A Personalized Farewell
Customization is becoming the norm in today’s funeral floral arrangements. Bereaved families are increasingly choosing colors, shapes, and materials that reflect the personality of the person they are saying goodbye to. A handwritten message, a favorite flower, or an unexpected presentation makes all the difference. At the same time, new solutions are emerging around reusability, biodegradable materials, and natural burial grounds. This special issue shows how current developments and inventive craftsmanship come together in floral arrangements that are shaped not by fixed conventions, but by a personal story.
Calla in the Lead Role
This bouquet features a single flower variety: Zantedeschia ‘Cantor,’ an almost black calla lily. Both its dark color and the fact that this calla grows outdoors in the field during the fall make it ideal for an autumn bouquet. The base is a metal ring to which small rings have been twisted using purple aluminum wire. Each stem passes through one of these openings and is secured individually, so that the flowers remain in place while being arranged and can be oriented outward. This requires precise placement: in the clear, bold form, every flower is visible. Wisteria tendrils follow the wreath and add movement, while Alocasia leaves provide points of calm within the composition.
Contrast in the leaves
A delicate mix of flowers has been arranged compactly in a bowl filled with Oasis BIO floral foam. Surrounding it is a wreath of Aspidistra leaf strips, whose bold shape and color provide a striking contrast to the flowers. Passiflora vines connect the leaf wreath to the central floral arrangement. The arrangement features crimson berries, chrysanthemums, Phalaenopsis, Germini Chocoloco, roses, Aspidistra leaves, and Passiflora vines.
Small maple objects
The smaller versions translate the same design language into an object that is simpler and faster to produce. A rose gold-sprayed wooden base supports a single piece of brown aluminum wire, 5 millimeters in diameter. Attached to it are several 3D-printed maple leaves secured with cappuccino-colored aluminum wire, along with a single branch of licorice. Two small tubes hold a germini and a calla lily. Individually, they are compact arrangements; when arranged in a series, they create the effect of a single, larger display. The long-lasting base can be refilled with different flowers multiple times.
Fall in Maple Lines
Anyone looking for images of fall will quickly come across the familiar maple leaf. Hanneke didn’t use real leaves, but 3D-printed ones in two sizes. They are mounted on cappuccino-colored aluminum wire and together form branching lines. A metal pin stands on a wooden block, mechanically wrapped in bouillon wire. Attached to it is a frame of dried, black Cornus branches, with dried licorice serving as a warm brown accent. The fresh flowers are arranged in tubes: germini, calla, Nepenthes, rose, carnation, and Phalaenopsis. The long-lasting arrangement can be refilled after use.
Compact with lanterns
This compact version uses the same technique and materials as the large lantern installation, but in a smaller size and with fewer flowers. As a result, the arrangement requires fewer materials and is more affordable. Hanneke recommends preparing such pieces in batches during quiet moments: the initial setup takes time, but repetition speeds up the process. The reusable frame can then be refilled time and time again. In the store, she displayed the small versions individually and as a set, alongside a larger eye-catching piece that drew attention to the entire series.