The Use of Floral Tools

By Laura Bowman

Florists, just like any other creative trade, have their trade secrets. Among these secrets are flower matching, ribbon matching, display choice, real flowers or silk flowers, real flowers or candy flowers, and so on. The ingredients and tools make all the difference to the floral artist. Floral supplies are the tools by which those masterpieces are made, even if everyone goes about it in their own way.

A staple piece of equipment for any florist is florist's foam. You simply insert the stems of your flowers into the foam in the arrangement of your choosing, and the foam keeps the flowers in place. You can add water to the foam in order to keep your flowers watered. You can buy different grades for different delicacies of stems.

When you are making your arrangement, cut the foam to be a little higher than your box where you are putting your flowers. You also need to keep the foam tight in the container, since the water will make it tend to slip when wet.

If your box is an unusual shape, then you'll need to cut the foam to its shape. One of the floral supplies you should think about getting is a craft saw. A craft saw is an easy way to cut your foam, though you can still use a kitchen knife, or even some wire, if you cannot find one. No matter which form of cutting you use, prepare yourself for the mess of foam shavings.

If you are using a clear or glass vase though, then you will not want the foam to be visible. In these cases, you will want to buy some metal frogs. Metal frogs are a little difficult, but they work really well in clear vases. If you still want to fill up a little more of the space, try using small rocks and gemstones. Not all floral supplies are made exclusively for that purpose.

If you do not want to go the traditional vase route, you can use other containers instead. You can use small buckets, glasses and long planter boxes. There is no end to the possibilities when it comes to holders for your flowers.

However, the most important floral supplies are-let's face it-the flowers. Flowers can be bought just about anywhere: the grocery store, a gas station, an actual florist, or in bulk from an online outlet. A florist learns which flowers match each other, which colors to use for occasions, and how to arrange the flowers for best appeal.

The floral craft is not simple. In fact, it is a trade with many little minute details. The best way to create the best flowers is to know the medium, and to become proficient in the art of floral design. - 33387

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