Leisure Occupation of Flower Arranging - Coursework Example

Analysis of a Leisure Occupation: Flower Arranging Name: Grade Course: Tutor’s Name: 19th November, 2010 Introduction Flower Arranging There are reasons why flowers are arranged and so when arranging flowers, factors that contribute to the achievement of the purpose have to be considered. Flower arranging is the art of selecting suitable flowers and foliage, depending on the aim of the florist or the purpose of arrangement, and organizing them to achieve a specific design with all the elements of the design and achieving the aim of arranging the flowers (Aden, 1992; Hunter, 2000 & Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). The basic principles of flower arrangement include; selection of materials, determination of flower arranging style and designing. Materials in flower arranging are such as the flowers, the containers, flower holder and flower cutting and conditioning tools. Flower arrangement style depends on what the florist’s views as an arrangement style, but there are three basic arrangement styles. These are; line arrangements, line-mass arrangements and mass arrangements (Tulsyan, 2009; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005) & (Culbert, 1978). Design is a plan on how the arrangement should appear considering what it is arranged to achieve. It has elements such as color, form, space, light, line, size, pattern and texture. The design also has certain principles and attributes which guides its development (Aden, 1992). In this paper, the main aim is not to describe flower arranging but to analyze it as a leisure occupation in terms of its meaning, its form, its function and its relationship to well being. The analysis is divided into two section with the first section discussing the function, form and meaning of flower arranging and the second section explaining flower arranging relationship to well being. Well being in this case has covered individual well being, community well being and the nation’s well being. The Function, Form and Meaning of Flower Arranging a) Forms of Flower Arranging Definition of Form: There are so many definitions of form one which also refers to form as similar to shape (Aaronson, 1973) & (Baxter County Gardeners, 2005) but in art, it has a different meaning. Considering the basic meaning, form is a three dimensional figure for example, a sphere is a form, a cube, a cylinder, a cone and so on (Belcher, 1993). These are the terms used to describe what a form is in art. The definition of a form in art indicates that form comprises a whole part of the pack of all visible elements and the way the elements are united. It makes people understand what is presented. This means that whatever one element means is not an issue but all the visible elements form part of the form (Esaak, 2010 & (Aaronson, 1973). There are various forms of flower arranging which lead to the formation of different types of flower arranging or different designs. These forms help florists design flower arrangements fit for specific occasions or purposes (Lanker, 2006). According to Baxter County Gardeners, the principles of floral arrangement are; floral arrangement styles, materials to be used and the design. The design has to consider what is to be created, the purpose of arranging the flowers and where the flowers will be placed (2005). There has to be a creation of the relationship between the components of the design which reveals the theme of the arrangement. In order to produce a good design, the florist has to be aware of the elements of a good design. These elements are; color, form, line, size, texture, light, pattern and space (Taber & Kistner, 2007; Cy DeCosse Incorporated , 1993; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). In flower arranging, form is part of the design elements. It describes the three dimensional characteristic of a flower arrangement design (Cy DeCosse Incorporated, 1993) for example, there are crescent, dome, pyramid, L shaped, horizontal, inverted T arrangement, oval, vertical, triangular and fan forms of arrangements (Ed Smith, 2005 & Tulsyan, 2009). Again in this case, different people have different ideas about the forms of flower arrangement (Tulsyan, 2009). Baxter County Gardeners article and Belcher for example indicates that a form can be open or closed. A closed form is that which is compact and massed with very few spaces and is mostly used in mass designs. An open form is that with spaces between the parts and is used to produce, line or line –mass designs (2005; 1993). There are also forms that are characteristic of the shape of the design components and these are; mass or rounded shapes, spiky or linear shapes and spray or filer shapes. Mass or Rounded forms: These are formed from round shaped flowers such as rose, daisy, hosta leaf, zinnia, marigold and chrysanthemum. They are used to form mass or line-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009) Spiky or linear forms; these are formed from spiky or linear shaped flowers such as Rose, Tulip, gladiolus and carnation among so many others. These are used in linear and linear-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). Spray or Filler forms: These forms are developed from flowers such as asparagus leaves, ferns, baby’s breath, parsley and ageratum that are all used to fill up spaces and background of mass flower arrangements. The flowers are pruned and thinned for line-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). b) Function of Flower Arranging Function is the role of the activity or service that is offered. It is the purpose for which a certain activity is being conducted like in the case of flower arranging, the function can be defined as the purpose of arranging the flowers, that is, for what reasons are the flowers being arranged? There are so many reasons why flowers are arranged and in most cases, they are for specific events. Flower arranging is meant to achieve beauty and theme. Every type of flower and every type of flower arrangement has a purpose (Lanker, 2006; Lougee, 2009) all which affect the overall purpose of flower arranging. Line flowers for example according to Lougee are used to establish a flower arrangement structure. These flowers are tall and narrow used to establish the height and width of a floral arrangement design through horizontal and vertical arrangements (2009; Krause Publications & Tincher-Durik, 2001& Griner, 2000). Flower arranging is a creative activity and creative activities have very important roles in occupational therapy. In occupational therapy, creative activities are used as therapy. They improve a person’s capability to solve problems when faced with some. This is because creative activities increase one’s motivation, enhances learning, enables self expression, improves self esteem and provides a feeling of satisfaction and is used to facilitate projections when necessary (Creek, 2002). Increase of one’s motivation: Flower arranging is pleasurable and when one decides to try flower arranging, he or she will always seek the opportunity to exercise his or her potential in it (Creek, 2002). Flower arranging also enhances learning. According to Creek, Reilly’s hierarchy of learning places playful exploration as the first stage of learning followed by practice then a level of competence and lastly, application of the newly learned skills. Flower arranging is a playful exploration activity just like the other creative activities (2002). Creative activities increase satisfaction and self esteem. Creativity is the ability to be inventive and imaginative; a process that leads to achievement of novelty. People will always develop their own ideas and create their own products based on their imaginations. Such imaginations and creation of one’s own work, leads to intrinsic satisfaction which also improves one’s self esteem. One can create new arranging forms of patterns and be proud to have his or her own creation (Creek, 2002). Flower arranging as a creative activity enables self expression. One can arrange flowers to show his or her love, to show appreciation to another person’s effort for example a family member, a doctor’s effort and so on. They facilitate projection like in mentally ill patients. They are used to help the patients express their feelings which are used to expose other materials exposed unconsciously through the activity then analyzed (Creek, 2002). c) The Social and Personal Meaning Of Flower Arranging Personal meaning is what a person achieves from the flower arrangement or the activity. It is the relevance of the flower arranging activity to individual satisfaction, enjoyment, satisfaction, insight and knowledge that come from the activity (Prahalad & Ramaswamy, 2004). So in this case, the question will be, what satisfaction, enjoyment, knowledge, and insight and so on does an individual derive from flower arranging activity? What DOES flower arranging signify to an individual? Different flowers have different meanings and these can be used to express what one wants the other to know (Miller, 2005). Arbutus for example means, “you only do I love”, astilbe means “I’ll still be waiting”, baby’s breath means “innocence”, bells of Ireland means “good luck, whimsy or gratitude” and begonia means “ be cordial, beware or fanciful life” (Sheri & Stritof, 2010). From this, one derives satisfaction for example, when one wants to express his or her feelings to another person. He or she will be satisfied to have passed such a message or to have accomplished a mission of expressing such feelings. Flower arranging also helps one achieve satisfaction because it is a creative activity. The activity is inventive and one uses his or her own ideas and imaginations to develop a beautiful theme of choice, to express feelings, to pass a message or even to exercise one’s novelty. By this one achieves intrinsic satisfaction which also improves his or her self esteem. Benefits of flower arranging to individual persons It enables self expression; it gives one the intellectual benefit of attaining new skills (flower arranging) and stimulates individual stimulatory perceptions. It also enables emotional growth. This is through the self confidence and self esteem that it instils in people. The activity gives the participants a sense of responsibility and pride in completed projects or other accomplishments; this leads to improved emotional growth (WSCC, 2010). Disadvantages of the activity: It is sometimes not easy to understand what feelings one expresses using flowers. The flowers are expensive and patients or clients that need treatment will need the flowers every day (Kottler & Shepard, 2007). Social Meaning Again, in this case the social meaning is what the society derives from the flower arranging activity. Flower arranging activity is used as a therapy to patients such as the mentally disturbed and as a skill in occupational therapy. The society gains from the results of using it (Cara & MacRae, 2005). Flower arrangements are used to celebrate life’s most important moments and to make work places and homes more pleasant. They are used to show love, sympathy, beauty and so on (Rose et al, 2003) as described below. Flower Arrangements used for Sympathy: There are flower arrangements meant for sympathy like when a there is death. In order to communicate grief, express condolences and provide comfort, certain arrangement types or forms are used to express that. Sympathy arrangements for example are always elegant in style and have muted colors. Most flowers used are such as the white roses and white color lilies (Brown, 2010). Flower Arrangements Used for Home Décor: Flower arrangements in homes depend on what they are placed to do in the home. Some are used to express the luxurious nature of the home; some to produce a freshness and life while some are used to produce just their fragrance. Casablanca lilies for example are used to form a luxurious mood in a home (PSU, 1968; Packer, 1987 & Brown, 2010). Flower Arrangements used for Office Settings: The meaning of flower arrangement in the offices is to make the office more pleasant and inviting. It also depends on what the owner of the office wants to achieve by placing the flowers in the office. One may just want his or her office to look beautiful or professional. The flowers produce an environment that suits what the office owner wants it to look like of feel like. If one requires his or her office to look calm, then those flowers that produce a calming effect are used (PSU, 1968; Packer, 1987 & Brown, 2010). Flower Arrangements used for Weddings: Flower arrangements in such occasions are used to decorate the ceremony, make it look beautiful, express the mood of the event and show its importance (PSU, 1968; Packer, 1987 & Brown, 2010). Flower Arrangements used for Celebrations: Flower arrangements used in celebrations are used to express care for the loved ones for example in promotions, birthdays and graduations. They reveal a sense of liveliness and cheer (PSU, 1968; Packer, 1987 & Brown, 2010). The Social Benefits: The main benefit of flower arranging is social interaction within the groups they work in and with the outside environment. By engaging in flower arranging, patients mostly with disabilities learn to work with each other in a meaningful manner towards a common goal. By sharing their efforts with the society, the participants view themselves as productive members of the society. The activity because of its functions is used in treatment of patients with different disabilities for example the mentally disturbed (WSCC, 2010). Disadvantages: The activity assumes that everyone has a creative ability, a theory not proved. Some patients may not have that ability and so flower arranging as a therapy may not be effective in them. It is also expensive since flowers have to be obtained for every patient and it is a regular activity (Kottler & Shepard, 2007). Flower Arranging and Its relationship to well being Well being: Is a state of being contented, healthy, or successful. From this definition, in order to find out the relationship between flower arranging and well being, the factors that contribute to a person’s well being have to be determined. A condition of being contented means a condition of satisfaction, comfort or happiness (Haworth & Hart, 2007). These come as a result of different factors that affect the quality of life. These factors are: income, housing, education and employment, information, health and community service agencies (Holroyd Social Plan, 2005). In order to determine the relationship between flower arranging and well being, the effect of flower arranging on these factors has to be determined. There is also the difference in community well being and individual well being. Individual well being is all about a person’s welfare while community well being is that of the whole society. The factors that affect both individual and society well being are almost similar. An example is education and employment. When the rate of employment is high or when the percentage of those employed is high, it is reflected in the economic well being of the community. Employment determines a community’s earnings therefore influence the economy. The same applies in individual well being. When one is employed, he or she has some income to cater for his or her needs (Haworth & Hart, 2007). Individual well being: How does flower arranging affect or influence individual well being? Flower arranging is a leisure occupation and from this, people get employed and get some income. It does not require one to attain high level of education but requires training on how to arrange flowers. Since it provides a source of income, it contributes positively to the economic well being of an individual. One’s health also contributes to one’s well being (Keyes, 1998). Flower arranging stimulates increased cognitive development (Simson & Straus, 1998 & Mochizuki-Kawai et al, 2010). According to Mochizuki-Kawai and other’s research, flower arranging increases schizophrenic patients’ cognitive ability. The activity improves the non-verbal working memory of a group of schizophrenic patients just after two weeks. The researchers although acknowledge the shortcomings of the research, they believe that this art plays an important role in improving the quality of life of such patients (2010). Simson & Straus also indicate that a horticultural program stimulates increased cognitive development (1998). In yet another research, art therapy was found to improve locus of control and reduced depression among adult inmates. Other articles as cited in (Gussak, 2009) also indicated that art activities used as therapy improve problem solving skills, mood and behaviour of inmates. Art therapy also helps cancer survivors cope with physical symptoms and psychological issues. The activities can help the cancer patients and their families cope with stressful and traumatic experiences, can help them gain self control, help them increase their self esteem, promote their spiritual well being and deal with their emotions (Hart, 2010). Well being is also a concept used to identify all the needs of the people, that is, the cultural, social and psychological needs of families, of institutions, of the people and of the community as a whole (Holroyd Social Plan, 2005). If well being is a concept used to identify the needs of the people, one of such needs is happiness. Leisure activities are meant to make people happy, free from work and to enjoy life. Flower arranging plays a big role in ensuring that happiness is achieved and people enjoy themselves. As indicated above, flower arranging is meant for different functions and the arrangements are meant to express different feelings and pass different messages. In weddings for example, the flowers express happiness for the married couple and the family members. In other celebrations like birthdays, promotions and graduations, people are happy about the achievements and so flowers are used to decorate the occasion and show happiness. Flowers do more than just pass the message to the recipients. They decorate the environment, they change the mood of the environment depending on the occasion and they fill people’s hearts with a sense of belonging (to a family, society or nation). Social needs of the people: How does flower arranging contribute to the social needs of the people? Social needs are those that bring the people together. They are those that are needed for communal development and well being (Keyes, 1998). Cultural practices, youth development programs, leisure activities and community services are examples. A community for example needs a health care centre where the people can seek treatment when necessary (Ribova, 2000). Flower arranging forms part of the social needs of the society. Just as indicated earlier, flowers are arranged for different purposes for example celebrations, for beauty and so on. These celebrations, beauty, leisure activities and other social activities where flowers are used form part of the societal activities. These activities contribute to the well being of the society. One reason for participation in leisure activities is to balance work leisure and productivity in life. This contributes to one’s well being (Ribova, 2000). Psychological needs of the people: Psychological needs are such as accepting and being accepted, achievements, being appreciative and being appreciated, being happy, honesty, being admired, belonging, loved, challenged, satisfied and so many others (Gagnon, n.d). The question again is; how does flower arranging contribute to an individual’s psychological needs? The major role of flower arranging may be this section. Flowers are arranged in weddings to show the bride and the bridegroom that they are loved, that they are appreciated, that the people are proud of what they have achieved giving them a sense of belonging and to show happiness (Miller, 2005). In homes flowers are arranged to express different feelings of the person arranging them. They may be arranged to show how luxurious the home is. This means that the owner seeks recognition of his or her accomplishments and shows it through the flowers among other things in the house. The flower arrangement delivers the message to the right people without the owner of the house having to tell the people of his accomplishments. The psychological well being of the person is satisfied. He or she feels appreciated when people see the flowers, which to him, contains the message he wants the people to have (Miller, 2005). Cultural Needs: These are needs related to ones culture for example if a specific community such as in Brazil, the celebration of the Salvador carnival. This cultural activity can use flowers in some sections to bring out the theme of the event (Brazilian Carnival, 2010). The cultural well being of the people is catered for by cultural practices and flower arranging contributes to such satisfaction. Community Well Being: Flower arranging is also an employment source and an income source for the community. When people establish flower arranging businesses, they create employment and contribute to the development of the community (Holroyd Social Plan, 2005). Well Being of the Nation Like any other occupation of form of employment, flower arranging is a source of human capital that can support the economic and social development of a country. The governments of today are concerned with economic growth but ways of achieving it are also of concern. This is because of the impacts that such activities may have on the natural environment. The impact of such economic growth on the quality of life and the health of the people from children to the elderly is also of concern. The governments of today are concerned with the people’s well being. Human capital is a source of that well being as well as the nations well being (OECD, 2001). It is indicated in the OECD article that for a nation to achieve sustainable growth and prosperity, the nation requires social cohesion in which human capital is very important (OECD, 1998). The nation’s sustainable growth and prosperity determines its well being and well being is not only defined by the economic development. This is why the human capital is important. Well being according to OECD 2001 publication also includes freedom from crime, enjoyment of civil liberties, a healthy individual’s mental state of mind, enjoyment of clean environment and a healthy physical state of an individual. In order to achieve such well being, a nation has to have the opportunities or social capabilities that allow people to choose the kind of work they are capable of and help them achieve their life goals. Getting these opportunities and social capabilities is through the development and growth of economic output. Which means a nation should increase its cultural, work, leisure and political activities. This requires identification of human capabilities to create more work, increase leisure, political and cultural activities. Realization of the human capability to arrange flowers is one of them (OECD, 2001). Flower arranging therefore contributes a lot to the well being of the nation considering the human capability that it contributes to the nation giving the nation people with the capability to choose their own work and accomplish their life missions. Disadvantages of Flower Arranging Contributing To The Well Being Of Individuals And The Society The activity is dependent on flowers so when there is shortage of flowers or any problem with gardening of flowers, it also affects the business and activities of flower arranging. Flower arranging therefore is an activity that depends on the availability of flowers and there unavailability affects the well being of everyone and the society depending on its use. If the flowers are insufficient it can affect horticultural therapy programs that use flower arranging as a therapy hence affecting the progress of the patients hence the aim of using such an art activity not achieved. If there can be a shortage, those doing business with flower arranging can be affected as well. Its use in cultural activities, decoration of homes and weddings may not be a problem but the flowers can be expensive. In therapy, it is an expressive form of therapy that does not use any verbal communication. One expresses his or her feelings in the art. In some cases, the therapists may not understand the true feelings expressed by the patient (Kottler & Shepard, 2007). Conclusion From the above analysis, different people have different ideas about flower arranging but the main idea is, flower arranging has meaning. The flowers too have different meanings. They are used to pass a message and express people’s feelings. It therefore contributes to personal development of individuals, community development though indirectly and also contributes to national development. Flower arranging as a source of income contributes to the economic growth of a community hence a nation and provides income to florists giving them the resource to satisfy their needs. Flower arranging as a source of human capability contributes to the well being of a nation by providing the opportunities that the nation needs to build a sustainable and prosperous growing nation. Flower arranging as a way of expressing people’s feelings promotes social and community well being through satisfaction of social, psychological and cultural needs. Flower arranging is therefore a very important leisure occupation. References Aaronson, M., 1973, The Art of Flower Arranging, 3rd Ed., London: Grower Books. Aden, P., 1992, The Hosta Book, 2nd Ed., Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. Baxter County Gardeners, 2005, Principles of Floral Arrangement, Viewed on 17th November 2010: --F3 Belcher, B., 1993, Creative Flower Arranging: Floral Design For Home And Flower Show, Portland, Oregon: Timber Press. Brazilian Carnival, 2010, History of the Carnival Da Bahia. Guitarra Baiana. Viewed on 18th November, 2010: Brown, R., 2010, Importance of Flower Arrangements, Viewed on 18th November 2010: Cara, E and MacRae, A., 2005, Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: A Clinical Practice, 2nd Ed., Clifton Park, NY: Cengage Learning. Creek, J., 2002, Occupational Therapy And Mental Health, 3rd Ed., New York: Elsevier Health Sciences. Culbert, J. R., 1978, Flower Arranging, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences Cooperative Extension Service, Circular 1154. Viewed on 18th November 2010: Cy DeCosse Incorporated, Home Decorating Institute, 1993, Decorating With Silk & Dried Flowers: Step-By-Step Guide For Making 80 Unique Arrangements, New York: Creative Publishing Int'l. Dey, S. C., 1996, Fragrant Flowers For Homes And Gardens, Trade And Industry, New Delhi: Abhinav Publications. Ed Smith, 2005, Classic Floral Designs, New York, NY: Sterling Publishing Company, Inc. Esaak, S, 2010, Art History Definition: form, Art History Guide, Viewed on 17th November 2010: Gagnon, D., n.d, Psychological Needs Worksheet Gertley, J. and Gertley, M., 1999, Dried Flowers for All Seasons: Creating the Fresh-Flower Look Year-Round, Connecticut: Taunton Press. Griner, C. P., 2000, Floriculture: Designing & Merchandising, 2nd Ed., Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Gussak, D., 2009, The Effects Of Art Therapy On Male And Female Inmates: Advancing the Research Base, The Arts in Psychotherapy, 36, (1): 5-12. Hart, J., 2010, Alternative and Complementary Therapies, 16(3): 140-144. Haworth, J and Hart, G., 2007, Well-Being: Individual, Community And Social Perspectives, Hampshire, UK: Palgrave Macmillan. Holroyd Social Plan, 2005, Holroyd Social Plan 2005 - 2009: Community Well Being, Viewed on 18th November 2010: Hunter, N. T., 2000, The Art Of Floral Design, 2nd Ed., Connecticut: Cengage Learning. Ingels, J., 2009, Ornamental Horticulture: Science, Operations, & Management, 4th Ed., New York: Cengage Learning. Keyes, C. L. M., 1998, Social Well-Being, Social Psychology Quarterly, American Sociological Association, 61(2) pp. 121-140. Kottler, J. A. and Shepard, D. S., 2007, Introduction to Counselling: Voices from the Field, 6th Ed., Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning. Krause Publications and Tincher-Durik, A., 2001, Weddings For All Seasons, Wisconsin: Krause Publications. Lanker, T. P., 2006, Flower Arranging: Step-By-Step Instructions For Everyday Designs, Chicago: Florists' Review. Lougee, M., 2009, Different Types of Flowers Used in Flower Arrangements, Viewed on 17th November 2010: Miller, M., 2005, Silk Flower Arranging: Easy, Elegant Displays, Asheville, NC: Lark Books. Mochizuki-Kawai, H., Yamakawa, Y., Mochizuki, S., Anzai, S., & Arai, M. (2010). Structured Floral Arrangement Programme For Improving Visuo-Spatial Working Memory In Schizophrenia. Journal of Neuropsychological Rehabilitation, 20 (4). North Light Books, 2003, Big Book Of Crafts, Cincinnati, OH: North Light Books. OECD, 2001, The Well-being of Nations: The Role Of Human And Social Capital, No. 51647. Viewed on 18th November 2010: OECD and US Department of Education, 1998, How Adults Learn, Proceedings of A Conference Sponsored by and held in Washington, D.C., April. Outlet Book Company Staff and Thomas, P., 1991, From Garden to Table: Growing & Arranging Flowers, New York: Random House Value Publishing. Packer, J., 1987, Celebrating With Flowers, New York: Fawcett Columbine. Pennsylvania State University. Dept. of Agricultural Education (PSU), 1968, Teacher Education Series, Volume 9, Issues 1-2, New York: University. Prahalad, C., K. and Ramaswamy, V., 2004, The Future Of Competition: Co-Creating Unique Value With Customers, Boston, MA: Harvard Business Press. Ribova, L., 2000, Individual and Community Well-being, The Arctic. Viewed on 18th November 2010: < http://www.thearctic.is/articles/topics/wellbeing/enska/index.htm> Rose, G., Rose, D. and Randall, N., 2003, Aspects Of Life And Death. Dunstable, UK: Folens Limited. Sheri and Stritof, B., 2010, The Language and Meaning of Flowers for Married Couples: A - F – - The Meaning of Flowers, About.com Guide. Viewed on 18th November 2010: Simson, S. and Straus, M., C., 1998, Horticulture As Therapy: Principles And Practice, Binghamton, NY: The Haworth Press. Taber, G. B. and Kistner, 2007, Flower Arranging For The American Home, 2nd Ed., Philadelphia, PA: Macrae-Smith-Co. Tulsyan, R., 2009, Flower Arrangement: 61 Creative Ways, New Delhi: Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. Ueda, M., 1967, Literary And Art Theories In Japan, 2nd Ed., Cleveland, OH: Press of Western Reserve University. Willow Springs Creative Centre (WSCC), 2010, The Benefits of Therapeutic Gardening, Viewed on 5th December, 2010: Read More

There has to be a creation of the relationship between the components of the design which reveals the theme of the arrangement. In order to produce a good design, the florist has to be aware of the elements of a good design. These elements are; color, form, line, size, texture, light, pattern and space (Taber & Kistner, 2007; Cy DeCosse Incorporated , 1993; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). In flower arranging, form is part of the design elements. It describes the three dimensional characteristic of a flower arrangement design (Cy DeCosse Incorporated, 1993) for example, there are crescent, dome, pyramid, L shaped, horizontal, inverted T arrangement, oval, vertical, triangular and fan forms of arrangements (Ed Smith, 2005 & Tulsyan, 2009).

Again in this case, different people have different ideas about the forms of flower arrangement (Tulsyan, 2009). Baxter County Gardeners article and Belcher for example indicates that a form can be open or closed. A closed form is that which is compact and massed with very few spaces and is mostly used in mass designs. An open form is that with spaces between the parts and is used to produce, line or line –mass designs (2005; 1993). There are also forms that are characteristic of the shape of the design components and these are; mass or rounded shapes, spiky or linear shapes and spray or filer shapes.

Mass or Rounded forms: These are formed from round shaped flowers such as rose, daisy, hosta leaf, zinnia, marigold and chrysanthemum. They are used to form mass or line-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009) Spiky or linear forms; these are formed from spiky or linear shaped flowers such as Rose, Tulip, gladiolus and carnation among so many others. These are used in linear and linear-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). Spray or Filler forms: These forms are developed from flowers such as asparagus leaves, ferns, baby’s breath, parsley and ageratum that are all used to fill up spaces and background of mass flower arrangements.

The flowers are pruned and thinned for line-mass arrangements (Ingels, 2009; Baxter County Gardeners, 2005). b) Function of Flower Arranging Function is the role of the activity or service that is offered. It is the purpose for which a certain activity is being conducted like in the case of flower arranging, the function can be defined as the purpose of arranging the flowers, that is, for what reasons are the flowers being arranged? There are so many reasons why flowers are arranged and in most cases, they are for specific events.

Flower arranging is meant to achieve beauty and theme. Every type of flower and every type of flower arrangement has a purpose (Lanker, 2006; Lougee, 2009) all which affect the overall purpose of flower arranging. Line flowers for example according to Lougee are used to establish a flower arrangement structure. These flowers are tall and narrow used to establish the height and width of a floral arrangement design through horizontal and vertical arrangements (2009; Krause Publications & Tincher-Durik, 2001& Griner, 2000).

Flower arranging is a creative activity and creative activities have very important roles in occupational therapy. In occupational therapy, creative activities are used as therapy. They improve a person’s capability to solve problems when faced with some. This is because creative activities increase one’s motivation, enhances learning, enables self expression, improves self esteem and provides a feeling of satisfaction and is used to facilitate projections when necessary (Creek, 2002). Increase of one’s motivation: Flower arranging is pleasurable and when one decides to try flower arranging, he or she will always seek the opportunity to exercise his or her potential in it (Creek, 2002).

Flower arranging also enhances learning. According to Creek, Reilly’s hierarchy of learning places playful exploration as the first stage of learning followed by practice then a level of competence and lastly, application of the newly learned skills.

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