Fresh foliage options for your arrangements

When we think of foliage, we often think of a filler for fresh flower arrangements. However, the art of flower arranging has come a long way over the years. Today, we can enjoy bouquets made from mostly fresh foliage with a few flowers here and there. Of course, these leaves are also added to more conventional bouquets but the point is that so-called rules have long been broken since customers are always looking for something new and exciting. When choosing greenery for your arrangement, you need to consider a number of important points.

Deciding factors to consider:

• Choose fresh foliage to complement the colours in the bouquet.
• The size of the leaves depend on the size of the bouquet.
• The style of the bouquet determines the best types of leaves (horizontal or vertical)
• Decide between creating movement or a structured flower design.

Popular types of fresh foliage:

• Grasses such as bear grass and steel. They have a linear shape and they are perfect for various arrangements. They can be looped over a bouquet to create a kind or border or margin.
• Eucalyptus is a delicious and nutritious food source for koalas as well as an excellent addition to various arrangements. The leaves are strong which make them easy to work with. There are also multiple varieties which vary in colour and texture.
• Hypericum berries are a great choice if you want to add colour and texture. They can be used as fillers in various types of arrangements but they are often added to festive arrangements or even those displayed during the autumn months.
• Leucadendrom are tall and firm stems available in bronze, red and yellow.
• Pittosporuim has yellow and green leaves with creased edges. They are excellent for adding texture to a bouquet. Their woody stems mean that this type of fresh foliage will last very long.
• Ferns are another excellent option. You will need to choose between soft and hard varieties. Both have long stems and they are one of the most versatile types of greenery you will come across.

Proper foliage care

Just like your blooms, fresh foliage needs to be taken care of in order to help it last as long as possible. This means that you need to trim the stems just like you do your flowers. You also need to make sure that you re-cut them regularly and separate the stems to allow as much airflow as possible above the waterline. Just like flowers, you should take care not to squeeze them into a vase. You don’t want to crush the stems. Both flowers and foliage can benefit from flower food. The nutrients in the package will help keep them fresher for longer.

Now that you know a bit more about fresh foliage, you will be able to make the best choices for your bouquets. In addition, you know just how to take care of your foliage so that it lasts just as long as your pretty blooms.