Thu 25 Feb 2016

What you should know about choosing foliage for your bouquet

Not too long ago, foliage was thought of as little more than a filler. Over time, florists around the world have started to notice just how important and beautiful different types of greenery really are. So much so, that some bouquets contain just a few flowers or none at all. Foliage comes in a variety of colours, shapes, and sizes. This makes it that much easier to find the perfect fit for any arrangement. Some foliage even comes in colours other than green. Just take leucadendhron for example.

 

When choosing foliage, you need to decide on the following points:

  • The colour scheme of the bouquet.
  • The size of the bouquet (tall or compact).
  • The style of the bouquet (vertical versus horizontal).
  • Do you want to create movement or a more structured design?

 

Some of the most popular foliage types include:

  • Grasses like steel or bear grass. Their linear shape makes them ideal for a wide variety of arrangements. They can be added as they are or they can be looped over to create a broader appearance.
  • Eucalyptus is not just on the menu for koalas but also a staple for florists. They smell absolutely gorgeous and their strong leaves make them easy to work with. Some of the leaves are fury and dark while others are stiff and have a silver-green appearance.
  • Hypericum berries are excellent for adding colour as well as texture and for filling up those empty spaces. They are available in orange, dark red, and several colours in between.
  • Leucadendrom is available in yellow, bronze, and red. They are tall and the stem is fantastically firm.
  • Pittosporuim is known for its green and yellow leaves. The creased edges are perfect for adding texture. They have a woody stem and they last really long.
  • Ferns are wonderful as collars for bouquets and there are many varieties available.
  • Ruscus is available in two main varieties – soft and hard. Both have long stems and are wonderfully versatile.

 

Foliage care

Like fresh flowers, foliage also requires a certain amount of care in order to make sure that they last as long as possible. When you receive a bouquet, you will need to care for the flowers and the foliage too. If you are making your own bouquet, make sure that you follow these steps to condition and care for the foliage stems:

  • Re-cut the base of each stem
  • Separate the stems to allow as much air flow between the leaves.
  • Let the stems stand in a bucket of water (not too deep) and remember not to pack them in like sardines.
  • Add a flower preserve to the water to keep the foliage happy and healthy.
  • Remove leaves that are below the water level or they will start to decay.
  • Don’t place the foliage in direct sunlight or near any source of heat or air conditioner.
  • If you don’t use the foliage immediately, make sure that you keep the water in the bucket(s) clean and fresh.