What is negative space in floral design?

Negative space in floral design is the deliberate absence of material within a composition - the open areas between stems, branches, and blooms. It is not a failure to fill a gap but a positive design decision. When used purposefully, negative space focuses attention on the materials that are present, creates breathing room within the arrangement, and generates visual tension between elements. Designs that fear negative space tend to feel cluttered and visually exhausting. Negative space is the complement of positive space - the areas where material is present. Neither is fully meaningful without the other, and managing the relationship between the two is considered a primary measure of a designer's development. Skilled deployment of negative space is a defining characteristic of contemporary and formal-linear design. Sources: Pampling (120).