Using Flower Shapes in Design

Figuring out which plants to use and how to combine them in naturalistic planting can be a struggle. There are so many options. How do we decide which ones to use?

One consideration is the flower architecture and the geometry of the bloom. We take flower shapes and their arrangements for granted. They are the result of thousands (if not millions) of years of co-evolution with pollinators and pollination mechanisms like wind. We call these pollination syndromes. With Pollinator Week upon us, I thought it would be worthwhile to consider how we use the shapes that resulted from this eons-long project in design.

Pat Cullina referenced flower shape when I had him on my podcast and asked about how he considered using plants in design. He said, “I subscribe to the flower’s structural components to be contrasting. Right, like, so the pea family flowers of Amorpha or Baptisia or Dalea or whatever it may be is distinct from the Allium group which is distinct from the petalous flowers which is distinct from the spikes which are distinct from the umbels. And, then you’re doing that sequentially over time.”

His comments made me wonder is there a simple approach that gardeners can use to make sense of flower forms?

KEEPING FLOWER FORM SIMPLE

I’m using the broad term “flower” to discuss the whole visual unit. I should clarify that some flowers are simple while others are compound and seen as many comprising an inflorescence. And, while we could use botanically correct terms like capitulum, corymb, panicle, or others, those terms don’t allow us to consider the visual aspects. And, they can isolate people who don’t have that language.

So, we can turn to basic geometric shapes like we learned in kindergarten to consider how flowers function in design.

I think also distilling it down to simple shapes makes it easier to understand. I’m considering this from the perspective of standing at a distance and thinking about seeing plants at eye level. So, across a planting what is the visual essence that a plant has. And, can we simplify that to make sure that a garden is visually stimulating.

FLOWER SHAPES

Here are some shapes that I consider using in planting design. Remember, anytime we try to simplify artifacts from nature, not everything will fit into the model, and some plants may exhibit combinations of the options below.

DOTS

I consider dots as flowers that are either small and unassuming or no matter which way you view them they appear circular like Monarda (bee balm) or even Aquilegia canadensis (eastern columbine).

VERTICAL LINE

Lines are one of the easiest shapes to see. Some species have a simple line like Liatris (blazing star), or they may have lines on lines like with Veronicastrum (Culver’s root). And, lines can curve and twist due to weather or other environmental factors.

HORIZONTAL LINE

Horizontal lines are flat platforms that pollinators can easily access as they walk across. So, think Pycnanthemum (mountain mints), Achillea (yarrow), Parthenium (wild quinine), and more for this category.

CIRCLES

Circles are rounded flowers like those seen on Hibiscus (hibiscus) and Callirhoe (winecups). I differentiate these from dots because when viewed from different perspectives circles can appear flat.

ARCS

Some flowers appear as arcs where they are not a perfect circle, but have a rounded dome appearance like Eutrochium fistulosum (hollow Joe Pye weed) and Asclepias purpurascens (purple milkweed).

TRIANGLES

Some flowers are more triangular in profile like Iris, Lilium (lily), and Hymenocallis (spiderlily).

STARBURSTS

Starbursts are where the floral parts radiate out from a central point like Echinacea (coneflower) and even Rhododendron (azalea). Just be aware that if aster family members hold their rays up then when viewed from a distance they may appear like horizontal lines.

SPRAY

Finally, sprays are an amorphous shape of dense flowers that resembles someone spraying out of a can or bottle. Some of our grasses fall into the category of sprays like Eragrostis (purple lovegrass) and Muhlenbergia (muhly grass), and even asters can act similarly when they come into bloom in the fall.

MAXIMIZE THE EFFECT OF FLOWER SHAPE IN DESIGN

Here are a few things to consider when thinking about flower shape in planting design.

When you develop a mood board for a planting, sketch out a simple shape to show the inflorescence. That will help ensure that all the flowers don’t look the same. For example, if you use flat-headed Echinacea, Achillea (yarrow), and Parthenium in a planting, they all may be read as a horizontal line when viewed from a distance. Variety will help the eye read complexity across a site.
In a particular area, strive to have 3–5 different types of flower shapes. With smaller areas, you likely want less, and for larger areas you can increase their number.
Consider how long the floral shapes will last. A triangle shaped lily will only be there for a short time, but the dots of Eryngium yuccifolium (rattlesnake master) will hold through the end of the season.
Have a matrix for shapes to pop against. I’ve seen “naturalistic plantings” where it features only floriferous seasonal fillers, and it doesn’t look right. The floral shapes have nothing to truly pop against. Carex (sedges), low growing grasses, and other basal foliage species can provide a foil for them.
Keep groups in mind. Have 7 plants of vertical lines rising out of 15 plants that create horizontal lines. Having just one of each next to each other looks weird.
Long views are better so that the shapes are more easily viewed.
You can also build in repetition of shapes, but to keep it from getting too boring consider repeating flower shapes at different levels. For example, have the dot flowers of Allium low to the ground and higher Eryngium dots on sticks.

Of course flower shape is just one aspect when we are considering the plant architecture and form in naturalistic design. There are many others to think about with how plants grow, how they emerge from their roots, and more.

Join me LIVE on June 30 at 6 PM CDT for my newest webinar Designing with Plant Shape and Form.

Grow with Designing with Plant Shape and Form 🌸

This session will help you make smarter, more effective design decisions by understanding how plants grow and how their forms shape the landscape. Plus, we’ll have a q&a right after the session.

Can’t make it live? No worries! The session will be recorded and shared with all registrants.
Save your spot now for just $39. The price increases to $49 after June 30.
Space is limited!