Floristry is not something that comes naturally to everyone, as is often the case with many creative professions. And sure, I guess there are elements of floristry that you do see everyday people giving a go, much like we might try and put a home colour through our hair. I’m sure that they are under no illusion that it looks ok, but certainly not professional, but sometimes this is all that is required, and we are all guilty of cutting corners (and costs) at times.
But there are some areas of floristry that should be left to the professionals. They are tedious and technically challenging and unforgiving, showing every fault when they are not created correctly.
The compilation bouquet is certainly one of these.
What is a compilation bouquet? The compilation bouquet, is also known as a composite bouquet, a Duchesse Rose (if made with roses), Malmaison or even a Glamellia.
Essentially it is a bouquet where individual blooms (of the one variety) are disassembled, and then the petals are wired and placed together again piece by piece until a giant single super bloom is created. These days many people bypass the wiring somewhat and glue the composition together. Regardless of what technique you favour, it is fiddly, detail orientated work and you should certainly ensure that you set up your work station with everything ready to go. If you are using the glue, it can get messy, and the individual rose petals can wither quickly.
The original term, “Glamellia” started back in the 1940-50’s, when during the war, Camellia blooms were considered particularly expensive. The solution? Take the petals of the more common, and less costly Gladioli, and create a single bloom that looks like the more expensive flower, the Camellia. Glamellia= Gladioli + Camellia.
The term “composite” simply refers to any handmade flower which is accomplished by placing pieces of several flowers together to make it appear to be one large bloom.
Initially, this bouquet was designed with Gladioli, but most commonly it is created with roses. These days, the sky is the limit, and I have found some beautiful examples using Cymbidium Orchids, Ranunculas, Roselilies, Lilies and I’m sure there is much, much more out there.
The composite bouquet is an ‘Old School’ Floristry technique, and many florists would shy away from creating this style of bouquet simply because they are not ordered often, so you tend to feel out of practice. Undoubtedly this style of bouquet is a show stopper, primarily because it is not the kind of thing you see everyday.
One of the benefits of this style of bouquet is that it is lightweight and fairly easy to handle. As all the stems have been removed it tends to be far less bulky than any hand-tied or wired bouquet. It makes a fantastic choice for wedding bouquets, especially if you want to stand apart from what is out there generally.
What do you think, are you a fan of the “Glamellia”?
Til next time,
Fwf x
Featured Image: Inside Weddings