Floral Tips - Tomas De Bruyne

Design from a concept towards detailing, not the other way around!! To have ‘a story’ helps. Communicate a story starting from color, next comes different forms and last is the variety of flowers.

TIPS

Before anyone starts to design, there are fundamental questions that one should get engaged with? Ask yourself the design is for Who, Why is it being created, When will it be used, What is the reason/occasion, Where your design shall be used and How your design will be used? By answering those questions you’ll avoid unneeded stress and you’ll get clarity of thought to structure the best design. This will enable you in making logical decisions and in taking appropriate actions to complete the job.

Communicate a story with flowers as your medium - Know your flowers well as they are the best to express as they have immense emotional strengths. A flower is a language of emotions & should be well used to express any emotion.

Be aware of trends but not follow them to the T, be inspired by them. Adapt them in your client’s story.

Keep challenging yourself! The creative mind & juices have to be pushed continuously beyond boundaries in order to deliver the best product.

Educate yourself; learn from the best! The cost of education is much smaller than the cost of ‘trial and error’!

Creating a story board (mood and color boards) surely helps to communicate with the client, your staff, sub contractors and last but not the least your own self. It helps in eliminating that’s not needed and consolidating stuff that is important in shaping a design.

TIPS ON CURATING & HANDLING OF FLOWERS:

Care and handling of cut flowers One of the most common causes of wilting in cut flowers and foliage is the presence of an air-lock in the stem. The air-lock usually forms as the flower is cut, when atmospheric pressure forces air into the water ducts of the stem in which there is normally a partial vacuum. It is virtually impossible to prevent the ends of dry-packed flowers and foliage from drying out during transit from the grower to the wholesaler, and from the wholesaler to the Florist. All plant material should be unpacked as soon as possible after buying from the grower or wholesaler, and any plastic sleeves and elastic bands should be removed.

Care and handling of plants: If you are cutting flowers and foliage from the garden, the best time for cutting is early morning, or late evening. This is the time when flowers have the maximum amount of water in their stems, and they will condition more readily. Cutting them during the heat of the day allows the material to wilt much quicker.