Types of Materials

When I think about botanical materials, I generally think of them in 3 different types.

Main flowers: These flowers tend to be showy. Roses (not spray), lilies, dahlias, sun flowers, and other larger flowers are very typical main flowers. Main flowers tend to be the most eye catching in an arrangement.

Subordinate Materials Smaller flowers that support the Main flowers

Filler Flowers: These flowers tend to be smaller and some people refer to them as fillers. Babys’ breathe, chamomile, spray roses, yarrow are and other flowers that tend to be smaller.

Greens: Green materials are those materials that are not necessarily green as the name suggests. They do tend to have leaves however. Eucalyptus, hosta, euonymus, branches, grasses, New Zealand Flax, ferns, pine, Aspidistera, Olive and others.

There are some botanical materials that can fit into more than one of these categories depending on how they are used. One example is the hydrangea. It can be used like a green or a main flower. It might even squeeze into a subordinate in a rather large arrangement. There are really not that many materials that have the flexibility to fit into more than one category, but they do exist.