CONSTRUCTING AN ISOSCELES TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT Written by Holli

CONSTRUCTING AN ISOSCELES TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT Written by: Holli Bowman & David Lynn Hall County Board of Education April 2003 Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office September 2005

This presentation is designed to supplement the textbook, Floriculture: Designing & Merchandising, Unit 11 “Triangular Arrangements”. The author is Charles Griner and it is published by Delmar Publishers.

Step 1: Selecting Materials § § § § A tall vase or container 12 standard carnations 1 stem of pompon or daisy mums 1 stem of statice 8 stems of leatherleaf fern 1/3 block of floral foam Floral preservative Waterproof anchor tape

Step 2: Preparing the Floral Foam § Soak the floral foam in a warm preservative solution. § You may need to trim the floral foam to fit the container. § Use a floral knife or florist wire to trim the foam.

Step 3: Preparing the Container § Place the soaked floral foam in the container so that about an inch sticks up above the rim. § Secure it with anchor tape crossed over the foam.

Step 4: Continued § Criss-cross the tape over the foam and attach the ends to the container. § Do not attach more than ½ inch of the tape to the container. § Long strips of tape are difficult to hide. § Cross the tape slightly off center. A flower stem will be inserted in the center.

Step 5: Establishing the Points § Select three small carnations to form the points of the triangle. § Place one carnation in the center back of the foam leaning slightly backward. § This flower should be 2 to 3 times the height of the container. § Place the other two carnations into the side of the foam near the back. § Be certain that the width of the design is less than the height so that an isosceles triangle is formed.

Step 6: Adding Additional Carnations § Place the largest carnation at the lower center of the design, facing forward and slightly downward over the rim of the container. § This flower adds depth and will serve as the focal point. § Use the image, to the right, to determine placement of the other carnations.

Step 7: Greening the Foam § Insert greenery into the foam along the triangular lines of the design in front of and behind the flowers. § Green the back of the arrangement so that all of the mechanics are covered.

Step 8: Adding Secondary Flowers § Place daisy or pompon chrysanthemums in the spaces between the carnations. § Make sure to stay within the triangular boundaries established by the carnations. § Use the smaller blooms along the edges of the design.

Step 9: Adding Filler Flowers § Add statice or other filler to soften the lines of the design. § Create depth by placing some sprigs below the line of the carnations. § Place the statice evenly throughout the design.

Step 10: Evaluating the Design § Step back and examine the arrangement from all angles. § Check for holes and add greenery or flowers where they are needed. § Move flowers, if necessary, to create equal space between flowers. § If you move a flower, insert it into a new hole.