All Photography By: Laura Pearson
Couture floral design may be used when creating a floral design for a flower show or stylish event. We may look to the French for haute couture inspiration. Much like fabric, leaves and grasses may be folded into graceful shapes to enhance a floral display.
Design 1: 
A tall black vase creates a streamlined base for a couture inspired arrangement. Red roses, orange roses, and pepper berries are grouped and placed tightly onto the vase creating contrast in both color and texture. Aspidistra leaves are folded into soft, elegant shapes and lightness is achieved with an overlay of lily grass. Strands of grass are held with wire picks to make them fall gracefully over the cluster of roses.
Design 2: Front
A French art nouveau vase is filled with aspidistra. Galex leaves hold analogous colors of two shades of purple carnations and blue hydrangea. An overlay of bear grass gives movement and is tied with decorative wire. If this were a flower show design, the rule in flower show competition is: “mechanics may not show unless they are part of the design.” Repetition of the wire used in the composition as green wire orbs reinforces the idea that the wire is decorative as well and mechanical.
Design 2: Back
As in all haute couture the back is always as important as the front. Here galax leaves are folded into shapes that fill the space without using flowers. Often I prefer the simplicity of the designs back to the more abundant flowers in a design’s front.
Aspidistra folded and stapled into rounded form
Aspidistra split and folded into wavy form
Galex leaves folded back to back
Lirope wired for overlay
