I was inspired by Ellen Frost to start a Floral Tool Kit. Mine is similar to hers, with a few of my own variations. You don’t technically need all of these things; it’s quite possible to arrange flowers with just flowers, scissors, water, and a vase (as we’re all well aware! :)), but I’m trying to take my floral skills to the next level this year, and there’s so much joy that comes from having the right tool for the job. And it’s always so much easier to accomplish things when you come at them with the correct tools. Also, I’d like to expand out a bit into dried flower arranging, so I want to get more comfortable working with floral wire.

So here it is! A list of what’s in my floral toolkit:

Flower scissors/Pruning shears –

• Saboten 1218 Pruning Shears
• Fiskars Bypass Pruning Shears, 5/8-inch cut capacity (for thicker stems)

Flower wire –

• FloraCraft 24 Gauge Floral Wire
• Floral Tape 1/2 inch
• Tenn Well Floral Wire 2mm (paper covered bind wire)

Chicken wire – I opted for green plastic coated wire because I preferred the look and think it will blend in better with the stems if it’s visible. The wire is simply a mechanism to ball up and put into the vase to hold stems in place.

WorkPro 6″ Wire Cutters Heavy Duty – I’ll need these for cutting chicken wire. Also, if I end up wiring strawflowers or zinnias I’ll definitely need wire cutters, and I don’t want to work myself into a tizzy running around with a half finished bouquet in one hand to track down my husband’s wire cutters. Better to have my own pair that makes its home in the flower tool kit!

Color wheel – This year I’m making an effort to mindful of how colors work together. I’m also excited about trying mono-color bouquets. I like the idea of taking a base color, like orange, and playing around with the different shades and variations of the color and different types and sizes of flowers to make something beautiful. I also plan to use white to lighten up arrangements and make them a bit more delicate.

Lazy Susan – I’m notorious for picking a front for my bouquets and leaving the backside a little…well, bare. Nobody wants to sit around with an indecent backside, so I’m going to work harder to make sure I give my flower arrangements the same courtesy! Anyway, the lazy Susan will make it easier to keep the vase spinning and will hopefully help me keep all sides in mind as I design :).

A selection of vases – These currently fill a large shelf in our basement, along with several boxes. I’ve been collecting vases for a dollar at Goodwill’s half off sales, and also gathering up attractive jars and bottles I come across while cooking. Friends and relatives have also started sending favorites my way, and I appreciate that so very much!

Floral tape –

• Half inch wide floral tape, for wrapping stems.
• Quarter inch waterproof tape for building grids in vases to hold stems in place.

Twine and rubber bands – This is for holding stems in place after arranging.

Butcher paper – White and brown. My mom already had this on hand, and said I could use it! This is for wrapping market-style bouquets.

Inspiration – I know, it’s not technically an ITEM in my toolkit, but it think it’s critical if you’re someone like me who loves flowers, but is really trying to make the shift from simply putting blooms into a vase to crafting making beautiful. I do have some books on my shelf, but most of my inspiration lately has come from the internet, especially Florists on Farms. I absolutely love Maria’s colors, arrangements, designs.

• Florists on Farms – I absolutely love Maria’s colors, arrangements, and designs. I also love all the different elements she brings – all elements I’m interested in. She was raised on a flower farm that provided bouquets to large grocery stores and the likes, so she brings farming know-how and large-scale business knowledge. As a young woman, she became a florist and developed a really beautiful eye for arrangements and color. A bit later in life, she decided to grow her flowers and arrange them. These are all elements I find fascinating, so she’s become someone I look up to!
• Floret Farms – Thanks to my wonderful mother, I have one of her flower arranging books, and it’s absolutely wonderful. Everything I’ve seen about Erin and Floret has been marvelous.
• Ellen Frost – I really like Ellen Frost’s YouTube channel. She’s very informative and direct and talks about flowers as a business, which is very helpful. Her bouquets are great also.
• Floral Design Institute – I don’t always jive with her designs, but she has lots of great design and official floral techniques. I feel like her teaching would probably be helpful to understand the official world of floral arranging and floral designers more than the world of the farmer’s market seller. She’s a bit fancier with her designs than I tend to be.

There are so many great resources out there, and I’m always looking for more. Please let me know who inspires you!

So there it is! My tool kit!

Have I missed anything? What are your must-have floral tool kit items?

Happy flower arranging!

-Angela