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How To:

The design it yourself Tropical Sunset floral arrangement has Helicona Caribea, Heliconia Psittacorum, red ginger, Song of India, ti leaf, maraca ginger, echevaria succulents, and palm leaf. Using florist foam, you can easily create an intricate, beautiful design.

I usually do my tropical arrangements in florist foam, the blooms tend to be heavy and this will give a better control over the design and shape. Soak the flower foam completely in water that has had flower food added to the water. Let soak for 20 -30 minutes before starting.

I like using a solid colored vase or ceramic container, this way you can hide the floral foam. Using a sharp long knife cut your floral foam to fit your container, flush to the top of the container.

Tropical flowers tend to be large , bright vertical blooms that last for a couple of weeks. Prep you stems by cleaning off all excess leaves that may be under water so all you have left is the blooms on top of the big thick stems.

The best way to approach your design is to think architecturally. You will want to create an “L” shape by starting with a backdrop of a couple of ti leafs and palms and a few leaves around the top of the container. Then start at the highest point you want to make your arrangement, cutting your first stem to that height and insert into the foam. You should put your stems deep enough in the foam, a few inches so that stems stay in place.

Continue putting in your other flowers by grouping them in staggered heights so you can see each bloom from several sides.

Put a few blooms at a horizontal angle as well, like I’ve done with the red gingers, this will create some width to the look.

Then finish with a large headed bloom cut down low and tucked in the base, like I’ve done with the succulent head. This will carry your eyes from the top, down to the base of the arragnment.

Once you’ve put finished , wipe the leaves and blooms with leaf shine, this will clean up any water marks and help the blooms retain water.

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