Chapter 8 Flower Selection 175 Next, you need to understand where the design will be used. Will the completed arrangement be placed in the center of a dining room table or at the side of a hospital bed? The size of the overall arrangement determines the selection of materials. For example, smaller materials are generally used in hospital arrangements because of the limited table or counter space. Arrangements in hospital rooms are viewed up close, so products with a small scale and a variety of textural interest should be used, Figure 8-2. Hefty fl owers should be reserved for large designs in big spaces. You must also consider the longevity of the fl owers. If the fl owers are for a one-night event, they are not expected to last two weeks. However, if the arrangement is for a business account where the customer wants them changed every two weeks, they have to last two weeks. One compliment a fl orist loves to hear is that the “fl owers lasted so long.” The recipient usually remembers that the fl owers were pretty, but they always remember how long they lasted. This compliment is often followed with a new customer. Another important aspect of fl ower selection is selling fl owers from existing stock. Whether the customer is in your store or on the phone, suggest fl owers that you have in stock. If the customer is in the store, take him or her to see live specimens from your fl ower cooler. Seeing and smelling the fl owers may help sway them to your suggestions and away from fl owers you do not have in stock. One more consideration is the role the mechanical design or water source plays in fl ower selection. Depending on the type of arrangement your customer desires, the type of fl owers they like may not work because of the mechanics. Flowers with stems that turn the water cloudy, daffodils for example, may not be the best selection for a design using a clear glass vase. There are fl owers that do well in foam and others that do not. Combinations of fl owers that do not like the same type of water will not work well either. Be sure to take the customer’s preferences into account when planning a fl oral design. What are the recipient’s favorite colors? Does the recipient have a favorite type of fl ower? Incorporating favorite materials makes a design more personal and, therefore, more special to the customer and recipient. Color After you have determined the application, select a color story, or color theme, based on the information you have gathered. Base your material selections on the overall look of the event, or perhaps the honoree’s favorite color. This is especially important when the job requires more than one arrangement. With the overwhelming types and colors of fl oral materials available, you can narrow your selection options by sticking to your color story, Figure 8-3. Take care that all arrangements, large or small, coordinate with the color selections. blackliz/Shutterstock.com Figure 8-2. Hospital rooms typically do not have much space for fl oral arrangements. Hospital arrangements are, therefore, typically small, relying on texture and contrasts for interest. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc.