Holi ushers in the vividly colourful, blooming and greenest season, spring, and originated as an agricultural festival. Traditionally, the colours used in Holi, better known as gulal or abir, came from flowers, herbs of tesu or palash trees, which in the hot climate of India tend to produce bright natural dyes/ hues. Decorating your house with flowers is the easiest way to bring some colour into your celebration of the festival — on balconies, outside doors, on the railings of the staircase, and other places. Flower petals may also be used to form lovely rangoli patterns, which can be placed on your patio, and they can be utilised to add some stunning bouquets to the inside of your house. Here, I have shown some elegant, easy-to-make arrangements that use locally sourced flowers and materials. They will add a ton of colour, fragrance and an element of fun to your home this festive season!
Baby’s Breath flowers are sprayed in an orange colour and pink chrysanthemums are placed to add colour to the design as well as make it springy and give movement. The colours are repeated to create a rhythm in the design. The structure is made with iron and wrapped with jute to give a festive look.
Baskets of different colours, orange and yellow marigold, and white rajanigandha are used for this arrangement. They are festive flowers easily available all around the year. Spring is also known as Basant Utsav and Holi celebrates the arrival of summer in India. The end of winter signifies the blossoming of love and, for many, it is a festive day to meet others to play and laugh and to forget and forgive and repair broken relationships. The festival is also an invocation for a good spring harvest season.
Yellow pot with coloured Dianthus flowers that are available only till April.
The wooden stairs cage is made with strips of leaves and the colourful Dianthus. Birds build their nests in spring and this arrangement captures that.
Simple marigold in two colours creates alpana in a traditional way. Hand-made gota balls are placed in between to create a festive mood. This arrangement is simple yet elegant and effective.
Sunita Kanoria, trained at Pushpa Bitan, is a judge for national-level flower-arrangement contests, and currently utilises her time and talent as a floral-decor demonstrator at various forums