The beauty of January lies in its simple austerity. It is the peak of winters after the Christmas celebrations. We observe a gradual change in colours of flowers from bright Christmas hues to white, pinks, violets, mauves, yellows and oranges. Miniature flowers with their simple form and elegant shape are popular during winter months.
One of the most popular ones in India are petunia, which come in various shades. Nature has its own distinctive way of offering red petunia, orange and yellow marigold, which provide warm tones in cold winters. Red, yellow and pink chrysanthemums are also locally available popular flowers. Winter blooms such as geranium, gerbera daisy, Asiatic lilies, gladiolus, etc., are some plants easily potted at home and cultivated in our gardens. Sometimes we observe dried empty branches waiting for spring blossom. These branches provide hope, looking forward to more colourful flowers...
Three-Levelled Landscape
It’s a multilevel arrangement, one overlapping the other to create continuity and harmony. During the design’s selection process, available winter flowers and leaves were considered and the composition was kept simple. Different-coloured flowers from the Dianthus family were selected for this design. Dianthus is a genus of about 340 species of flowering plants native to Europe and Asia. This flower is the quintessential cottage flower and is treasured for its grass-like blue-green foliage and abundant starry flowers.
Three wooden elongated dried plants of one-inch thickness form the base of this arrangement. These overlapping plants are kept four inches above each other and make a multi-level elongated composition. The three different types of leaves which are dominant in this design are Ficus leaves, kamini leaves and succulent. Leaves cleaned and sprayed (not treated) are dark, reflective and thick fleshy, which are good at removing toxins from the air. Thus they make excellent indoor plants that improve the air quality in our homes.
Small squares of oasis are placed on each base with leaves and flower stems firmly inserted in them. A medium height is achieved by placing them vertically upwards. The three levels in this model creates an area of interest and continuity. There are thick greens and flowers placed in each bunch with colour variation from dark pink to light pink.
As it is winter we often find woollen knitting threads and yarns at home. Small flowers are made from white yarn, enhancing the wintery appearance of table design. A variation of any other small winter flowers can be use like multicoloured Gazania, winter jasmine or the beautiful pieris, the bell-like white snowy flowers.
Bold and Bright
A small, balanced symmetrical centre table arrangement can be the focus of any room. The bright red poinsettia is a commercially important plant species of diverse spurge family. A six-inch tray is created here with woven wire demonstrating the dynamic horizontal lines effect in the square 12-inch tray. A further height of the tray is achieved by adding other handcrafted scones to give variation and interest. Embellishments can be added if there is any celebrations at home but this time the focus is on the flowers which are bright red.
A conscious grouping of single textured material are arranged in close order with little or no space to further enhance the design components. The contrasting colour harmony of bright red flowers being warm and the green leaves considered cool as advancing and receding aids the interpretation. To make this assemble easy, a potted plant of poinsettia with its leaves (the pot not being more than six inches in height) can be simply placed in this beautiful setting of any neutral colour. If a strong cord handle is added it can serve the purpose of a bouquet gift for any occasion.
Winter Outdoor Saga
The winter snow accumulates on surface, then metamorphose in place and ultimately sublimate away. This typical saga is demonstrated in this design. It is a wide, large but low in height arrangement soothing to the eye . The spray of sweet alyssum dainty honey-scented flowers can be cultured throughout the winter season. It also makes a great companion plant for any aphid-prone crops. The available colour variations like bright yellow, light pink and mauve can be grown in pots to become a great show on the terrace or garden.
An angular outdoor pillar corner on the terrace is a chosen site for this 3-4-foot-wide design. Three simple levels are created keeping the highest one in the centre providing enclosed space for clustering visual effect and support.
Cluster of 3-4 potted Alyssum flowers are assembled at each level. Each cluster is visually separated from the other with a fence of tender bamboo stick, which simulates the support of tender alyssum floral plants to live a long healthy life as potted plants. This design style of contrast material achieves a dramatic harmony.
The created path of upward-movement directional lines has a greater eye pull and impact to this arrangement. These light green bamboo sticks are woven together with a thin metallic wire to keep it self-supportive to further aid the path of movement in this design. Longer sticks are placed behind this composition forming a backdrop following distinctive upward eye movement in this model. It is finally decorated with thick creepers of kamini leaves placed at the bottom around this arrangement.
Musical Symphony
As the name suggests — it is a lengthy form of musical composition for orchestra. This enchanting arrangement can be used on a long console table or dining table. Five glass jars of different sizes are filled with a large amount of foliage of different flowers and half filled with water for it to survive 3-4 days.
Red long-stalk flowers, white small silicon flowers, pink phlox flowers, chrysanthemum are stacked in different jars with long stems and leaves. A variety of leaves that hosts this gorgeous arrangement are clematis, excolima, kamini, schefflera, etc. It is fun to assemble a large variety of flowers with leaves with a mix of light fragrance to enhance the experience of this arrangement. A keen imagination and a variety of colours of different tints and shade create polychromatic colour harmony. The use of warm or cool colours aids interpretation of the design. In this modern contemporary style of design where there is greater use of space, the forms are normally more visible.
The jars are enclosed in a structure with round hard cardboard cuttings at the top and bottom. They are joined with strong cord in criss-cross direction and embellished with gold and silver 2-inch diameter sequins. Few flowers are also placed outside the jars to create a wonderful harmony. Various large leaves and creepers surround this composition .The tallest flowers are placed at the centre and a little shorter ones on the sides, causing it to gently taper till the end on both sides of the arrangement. This evidences all components, lines, group and techniques used for good visual and actual balance.
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