The best opportunity for fine color combinations is with mixed bouquets. It is good to plan ahead so that one color dominates the arrangement, with enough yellow or white for luster and some violet to resume order in case of discord. Green plants should be sparse and unusual, such as wheat, oats, seed pods, etc. A colorful fall bouquet consists of tritoma (red-hot pokers) supported by small purple asters and yellow yarrow. Another pretty bouquet for the coffee table consists of a mass of California poppies sprinkled with blue corn flowers and magenta stock.An effective, small arrangement is the known as the Dutch bouquet, which is a composite of many varieties of small flowers of all colors. Almost any flowers from the garden will fit into such a bouquet. The stems are cut down to about four inches and held together tightly in a small container about the size of a cup. The effect is that of a pin cushion of solid embroidery, which is jolly and bright.
One dozen red roses, for example, do not make an interesting color effect since there is merely red above and green below, and the playfulness that is expressed in imaginative combinations of color and form is lacking.
Occasions. Any flower arrangement should reflect the occasion for which it was made. The form and color of the flowers are combined to produce the desired emotional effect. Large impressive masses are suitable for formal affairs; a few dainty, airy flowers are best for intimate occasions. Cool colors, like blue and violet, express dignity and restraint, while warm colors, such as yellow, orange and red, are cheerful and friendly.
Personality. Flowers, like other forms of decoration, should express people’s personalities. One would not expect an exotic brunette to have sweet peas in her home, a sophisticated blonde to buy red geraniums, or a gentle grandmotherly type to care for bristling cacti. For personal adornment, too, flowers should supplement, not contradict, the person’s characteristics. The coloring of the face, clothing and background naturally affect the choice in flowers as adornments.
Rooms and Flowers. The types of furnishings in a room should similarly influence the selection of flowers. A primitive type of room requires flowers of a sturdy character, whereas fine neo-classical furnishings demand refinement in flowers and receptacles. A room’s colors also limit flower selection. Rooms with positive colors and patterns may not need any flowers but merely bold foliage plants. A dainty room with a pale pink, silver or pale blue color scheme may have a flower arrangement echoing these very same colors, plus a pale orchid to complete the adjacent color scheme. On the other hand, a living room with rich, heavy colors, such as dark violet with its triad of dull orange and dull green, would make a suitable background for tulips, zinnias or composite bouquets of many rich colors. In a silver, white or black dining room, the flowers, linen, candles, dishes, food and gowns provide color, thus permitting an entire change in color schemes as desired.
Flower containers
A large collection of receptacles and stem holders for flowers is necessary for flowers to look their best. An adequate collection of vases should include oriental, modern and conservative containers in metal, glass, pottery and porcelain. Plain receptacles are preferable to many others since the receptacle should never compete with the flowers for attention. A collection of containers should include various textures, such as glass for delicate subjects, pottery for marigolds and pewter for pussy willows. There should be large, heavy jars and pitchers in place on the floor to hold generous arrangements of budding tree branches, pine boughs, autumn leaves, sunflowers, or seed pods. Baskets often make attractive receptacles for flowers; if the basket has a tall handle, usually, the flowers should not reach the handle. Bargain shops offer a variety of simple, unadorned glass and earthenware containers, with the round fish bowl being one of the best. Any well-shaped glass bottles or tin cans can be painted with ordinary paint and used as flower receptacles.
Medium and tall vases should flare out at the top because the stems need space and the flaring tops follow the lines of growth of radiating flowers. A pinched-in mouth on a vase looks stingy. Low containers are necessary for platter bouquets and for arrangements using the iris, which has a sturdy stem that is interesting enough to exhibit. When stem holders are used they should be concealed when possible by foliage or flowers.
Some of the most useful colors for containers are foliage green, putty color, dull blue, black, brown, dull red, yellow and clear glass. The most stimulating effects occur, however, when pure red-violet, turquoise blue, jade green, or similarly colored vases are used to hold flowers of adjacent colors.
As stated previously, the color expert considers also the receding and advancing qualities of color. Orange-colored flowers should not be placed in a blue vase because the vase will appear to recede and the flowers will advance, producing a disturbing effect. It is also good to refrain from cool-colored flowers in warm-colored bowls. Artificial or acid colors, such as orchid, blue-green, and turquoise blue, should not be combined with earth colors, such as brick red, clay yellow and brown. These restrictions are somewhat arbitrary, but should be studied by those wanting optimal effects.
All about placement
The two most important places in the home for flowers are the dining-room table and the hallway. A cheerful greeting by flowers in the entrance hall makes guests feel at ease and flowers on the dining-room table have the power to make dining an aesthetic experience.
Where to put a bouquet deserves careful attention. Line arrangements often look good at eye level, but most compositions look best much lower. In fact, it is good to try putting large bouquets on the floor first, or on very low tables or stools. It is not surprising that flowers look great near the floor because most of them have grown close to the earth. Drooping flowers and vines should be placed high in a hanging basket or on a mantel or wall bracket. There should be a proper relation in scale between a bouquet and the table on which it sits. A small bouquet looks lost on a big table; a large bouquet on a small table looks top-heavy.
Flowers on the dining-room table should be low, although it is sometimes difficult to harmonize candles with the flame set properly above eye level, with such arrangements. On a large table it is often desirable to have flowers on both ends of it or distributed throughout instead of strictly in the center.
Sometimes, it is necessary to provide a special background for a flower arrangement, ie, to shut out disturbing elements or to inject additional beauty elements. A small, triple screen about one foot in height covered with silver paper on one side and gold on the other is a useful background since the gold side can be used for yellow, orange, or red bouquets, and the silver side, for many others. Other interesting background material consists of colored paper, Chinese paper, strips of wallpaper, hand-woven textiles, or whatever works in harmony with the flowers without detracting from their importance. Sometimes, it can be effective to put a sequence of corresponding pieces of colored paper under a vase of flowers.
Small sculptured figures of humans and animals can add an interesting and gay touch of humor to a flower arrangement. Natural figures are not as good in terms of design as somewhat conventionalized or geometric forms. Colored candles in candleholders, decorative boxes, dishes, books, tiles, etc, sometimes provide a contrast in form or one that completes a composition. When such objects supplement a flower composition they should express the same idea as the flowers themselves.
（Source: chinaculture.org）