Sunflowers are a genus comprising about 70 species of annual and perennial flowering plants in the daisy family Asteraceae. Sunflowers also symbolise worship and faithfulness in various religions because of their resemblance to the sun and symbolise the Sun god, who is associated with spiritual knowledge and desire to seek light and truth as believed by the Incas.

An interesting fact is that each sunflower contains as many as 1,000 to 2,000 seeds that are food for birds. We can also harvest and roast them for a healthy snack.

The behaviour of the sunflower is very interesting. It silently smiles in the eastern direction when the sun rises and keeps turning its head to the west till dusk.

This series of sunflower arrangements of different sizes, texture and shapes are easy DIY at home. All components used are locally available. It’s time to enjoy summer.

Circle Of Life

It is a symbolic representation of birth, survival, death and being reborn. The process of developing this design is easy if we keep all essentials handy. Long money plant roots are bunched together, twisted and bound in sturdy circles of different sizes and fixed by

U-pins onto the moist oasis on a tray (which is well-hidden). Green gently contrasting creepers of Ipomoea palmata are wrapped around them to add beauty. A bunch of fresh sunflowers are fixed gently on the sides, bottom and centre of the sturdy root rings. This instantly brightens the design. A cluster of ficus leaves are added at the bottom and sides, creating an attractive colour contrast. This can be used as a mantelpiece or even a side-table decoration.

Summer Sunshine

This elegant and flattering console design is a lovely combination of fresh sunflowers, leaves and paper. Two flat trays with moist oases are used. A simple but interesting technique is used to create fan shapes from large and small China palm leaves. Their natural folds like a Japanese hand fan is replicated on orange and white design papers. The fresh sunflowers, rounded leaves and fan-shaped papers are artistically assembled and fixed on the oasis placed in the trays. This gorgeous asymmetrically balanced design is finished with golden tubes, creating drama.

Worship & welcome

A traditional chowki is used to elevate this design from the ground level and a metallic round tray is used to maintain this conventional design arrangement. A large banana leaf is folded into a cone-shaped structure and held together by stapling it. It is fixed as a central focus piece in this design. Fresh and large-sized sunflowers are gently crowded around this inverted cone. A dozen palm leaves folded into a boat-shaped design and inserted into each other is fixed among the sunflowers to create interesting lines and colour contrast in this arrangement. It can be kept in the puja room on an auspicious occasion, or near the door to welcome guests.

Diner’s sunshine

This appealing and flattering dining table-top design can create a cosy and personal environment. Lemon green-coloured thin net mats and runner is used for a light and transparent stylish appearance . Two damru-shaped baskets are constructed and filled with fresh sunflowers on either side to face both diners. Numerous small clusters of two-three sunflowers with fern leaves are tied and placed on the central runner. A name tag on each side personalises the arrangement. One single large sunflower attached to the napkin rings encircling lemon green napkins (please feel free to use any light-coloured napkins) adds a bit of dazzle to this harmonious dining table setting.

Swinging Sunflowers

It is a fascinating outdoor suspended design for a summer evening, a family and friends’ retreat or get-together on your terrace. This riveting style creates a breezy and soothing composition. A large sphere is taken (a medium coconut size) and double-sided tape glued all over it. Dianella variegated long leaves, cleaned and lightly waxed, covers the sphere creating a ribbon flow. Different and interesting techniques are used for this ribbon manipulation at the top of the knot and sides of the spheres. Large clusters of sunflowers (six to eight) are attached to complete this composition. The strong lines of the green leaves and the delicate sunflowers create an irrevocable contrast in isolation.

Sunita Kanoria, trained at Pushpa Bitan, is a judge for national-level flower-arrangement competitions, and currently utilises her time and talent as a floral decor demonstrator at various forums