How to make a bouquet of irises with your own hands

Bouquets of irises or killer whales and cockerels are often given as gifts to men, because the flower traditionally symbolizes masculinity. But many girls love them, so they make compositions from them with their own hands or select them as gifts for loved ones. And in wedding floristry, blue irises are used especially often because of the depth and naturalness of the color. A small number of plants are naturally colored blue, so killer whales are among the main favorites in this regard. The shape of the “cockerels” resembles plants of their order Orchidaceae, in the familiar sound of orchids. Such a noble form helps to stand out from other plants with simple inflorescences.

Legends about irises

People all over the world have written legends and tales about irises. They were paid attention to for a reason. From a distance, the rainbow colors and unusual shape look like lighthouses - wayfinders. The shape of the plant is associated with military themes due to the shape of the leaf. Images of irises are found in the form of hieroglyphs, which indicates a special attitude towards them in ancient times.

In Russia, the name of the flower “Iris” was established only at the end of the 19th century. Until this time, it was more often called iris for the peculiar shape of the interweaving of the lower leaves near the stem, which resembles a braid. And in Ukraine, the commonly used name “pivnik” is still preserved - cockerel.

According to legend, one of the first buds of killer whales bloomed millions of years ago. Animals and birds admired it and learned about the most beautiful flower and element. Water and wind helped spread the plant's seeds throughout the world. This is how people learned about irises.

According to the ancient Greek legend, Prometheus brought fiery flames from Olympus to people, and at that moment a rainbow appeared on earth. It continued to glow even when the sun had already disappeared below the horizon. For people, the rainbow was a symbol of pure hope. Only at dawn, with the appearance of the first rays of the sun, the rainbow disappeared. In its place, unusually beautiful flowers grew - irises. This is what Hippocrates named the plant. The name was chosen in honor of the ancient Greek goddess Iris, who was the messenger of the will of the Olympian gods. Iris is considered the goddess of the rainbow because she descended from Olympus along the seven-color path. Carl Linnaeus, while classifying flower names, gave the plant its name.

The meaning of irises in a bride's bouquet

Many peoples associated the sharp shape of iris petals with the colors of fighters:

On the islands of Japan they mean courage, courage, nobility.
For Europeans, these are royal flowers.
The peoples of Ancient Egypt and Babylon decorated the walls with hieroglyphs depicting iris. Then the flowers evoked admiring awe among the servants. The oldest fresco depicting an iris, found on the island of Crete, is more than 4000 years old.

Over time the meaning has changed. Irises in a wedding bouquet symbolize fidelity, sincere love and friendship between the newlyweds. The composition reflects the strong feelings that unite the spouses. Brides choose iris for their wedding bouquet for the following advantages:

Unobtrusive smell. The subtle aroma is suitable for women with a sensitive sense of smell who are irritated by strong odors.
Variety of shades. You can choose a shade to suit different wedding styles. A bouquet of burgundy, light purple, yellow, white, and blue irises is in harmony with the dress and the general ambiance of the wedding.

When forming a bouquet of irises with your own hands, you need to remember some features:

"Cockerels" are not long-lasting flowers. The bouquet remains fresh during the wedding celebration, but it cannot be stored for more than 3-4 days. The petals quickly wither and lose their shape.
Seasonal, they are difficult to find from autumn to spring, so from August to February, brides prefer other plants.

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Who can you give it to?

For those who attach importance to the symbols and meaning of plants, they give bouquets thought out to the smallest detail. Therefore, bouquets of irises for such persons are presented only in specific situations. For others who don’t particularly delve into symbolism, but simply love such plants, it is permissible to give them:

To friends. “Orcas” are a symbol of sincere and strong friendship, so friends will appreciate such a sign of attention.
For men. Representatives of the stronger sex are rarely given flowers as a gift, but you can arrange purple and yellow-lilac irises in one composition and present the composition to a man.
If you give “cockerels” to a woman, then you need to know that half-closed buds are most suitable for young girls.
One of the meanings of the iris is courage, good news. This is a good choice for a woman who recently gave birth to a boy.
If a person has an interior in yellow-lilac shades, then soft purple buds will decorate the decor in the house and set off the overall decoration.

Another use of universal trios for flower beds

Combinations of plants, with which you can create the simplest of flower beds, are a universal combination of plants that “works” not only in individual compositions. If you suddenly need to quickly “patch holes” in large flower beds or flower beds, a bald spot suddenly appears between your favorite plants, then you can easily close it using one of three plants in combination. It’s enough to look at your neighbors and you’ll find the masker himself. So, between phloxes and delphiniums a bush of one of the hybrid varieties of helenium can easily fill the void, and between poppies and irises you can plant geranium.

What plants can be combined with?

The blooming buds of “killer whales” can be collected in a bouquet with any cut and wild flowers, the main thing is to choose the texture harmoniously. Rich purple irises pair well with:

yellow tea roses;
white and pink carnations;
lilies;
crocuses;
white large-headed roses;
white and yellow tulips.

In addition to flowers, the bouquet is well complemented with decorative greenery: ruscus, aspidistra, salal, eucalyptus, ruscus. For arrangement, small flowers such as gypsophila and solidago are added. The compositions successfully play up the presence of berries: viburnum, multi-colored hypericum.

Palette

In floristry there are 3 main colors:

All other colors are called intermediate, they are shades of the main ones (pink - red, blue - blue) or are formed by their combination (yellow + red = orange). Based on this basic range, there are 4 main ways of combining colors in a flower arrangement.

Contrasting

This technique involves the use of opposite shades (yellow and purple, red and green). The result is a bright, optimistic bouquet. You should be careful, a sharp contrast makes the composition tasteless and unnatural. Purple irises look beautiful in a bunch of mimosas, yellow tulips, and white carnations. Ridiculous - blue roses with red gerberas.

red and green

Similar

In this case, use 2-4 colors that are “neighboring” in the rainbow. Bouquets of the same shade of different saturation, with a bright spot of dominant color, look noble. Such floral themes are restrained, but incredibly attractive and elegant. This technique is often used at weddings and celebrations, to decorate interiors.

Monochrome

You can put together a delicate bouquet of flowers of different shades of the same color. They are selected in such a way that the transitions are smooth, almost imperceptible. A composition of tea roses, cream peonies, aspidistra, soft green fern, and gypsophila looks charming.

roses in black packaging

Polychromatic

The rainbow palette uses all sorts of shades of red, yellow and blue. A good example is a bouquet of assorted wildflowers. It is collected from those plants that are currently growing on the edge of the meadow. Such a multi-colored armful is delightful thanks to the riot of colors. To give it a touch of elegance, green herbs are used as separators.

Options for combining irises in a bouquet

Due to the variety of shades, girls easily select options for designing a bouquet of “killer whales”. Not only pastel mono-bouquets of soft purple, blue and pink flowers harmonize well with a snowy white dress. Options for bright blue, burgundy shades or mixed bouquets in rainbow colors are acceptable. The long stems of the composition emphasize the bride’s slender figure and visually increase her height.

For an original look, brave brides choose a combination of red, orange and yellow orcas. Floral nets and wrappings for plants should be selected very carefully so as not to overload the composition. If in doubt, a decorative lace ribbon tied around the stems is a simple and laconic option.

What to combine irises with in one bouquet:

Mono-bouquet of white “cockerels”. For fall weddings, brides prefer white irises with a yellow base. It is a symbol of innocence and purity. Delicate buds symbolize the virginity of the girl’s image and emphasize her charm.
"Orcas" and chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums mean longevity and the grace of the bride, so with strict irises they create balanced harmony. Thanks to the variety of shades of these and other plants, unique compositions are created. One of the most grandiose combinations due to the abundance of options and forms of chrysanthemum inflorescences.
Compositions of killer whales and tulips. The smooth petals of tulips are the opposite of the unusual bud shape of irises. Combining shades in different ways, they form a bright bouquet. It will highlight the femininity of the bride. A restrained composition in delicate tones is suitable for more mature women or those who do not like too temperamental combinations.
Bouquet of gerberas, alstroemerias, roses and irises. Compositions with sophisticated roses, symbols of boundless love, create harmony in the image. Some “killer whales” have a base that differs in shade, this allows you to choose the ideal tone of roses that suit the overall image.

Gerberas are a symbol of gratitude and respect between spouses. Combination with them means light, beautiful feelings of lovers and at the same time strong bonds, responsibility for a partner, readiness to live with him all his life.

Alstroemerias are chosen by brides who are moving away from classic celebrations. Exotic buds create a zest and add playfulness and coquetry to a girl’s image.

Floristry styles

The vegetative style suggests that the composition should be as close as possible to the natural image. This style is characterized by a muted color palette; twigs, berries, moss and other natural materials are often used in the design. It is important to ensure that the plants belong to the same season. This is a very difficult style for beginners.

Decorative style. Any combination of plants is allowed here, the main thing is that they look organic and none of them lose their flavor. In decorative compositions, you can safely use the most unusual finishing materials; the more textured they are, the better. Often used for room decoration and composition using a floral sponge.

Linear style. The composition is built according to the principle: clear lines, minimum materials, maximum naturalness. Most often, such compositions use plants with curved or long stems, and the elements are arranged asymmetrically.

Massive style. The composition has a clear form. All elements are tightly connected to each other or to the frame. There are no strictly defined focal points; the colors, size of the buds and lines smoothly transition into each other.

The decorative style is used mainly for making bouquets. The rest are most often found in interior design.

How to keep a composition fresh for a long time

In order to keep plants in their original form longer, it is important that the flowers receive moisture in a timely manner. In cases where the celebration does not require the appearance of the bride with a bouquet, it is placed in a vase with water. Killer whales love moisture, so you need to monitor this constantly. Withered buds look dull and spoil the bride's image. Irises are unstable plants, but you can extend their life in the following ways:

the bridesmaid is warned that she is taking care of the bouquet and places it in a vase of water when it is not needed;
water for irises should be prepared: with a dissolved aspirin tablet, a spoonful of sugar, or better yet, a special composition for cut flowers of the “Crystal” type;
the flower vase should be placed away from direct sunlight and drafts;
plants should not be placed next to fruit bowls, because ethylene released by apples, bananas, oranges and some other fruits negatively affects their appearance, the petals curl and turn yellow;
florists make a bouquet in a floral sponge - piaflora or using the taping technique, this allows the bride not to worry about finding a vase or other container with water for the plants.

On a note! Taping is a process in which the stems are wrapped in a sponge soaked in a nutrient solution. Then the stems are covered with waterproof tapes or film.

Tapes are masked with decorative paper or another method so as not to spoil the image with ugly ribbons.

Lilies and hostas

This very successful combination is especially loved by landscape designers. Hostas cover unsightly lily stems with their large leaves. They grow quite slowly and do not cause gardeners problems with weeding, and the large leaves of one bush can cover an entire square meter of area around the lilies. To prevent the soil in the flowerbed from being empty in the spring, because hostas wake up quite late, plant bulbs of snowdrops, muscari or crocuses on it. They do not bloom for long, so the hosta leaves that grow in summer will not disturb them. With a minimum of effort put in at the very beginning, such a flowerbed will look well-groomed and decorative for many years. As they say, plant it and forget it.

Master class: how to make an “Oasis” bouquet of irises

You can make a beautiful tabletop arrangement of plants with your own hands, even without much experience in floristry. But for everything to work out organically, it’s better to practice assembling and decorating several times.

You will need:

white irises with yellow centers;
large-headed yellow chrysanthemums;
orange gerberas;
spruce branches;
gypsophila;
floral sponge "piaflor";
knife;
container with water;
nutrient solution for cut flowers;
piaflor stand.

Instructions on how to make a flower arrangement yourself with photos of assembly steps:

Using a knife, cut a square of the required size from a large block of floral sponge. Dissolve a packet of cut flower nutrients in a bowl of water. We place the piaflor on the surface of the water; when the sponge is saturated, it will sink to the bottom. We put foam on the stand and insert spruce branches around the perimeter at an angle.

We cut the chrysanthemum stem short at an oblique angle, leaving 10-12 cm. We stick it symmetrically into the sponge. These are the largest objects, so assembling the overall picture begins with them.

For gerberas, we shorten the stem at the most acute angle. We insert around large-headed chrysanthemums.

Remove the leaves from the trimmed iris stems. We fix it in a sponge.

We disassemble the gypsophila branch into small inflorescences. We cut at an angle and fill the empty spaces in the composition.

Decorate the composition with a butterfly. The tabletop structure can be placed anywhere, but it is better not in direct sunlight and away from direct air flow. It is low and compact, so it would be appropriate even on a holiday table or in a conference room.

Tip: If you didn’t succeed in installing the plant into the sponge harmoniously the first time, you must remove it completely. And stick it somewhere else. This manipulation will avoid the formation of an air lock, which means that water from the floral foam will definitely flow to the plant.