Rose Arranging

ROSE ARRANGING – In the Oriental Manner
by JoAnne Brehm, ARS Accredited Arrangement Judge and TCRS Member

This year’s rose show schedule includes two sections for arrangements In the Oriental Manner. The section for large roses has one class for using a low container, typically called Moribana, and one for using tall container, typically called Nageire. The section for miniature roses has two classes in which either container type can be used. To start, some similarities between Moribana (low container) and Nageire (tall container) design are:

– 3 main lines – Heaven, Man, and Earth; the heaven line is about 1.5 to 3 times as long as height plus width of the vase (plus amount in vase); the Man line is about 2/3 to 3/4 the length of the Heaven line (plus amount in vase ); the Earth line is about 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the Heaven line (plus amount in vase)

– 3 main lines form an asymmetrical (irregular) triangle – no matter where you look at he design, from the top or from any side, the tips of the 3 main lines form a triangle where no tow sides are the same length

– supports lines can be used in addition to the 3 main lines, usually made up of individual flowers

– plant material is placed to follow natural growth habits, simple construction, restraint in the use of plant material

Materials for a Moribana (low container) or a Nageire (tall container) Arrangement

• simple, shallow container or bowl (round, rectangular, oval, or square) for Moribana – solid earth tone color or black OR simple tall container for Nageire – solid earth tone color or black
• 1 needlepoint holder and florist putty for Moribana OR oasis soaked until wet, cut to size, and wire for Nageire
• 3 small tree branches (cut as described about for Heaven, Man, and Earth lines) – Japanese maple, cherry, crabapple
• 3 roses used for support lines – approximately 1/2 to 2/3 open, fresh, groomed, all the same, or similar in color, rose color compatible with container color
• pruners to cut plant material, water to fill the container, pebbles are optional for Moribana

Steps for Creating a Moribana (low container) Arrangement

1. Place florist putty on needlepoint holder and place til on the left side, either front of back of the container.
2. Place Heaven line in erect position in the needlepoint holder, tilted a couple of inches to the left and front of center.
3. Place man line in the holder behind Heaven line and then slant it about 30 degrees to the back left.
4. Place Earth line in the holder to the right of the Heaven and Man lines and slant it about 70 degrees to the front right.
5. Cut one rose to about 1/3 of the Heaven line length and place it in the holder between the Heaven and Earth lines slanting slightly to the front.
6. Cut the other two roses somewhat shorter than the first rose, place them in front of the first rose, and slant them slightly to the front.
7. Add optional pebbles around needlepoint holder (holder does not need to be completely hidden for Moribana arrangement), fill container wither water.

Steps for Creating a Nageire (tall container) Arrangement

1. Place wet oasis in container, use wire to stabilize branches by wrapping them together if needed.
2. Perform steps 2-7 as for Moribana design, using the diagram as a guide for positioning lines and 2-3 roses.
3. 

Here are 2 examples from the TCRS 2000 Rose Show in Class 7 “Moonglow”:Design in the Oriental Manner using a low container.

A photo of a entry in the TCRS 2001 Rose Show in ‘Moonglow’:Design in the Oriental Manner.

Rose Arranging 101 – Modern Arrangements
Jane Melville, ARS Accredited Arrangement Judge and TCRS Member

Modern or “creative” designs are related to all other designs by definition. In any design, one organizes floral materials to obtain an arrangement of beauty, harmony, distinction, and expressiveness. The traditional design can be used as a foundation for the modern design. The traditional design uses traditional containers with flowers placed by size and color, the largest size nearer the center or “focal point”, and the more intense colors placed within the framework of t he design. The smaller-sized flowers and lighter-colored flowers are place beyond the framework (outside) of the focal point. There is a signal focal point in the arrangement and filler material issued to fill out the contours of the design.

Modern design is eclectic; it combines different styles, colors, and materials. Space is incorporated in the design by placement of the materials used. There may be more than one focal point or center of interest and filler material is not used, as the basic line design is most important. Plant material may be trimmed, bent, clipped, twisted, or folded to obtain different shapes. Fresh plant material may never by colored or dyed but dried material that is colored or dyed is often u sed.

The best way to see this is by looking at two examples as shown below. In the line design, by altering treatment of the leaves an placement of the flowers, it changes from a traditional to a modern design. In the line-mass design, using he same conta iner and some of the same materials, the design is changed by using purple (or any color you like) painted dried branches. By tying knots into the leaves and by having two focal pints, it becomes a modern design.

The usual rules of size of the design in relation to the size of the container still apply. Whichever is largest – height or width – of the container, a rule of thumb is 1.5 to 3 times that measurement. A 12 inch container requires a minimum of 18 inches and a maximum of 36 inches in height. Light, airy material and fine grasses used for your line can reach to 3 times, while more visually heavy flowers, branches, etc. should be closer to 1.5 times. Step back and squint your eyes; does it look to short and squat or too top heavy? Vary your placement until it looks balanced.

Traditional Line

• Single focal point
• Natural use of flowers and foliage
• Larger flower close to container

Modern Line

• Folded Leaves
• Flowers placed up and away from container lip
• Two focal areas
• May use unusual containers

Traditional Line Mass

• Single focal point
• Use of filler material
• Natural use of flowers and foliage
• Larger flowers close to container

Modern Line-Mass

• Dried branches e.g. painted purple
• Enclosed space or opened areas
• Knots tied in leaves
• Two focal areas
• e.g. Hot pink colored flowers for contrast with purple branches
• May use unusal conatiners

Above is an example from the TCRS 2000 show of Class 5 “Lost Horizon”: Modern Horizontal Line-Mass Design.

Above is an example from the TCRS 2000 show of Class 6 “Today and Tomorrow”: Modern Design using two containers.

Photo of an example from the TCRS 2001 show of “The Twist”: Modern Design

Rose Traditional Mass Arrangements
by Dorothy Campbell, ARS Accredited Arrangement Judge and TCRS Member

The mass arrangement is characterized by large quantities of plant material in a full, but not crowded design. The structural lines are not as clearly defined as in line and line-mass arrangements. The strongest line, top and auxiliary lines on the sides serve to lead to eye of the viewer to the focal area near the rim of the container. Mass arrangements are usually either a symmetrical or asymmetrical triangle or oval in form.

Colors are grouped with the darker colors and larger flowers near the lower center of the design and the lighter colors and smaller flowers forms towards the top and sides. Mass arrangements have become more free flowing in placement of plant material with restraint in the number of flowers used so that each bloom has space to accentuate is own beauty.

Characteristics of traditional mass arrangements are :

1. A closed silhouette (outline of design in space around it)
2. Abundance of plant material arranged in an orderly pattern, not crowded
3. Colors and forms are grouped for visual balance and rhythm
4. Has well developed focal area
5. Gradation in color (light to dark) and in size of forms (small to large)

In a mass design you want the flow of the plant material to carry your eye through the design, with the main focal point being in front and close to the rim of your vase. The mass arrangement is my all time favorite. I love the freedom of choosing se veral different types of flowers to compliment my roses and to be able to choose many different colors and sizes and shapes and textures.

To get started:

1. Choose a container that is pleasing to you. Keep in mind its height and width in conjunction with the flowers you will be using.
2. Next, decide what roses you are going to use and remember that in all rose show arrangements, the “ROSE” always needs to be the dominate flower.
3. Now choose what filler flowers you are going to sue. If you grow lots of annuals and perennials it helps a lot. It is also great if you have neighbors with a nice cutting garden and they allow you to pick to your hearts content.
4. Good filler flowers which are easily grown in our area include: Salvia, Cosmos, Larkspur, Statice, Asters, Veronica, Coreopsis, a variety of daisy, baby’s breath, astilbe, and hostas just to name a few.

Follow the simple step by step examples shown below and remember the most important thing is to have fun and enjoy what your are creating.

Here are some examples of Traditional Mass Designs from the 2000 TCRS Rose Show:

Rose Arranging 101 – Miniature Rose Arrangements by Linda Kerkof, ARS Accredited Arrangement Judge and TCRS Member

Miniature arrangements are executed solely with miniature roses and are limited to 10 inches in height, width, and depth. This is the only arrangement category that limits the type of rose, miniature, to be used in a design. All miniature arrangements are judged at eye level.

Miniature designs are works of floral art just as standard arrangements. They may be traditional line, line-mass, mass, any type of modern, any type in the Oriental manner, dried, or even table arrangements. The show schedule will tell you what type of design, any restrictions, and the size of the design. Size range can be, “no less than 3 inches, and no more than 5 inches”, or “no more than 10 inches in height, width, and depth”. All roses must be correctly named and outdoor garden grown to be eli gible for an American Rose Society (ARS) award. If the roses are grown by the arranger, and “arranger grown” or “AG” is marked on the entry tag, then the arrangement can be considered further for an ARS medal certificate.

Other plant material be used in the design, but remember the rose bust be the dominant flower and other plant material bust be in line with the size of the design. Proportion and scale are the two principals of design that will cause you the most conc ern, as they are more noticeable in a miniature design. You need to take into consideration the size the design calls for, the size of your container, the size of the roses you use, and the size of the subordinate flowers you use in the design. Always r emember to check the roses in your design for perfection, color, substance, and overall beauty. The need to be in peak condition and good proportion and scale.

Listed below are a few designs to help you the scale and size in check. Try these designs. They don’t take up a lot of room in your home and you can get lots of practice before the rose show.

Here are some examples of Miniature Arrangements from the TCRS 2000 and 2001 Rose Shows:

Here are some examples of arrangements using dried roses from the 2000 TCRS Rose Show

Here are some examples of Rosecrafts from the 2000 TCRS Rose Show: