CONSTRUCTING AN ISOSCELES TRIANGLE ARRANGEMENT Written by: Holli Bowman & David Lynn Hall County Board of Education April 2003 Modified by Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Office September 2005

This presentation is designed to supplement the textbook, Floriculture: Designing & Merchandising, Unit 11 “Triangular Arrangements”. The author is Charles Griner and it is published by Delmar Publishers.

Step 1: Selecting Materials A tall vase or container 12 standard carnations 1 stem of pompon or daisy mums 1 stem of statice 8 stems of leatherleaf fern 1/3 block of floral foam Floral preservative Waterproof anchor tape

Step 2: Preparing the Floral Foam Soak the floral foam in a warm preservative solution. You may need to trim the floral foam to fit the container. Use a floral knife or florist wire to trim the foam.

Step 3: Preparing the Container Place the soaked floral foam in the container so that about an inch sticks up above the rim. Secure it with anchor tape crossed over the foam.

Step 4: Continued Criss-cross the tape over the foam and attach the ends to the container. Do not attach more than ½ inch of the tape to the container. Long strips of tape are difficult to hide. Cross the tape slightly off center. A flower stem will be inserted in the center.

Step 5: Establishing the Points Select three small carnations to form the points of the triangle. Place one carnation in the center back of the foam leaning slightly backward. This flower should be 2 to 3 times the height of the container. Place the other two carnations into the side of the foam near the back. Be certain that the width of the design is less than the height so that an isosceles triangle is formed.

Step 6: Adding Additional Carnations Place the largest carnation at the lower center of the design, facing forward and slightly downward over the rim of the container. This flower adds depth and will serve as the focal point. Use the image, to the right, to determine placement of the other carnations.

Step 7: Greening the Foam Insert greenery into the foam along the triangular lines of the design in front of and behind the flowers. Green the back of the arrangement so that all of the mechanics are covered.

Step 8: Adding Secondary Flowers Place daisy or pompon chrysanthemums in the spaces between the carnations. Make sure to stay within the triangular boundaries established by the carnations. Use the smaller blooms along the edges of the design.

Step 9: Adding Filler Flowers Add statice or other filler to soften the lines of the design. Create depth by placing some sprigs below the line of the carnations. Place the statice evenly throughout the design.

Step 10: Evaluating the Design Step back and examine the arrangement from all angles. Check for holes and add greenery or flowers where they are needed. Move flowers, if necessary, to create equal space between flowers. If you move a flower, insert it into a new hole.