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Focus on Design
Valentine's Day Arrangements
by Alex Torres AIFD TMF

Welcome to this month's edition of my design series.  This month I am featuring floral designs that are suitable for the upcoming STRESSFEST known to all florists as Valentine's Day.  These designs are simple enough to produce in multiples, while at the same time maintaining a creative edge that will make your shop's professionalism shine through.  As floral designers, we must strive to educate our customers on the merits of good design.

Retail florists need to woo customers into our shops and show them unique and beautiful designs that will make an impact on the person receiving these special gifts.  After all, Valentine's Day is the day we show our loved ones how much we care.  What better way to show how much you care, than by sending something that is sure to be the envy of everyone that sees it.  Whether these floral designs are sent to a home or the office, they are sure to brighten someone's day and put a smile on their face.

The first floral design I am featuring is a different approach to a timeless classic. A dozen roses is the traditional Valentine's Day offering. Most consumers love roses and with good reason. Roses are beautiful and nothing conveys love quite like them. In this floral design, I used a waterproof terra cotta style pot. The pot was sprayed with Design Master spray in a metallic gold. If you prefer to use regular terra cotta containers you may do so, but be sure to line your container to avoid water seepage.

The container was prepped with foam soaked in a floral preservative solution according to manufacturer's directions.  I sprayed a grapevine sphere with the Design Master metallic gold spray, and pan glued it directly onto the foam. For added security, I pinned the sphere down with greening pins.

Next, I completely covered my mechanics with Spanish moss. The fresh roses were then inserted in pave around the design's perimeter. Seeded eucalyptus was interspersed throughout the design to add visual interest. Other foliage may be used to change the design's look. Think ming fern, plumosa or even English ivy!!

The beauty of this floral design is that the containers can be prepared ahead of time and the fresh roses can be put in last minute.  This is a beautiful design that is also long-lasting, since the roses are cut short and drink from a short straw. Try to use shorter roses since they can be bought at a more reasonable price than the long stemmed varieties.

My next design features a dozen roses arranged in a unique container. The container can be varied according to the customer's taste and budget. Use curly willow to create a graceful armature and pin it to the foamed container. The roses are arranged in stair stepping heights and a strong focal point is created at the lip of the container. Use interesting foliage to cover your mechanics, being careful not to obscure the armature itself. Here, I used galax leaves and baby blue eucalyptus for the greens and white wax flower for my accent flower. This design is great for the office because it can be displayed on a desk or somewhere where space is minimal.

My third floral design features red ginger,  king protea, stargazers, dendrobium orchids, liatrice, ginestra, and hypericum berries. The design was made in a large cylinder filled with preservative soaked foam. The container was wrapped in variegated ti leaves which were applied using spray adhesive.  Raffia was used to embellish and further secure the foliage. Curly willow and bear grass add height and movement. This floral design is fairly large and showy and is sure to be a hit with customers who are looking for something special. 

We have come to the end of my column. It is my sincerest desire that these floral designs will spark within you the desire to think outside the box and create designs for your customers that will generate more interest in keeping Valentine's Day where it belongs, in traditional retail flower shops.  I hope you have a happy and profitable holiday.

Questions or comments concerning this column or its content should be referred to alextorrestmf@aol.com.

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