Tropical Colors The Art of Living with Tropical Flowers

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Globe amaranth stems float in a mesh of fine copper wire.
A platform of pandanus leaves supports a miniature cattleya.
 Tropical Colors
The Art of Living with Tropical Flowers

Sakul Intakul and Wongvipa Devahastin na Ayudhya

with Peta Bassett
photographs by Luca Invernizzi Tettoni

PERIPLUS

Suspended pink curcumas rise towards floating candles.

Published by Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 61
Tai Seng Avenue #02-12, Singapore 534167.

Text © 2002 Sakul Intakul and Wongvipa Devahastin na Ayudhya

Photos © 2002 Luca Invernizzi Tettoni

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or

utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,
including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and
retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

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Japan
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ISBN: 978-1-4629-0641-3 (ebook)

Printed in Singapore
10 09 08 07

87654

Mauve-pink miniature cattleyas supported on bamboo skewers add color to folded

pandanus leaves.
 CONTENTS

6 INTRODUCTION

10 UNDERWATER ALLURE
13 Tank Art
16 In Unison
23 Sunken Treasures

26 STILL WATERS
28 Massed Magic
32 Tranquil Notes
34 Passing Parades
38 Floral Crossings

40 FOLIAGE IN FOCUS
42 Tropical Coils
46 Defining Lines
50 Lyrical Leafwork
53 Living Sculptures

54 STEM SUPPORT
56 Natural Scaffolds
 60 Supporting Stems
69 Fluted Frames
73 In Suspense

76 CRAFT CREATIONS
79 Traditional Tones
81 Inspired Orbits
86 Woven Blooms
88 Floral Lanterns

92 METALLIC ACCENTS
94 Metal Support
103 Tubular Extensions
111 Wired Webs

116 DIVIDED ATTENTION

118 Stunning Singles
127 Eclectic Elegance

132 MASS APPEAL

134 Colorful Clusters
146 Natural Wraps

156 DIVINE INSPIRATIONS

158 Symbolic Gestures
174 PLANT DIRECTORY
176 CREDITS
INTRODUCTION

Distinctive lotus seed pods provide textural contrast on a panel of ribbed banana
leaves.

Flowers have always been an integral part of the cultural fabric of

Thailand and a constant reminder of the country's Buddhist heritage
and identity They are indispensable in age old acts of worship and
play an important role in festivals and celebrations. Flowers are also
woven into the daily lives of the people. Venerated Buddha images in
temples throughout the country are cloaked in floral offerings. On
their way to work, many Thais offer malai (garlands) and heartfelt
prayers at wayside shrines. Taxi and tuk-tuk (auto-rickshaw) drivers
regularly adorn their rear vision mirrors with strings of fragrant
blossoms. Malai are also given in greeting.
The abundance of flowers available from Thailand's markets and
street stalls is a reflection of the wealth and diversity of its tropical
environment. The country's long rainy season, during which both the
temperature and humidity drop considerably, followed by a lengthy
dry spell, contribute to the variety: lush, moisture-loving plants
growing with abandon almost anywhere vie for attention with
spectacular flowering trees which need a prolonged dry season to
bloom. Although different conditions foster different plant
environments, the more than 200,000 species native to countries
that straddle the equater and nearby subtropical regions are all the
result of abundant sun and moisture. All offer a rich source of
inspiration with which to create memorable floral arrangements.
A steady movement of plants around the tropical world has given
gardeners and florists alike access to an immense array of plant
material. A private garden in Bali, for instance, is likely to offer an
international display-heliconias from South America, frangipanis from
Central America, bougainvilleas from Brazil, flamboyant trees from
Madagascar, anthuriums from the West Indies, red gingers from
Malaysia-all of them growing with the vigor of native plants.
Commercial production of tropical plants and faster transportation
has also meant that many plants grown in tropical regions are now
available as cut flowers in the West, albeit at a price.
Westerners have long been fascinated with tropical plants, a
direct result of the epic voyages of early explorers in search of new
lands and rare spices. Their tales of the tropics and an "eternal
spring" were undoubtedly met with disbelief when they returned from
the New World. Long skirts dragged over moss-covered walkways
and spectacles fogged over in the hothouses of Europe where
people flocked to witness for themselves the imported vibrancy and
rare exotic forms on display. For most tropical plants, their
introduction into glass-houses that approximated tropical conditions
was the first step towards hybridization and eventual acclaim as
house plants. Over the years, the varieties that have returned to the
tropics are often quite different from the original, contributing further
to the diversity.
The fine green stems and leaves of the purple globe amaranth complement the fine
copper mesh in this glass grid arrangement.
Horsetail stems pierced by bamboo skewers form platforms for white curcuma
bracts.

As bewitching as many tropical blooms may appear, their very

nature is also intriguing. What seem to be pale petals on the
musseanda tree are, in fact, decorative leaves. The scooped
protrusions of the heliconia are actually extensions of the leaves or
bract while the true flower remains hidden. The way in which some
tropical plant life is propagated is also curious. The bird of paradise,
native to South Africa, is pollinated by sunbirds which are attracted to
its orange sepals. After having their fill of nectar, they fly on to the
next plant with pollen on their feet. Other flowers, including
gardenias and tuberoses, are white and release heady scents at
night to attract specific insects. Mystique surrounds tropical flora and
is yet another alluring feature of its appeal.
Flowers, however, are not the sole fascination of the tropics.
Leaves and stems command attention in their own right, whether in
starring or supporting roles. The seemingly endless variety of striking
shapes, sizes and colors, as well as texture, all contribute to a rich
collage of design potential.

Bunches of plump lotus buds wrapped in their own waxy leaves are a common sight
at Pak Klong Talad, Bangkok's bustling flower market.

Tropical Colors: The Art of Living with Tropical Flowers

demonstrates how the vast palette of tropical flowers and foliage can
be used to create innovative floral designs for contemporary spaces,
both indoor and out. Techniques vary from single stem arrangements
to floating water installations and conceptual Buddhist-inspired works
in which soaring brass frames cradle reeds, lotuses and tuberoses.
Although the designs in this book were created and realized in
Bangkok, the flora used can be found in all corners of the tropical
world-as well as in florists' refrigerators in the West. Similarly,
technique and inspiration are drawn from the diverse cultures
surrounding the equator. Capturing the context of tropical life is as
integral to floral design as the foliage itself.
Tropical Colors elevates flowers beyond the realm of common
and casual applications. The designs exhibit a raw industrial edge
that reveals Sakul Intakul's early training as an engineer. Others
draw on the floral artist's abiding interest in Buddhism. Most of the
arrangements are, in fact, sculptures: multi-dimensional works, both
physically and conceptually, that can be appreciated from a number
of angles.
The use of unconventional supporting materials, such as cages
and webs of chicken wire and contorted bundles of fine copper wire,
is another hallmark of the arrangements in this book. They add
defining lines, rhythm, punctuation and a novel approach that can be
readily replicated in any home, irrespective of latitude. Equally
surprising is the role of stems and leaves that contribute their color
and texture to compositions throughout and which are also
assembled into innovative supporting structures.
The unifying thread running through the floral arrangements in
Tropical Colors is respect for the individual bloom. To this end, the
astonishing bracts of the curcuma and the waxy petals of orchids are
revealed in elegant submerged arrangements. The delicate fragility
of hibiscus blooms is framed in floating designs. The synthetic
looking spathes of anthuriums and the voluptuous forms of cattleyas
are highlighted when placed against lush leaf coils, while the
dramatic colors and shapes of heliconias are accentuated in bamboo
scaffolds. Each arrangement strikes a balance between the flora, the
form of the arrangement and the built environment. Distinctive
compositions are as sensitive to their locations as they are to the
dynamic between the elements within.
Tropical Colors: The Art of Living with Tropical Flowers is an
invitation to experiment with tropical flowers and foliage or, if these
are not available, suitable temperate plants. Almost any blossom can
be set afloat in a contemplative centerpiece, both indoors and out.
Whether you are curled up on a sunny daybed for a leisurely
afternoon read or reaching for last-minute ideas for a table setting
before guests arrive, be inspired to explore new dimensions in floral
design.

Bold bracts of red and yellow Heliconia caribeae held upright by golden bamboo
frames make a dramatic display in this contemporary interior.
UNDERWATER ALLURE
New territory is being explored in tropical floral art as water is
elevated from a life-sustaining element to a display medium.
Blooms and foliage are plunged below the waterline in
translucent vessels, revealing another dimension in floral
creativity one that can be appreciated from a multitude of
angles. The resulting dynamic offers simple floral solutions
for any space, from large public installations to intimate table
settings. Subtle reflections of the subjects within, whether a
riotous glory lily or the understated crown flower, provide a
delicate interplay of light and color with the surroundings.
Further appeal, and an element of surprise, is added by the
mist-like pockets of air trapped in the fine filaments of leaves
and flowers.
Floor-to-ceiling windows reinforce the feeling of translucency that flows throughout
Raymond Eaton's home. The central courtyard pool further merges interior and
exterior boundaries, while flickering candles float above elegant curcuma stems and
lend an air of intimacy to the grand scale of the setting.
TANK ART

Single tropical blooms suspended by wire and anchored by stones in

large acrylic or glass vessels can make a dramatic statement in any
home. The texture and thickness of a flower determines its suitability
for submersion. Flowers and stems with thick, waxy petals that are
not easily bruised are ideal, though experimentation is
recommended. Composition is as vital below the waterline as it is
above. Space is the key A rhythmic use of voids in and around a
flower can magnify its presence, whereas overcrowding may literally
drown it. Balance, movement, line and repetition should all be
considered when creating a harmonious yet distinctive display.
Rims of fire appear to float above the black granite flooring in this dramatic
entranceway. Top-down lighting illuminates the pebble-lined bases of the custom-
designed acrylic tanks in which tiny pink curcuma rise up to meet floating candles.
Reflections from the glass-lined corridor magnify the effect of a gallery space.
Stainless steel tubing appears to be freestanding in this arrangement placed in a
sandstone niche. Intensely colored cattleya blooms peer out from the metallic folds
which, along with the curved line of the phormium leaf, are inspired by the Japanese
obi (sash).
A welcoming committee of trimmed orchid leaves pierced by miniature green
cymbidiums stands to attention in an understated entrance hall. The flowers are
fastened at the back of the spathoglotis leaves with pins. The floating leaves are
anchored with stones.