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.