In keeping with warm weather brought on by the first days of spring, the Museum of Art and Archaeology hosted the seventh annual Art in Bloom event Friday through Sunday. Art in Bloom is an exhibition in which floral designers create intricate floral works based on a chosen piece of artwork from the museum.

The show was inspired by the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, which was the first museum to start an exhibit combining artwork with flowers. Each year, the Museum of Art and Archaeology sends out invitations to local florists and garden clubs, museum Assistant Director Bruce Cox said.

“It’s an opportunity for the floral designers to express themselves and get really creative, which a lot of times they can’t do for customers,” Cox said.

The show is more than floral arranging, said Ruth LaHue, owner of the floral shop My Secret Garden.

“Anyone can take a hand of flowers, throw them in a vase, and they can be beautiful,” LaHue said. “But floral art follows all the principles of design. You know the rules, and you take it one step further. You use your creative ability to expand.”

The floral artists’ designs also had to accommodate creative methods of displaying their work, while keeping the flowers fresh. LaHue’s son, Zac LaHue, also had a floral design in the exhibit. He built a large shadowbox to encase his floral design because he wanted it to be backlit, without interfering with the museum’s policy on lighting, which can damage paintings.

Ruth LaHue said each flower had to be hydrated and processed differently. She made sure her flowers came fresh from the field. Friends of hers in Hawaii hand-picked flowers from their gardens to send to her, to get the perfect hues.

LaHue said color was crucial in her design, but the color of the flowers didn’t have to perfectly match the painting.

“You’re not copying the artwork,” LaHue said. “You’re just inspired by it. You have to look at the whole composition.”

LaHue said the opportunity for the artists to choose their own pieces is what makes Art in Bloom so successful.

“My intuitive reaction is that this is the best it’s ever been,” said Robin Remington, who has attended Art in Bloom almost every year. “I love the combination, because I view flowers as an art, too.”

Remington said the exhibit enhances her appreciation of spring, no matter the current season.

“Even if they had it at another time, I would feel honored to see the complexity of the show and the commitment of the artists,” Remington said.

Cox feels the exhibit brings more attention to the museum. This year, more than 1,600 people stopped by to see Art in Bloom.

“It lets people experience art in a new way,” Cox said. “It brings them in to see the flowers, and in doing that, they get to see the art.”

A slideshow of all the floral designs and their corresponding artwork is available on the museum’s website.