In The Garden
Saturday, April 14, 2001
BY DENNIS ODA / STAR-BULLETIN
Pink and white tulips echo the colors of the Chanel
spring display at Neiman Marcus.
THIS IS THE TIME for spring flowers: tulips, calla lilies, roses and much more. To help make the most of these gifts from nature, we went shopping for ideas. Fresh flowers
Unusual ingredients, a fresh approach
[FOR MORE PHOTOS, SEE FEATURES STORY]
to color and a few time-honored tricks of
the trade will bring new life to
your floral creationsWe found them at Neiman Marcus, which is as well known for its floral displays as its pricey designer merchandise. One good thing is that borrowing flower arrangement ideas isn't costly.
Douglas Jago, visual presentation manager for the Ala Moana store, advises keeping arrangements simple but adding unexpected twists to give your creations "real personality."
The twist that the store is using this season is live goldfish. Jago's staff has placed bright mandarin orange-colored goldfish in clear glass vases holding a single to a few stalks of calla lilies.
"The only thing is, you have to make sure you take care of the goldfish. You won't want to end up with dead fish. That would not be a good arrangement," Jago said.
His staff changes the water almost daily -- a process that involves removing the fish, placing them into a holding tank where they get fed, and then putting them back in the vase refilled with fresh water. Aquarium air pumps also are used periodically to put oxygen in the water for the fish.
Anyone attempting this should first consult their local pet stores on proper care for the fish. And be sure not to put fish in vases with poisonous flowers.
Here are more tips from Jago for successful flower arrangements:
>> Make a big impact with only one type of flower. Jago placed four dozen pink roses in a giant margarita glass. You can use a smaller glass and fewer flowers, and still make the same eye-catching statement. The idea is to fill up a container with the same kind of flowers.
>> Use a frog or floral foam to keep the flowers in place, which is the one essential trick for all flower arrangements. For example, the roses in the margarita glass form a perfect mound because they are held with a frog in the center.
>> Color speaks louder than words. Spring flowers come in many luscious colors. Pick out the color appropriate for the surroundings and occasions. If your guest's favorite color is yellow, use sunflowers, daffodils or some other yellow flowers.
>> Use odd numbers in groupings, whether with an odd number of flowers or groups of small vases, etc. Uneven numbers create more interest.
>> Think pyramid. All arrangements should follow a pyramid shape, not necessarily the perfect triangle, but a shape with a higher point that descends into two lower points.
>> Don't fight the natural shapes of the material you are working with. Flowers such as tulips and calla lilies have curvy stalks. Allow the flowers to curl or fall where they may, which adds more personality to the arrangement.
>> Food works as well as flowers. Vegetables and fruits add color and an unexpected element. Put them in a clear vase and fill it with water. Lemons are the ideal complements to yellow sunflowers. Red and green peppers are perfect for an arrangement of only green foliage. If you want to use eggs, make sure they are hard-boiled. For some reason, raw eggs tend to cause flowers to wilt faster.
>> Table-top center pieces should be lower than eye level to allow dinner guests to make eye contact. The exception is tall vases on pedestals that allow guests to see across the table.
>> Match the vase with the flowers. Generally, large flowers should go in large vases, and small flowers go into small vases. Soft-looking flowers should be paired with vases that emphasize their softness. Tree branches, horsetails or other materials with strong shapes are good for big and angular vases.
>> Remember the details. Remove wilted flowers or foliage.
Gardening Calendar
Suzanne Tswei's gardening column runs Saturdays in Today.
You can write her at the Star-Bulletin,
500 Ala Moana, Suite 7-210, Honolulu, HI, 96813
or email stswei@starbulletin.com
