THE FLORAL RECIPES

As a Floral Designer I am always looking at simple ways of enhancing the use of flowers. With the dull grey skies of the monsoons, it would be nice to liven up a lunch or dinner table with some bright colours.

It is really simple to use household stuff that is easily available and change the ways the flowers look in your home. Floral arranging is the only field of fine arts in which anyone can excel, since creative ability can be developed by everyone.

The medium used is inherently beautiful so one does not need a high level of technical skill like an artist or a musician who has to manipulate paint, rock, clay or instruments to derive beauty from it. Flowers and other material of nature have their own beauty we simply need to combine these to enhance our enjoyment.

Of course, floral arrangement as an art has a history, even if it has not been documented as meticulously as some other arts. We look at an arrangement in the lobby of a five-star hotel and wonder how expensive it could be, but we could make our homes look exotic without spending much.

To be honest, it does not take much to have wonderful floral arrangements at home -- just a little out-of-the-box thinking is all it takes. In any case, you would already be spending a bit on buying flowers. With some extra thought, the same bunch of flowers can be made to look so different. The beauty of it all is that, depending on the 'accessories' or 'ingredients' used no two arrangements will look the same.

Instead of just bright gerberas stuck in a no-nonsense vase, or orchids in a glass vase, why not change the look with simple techniques? Or why not simply use a fruit innovatively like a vase?

A Floral Recipe; using things from the kitchen or easily available "other" ingredients, we can make new recopies everyday.

In fact, you could work you way around and use different arrangements for each room of your home. Most of these arrangements will last anywhere between three to six days.

I have thought up 2 recopies here, and a variant on each.

Colour On Colour

Here's what you need:

1. Four clear glass tumblers. Could be different shapes, or sizes.

2. A basic wire stand or basket or Wooden Tray (could be an old pickle stand that we keep on our tables).

3. Food colours like yellow, red and green.

4. 12 brightly coloured (Red) Gerberas.

DIRECTIONS:

1. Fill the tumblers with clear water and then add food colour - green in one, orange, blue and yellow in the others.

2. Place these tumblers in the wire stand or on the edges of a small wooden tray.

3. Fill each of them with the bright, contrasting gerberas.

4. Three gerberas each are enough to ensure that the rims of the tumblers are covered.

Decide where to display the stand but make sure that the contrasting coloured water and the gerberas are visible clearly.

Voila! You have a stunning colourful display that is so easily made and so different from the typical 'flowers-in-a-vase' look.

VARIANT:

Use the same display differently in a bedroom, for instance, using the backdrop of the mirror to double the colour effect and do away with the stand or tray, simply place them on the dresser.

The Melon Dip

Here's what you need:

1. Three musk melons. Not very large.

2. Six long purple orchid stalks.

3. A sharp carver knife.

4. Small 2 inch bits of firm aluminum wire, or wrapping thread (not ribbon)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Slice off the top a bit so that the soft peach flesh is exposed.

2. Cut the 6 stalks of orchids diagonally so that each has a sharp edge.

3. Wrap thin, flat cotton soaked with water around the stem edge.

4. Wrap a piece of transparent plastic around the cotton and then wrap firm wire around the plastic to hold. Or use the thread to tighten the plastic around the cotton.

5. Now your stalk of orchid is strong and firm enough to push into the soft flesh of the exposed melon. Push the orchid stalks in on a slant; this will give a wind swept look to the display.

The contrasting texture of the skin of the melon and the peachy pink flesh used as a natural container, against the contrast with bright purple orchid stalks and you have a masterpiece.

VARIANT:

Some candles could be added too. Use the wire to wrap 3 toothpicks onto the candle base and you have a candle stand! This can then be inserted into the melon.

Use two orchids to a melon if the melons are small or more stalks to make a delightfully simple floral display.

For more ideas write in to info@spring-blossoms.com

Laxmi will help you with any personal queries.

Biography: Laxmi Lobo

Proprietor Spring Blossoms

Started sourcing fresh flowers for The Oberoi, Mumbai, Various florists and Corporates.

Retailing of arrangements/deliveries for Corporates.

Shifted into designing and placements of arrangements for Corporate buildings like: HDFC -Ramon House, Times of India building, ICICI Tower, Sterlite office, Reliance Guest houses, Reliance-Jamnagar