Sources of Plant Material

Meadows and woods offer an endless variety of plant life. Indiscriminately plucking wild flowers is considered taboo. Children should be taught that flowers near the roadside should be left for passersby to enjoy and that rare plants, such as the arbutus, heather and trilliums, should never be picked.

In gardens, flowers should be available throughout the seasons. Gardeners say that about a dozen well-chosen varieties will provide interesting combinations until late autumn and can later be used for dried winter bouquets. Garden plants with unusual leaves, buds or seed pods should also be nurtured for unique arrangements.

Since customers are dependent on florists during the cold season, they should learn how to be discriminate shoppers. It is often better to buy just one to three of the same blossoms with buds and a few unusual leaves than to get more identical blossoms. Flower arrangements should express a definite idea.