The Six Principles of Floral Design

Adelaide B. Wilson has a way of making the art of flower arranging accessible to those of us who have not had the benefit of formal training. That information, in turn, helps in becoming more courageous about attempting a formal floral arrangement for the church or home rather than simply placing some nice flowers in a vase and letting it go at that.

According to Wilson, there are six principles underlying good floral design. They are: proportion, scale, balance, rhythm, contrast, and dominance. What follows is a summary of what I learned from reading Wilson's discussion:

Proportion is good when the arrangement is neither too large nor too small for the space in which it is placed.

Scale has to do with the relation of the size of various parts of the arrangement to the whole. Wilson uses the example of an oak tree, which has a strong trunk and large branches from which grow twigs and, in turn, from the twigs sprout leaves. This gradation is pleasing to the eye.

Balance is good when the arrangement appears stable and secure because it has a good base. Balance is particularly important with church flowers because if the arrangement appears unstable, it will be a distraction during the church service the same way, for instance, that a tilting candle is a distraction.

A stable arrangement can be accomplished by either symmetrical or asymmetrical balance. Formal symmetrical balance is where one side of the arrangement matches the other. That is, the same form and size is used on each side so that there is equal weight on each side. This type of balance is used when a pair of vases is employed.

Asymmetrical balance is achieved by using larger forms on one side and smaller ones on the other in such a way that they have the same visual weight.

Rhythm has to do with how the eye travels through the arrangement. It is achieved by repetition, by creating curving lines in the design, or through the use of color.

Dominance involves making a focal point by means of a bright dominant color, or a group of massed flowers, or a single large bloom.

Contrast relates to the use of foliage and buds or smaller flowers above or away from the dominant focal point such that the eye is drawn upward and outward from the focal point, then permitted to return to the point of importance. That point is usually (but does not have to be) at the rim of the vase -- or to some object to which the design has drawn the eye.

While Monet's "Still Life with Anenomes" (above) is not a flower arrangement as such, it shows very well how rhythm is created with repetition and the use of color. Notice how the green foliage between the blossoms gives rest to the eye as the eye moves from bloom to bloom.

Source:
Based on Wilson, Adelaide B.; Flower Arrangement for Churches (M. Barrows & Co., Inc.; New York, 1952), pp. 56-59.

Image:
Monet's "Still Life with Anemones" (1885), from Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

Hydrangeas

Hydrangeas are plentiful right now. While their full soft blooms may require an arrangement that is too large for altar flowers in a small traditional chapel, they are certainly suitable for adornment of a larger church. Moreover, in a small chapel, hydrangea arrangements can perhaps be used on pedestals in the sanctuary or elsewhere.

The composition above is by Adelaide B. Wilson. It combines hydrangeas with Hosta foliage -- a very interesting mix of textures.

Wilson discusses the arrangement in this lively commentary:

"I know of no more distinctive large bloom for the church. Coming at a season when there is little else of such important form, with variety of color from pale-green young blooms through a period of paper whiteness to final pink in many values, hydrangeas are indeed lovely. Even without the fine color and form, the texture of these flowers is suitable for any setting. . .

"Each bloom must be treated as a handsome individual. Bunched together in a mass, the heads lose their distinction. Foliage should be stripped off, the stalks put in deep water and, if the heads droop, a complete submersion given. However, the flowers should be fully dry before arranging or large puddles will collect. Strong foliage acts as a foil.

"Hosta with its glaucous sheen and strong veining here invokes a moving rhythm which travels from one mass to the next, giving each flower head a little alcove in which to sit in state. Exposed front and back of leaves add contrast.

"The copper urn is a substantial vase for large forms. It is simply made and came from the hands of a coppersmith of no special training but with an eye for proportion. Its unpolished red-brown is good with other metals and with wood and heavy fabrics. Such a vase is excellent for [a] sturdy pedestal or low table."

Source of text and image:
Wilson, Adelaide B.; Flower Arrangement for Churches (M. Barrows & Co., Inc.; New York, 1952), pp. 158-159.

Manners for Penitents

As she did about manners at Mass, Fenner has some counsel about manners for penitents:

"A penitent should take time properly to examine his conscience and to determine what he has to say to his confessor before entering the confessional. This is for his own soul's good, as it enables him to make a worthy confession. It is also good manners, as it prevents him from staying too long in the confessional, taking up the priest's time and that of waiting penitents.

"A penitent should, while awaiting his turn to go to confession, stand far enough from the confessional so as to be unable to hear anything that may be said in it.

"A penitent should never push his way ahead of others waiting to be heard. This is not only inexcusably bad manners, it is also, considering the place and the purpose, uncharitable and unchristian. But if someone should push his way into the waiting line ahead of you, do not glare and show your displeasure. 'Offer up' this little trial to our Lord as a sacrifice, and be both a good Catholic and a gentleman.

"A penitent should always behave quietly and reverently, remembering Who is present on the altar. School-children going to confession sometimes forget this and giggle and whisper among themselves or tramp about noisily. Parents should caution their children about this.

"In the confessional, the penitent should speak in the lowest audible tone. Should one inadvertently overhear any part of what is said to or by another in Confession, one must never repeat it, and should endeavor to forget it immediately.

"Out of consideration for others, one should avoid choosing the time of one of the great feasts, such as Easter or Christmas, for making a general confession. Since a general confession takes so much longer than an ordinary confession, it imposes a hardship on the busy priest and the many other waiting penitents. This does not mean that a general confession is forbidden at this time, and one may certainly be made on such an occasion if one feels that one's spiritual health requires it. It merely means that it is a courteous act to defer it to a less crowded occasion if one may safely do so."

As for proper dress, Fenner adds, "The proper costume for going to confession is the same as on all other occasions when one is entering the church. When possible, one should be dressed both neatly and formally. . . . Women should buy and keep in their purse the small prayer veils now available, for unplanned visits to the church."

As for the spiritual approach to confession, the thoughts of St. Francis de Sales can be found in the post The Lioness and Her Lord.

Source:
Fenner, Kay Toy; American Catholic Etiquette (Newman Press, Maryland, 1965), pp. 18-19.

Image:
Longhi's "The Confession" (ca. 1750). Oil on canvas. From Web Gallery of Art via Wikimedia Commons. In the public domain.

Manners at Mass

In her 1965 book, American Catholic Etiquette, Kay Toy Fenner makes some very good points about manners at Mass, all of which relate to consideration for others:

"Proper behavior at Mass and other church services begins outside the church door. If the church has a parking lot, a driver should take care to park properly, to obey all church rules on the subject, and to strive not to inconvenience any other parkers or take up more than his due share of the space. If the church has no parking lot, one should not inconvenience the church's neighbors by parking in front of a driveway or a hydrant. One should never park double or disobey any of the laws of the road.

"Other rules to observe are:

"Come to Mass on time.. . . .

"Always be seated whenever there is space to permit it. Never stand in the back of the church unless you are sure that all seats are filled. . . .

"Move into the pew as far as space permits; leave the entrance to the pew vacant so that others seeking a seat may easily find one. (The exception to this rule is a wedding; those who have the foresight to come early may step into the aisle to let others enter the pew, thus retaining their seat on the aisle, where they can better observe the ceremonies.)

"Those intending to receive Holy Communion should remember to observe the ordinary social amenities as they do so; they should walk up the aisle at a pace that is fast enough to avoid holding others back and slow enough to keep from brushing past others. One should wait until one's turn arrives to approach the rail. If the church has adopted a special method of approaching the Communion rail -- up the main aisle, down the side, etc. all communicants should observe these rules exactly as requested.

"Prepare your contribution before you come to Mass. If your church, like so many others, uses the envelope system for collecting, use the envelope proper to the day; mark on the face of it such information as your church has requested. If you have pledged yourself to contribute a set amount each week, keep your word unless some extraordinary change in your financial situation makes it impossible. . . .

"Mass is not over until the priest has left the altar; the congregation remains until he has done so. When there is an invalid or a baby at home, a man and wife may attend separate Masses. In such a case, one of them may need to leave the church a minute or so before services are ended so that the one waiting at home may be in time for the next Mass. When one has this excuse or some similar valid reason, it is allowable to leave the church before the final prayers have been said. But it is not allowable to leave merely because it is a warm day or in order to escape the crowd."

I would add the following:

Leave your pet at home or get a sitter.  Not only is it irreverent to bring your pet to Mass but it is uncharitable since many individuals are allergic to pet dander.

Turn off your phone.

Leave your water bottle, coffee cup, cookies, pillow, and blanket at home or in your car.  You are assisting at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, not attending a sports event.  Christ spent several hours in agony on the Cross.  Surely you can manage to sit on a wooden pew for an hour and a half. You are not a toddler who must drag his bottle and security blanket with him everywhere.

Practice custody of the tongue: Do not talk before, during, or after Mass except in the vestibule or outside the church.

Do not use gestures or facial expressions to communicate with your family members or friends. Keep your focus on the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Practice custody of the eyes: Do not look around at others.

Do not take off your shoes or put your feet on the kneeler.

Do not permit your children to lie down on the pew or wiggle and writhe around, much less run about the church or play with toys.

Absent an emergency, once you are seated, do not leave the pew except to go to Communion.

Go to and return from Communion at the same time as others in your pew. For example, do not come back late by making an excursion to the statute of your favorite saint and then climb over others to return to your seat. Similarly, do not leave the pew late because you feel you must read a large number of prayers before Communion or that you must practice humility by being the last to receive Holy Communion.

If you have an emergency that requires leaving your pew during Mass, quietly let the person next to you know that you need to leave. Give those between you and the exit of the pew a chance to stand or step outside the pew.

When putting down a kneeler, make sure you do not drop it down on someone's foot. Use your hand, not your foot, to bring the kneeler down.

Source:
Fenner, Kay Toy; American Catholic Etiquette (Newman Press; Westminster, Maryland; 1965), pp. 230-232.

Image:
Catedral Nuestra Senora de la Almudena; Madrid, Spain. From Wikimedia Commons. Some rights reserved.