While we very much appreciate a big and lush bouquet, looking at alternative floral styles can be quite inspiring. ‘Ikebana’ is an example of true floral art. And in this Design Influence article we explain what ikebana is and we show some great examples of this floral style. 

Ikebana is the Japanese art of creating flower arrangements, that evolves around creating a composition by using color, rhythm and interplay of lines, symbolising the beauty of nature and life in general. To recreate nature in a flower arrangement, multiple different flowers are used. Items like moss, fruits and leaves can also be used to create an ikebana arrangement. Another very important aspect in ikebana is minimalism. Therefore, when someone says they are going to gift you an ikebana flower arrangement, don’t expect to get a lush bouquet. But rather a minimalistic and artfully created arrangement!

To create a piece with a longer durability, flower buds are preferably used instead of already blossoming flowers. Often flowers, branches and other decoration materials are placed on a flat bowl and pinned to the bottom. To keep the flowers and greenery fresh, they are cut under water so the branches are not able to take in any air. A little bit of hydrochloric acid and sulphuric acid is also added to the water, to extend the freshness of the flowers and greenery. 

Below some examples of Ikebana flower arrangement.