The Right Tools for the Right Job: Essential Equipment for Arranging and Maintaining Your Flowers

Work in a cool room, sweep up leaves and stems from the floor as you work so you don't slip on them and use a large bucket to condition the flowers and foliage. The equipment pictured here is described clockwise, from the top left.

Florist's tape is used to bind floral foam to a plastic tray or bowl.

Clear tape is used for binding split stems, making grids across vase tops and wrapping bouquets.

Stem tape is used to cover and seal individually wired flower and foliage stems.

A hand mister is used to refresh or revive blooms with a fine mist of water.

Garden stakes provide support and can help placing ingredients in position.

Rubber bands are useful for making up bunches of finer foliage such as bear grass.

Decorative colored reel wires can be used to bind the stems of flowers or add decorative details.They are availale in various colors and thicknesses.

Raffia and garden string are ideal for binding hand-tied bouquets and arranged stems.

When cut down, a plastic bottle can hold flowers in water in non-watertight containers.

A floral foam block and tray provides a good base for medium-sized floral foam arrangements. Cut and trim soaked floral foam with a craft knife, which can also be used to condition flowers.

Shears are used to trim and split woody-stemmed foliage and thick-stemmed flowers, while florist's scissors are ideal for conditioning and trimming flowers and thin-stemmed foliage.

Chicken wire can be molded to fit in an opaque vase or container to hold the stems of an arrangement in place.

Use a bottle brush to clean vases and containers.

Keep single-stemmed flowers fresh in a vial before they are presented. Long-stemmed vials can be attached to short-stemmed flowers in mixed designs.

Use a paintbrush to dust any pollen off flower petals.

Pearl pins can be used to attach boutonnieres to jacket lapels and pin ribbons in place.

Rose wires are used for wiring smaller-stemmed flowers and boutonnieres. 22 gauge wire is suitable for wiring larger flower stems, ribbons and other equipment.

Attach fabric and coverings to containers with mounting putty.

A deep plastic bowl holds enough floral foam for a large front-facing display. A shallow plastic bowl holds enough floral foam for a small arrangement.

You'll need a pin cushion to arrange stems at precise angles.

Add sterilizing tablets to a vase or container of water to kill bacteria and help to keep the water clear.