A Floral Design From The Heart

Floristry is an art in which cover two broad terms, the actual business of selling flowers as well as the art that embodies the whole business. But according to several sources and professional philippine florists, the art of floral design is the most important element in a business of floristry. Floral Design or floral arts is the art of creating flower arrangements in vases, bowls, baskets or other containers, or making bouquets and compositions from cut flowers, foliages, herbs, ornamental grasses and other botanical materials.

Currently, there are different types of floral design practiced today. One of the most popular are the English Garden style and High Style which is a catch-all term to describe contemporary, linear designs that highlights unique forms of both individual floral materials and of the designs themselves. But aside from these styles and practices, the Ikebana floral design style have also become very popular among many florists.

Ikebana Floral Design
Ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement, also known as kadō or the way of flowers. More than simply putting flowers in a container, ikebana is a disciplined art form in which nature and humanity are brought together. According to several philippine florists, contrary to the idea of floral arrangement as a collection of particolored or multicolored arrangement of blooms, ikebana often emphasizes other areas of the plant, such as its stems and leaves, and draws emphasis towards shape, line, form.

Another aspect present in ikebana is its employment of minimalism. That is, an arrangement may consist of only a minimal number of blooms interspersed among stalks and leaves. The structure of a Japanese flower arrangement is based on a scalene triangle delineated by three main points, usually twigs, considered in some schools to symbolize heaven, earth, and man and in others sun, moon, love & earth. The container is also a key element of the composition, and various styles of pottery may be used in their construction.

Spiritual Aspects
The spiritual aspect of Ikebana is considered very important to its practitioners. Silence is a must during practices of Ikebana. It is a time to appreciate things in nature that people often overlook because of their busy lives. One becomes more patient and tolerant of differences, not only in nature, but also in general. Ikebana can inspire to identify with beauty in all art forms. According to several philippine florists, this is also the time when one feels closeness to nature which provides relaxation for the mind, body, and soul.