Working with colour - Creating flower combinations

Working with Colour - Creating Flower Combinations

Working with Colour in Your Arrangement

Over the years I've developed a system for creating my arrangements and adding interest to them. I use this system time and time again and have found it's a great way of creating new and fresh colour combinations.

The Bride Flower

The star of the show in any bouquet I design is called the 'bride flower'. This flower is the centre of attention and is often the showiest and biggest flower of the bunch. The bride acts as the central flower in the arrangement, with all the other flowers complimenting her.

The Bridesmaid Flower

The bridesmaid flower is the next in line. This is a smaller and more delicate flower than the bride but is of the same shade. The bridesmaid flower backs up the bride but does not compete with her.

The Gatecrasher Flower

The gatecrasher flower is a showy flower in a different shade and usually from a different palette. This flower is here to add a splash of colour, either to bring more vibrancy to a sombre bouquet or add a dash of sombre colour to something that might otherwise be a bit garish.

Planning Your Colour Combinations is the Perfect Winter Activity

Winter is the perfect season to settle down and plan your colour combinations for the year ahead. Once you've decided which colours and palettes you want to grow (this will depend on how much space you have) it's time to look through seed catalogues, create mood boards on Pinterest or visit nearby gardens for inspiration.

Wherever you get your inspiration from, gather it all together and put pictures up on your wall if you have the space.

When it comes time to plan your planting, it's a good idea to put your soft and cool palette with its shades of white, at the back of your plot, as white shades catch the eye and draw us in. So if they're at the front of the plot they can be quite distracting and mean we are unable to take all of the colours in visually.

Where to Get Inspiration

• Take photos of gardens that you visit.
• Look on Instagram to find inspiration from other florists and gardeners - you'll notice what is in trend quite quickly and you can choose to follow trends or go in the opposite direction.
• Make a Pinterest board of your favourite colour combinations and designs.
• Unpick other people's work and think carefully about what combinations they are using. Why have they used them and are they putting these combinations together? What palettes are they working in?
• Most importantly, remember to play and have fun. The best way to find out what colours you enjoy working with is to experiment.

Your Assignment

Why not create your own colour palettes? You could use candles, pieces of coloured cards or even glass beads.

You can copy my colour choices or create some of your own, but remember they need to mirror the colours that are found in nature.