Hani Aga – Final Floral Design Project

Meet Hani Aga, a graduate of both the beginners and advanced courses. Hani, 59, from Modiin, is a special education therapist with many years experience working with children and teens. She is also an alternative medicine practitioner. She recently submitted her final project for the advanced course. The idea behind the project was to create balance and harmony between the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood, based on Chinese medicine and became relevant for Hani due to a recent unsettling medical episode.
Hani: “The colors used were green and brown for the base – as I am nature! The other colors were chosen based on the Chinese principles of healing, support, balance and creating. The circle of the five elements: fire, earth, metal, water and wood and I chose white for the center that represents my aspirations as white symbolizes purity, cleanliness and serenity.

Hani’s Story:
“A few months ago I had a heart episode and needed to undergo angioplasty. I decided to share my feelings about this experience that shook my world and express them through flowers.
The main concept behind the design is my personal story that began on Wednesday, December 28 2017, when I suffered a heart related episode and a subsequent angioplasty. The confusion, hospital stay, procedure and related treatments; injections and many pills; all these things created a huge upheaval for me. Suddenly all that had been taken for granted was overshadowed with doubt.  Confidence in my health was shaken.
I began questioning my life’s course, the marathon I had been in, the stress and pressure over a long period of time, my need for perfection and success in all areas, career and otherwise.
Suddenly it was all chaos, confusion, fear and anger. Tons of anger. During my medical leave many thoughts ran through my mind: Where am I headed? How can I change my life’s direction and steer clear of medical problems? How can I help myself? Inside I knew the answers were deep in the laws and theories of alternative medicine. I understood that my intense lifestyle caused me to live in a state of total imbalance. This is where the medical problems stemmed from. I decided to see to myself and my needs before all other tasks I took upon myself. The path toward health is a circle of support in Chinese medicine. The idea is to create harmony between all of the elements: fire, water, metal, water and wood. When I was asked to do a final project that would reflect my personal feelings, I chose to create the circle of support.
The design process and materials used to bring the idea to fruition:The base: Lazy Susan from IKEA.Oasis covered in Grevillea with gold back leaves. Salix was used to make a natural base and to create a sense of growth in the center of the work.Light blue spray was used on the Achillea to create the element of water.Bristly foxtail and Grevillea leaves were used to create the element of earth. For the element of fire I chose red roses and Kangaroo Paws that together create a sense of a campfire. I used branches combined with Sweet William flowers that together created the wood element. For the center I used the Salix and white Calla. White Calla Lilies are one of my favorites and for me signify purity, growth and even hard times. 

Hani’s Course Reflections:
I would like to thank the amazing Orit for the privilege to study under her guidance in both the beginning and advanced courses. The learning experience was amazing! Orit is a charming, caring and generous figure with the ability to take in so much. She is the number one teacher in flower arrangement. I learned many different and unique methods and I get great joy bringing these techniques to my floral designs in all places and events. I hope to further develop my work in the field of floral design.I thank Orit for the many tools she has equipped us with and of course the wonderful group of ladies who have become my friends. I feel very privileged