Hi, my name is Bisli Vazquez, and today we will be discussing the Best Flower Design Tools for you to get started in floral decor. This guide is meant to be a thorough walkthrough of the tools you need for floral design. You will be able to shop and use these tools with confidence on any arrangement.
On the following headings you will find a few samples of cutting tools and other tools. There is also a list of some tools that will make your work easier.
Table of Contents
ToggleCrowning Glory
Crowning Glory is used for hydrating fresh flowers and make them last longer. It helps make the water your fresh flowers absorb last longer by helping them absorb moisture. All you have to do to achieve this is to spray crowning glory on your flowers.
Use this to prolong the life of your flowers the second you receive them. This comes in a bottle so no mixing is required. It is safe to be used on all flower types.
Related: Read more of my blogs to learn every minuscule intricacy of artistic nuisances there are in designing perfection.
Buckets
You will need buckets to hold water and flowers while they absorb food and preservatives which make them last a while. Containers with narrow openings are not effective at keep flowers looking their best. This is because they are too close and cause damage to each other.
Thorns and leaves could also cause quicker wear and tear on your flowers if the vessel is too small. Be sure to shop around for the best buckets for your needs. You may need to buy multiple buckets if you are working with many flowers.
Floralife Crystal Clear Flower Food
Crystal Clear flower has the ability to provide nutrients to your fresh flowers. This is done by assisting with the uptake of water within the flower. It has high reviews on Amazon, and I recommend it to be used as a flower preservative. Flowers can remain fresh and in great condition for up to three to four weeks.
Be sure to use Crystal Clear with clean water. Also, remember to replace the water. This preservative helps keep fresh flowers lasting longer and looking just as good, and it helps keep the water clean by killing bacteria that would otherwise damage the flower.
Related: Our flower arrangement online courses. In both English and Spanish
Vases
Depending on which container you prefer to use, you will want to have some vases. They keep your arrangements looking good, and they hold your flowers in the finished product. Vases come in a variety of styles and shapes. Choose the one that best fits your designs and dream decorations.
If you are using chicken wire, then be sure to choose the one that has the perfect size opening for your vision so you can place the exact amount of flowers the way you intended. Make sure also that the vase you purchase is tall enough to hold the stems if you prefer to leave your flower stems long. I have a guide written on the 17 different types of vases here.
Alum Powder
Alum powder is perfect for Hydrangeas. Alum Powder keeps your Hydrangeas from wilting. To use this, dip your hydrangea into alum powder and arrange immediately after you cut the bottom of your hydrangea. This tool helps hydrate and nourish your flowers, helping them open properly.
This works in floral foam and vase arrangements. This product helps keep the flowers fresh for three to four weeks. This is a florist must-have for keeping your hydrangeas from wilting. Once your hydrangea is re-cut, dip directly into alum powder and arrange.
Related: My blog complete guide on selecting a bridal bouquet.
Floral Clay
Before I start my designs I make sure everything we will be using is safe to be on the table. Tall floral centerpieces are one of the items I focus on to make sure nobody gets hurt in case of an accident. Safety is a must in my company. That is why I recommend securing the flower’s dishes to the vase or vessel you are using to put your floral design in.
I like to use white floral clay for safety because it is strong and glues the flowers’ dishes to the vase to stay in place. Please don’t put a large piece of clay because it will be harder to separate it from the mechanic or vase at the end of the event. I recommend using floral clay in your designs.
Ribbon
If you intend to have long stems in your flowers, you may want to amplify the beauty of your design by adding a ribbon around the stems. This is great for bridal bouquets, boutonnieres, corsages, and other designs. Be sure to buy ribbons long enough so that they can fully wrap around the decoration.
Ribbons work wonderfully in complimenting the beauty of the flowers in your arrangement. They are lightweight so your designs will not be heavily affected by this. Ribbons come in all sort of different textures. Experiment with these textures, such as soft and silky, to see which one is your favorite in your designs.
Related: My article buyer’s guide for flowers.
Floral Foam
Floral Foam is great for your floral designs. Use this to easily place your cut flower stems and make a more beautiful arrangement. Cut your stems at a 45-degree angle to more effectively place them inside the floral foam. You can cut floral foam to any shape you want and place it inside the opening of one of your vases or containers.
See More:
How To Make A Beautiful Boutonniere With Real Flowers Quick And Easy In 4 Straight Forward Steps
How To Make A Phenomenal Flower Arrangement Step By Step Quick And Easy In 6 Easy Steps
You can then hold it in place in the opening of your vessel with some floral tape and then you will be ready to place your flowers in the floral foam. The great thing about floral foam is that you can soak it in water for your flowers to remain fresh and hydrated when placed inside the foam. Be sure to properly soak your floral foam slowly in water if you intend to do this.
This product is excellent for many purposes and ideas. I use it all the time and strongly recommend learning how to use it to improve your event and arrangements. If you are designing with fresh flowers, then fresh flower foam is one of the most ideal mechanics. It holds the flowers in place and, at the same time, helps to keep the flowers hydrated so they last longer.
Floral foam holds water. If you want it to be 100 percent saturated in water, then never force it underwater because there will be dry spots. These dry spots will prevent your flowers from hydrating as effectively as they could have. Your flowers will not last long because of the lack of water.
Just put the foam in a container large enough with water, and place it in the container without forcing it in water so it does not get saturated. There are several shapes and sizes available. Also, you can make sculptures with it. It’s a lot of fun to do so.
Floral Tape
People often ask me what is keeping my design from falling? You will need adhesive waterproof floral tape. We can not fully secure the foam to hold your floral design in place without this item. They come in several colors such as green, white, and transparent. They also come in different widths.
This tape secures many types of mechanics because it is made with the toughest of cloth fibers woven into it and contains a maximum level of adhesiveness. It keeps the mechanic together. For example, if you use a vase with water, you can build a grid out of tape to design with it because it is also waterproof. It is a very helpful tool to have that I could not recommend more.
Related: My blog how to make your own flower arrangement.
Pins
If you are making arrangements such as a bouquet, then you will be assisted greatly by pins. Therefore, if you intend to use ribbons in your designs, then you can place pins in your ribbons to hold them in place.
Just remember to place your pin facing the inside of your arrangements at an angle as to not hurt anyone handling the flower arrangement. Pins help place the perfect finishing touches on many arrangements and are a must-have for many designs.
Related: My book, now on amazon, “Never The Mother Of The Bride” featuring David Tutera.
Chicken Wire
Chicken wire can be used to properly place flowers in an arrangement. To better illustrate this, imagine placing a metal square grid on top of the opening of a vase. Once this is done, you can hold it into place with floral tape on the side of the vase. You can place flower stems in each individual grid. The chicken wire is excellent at helping you make a more precise form. You can cut chicken wire more effectively with wire cutters.
See More:
How To Make A Flower Crown With Real Flowers On Wire In 4 Easy Steps
Bridal Bouquet Guide To Wedding | 7 Bouquet Styles | Complete Guide
How To Make A Flower Wall DIY Step By Step In 4 Simple Steps
Chicken wire is a good substitute for floral foam. Depending on how you like to place flowers in your arrangement, you might prefer chicken wire over floral foam. Suppose you plan to design a large floral piece using branches and other heavy and thick floral stems. In that case, we recommend using chicken wire to add extra support to your design.
Also when we make a foam-free design chicken wire is a must, so the flowers and greens have the support needed. Making garlands with wet foam is best if you use chicken wire. Wire is excellent when making floral sculptures. It is also excellent for bridal bouquets design.
It is a top-rated mechanic for many different design styles. Many times chicken wire can be shown as part of the design. When you do that it becomes a design element instead of just a mechanic.
Floral Knife And Other Cutting Tools
Floral knives are a must-have when working with flower arrangements. You can use floral knives for different reasons. They come in different variations. Some knives are used only to cut floral foam while others are specially made to cut flower stems.
Be sure to know each knife’s specific purpose when working with your arrangements. You can use these knives to cut thorns, leaves, stems, pedals, and other things. These knives work effectively at cutting a flower’s stem at a 45-degree angle. Be sure to be careful when working with floral knives and always cut away from your body. For extra safety be sure to wear gloves.
Related: If you are looking for event planning services and rentals, contact me at bisli@bisli.com.
Conclusion
In closing, now you have a little more idea of what tools you will need to start building your inventory. It will be a great idea to practice once you receive them so you get familiar with them. Practice makes perfect and you will improve more and more with each practice session.
Now that you have read my blog I know you will enjoy your event much more. Enjoy filling your time up educating yourself on the various topics surrounding event design. We have even more content for you to enjoy. Learn more tips about event design and decor.
About Me
I am the CEO of an event service firm, Bisli Event Services LLC. I am also a published author of my book “Never The Mother Of The Bride”. With an introduction by the world-famous David Tutera, star of the hit show My Fair Wedding on WE Tv.
I also am the author of multiple floral arrangement decor courses online. I’ve been featured on Platinum Weddings, Top Chef on Bravo, Platinum Weddings on WETV, CNN, CNN Latino, MTV Latino, San Antonio Weddings Magazine, kens5, and The Knot.
I have been a Wedding planner, floral designer, event designer, speaker, and Luxury celebrations coach for almost three decades. I have also done events for celebrities such as Barack Obama.
Thank you for checking out my blog. You will enjoy your event much more filling your time up educating yourself on the various topics surrounding event design. We have even more content for you to enjoy and learn even more tips about event design and decor.
My office is located in San Antonio Texas. If you have questions about booking please contact me at bisli@bisli.com. We offer event planning and decor services.
Best of luck to you in your event decor and planning endeavors. See you on the next blog.