Have you ever put a beautiful bouquet of spring blooms into your favorite vase, only for them to keel over after a matter of hours? You're not alone. Cut flowers have a tendency to droop over time, especially if they have heavy heads, such as tulips. Luckily, though, there's a little trick that florists have up their sleeves, and it could be exactly what you need to make your floral arrangement look neater, fuller, and fresher for longer.
Now is the perfect time of year to introduce some bright blooms into your home to craft a colorful indoor garden, but sometimes a little extra support is needed to help your flowers stand straight in their vase. This nifty device, favored among florists, is the answer. Not only are they super easy to use, but you can pick them up for $10 or less. Once you introduce one to your flower-arranging arsenal, you won't know how you went without one for so long.
When it comes to how to arrange flowers like a pro, this clever little device really changes the game. It's called a flower frog (yes, you read that right), but you may have also heard it named a pin-frog or a kenzan. 'It's a really helpful tool for fixing stems into a particular position when you’re arranging flowers,' explains florist Leigh Chappell. 'They can be made of metal or plastic and consist of a base plate to prevent tipping with a series of upward spikes. They are also reusable which makes them super sustainable.'
These small discs come in various sizes and materials, but the principle remains the same. Your flower frog is placed into the bottom of your vase which is then filled with water as normal. You can then place your flowers' stems on the upward-facing spikes to give them a little extra support, and it also makes it easier to arrange your blooms more precisely for an expertly crafted vase of blooms.
'The plastic ones have little suckers on the bottom and are great for holding lighter stems, while the metal ones are heavier and will hold more sturdy stems,' notes Leigh. 'For larger quantities of flowers which might be heavier and more unstable, it’s advisable to use a metal pin frog with florists’ water-proof putty to fix the pin frog in position.'
You can buy a simple flower pin from Amazon for less than $10, and it comes with a rubber base to help it sit steady within your vase. You can also purchase ceramic ones like this one, also from Amazon, that look a bit pretty and feature larger holes to hold your stems instead of spikes.
Some of the best flowers for cut floral arrangements, such as tulips and dahlias, are prone to drooping due to their heavy blooms, so it's always a good idea to keep a flower pin in your drawer to make them easier to arrange. Leigh also points out that they work just as well with dried flowers as they do with fresh ones.
'To use one, first assess your container and how heavy your stems will be and then firmly position the pin frog, fixing with putty if necessary,' Leigh says. 'Trim the flower stems straight with sharp scissors to the required length, then push straight down into the frog. When in position, it’s possible to adjust the stem angle. Woody stems are best cut at an angle before pushing in.' Don't forget to fill your vase with water, too!
According to Leigh, the possibilities are endless. 'You can create contemporary, ikebana-inspired designs or beautiful loose arrangements using cut garden flowers to create a feeling of bringing the outside in,' she says.
Now all that's left to do is experiment with your newfound flower arranging capabilities. Use your flower frog to create a dramatic display with a mix of different blooms, or opt for a more simple design using a few delicate stems of your favorite flower. Whatever look you choose, your vase of fresh flowers is bound to give a professional florist a run for their money.
