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TUTORIALS & PHILOSOPHIES ON ARRANGING FLOWERS

Begin your ritual

Arranging is a ritual that invites intention, freshness & everyday beauty into the places where we live, work & spend daily life.

My floral design philosophies & best practices offer a foundation to learn the basics, develop a practice & get in touch with your unique arranging rhythm.

Arranging is a ritual & all are invited.

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THE 5 FUNDAMENTALS OF FLORAL DESIGN

Natalie's 5 Fundmentals of Floral Design

Taught to Natalie by her mother, a celebrated garden designer, Natalie shares the 5 foundational floral design tips she learned as a child & continues to utilize today.

INSTRUCTIONS

3. STRAY FROM STRAIGHT

Shy away from only using flowers that are stiff or straight.
Use vines! Like my favorite: jasmine.

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2. HAVE FUN

LET'S SEE YOUR STYLE! Embrace asymmetry. Include flowers with flow & movement.

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1. THE GOLDEN RATIO

Create a formula where the design is 2.5x larger than your vessel or container.

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4. CREATE MOVEMENT & TEXTURE

Use foliage with movement & texture. This adds interest & helps your arrangement stand out.

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5. ENVISION PLACEMENT

Think about where the arrangement is going to be placed. Once it’s placed, play with scale. Let branches reach out & dance to create a conversation with surroundings.

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THE 7 RULES OF ARRANGING

Natalie's 7 Rules of Arranging

Invite texture, color, movement, seasonality & creativity into your floral practice with Natalie's very own floral arranging philosophies.

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THE RULES

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1. BUILD THE CENTER

The center of the arrangement is where all things meet. This is the energy vortex of your design. Don't rush. Take time to get grounded here before venturing out. With a stable anchor, the design process will flow.

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2. CREATE A VISION

Think about where the arrangement will be viewed. Thinking about the arrangement from the perspective of where it will live, will allow it to be cohesive with it’s environment. Think: color, texture, vessel, etc.

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5. FILL THE HOLE

If you feel like there is a hole, there is a hole. Don’t overthink it. Fill it with what you have.

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4. SET AN INTENTION FOR BEING HELD

The container you choose is as import as the ingredients that go in it. If the vase is the right size and shape, you will be able to let go of struggle & have more freedom. 

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3. LET THE BRANCHES LEAD

Trust the process not the product. Start with a vision of how the finished product will look, but follow the natural movement of the branches & stems.

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6. PLAY INTO IT

Don’t doubt your instincts. If the arrangement needs something, play with it.

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7. MIND YOUR LINE

Check your vase line. This is where your flowers hit your vase. It’s a detail that nobody will see, but everybody will feel.  

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