The Difference Between An Arrangement And A Bouquet

There is a lot of confusion about the terminology used by florists but most of the terms are easy to understand with a little help. It is actually the use, binding and setting of the flowers which determine whether they are a bunch, a bouquet or an arrangement.

Bunches

A bunch of flowers is simply a collection of stems. Elaborate bunches have a few different varieties of flower but simpler bunches can be picked from your own back garden and need only comprise one kind. Bunches of flowers are usually arranged so that they are pleasing to the eye from several angles and so that they sit nicely in a vase but they can also be split into separate vases or trimmed before display.

Bouquets

A bouquet (such as a bridal bouquet) is a careful arrangement of flowers so that their heads are plush in a dome or other shape and so that they can be held or presented on a table without a vase. When making a bouquet a florist angles the heads of the flowers how ever they like in the arrangement and binds them in to that setting with tape, much like a jeweller sets a stone in a ring. The rest of the stems are then trimmed and bound and often finished with ribbon so that it can be held or displayed easily. Details such as pearl-ended pins can sometimes finish off bouquets by affixing the ribbons to the stems.

Flower Arrangements

An arrangement of flowers can be used for many decorative purposes and it is a general term for flowers that have been arranged with a design in mind. Dried flowers, fake flowers and fresh flowers can all be used for flower arrangements or even used in combination. Generally, there is something to which the flowers attach such as dry foam or water retaining foam and the flowers are arranged on that foam in a pleasing way. Sometimes wire or other methods are used to connect the flowers and tiny plastic water holders on the end of each stem keep the flowers fresh and thriving.

Choosing Flowers

If you would like to make an arrangement, bouquet or grab a bunch of flowers, it is a good idea to choose young flowers which still have plenty of buds closed so that you can watch them open over the course of several days. It is also advisable to cut the stems at an angle so that the surface area for them to remain hydrated is increased and to also put cut flower food in the water.

When choosing dried flowers for arrangements going for bright colours and sturdy tactile shapes works well. Remember that you do need to use the appropriate sort of foam or binding. Pretty arrangements are possible with fake flowers too and there are some very good silk flowers out there but if they sit somewhere for a long time they can get dusty and become unattractive, so it is important to remember that silk flowers need as much attention as fresh ones.