Have you ever seen a play before? In a play, there are multiple roles—there is the main character, the supporting characters, the backup dancers, the narrator, and more. And regardless of how big or small the role is, everyone involved in the play has their own function. The main character cannot shine without the supporting characters and the director cannot work without the whole ensemble. Everyone complements each other.
Similarly, this concept applies when designing a flower arrangement.
In a flower arrangement, line flower acts as the director, form flower is the lead actor, mass flower holds the supporting role, and the filler acts as the carafe. These flowers hold different functions and complement each other.
Understanding forms and functions of flowers and foliages in floral designs
1. Line Flowers
Line flowers give your bouquet height, width, and balance. They are usually tall spikes of blossoms that have buds growing up along the stem and are commonly used to frame or create an outline for an arrangement. Here are some examples:
- Gladiolus
- Liatris
- Delphinium
- Mollucella
Line flowers are also effective in establishing curvilinear lines because the natural gradation of size allows the eye to travel along the line of the spike. Foliage with linear shapes such as bear grass are also commonly used to create unity with the design and add more lines, curves, and motion to the flower arrangement.
2. Form Flowers
While line flowers lead the eyes to the focal point, form flowers are positioned on the focal point to attract more attention. Form flowers have unique and visible characteristics. For example, form foliages have interesting textures, colours, and patterns that enable them to stand out among the rest. Here are some common examples of form flowers:
- Anthurium
- Calla Lily
- Cymbidium Orchid
- Pin Cushion
- Trumpet Lilies (Longiflorum)
- Oriental Lilies (scented)
- Asiatic Lilies in orange or yellow colours (unscented)
3. Mass Flowers
Mass flowers, or also “face” flowers, have a single stem with one solid rounded head on top of the stem. Their function is to add more visual weight or mass to a flower arrangement and they are usually placed near the rim of the container. They add more depth to the flower arrangement, accent the shape of the arrangement, fill in gaps that are not occupied by any flowers, and even go as far as to cover the floral foam or other design mechanics. Here are some examples:
- Carnation
- Roses
- Gerbera
- Tulips
- Chrysanthemum
- Sunflower
4. Filler Flowers
As a finishing touch, filler flowers are small flowers that are used to fill in the spaces among mass flowers. The texture of filler flowers are usually used to add more dimension to the flower arrangement. And the small leaves of filler foliages complete the whole look as they create unity and harmony. However, too much of filler flowers and foliages can make an arrangement look too crowded and cluttered. Here are examples of some filler flowers:
- Baby’s Breath
- Astrantia
- Tanacetum – Daisy
- Veronica
And there you have it—all four types of flowers and foliages serve different forms and functions but they all accompany one another. However, when designing a floral arrangement, it’s not necessary for all elements to be in one bouquet or display for you can always get creative and switch the roles of these flowers.
Our team at Floral Royale listens well to your expectations and meets them with quality. So if you are seeking the perfect floral arrangement that best illustrate your colour and character, leave it to us to create a bespoke arrangement for you. For any bespoke floral and gifting needs, connect with Camillia!