There are a lot of things a florist has to consider. Flower matching, ribbon matching, silk or real flowers, candy or real flowers, the type of display and many other things are just scratching the surface of floral design. The right ingredients can make or break a flower arrangement, but the right floral supplies can help a florist create some real masterpieces no matter what medium they work in.

Florist’s foam is the starting block for most floral projects. For real flowers wet foam is used: a spongy material designed to hold water and keep the flowers in place. It comes in a variety of grades, each one slightly different, with softer foams for more delicate flowers.

When you use foam there are a couple things you should keep in mind. First of all, to make it easier to work with, you should set the foam just higher than the vase the arrangement will wind up in. Wedge it in there tightly, though, so it will remain in place even after water is added.

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