Last Updated on March 22, 2022
Great floral designs begin with a solid foundation. Learn the basics of working with floral foam and the right way to build a solid base for any arrangement here.
If you want to improve your floral design skills, then you definitely need to learn the basics of working with floral foam.
This short video shows you the right way to make a base for your arrangement with floral foam, even if you’ve never worked with it before.
If you are new to floral design, this video will get you started on the right foot, showing you how to create a solid foundation for all types of floral arrangements.
Even if you’ve worked with floral foam before, it also contains some tips that you may not have known!
It’s a video I think you are going to really enjoy, especially if you love arranging flowers and want to learn more. Take a look and see if you agree!
And there you have it! I trust that you picked up a few valuable tips from the video. Floral foam will allow you to easily design any floral arrangement that requires more structure, from centerpieces to larger floral displays.
Its versatility allows you a wide variety of design options while serving as a water source to help extend flower life and maintain beautiful, long-lasting flowers.
What’s the Best Brand of Floral Foam to Use?
“Oasis” is often used as a generic term when referring to floral foam, but the Oasis® brand floral foam is considered by most to be the gold standard in the flower industry.
Even though several other floral foam name brands are available, I do not recommend using a private-label or generic brand. I’ve used them in a pinch, but that’s about it.
In my experience, it’s not worth the tiny amount of money you save. A floral arrangement is only as good as the foundation that it’s built on – and Oasis® is still the best, in my opinion.
The Oasis® brand floral foam used in this video can be purchased on Amazon, or check with a local florist or craft store.
Assuming you are soaking your floral foam before putting it into your container, you’ll need to secure it with waterproof tape.
Oasis® does have its own brand of waterproof floral tape, but I personally prefer to use the Atlantic waterproof tape, because I think it has better adhesion. Both are good, but the Atlantic brand has been around longer.
Do you need to prepare your containers in advance or require a stronger bond? If so, I would recommend gluing a block of dry floral foam into your container, rather than taping it down.
Once the glue has cooled, you can soak the floral foam by submerging the entire container in water before using it.
I prefer gluing over taping and use it most of the time. For me, it’s more cost-effective and makes it easier to hide the design mechanics.
Choosing the Right Density of Floral Foam to Use
Oasis® offers several densities of foam and a variety of foam in specialty shapes to handle a range of floral design uses.
Standard Oasis® is what most designers are familiar with. It’s a medium-density foam that is used for most types of flowers.
I’ve been using Instant Oasis® in the shop for years for all the everyday arrangements we do. It’s standard density with holes for faster water absorption.
There is also a lighter density floral foam called “Springtime” which works well when using softer stemmed, more delicate flowers, like tulips, daffs, iris, and calla lilies.
“Deluxe” is a higher density foam that is often used when working with large, sturdy stems like gladiolas, flowering branches, and tropical flowers like birds of paradise, torch ginger, and heliconia.
Deluxe Oasis® is great when making more substantial arrangements for weddings, sympathy tributes, and special events. Like standard Oasis®, it’s also available in an “instant” version for faster water absorption.
Floral Foam Shapes
You can cut floral foam into any shape you want. Or buy it in the form and configuration you’ll need for your floral design.
Custom shapes available include cones, spheres, crosses, hearts, ribbons, rounds, squares, garlands, and others that will save you time and offer you different design options.
Some of these items are plastic or mache-backed to water leakage. Others are caged, like the Floracage® and Corso® holders, as well as the complete line of wedding bouquet holders.
Using pre-made shapes is a great way to jumpstart your creativity, but don’t stop there. By cutting and shaping your forms, you can create one-of-a-kind floral designs for any occasion.
Preparing Flower Foam for Use
Fill a container with clean water and add floral preservative according to directions. In the shop, we use an ordinary dishpan, cold water and Floralife flower food. We use the liquid, but the powered variety is fine, too.
Place the foam block on top of the water and let it pull in the water. Never force water into the floral foam by holding it underwater. That creates an air pocket in the foam and prevents the uptake of water by your flowers.
After a few minutes, your floral foam will be soaked and ready to use.
Why Should You Believe What I Have to Say?
Well, how about I start by telling you a little about myself. My name is Greg Johnson. I’m the owner of Greenfield Flower Shop and the person behind this website.
My primary objective for crafting this ever-growing video library is to share loads of great vids from a bunch of my go-to colleagues on YouTube.
But here comes the big ol’ “but “…
Alright, before we get too deep into this, I have an admission. Admittedly, my own personal objectives are the reason this site exists. You see, I love design technique videos (like the floral foam how-to vid you just finished up with), and I honestly just wanted a place where I could share my favorites under one roof.
With that said, I see a lot of opportunity in creating this site.
Hopefully, you won’t hold it against me if I can generate a little side income from sponsorships or product recommendations.
As you can see, I don’t pull any punches. That said, in no way is it my intention to sell you anything. If something offered on my site appeals to you, that’s awesome! If that’s not the case, no concerns. I appreciate you stopping by.
So that’s why FlowersFloralFlorist exists. It’s simply a site for those who enjoy “all things floral.” If that sounds like something you can appreciate, then I’d love to see you again.
To make this site one that you “ll want to return to, I’m just going to keep sharing more helpful videos about floral design, wedding flowers, plants… and I’m only scratching the surface!
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