There are different facets in the floral industry; each has its own interpretations and ways of creating floral compositions, their own set of rules, guidelines, benchmarks and ideology. May it be in commercial floristry, floral art, floral styling, botanical architecture, floral artistry or floral sculpture.

We are so blessed in the line of work we are in- an industry that brings a smile to a recipient’s face, provides us with emotional satisfaction and a source of income (in most cases).

Our passion for flowers can embark us on a journey to another level of creative dimension. With nature as our source of inspiration and armed with a pair of secateurs or a Swiss knife, there is no boundary to what can evolve from one’s own thought or imagination from basic materials found around us.

Being a florist for so many years (not to divulge my age), I was accustomed to work with plant material to its maximum potential. I hate to see plant materials wasted unless they have served their purpose. Sometimes creating “something from nothing” gives you more pleasure over a bunch of flowers plonked in a vase or arranged in a bed of floral foam. The uniqueness of innovate spontaneous designing brings forth unconventional non-textbook interpretation and personal viewpoint. Each individual has its own capacity to further push their boundaries; personal growth and level of accomplishment varies on how adventurous one can be. A piece of advise- Get out of your comfort zone and be proactive! Try extreme and alternative floral designing; explore the endless possibilities of what nature offers.

I have been known in my social circle as “the dude that saves the day” (in a good sense). I manage to whip up last minute arrangements with materials from my friends’ gardens. and their neighbours’ too”, in most cases; 8/10 times the host friends forget to buy flowers for the party.

Creating a floral composition with materials found in the garden, kitchen pantry and even the garage is always exciting- “spontaneous designing” posts a great challenge and well worth the effort when you pull it off! The main reason I was christened “The floral McGyver”. (Based on the TV series McGyver in late ’90s).

This month’s challenge:

Create a table centrepiece using plant materials found at Sydney Olympic Park wetlands. The main purpose of this exercise was to use whatever available materials and containers from a regular household therefore eliminating the use floral aids such as foam, florist wires or adhesives.

Materials:

• Lasagne tray
• Wooden Skewers
• Eucalyptus spp.
• Eucalyptus Bark
• Syzygium luehmannii
• Dietis vegeta
• Cissus antartica
• Poa labillardierei
• Article written by Richard Go

If you would like to use or republish this articles, contact us with your request in writing.

Just like Richard Dean Anderson- the Original McGyver, my adventures has taken me to many places and instances where thinking on your feet and making snap decisions are essential to getting out of trouble.

I was invited by the Floral Art Society of New Zealand to create two “wearable art” designs for the FloravisioNZ performing arts presentation in Hamilton New Zealand . Preparations for both designs went underway without any hitch (yeah right! Nothing goes smoothly when it comes to big shows). My team- Gail Anderson, David Daniels and myself arrived at the theatre at 6:30pm, our segment was scheduled at 8:45pm. Thinking we had plenty of time to sit down, relax and watch the first half of the show when we realised that one of our models forgot to bring her costume! BIG PANIC!!!!

Our model was to wear a large headgear in a shape of a Mohawk made of sisal being a Maori warrior princess. Did I mention Sisal? Well, our princess was wrapped in a sisal bikini! The problem arose when we can’t figure how to tie the ends as they kept on falling off. I then realised I’ve got cable ties in my pocket from the earlier “trends and techniques” show. A couple of zips here and there and whooala! Problem solved and gee did the sisal costume looked excellent with the head gear design.

Cable ties can be use not just as mechanics to floral design but can also be decorative. Tie tails can be snipped off for a neat finish or utilised as an added feature by threading berries or florets on its tip. Various sizes and vibrant colours of ties are available from your electrical and hardware stores but if you wish to have a more delicate colour scheme; Use floral paint spray (not enamel) to airbrush and coat white cable ties. Create patterns with touches of different colour sprays; the versatility of cable ties is only limited by your own imagination.Cable Ties! - An essential sundry item in every designer’s tool box.

Article written by Richard Go

If you would like to use or republish this articles, contact us with your request in writing.