diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 784dc50..80775bb 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -90,4 +90,4 @@ local_settings.py
 .env
 db.sqlite3
 /local/
-.vscode
+.vscode/
diff --git a/mermaid/flowchart/__init__.py b/mermaid/flowchart/__init__.py
index d59d63e..7e676ea 100644
--- a/mermaid/flowchart/__init__.py
+++ b/mermaid/flowchart/__init__.py
@@ -8,15 +8,17 @@ class FlowChart(Graph):
     def __init__(self,
                  title: str,
                  nodes: list[Node] = None,
-                 links: list[Link] = None) -> None:
+                 links: list[Link] = None,
+                 orientation: str = 'TB') -> None:
         super().__init__(title, '')
+        self.orientation: str = orientation
         self.nodes: list[Node] = nodes if nodes is not None else []
         self.links: list[Link] = links if links is not None else []
         self._build_script()
 
     def _build_script(self) -> None:
         super()._build_script()
-        script: str = '\nflowchart'
+        script: str = f'\nflowchart {self.orientation}'
         for node in self.nodes:
             script += f'\n\t{node}'
         for link in self.links:
diff --git a/mermaid/tests/test_flowchart.py b/mermaid/tests/test_flowchart.py
index dc815fa..f43d97b 100644
--- a/mermaid/tests/test_flowchart.py
+++ b/mermaid/tests/test_flowchart.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def test_str_link_with_no_default_value(self):
 
 
 class TestFlowChart(unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_make_flowchart_script(self):
+    def test_make_flowchart_script_with_default_orientation(self):
 
         nodes = [Node('First Node'), Node('Second Node'), Node('Third Node')]
         links = [
@@ -96,7 +96,30 @@ def test_make_flowchart_script(self):
         expect_script: str = f"""---
 title: simple flowchart
 ---
-flowchart
+flowchart TB
+\t{nodes[0]}
+\t{nodes[1]}
+\t{nodes[2]}
+\t{links[0]}
+\t{links[1]}
+"""
+        self.assertEqual(expect_script, flowchart.script)
+
+    def test_make_flowchart_script_without_default_orientation(self):
+
+        nodes = [Node('First Node'), Node('Second Node'), Node('Third Node')]
+        links = [
+            Link(nodes[0], nodes[1], head_left='cross'),
+            Link(nodes[1], nodes[2], head_right='bullet')
+        ]
+        flowchart: FlowChart = FlowChart('simple flowchart',
+                                         nodes,
+                                         links,
+                                         orientation='LR')
+        expect_script: str = f"""---
+title: simple flowchart
+---
+flowchart LR
 \t{nodes[0]}
 \t{nodes[1]}
 \t{nodes[2]}