DIVINE INSPIRATIONS

In the tropics, both people and the divine are the recipients of flowers. Tropical blooms and leaves not only play an integral role in everyday life but are also an essential component of ceremonies and festivals. In some societies, floral crowns and garlands are worn as accessories or offered in greeting. A woman may pick a frangipani or purchase strands of jasmine to place in her hair, or she may weave the same blooms into temple offerings. Leaves can also be transformed into offering baskets. Inspiration may be drawn from the many cultural associations found in both the day-to-day and ceremonial use of tropical flowers. A mood of contemplation as well as innovative synergy will be infused into home floral displays.

SYMBOLIC GESTURES

Conical arrangements, inspired by religious architecture and accoutrements and aided by the fascinating composition of tropical foliage, inject a feeling of nobility and drama into floral art. Floral "processions" and garland-inspired designs speak of both religious practices and daily life in the tropics. The imaginative application of foliage to freestanding columns and cubic installations can add a magical quality to contemporary interiors. Outdoors, vibrant totems and organic candle holders lend an air of mystique to both daytime and evening garden settings. Understated colors, simple shapes and delicate fragrances symbolize the pure and the divine.

Spire-shaped vessels, seemingly made of ceramic are, in fact, fashioned from peelings of the fleshy trunk of the crinum lily. Scented ylang-ylang flowers add a crowning touch.

An ethereal procession of banana leaf cones glides along a glass tabletop as if drawn to the light. Reflections magnify the water-free arrangement. Fragrant tuberoses add heightened sensory appeal to this contemporary interpretation of Thai religious offerings.

Freestanding pillars covered with lotus leaves and tuberoses line a candlelit waterway in the lobby of the Dusit Hotel's Devarana Spa in Bangkok. Inspired by the Tribhumphraruang, an ancient Thai text, the overall effect is of an enchanted pathway leading to a heavenly garden pavilion.

Tuberoses climbing up the lotus leaf covered pillars infuse the mystical ambience with their sweet perfume. The overlapping lotus leaf "scales" are attached to wire frame columns which are surprisingly light and easy to move.

Lotus leaf-covered cubes tumble down an ornate staircase, creating a dramatic and kinetic installation.

"Organic origami" transforms two-dimensional lotus leaves into cubic canvases for pale herald's trumpet blooms. The lotus leaves are stretched over wire frames, with their radiating spines emphasizing each corner of the cubes.

Long strands of tiny crown flowers form an elegant and airy room divider.

Given as a form of greeting, this Thai garland is woven from orange jessamine leaves and covered in a delicate net of tiny paper gardenias. A tassle of crown flowers is trimmed with mock rose buds that are also cleverly fashioned from orange jessamine leaves.

Millions of crown flowers and jasmine buds are threaded daily by nimble-fingered vendors throughout Asia to form garlands and other religious offerings.

A pagoda-shaped floral float is made of seven tiers of banana trunk encased in its own leaf. Globe amaranth blossoms trim each tier.

A central metal prong secures each tier of this arrangement in place.

A gustavia blossom forms a focal point for devotion in front of this spirit house by artist Doytibetra Duchanee.

Slices of banana trunk attached to jade-colored banana columns with bamboo skewers support lit candles in fashion designer Nagara Sambandaraksa's garden. Skewered frangipani blooms spiral up the organic pillars.

Gustavia blossoms form reverent offerings before a sculpture of Buddha's footprint. Each flower rests on squares of banana trunk that are covered in banana leaves and fastened with bamboo staples.

Visible from the garden, a group of oranges, symbolic of wealth in the Chinese culture, is proudly displayed atop a carved wooden seat in this vestibule. Individually bound in bamboo leaves, a symbol of longevity, and adorned with desert rose blooms, the arrangement is a modern twist on Chinese New Year house gifts. Parcels of the fruit are usually presented to hosts to wish them prosperity during the coming year.

Vibrant orange contrasts with striking green in this dynamic cluster. The exquisite desert roses on top of the arrangement not only add festive cheer but also connote the color red, a symbol of prosperity and fertility in the Chinese culture.

Distinct seasonal change is rarely apparent in the tropics, though subtle changes do occur. Buttercup trees flower only in the dry season while the leaves of the sea almond tree turn to red and fall twice a year.

Autumn-toned totems made from sea almond leaves and buttercup tree flowers stand in colorful contrast to Thai artist Doytibetra Duchanee's "moonscape" sculpture of compressed aluminium cans.

Vivid garlands of marigolds, commonly used in north Indian ceremonies and weddings, have inspired these floral totems. The original color scheme has been adapted and refined for this outdoor setting. A central vertical metal prong replaces the needle and thread in the construction of the pillars. A painting by Thai artist and sculptor Doytibetra Duchanee provides a luminous background to the totems.