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    When a flower grows wild / It can always survive

    The human soul craves ritual; one of the things I’m doing to keep the sense that Atsushi’s around the apartment is keeping the vase I bought him for his birthday a few years ago filled. I like lushness and riotous color and things, but I can’t decide whether as a general practice, it’s better in this part of the room to go with Attention-Getting:



    roses.JPG



    or Steadfast and Unassuming:



    thistles.JPG



    The lighting isn’t so hot in either shot (that inept photography thing again), but if anyone wants to weigh in, I’m open to thoughts from a more experienced flower arranger. My taste in the past tended more to houseplants and potted herbs.

    4 Responses to “When a flower grows wild / It can always survive”

    1. Auntie Mame says:

      The large mouth of that vase cries out for a Victorian style arrangement–shorter stems and more flowers.
      http://dealtime.catalogcity.com/cc.class/cc?pcd=4190399&ccsyn=48
      Old fashioned floppy roses would be neat.
      http://www.webtrail.com/roses/Classic_Column.jpg
      http://www.webtrail.com/roses/Sheaf_Column.jpg

    2. Sean says:

      Victorian? Cool. I know everything I’ve done so far has looked kind of scrawny. And asking at the flower shop is not a certain proposition: it’s taken me six weeks to get them used to the fact that there’s a white guy in the neighborhood who picks out his own flowers and doesn’t need them arranged in a gift bouquet because–can you believe?–he says he’s going to put them in a vase as soon as he gets home.

    3. susanna says:

      Hmmm… I generally go for the more profuse approach, but simplicity has its value. However, you need a floral frog if you’re going to arrange just a few flowers in a wide-mouthed vase; it allows you to control placement and angle. A floral frog has the additional benefit, for you, of being a 14th century Japanese invention. Shouldn’t be hard to find a modern version.
      I would suggest larger and fewer flowers for the simple arrangement – no more than three, either all of differing heights or all the same height, especially if you don’t use other greenery – to get this effect. For the profusion one, well, my personal preference is a spring mix of many colors, but that might not suit your style. Here’s an example, and here’s another.
      Were I you, I’d go with simple – just because it’s cheaper. Daisies are nice. Lilies. Two sunflowers with greenery.
      Now I want to go cut some of my blue hydrangeas and make a bouquet…

    4. Sean says:

      Ooh, a blue hydrangea. That’s what I bought for the entry alcove a few weeks ago. Very nice to come home to. It’s blue, not pink, so that means…high-phosphorus food? The instruction book was a trip–like chemistry class.