Chapter 10 Types of Floral Design 269
STEM Activities and Academics
1. Math Understanding sizes and proportions is important for some types of floral design. Review the size
requirements for traditional ikebana, as stated in this chapter. Then perform the necessary calculations to
complete the following chart. Round your answers to the nearest tenth of a decimal inch.
Container Width
Maximum Shin
Length
Maximum Soe
Length
Maximum Hikae (Tai)
Length
7″
9″
11″
15″
2. Technology. Conduct research into the advances in communication and travel technology that
occurred from 1900 through 1970. Compare these advances with the changing styles of floral
design during the same period. What was the effect of technology on floral design during this time
period? Provide examples from your research.
3. Engineering. With a partner or team, plan a new business devoted to developing new flower
specimens to appeal to people based on today’s cultural patterns and preferences. Perform
the necessary research to explore today’s trends and identify how they might impact your new
company’s work. Specify at least one flower type you think could be created by hybridization or
other means. Form a mock company and create a preliminary plan to engineer the new plant type. If
resources are available, try your plan. Document your research and methods.
4. Math. At a local flower shop or at the website of a retail florist, classify the available floral designs
according to their geometric shapes. Tally the number of arrangements based on circle, triangle, and
square shapes. Create a bar graph showing your results. Which geometric shape is most popular?
5. Language Arts. Write an essay explaining how the selection of floral materials affects the design process.
Communicating about Floral Design
1. Reading and Writing. Draw a monochromatic triangular floral arrangement using an orange hue.
Use orange daisy-shaped asters, white miniature carnations, small mums, and orange asclepias
tuberosa for filler flowers. Draw it in a blue floral bowl. Use real floral materials if available. Create a
second arrangement using a different color scheme.
2. Speaking and Writing. Choose two design styles or use two styles assigned by your instructor.
Find five pictures of floral arrangements created in each of these two styles. Be sure to give the
photographers or designers credit for their work. Using two separate 11″ × 14″ poster boards,
create a poster for each type of design. Include a description of the design style on each poster. Be
prepared to give specific reasons each image is an example of your design style and whether it is a
strong or weak representation. Present your project to the class.
3. Speaking and Reading. Choose two types of floral designs to compare and contrast. Research each
type of design and gather information on its history, who popularized it, and the types of materials used.
Obtain at least two illustrations of each design and use a dark marker to outline the basic framework,
or skeleton, of each composition. Prepare a presentation for your class. Use a computer to project and
explain each design. You may also use poster board and printed images for your presentation.
4. Speaking and Writing. Use line drawings on poster board to explain the skeleton and basic shape
of at least three types of designs covered in this chapter. Indicate which types of flowers are used
to establish the skeletons of each design as well as the types of containers each type may use.
Display the drawings as reference tools for the class. Be prepared to explain to the class how and
why each type of flower (mass, line, filler, form) contributes to the design.