Course Title: Principles and Elements of Floral Design
Lesson Title: Identifying Floral Design Tools and Supplies
TEKS Addressed in Lesson: 130.18 (c) (6) B;
http://educationalexcellence.tamu.edu/docs2/05779_Floral%20Design%20TEKS.pdf
Lesson Objectives; the student will be able to:
• Identify common floral design tools and supplies.
• Differentiate between types of cutting tools.
• Investigate anchoring materials.
• Recognize supplies needed for corsages, bouquets, and boutonnieres.
Tools and Equipment
1. PowerPoint entitled: “Floral Design Tools and Supplies”
2. White paper (enough for each student to make a flip book)
3. Any of the following floral tools to pass around as you discuss them: florist knife, shears,
scissors, floral foam, anchor tape, anchor pin, pan-melt glue, needlepoint holder, greening
pin, water tube, wood pick, florists wire, floral tape, ribbon, floral foam holder, floral foam
holder, floral glue, corsage or boutonniere pin.
Key Terms / Vocabulary
1. Florist knife
2. Shears
3. Floral Foam
4. Anchor tape
5. Water tube
Interest Approach/Anticipatory Set
1. Link: What tools and supplies are needed for floral design?
2. Motivation: Have students write on a piece of paper as many floral design tools or supplies that
they can think of in 30 seconds.
3. Overview: Today we are going to identify the tools and supplies needed for floral design.
Teaching Plan and Strategy / Presentation of New Material
1. Open the PowerPoint entitled “Floral Design Tools and Supplies,” Progress through the
slides; Teach the material from the slides to the students and allow time for discussion on
each slide.
a. Tools and supplies
i. Floral design tools make floral work more efficient.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
ii. Knowledge of the tools and their use for floral design is necessary for those
conducting floral work.
Florists Knives
i. Floral knives are used for many floral design tasks.
ii. The primary use is for cutting stems.
iii. To be effective, a floral knife must be kept sharp.
iv. The cutting method:
1. Hold stem with one hand (non-dominant)
2. Hold the knife at an angle the other (dominant) hand to the stem.
3. The cut is made as the stem is pulled away.
Shears
i. Two kinds of shears: florist shears and pruning shears.
ii. Shears are used to cut woody stems.
iii. Shears should be used over scissors, because shears cut through plant
material without pinching the stem.
iv. Florist shears can be used to cut florist wire, but pruning shears can NOT.
Scissors
i. Scissors are very useful in the design area.
ii. Two kinds of scissors: Ribbon & Utility
iii. Ribbon scissors have ling, sharp blades designed for cutting ribbon, netting,
or fabric.
iv. Utility scissors are used to cut paper, leaves, and other materials.
v. Scissors should NOT be used for cutting stems or florist wire.
Floral Foam
i. Floral foam provides support and stability for the stems.
ii. It crushes easily and does not return to foam—Handle and place stems
carefully!
iii. Two kinds of floral foam: wet and dry foam.
iv. Wet foam (Oasis) holds water and is used for fresh cut flower arrangements.
v. Dry foam is used for dry arrangements.
Anchor Tape
i. Anchor tape is used to secure floral foam to the container.
ii. Comes in widths of ¼ and ½ inch and in green, white, or clear.
iii. Anchor tape is also called waterproof tape.
Anchor Pin
i. An anchor pin is a plastic four-pronged design mechanic that is secured to
the bottom of a container with floral clay or glue.
ii. An anchor pin is particularly useful with a low container.
Pan-melt Glue
i. Pan-melt glue is an adhesive that can be used to secure floral foam to a
container.
ii. Dry foam is dipped into the pan-melt glue and quickly placed in the plastic
container or liner.
i.
j.
k.
l.
m.
n.
o.
p.
iii. Pieces of pan-melt glue are heated to a temperature of 275ºF in a skillet.
Needlepoint Holder
i. Also known as a frog or pin holder
ii. A needlepoint holder consists of a heavy metal base with many sharp,
closely spaced upright pins or needles.
iii. Provides support for flowers, instead of using floral foam.
iv. Needlepoint holders are used for designs with a few flowers and with line
designs.
Greening Pin
i. A greening pin is a two-pronged metal pin with an “S” or flat top.
ii. It is used to secure moss or other foliage.
Water Tube
i. A water tube is a plastic tube with a rubber top that has a small opening to
hold a floral stem.
ii. The tube holds water and is used for boxed flowers that may be out of
water for a while.
Wood Pick
i. A narrow piece of wood with a wire attached at the top.
ii. Used with dry or silk flowers to give stems added length or strength.
iii. Wood picks are available in various lengths.
Florists Wire
i. Florists wire is sold in 18-inch lengths and is available in different gauges, or
thicknesses.
ii. A smaller gauge means a thicker wire.
iii. Typical uses:
1. #26- bows
2. #24- medium-weight flowers
3. #22- heavier flowers
Floral Tape
i. Floral tape is paper coated with paraffin or wax.
ii. It is available in ½- and 1-inch widths.
iii. Half inch floral tape is used to cover wire and stems.
iv. One inch floral tape is used for bouquets and wreaths.
v. When it is stretched and pulled tightly around the work, it sticks to itself.
Ribbon
i. May be satin, cotton, silk, paper, or burlap.
ii. Ribbon sizes #1, #1 ½, and #3 are used for corsage work.
iii. Ribbon sizes #5 and #9 are used for potted plant or arrangements.
iv. Ribbon size #40 is used for large bows in funeral sprays.
Floral Foam Holder
i. A floral foam holder is a plastic cage with a handles.
ii. A saturated piece of floral foam is placed inside the cage.
q. Floral Glue
i. Has many purposes in floral design.
ii. A glue gun is used to heat the glue, which is extruded with a pull of the
trigger.
r. Corsage or Boutonniere Pin
i. Used to attach the floral work to clothing.
ii. A corsage pin is longer than a boutonniere pin.
iii. Both pins have rounded tops.
Activity/Application/ Student Engagement /Laboratory
 Students will create a flip book covering each of the tools: florist knife, shears, scissors, floral
foam, anchor tape, anchor pin, pan-melt glue, needlepoint holder, greening pin, water tube,
wood pick, florists wire, floral tape, ribbon, floral foam holder, floral foam holder, floral glue,
corsage or boutonniere pin.
•
•
The flip book will include a title page and a page for each tool.
Each page needs to include the following:
• The name of the tool
• A description of the tool
• A sketch of the tool
Evaluation / Summary
 Pick individuals or ask the entire class these questions:
o What tool is used to cut stems?
o What is the difference between dry and wet foam?
o What is used to anchor the floral foam to the container?
o What is unique about floral wire gauges?
o What happens when floral tape is stretched?
References/Additional Materials / Extended Learning Opportunities/ Enrichment
 Identifying Floral Design Tools and Supplies:
http://tuscolaagriculture.weebly.com/uploads/8/3/8/9/8389114/foral_design_tools.pdf
College & Career Readiness Standard
 Cross-Disciplinary I, D, 2, c
 Cross-Disciplinary I, E, 1, a
Developed by the Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education & Communications,
Texas A&M University
for the Texas Education Agency, Educational Excellence Project for AFNR
©Texas Education Agency, 2014