety • quality and variety of permanent flowers is continually improving • requested frequently by customers

Permanent Flowers • silk • paper • dried and or preserved

Design principles • that guide fresh flower arrangement also apply to permanent flowers • mechanics involved in arranging permanents are different

Permanent flowers • easier to arrange • are not perishable • may be manipulated and mechanically secured without concern for wilting

Silk • applies to a wide variety of fabric flowers which are sold to florists • silk, nylon, cotton, rayon and blends are commonly used

Silk • great variability in the grades of fabric used • resulting in a variety of quality and prices levels

Silk • available in two basic types • molded, plastic stemmed • hand-wrapped

Molded • usually made of polyester • heat molded in a die form to create the petals • placed on a stem made of wire covered with plastic

Molded • usually less expensive than hand-wrapped silks

Hand-wrapped • usually produced with multiple flowers on a single stem • bushes and bouquets are frequently made with this type of silk flowers

Hand-wrapped • petals are usually cut with a stamp • then attached to wire and positioned to create the flower

Hand-wrapped • then secured to a wire stem which is hand wrapped with floral tape • flowers may be hand painted or dyed

Hand-wrapped • process makes the flowers look real • more expensive because of the labor required • usually sold individually

Paper • created from rice paper, parchment, and bark fiber paper • formed in the flower shape and most are available with wired petals and leaves

Paper • flowers and leaves are attached to a main stem • wrapped with paper or floral tape

Paper • may be pre-dyed before being formed into flowers or air brushed after the flower has been formed

Paper • more expensive that molded, plastic-stemmed flowers because of the amount of labor required to produce them.

Dried and Preserved • in great demand for arrangements in the home • frequently used for wall hangings and for decorating wreaths

Dried and Preserved • can also be combined with silk to create attractive arrangements

Freeze Drying • have all the moisture mechanically removed from their cells • flowers retain some suppleness to their texture

Freeze Drying • equipment is expensive • cost is higher than flowers dried by other methods

Mechanics • similar to those for fresh flowers • precautions against wilting are not necessary

Mechanics • dry foam made especially for dried materials is used to support the stems • two types of foam available

Mechanics • one for delicate materials • other for larger, sturdy stems • styrofoam may also be used

Mechanics • delicate stemmed flowers are placed on a wooden or steel pick before being inserted into styrofoam

Mechanics • dry foam is easily wedged into containers without additional support • may also be attached with hot glue

Mechanics • foam is hidden by covering it with sheet moss or Spanish moss • prevents foam from being visible in the arrangement

Mechanics • moss is held in place with pins, similar to hairpins • flowers may be glued in place, prevents flowers from turning or slipping out of the foam

Mechanics • dipping stems in pan glue before inserting is the easiest method