“Creating a harmonious coalescence is key to success
when combining tropical and temperate flowers.”


In the “Tropical Nouveau” flower arrangement style, tropical flowers are blended with nontropical (or temperate) flowers – a departure from the “old-school” rules that dictate that blooms native to different regions cannot be harmoniously arranged together. One secret to successful Tropical Nouveau designs is the thoughtful composition and blending of flower types, hues and textures. Design style is also a consideration; for example,
a style with harsh static lines might not be the choice for a mix of tropical and temperate flowers. In these examples, I have created combinations based on softly blending tropical and temperate flowers into open-form Art Nouveau linear expressions.

Basic

Spring Tropical Palette

For this loose and airy table arrangement, I chose a base mechanic of florist netting (chicken wire). The exotic combination of Oncidium orchids, Anthurium, Leucospermum (pincushions) and dramatic variegated Philodendron ‘Florida Beauty’ provides intrigue and curiosity. Combining the tropicals with soft Passiflora (passionflower vine), Dicranopteris (uluhe) fern, and springy temperates – tulips and Ranunculus – creates a beautiful blend of color and texture.

Advanced

Ikebana Rikka Three-row Style

Designing a tall and narrow-based design is possible when utilizing a rectangular container with the narrow side facing forward. The mechanic for this arrangement is OASIS Floral Mesh, which has a 1-inch-square wire grid. The design follows the Rikka style of ikebana, with stem placements
in three rows, from the front to the back of a container. Extended linear components stretch this design vertically and give it an open silhouette.

Art

Artful Window to Nature

A tall, 4 x 4 wood block, with Japanese fantail willow artfully drilled into it, composes a 3-D “nature’s window.” Bamboo skewers, which are secured into holes drilled into the top of the block, hold multiple bundles of water tubes in place as a water source. Random growth of Passiflora (passionflower) vine, Curculigo (whaleback palm), Calathea leaves and Caryota mitis (Bo Derek hair) along with exotic Anthurium, Heliconia psittacorum and Leucospermum (pincushions) blend with springy Ranunculus, resulting in a beautifully transparent design showcasing the dynamics of Art Nouveau linear composition