My competition still uses crushed styro. in vases

[Rhonda]

At our shop, it's not really a crutch. For example, I have a vase at home that is 15" deep and has an 8" opening. It's quite large. I recently sold this same vase to a gentleman who wanted an arrangement done in it.
How would you have done that arrangement (Mixed garden bouquet). Obviously, the flowers have to be propped up on something or they would sink into the vase and not be tall enough.
The designer used the shredded styro to help hold them up.

So this begs the question, what would you do differently?

I love these types of threads, I learn so much.

I wouldn't sell the container if I didn't have the long stemmed flowers to go in it or I'd extend the height with curly ting, curly willow, keeping the flowers lower....

 

[RWK]

How would I have created a design in a 15 inch deep vase with an 8 inch opening......first of all, I would have made sure the design's dollar value warranted such a grandiose vessel. This would have enabled me to use longer stem flowers that would have been more in scale to the vase. Also, You can use such things as twigs, branches to give the design height.......You can use taller items such as natural grasses..........like johnson grass to add height and drama to tall vases. My point is this..........The flowers and container should suit each other.

 

[Tuberose]

You can grid the vase first and then also do the nest of greens Rhonda was talking about. I think it's Eric that sells some of his roses in a really tall vase, looks like they might be done as a hand tie and dropped just in the top of the vase. We've recently gotten a good buy on taller vases and have had to adjust our mechanics a bit to make it work. You can also do a more contemporary vase arrangement with the curly willow and just a few stems, the negative space makes them very designer looking.

 

[prestonway]

I have freelanced at a shop that still used the white shredded stryrofoam ( snow ) quite often. I will be honest, it freaked me out at first and i had the hell of a time getting used to it.

Now, in certain applications, and in particular for this time of year, I like the icy/wintery effect it can give.......particularly when combined with faux flocked evergreens, silver glittered branches, and other wintery appearing materials.

As with other 'antiquated' methods.......they still have a place in our repetoire of skills that we can use as designers to give our customers the best effects and looks we can give them for their hard-earned dollars.

Heaven forbid that I should contribute on a design question, but here it goes.

And this comes from the farm level almost 20 years ago...

Shredded styro should NEVER be used in an arrangement, as the tiny "powdered" particles serve no other purpose but to clog the flower stems, severely restricting hydration.

It is no wonder then that these arrangements do not last nearly as long.

 

[CHR]

PW's right (and I know he secretly yearns to be AIFD :>) about clogging the stems. The styro does not release water and can actually block uptake.

A wintery look for party work sounds perfect.

Everyday work sounds very 'old school'. Put it in a green pressed glass vase and we can all relive the 70's.

 

[lizzie ann]

Last time I saw our shredded stryo, it was on the way to the dump...before being "green" and all...but recently..today actually I got into a discussion about a Christmas design that one of my designers wants to create as a special...yep..you got it..shredded stryo...it is for a party and we are going to experiment and see how it looks with acolytes in a bubble bowl..lomey on top with flowers..anybody used it with lights?

Hey Sher....experiment with styro balls and acolytes...cut a slit and shove one into the ball....lit snow balls really cool

 

[LOTAKIDS]

Everyday work sounds very 'old school'. Put it in a green pressed glass vase and we can all relive the 70's.

Be nice :blowkiss: I use to have to fill those vase and what I learned to design roses in....... Oh.. wait... does this date me... I was 18 when I started.

 

[CHR]

Hey Sher....experiment with styro balls and acolytes...cut a slit and shove one into the ball....lit snow balls really cool

You're right! Styro balls with acolytes were featured in the Oasis display at AIFD and they were fantastic. Will fish around for the picture....

 

[shannonlovesflowers]

Oh Boy could I Tell you some stories about crushed styrofoam!!!

#1, the first shop I ever worked for... We used cheap vases, crammed with crushed styrofoam,,,,THEN we would put a chunk of wet Oasis on top of that AND then tape that sucker down with 1/4" green tape and then tape that down further with 1/4" green tape all around the rim of the vase..
Then we would only use 50cm roses so the roses really only barely got past he oasis and into the foam. Good grief, Oh and don't forget the GIANT ACETATE RIBBON!!!!
AHHHHHHHHH!!!!

Ooooo, when we would get fancy, and make "strawberry sodas" in those old fashioned soda glasses.... I'd spray paint the crushed styrofoam with old fashioned design master. Yup, sure would.

Nice to know we all can evolve.

 

[Toddxxx]

At our shop, it's not really a crutch. For example, I have a vase at home that is 15" deep and has an 8" opening. It's quite large. I recently sold this same vase to a gentleman who wanted an arrangement done in it.
How would you have done that arrangement (Mixed garden bouquet). Obviously, the flowers have to be propped up on something or they would sink into the vase and not be tall enough.
The designer used the shredded styro to help hold them up.

So this begs the question, what would you do differently?

I love these types of threads, I learn so much.

I've just started experimenting with cable ties, I've seen them used in design shows and talked about here. If it was a square vase I'd make a grid that extends up and use the cable ties to hold the taller flowers in place, making sure the stems reached the water. Something like the photo below. If the vase is round...well I haven't tried this yet but I think you can make a frame that sits inside the vase, again with taller sticks that are part of the frame exting high above the top of the vase. It is time consuming to make the frames though - this one took avout 10 -15 mins - but I hope to get quicker at it with more practise.

I had been thinking about using styro just to take up space in the bottom of these large ceramic containers we use. Currently we use oasis, which makes the arrangement heavy, but I might go for the frames instead.

 

[Johan]

Lil
For a very large arrangement I would either hand tie the flowers and put a collar of large leaves arround the edge of the arrangement to hold the design tall or incorporate twigs/ ting ting into the design to go to the base of the vase to hold the hand tied higher. Or if you only arrange your flowers straight into vases I would either put ruched clear cello in the base of the vase to create height or you could fill with birch twigs bellow the water line to create a kind of criss cross. Or make a design inside a large vase. Something linear.

 

[Joe Cool]

As I was reading this thread I saw several posts regarding the need to change the water every few days to keep the water clear as well as a statement about flowers lasting longer in styro. Makes me cringe when I read it.

If you use a good preservative with a water clarifier, such as Aquaplus... the difference is clear, You will not need to change the water every few days. Provide your customers with the little 5 or 10 gram packets and just have them top off the water. Not only will your water stay clear, but because you are also feeding the flowers, they will last longer too.

A longer lasting arrangement makes a more satisfied customer.

Here is a link to a quick guide to care and handling.

http://www.syndicatesales.com/aquaplus.asp

 

[Joe Mioux]

Just because a product is old doesn't make it inferior.

I still use shredded styrofoam in certain applications.

Why?

Because it is cheap and fast. I have seen some designers waste money by placing 2, 3, 4 or more blocks of Oasis in a container to make an arrangement. That is a waste of money when shredded styrofoam can be substituted for a one or a couple of those blocks.

When?

When the container won't show the shredded styrofoam. Ex. Large urns for weddings and funerals.

 

[PYork]

I can't imagine that stuff's too good for the environment either. But, like lots of others, we used it years ago too. (Like, 25 years ago?)

 

[dlnfloral]

I agree with Joe,it maybe old but it still has it usefulness when used properly.
My husband old and I wouldn't throw him away.

 

[prestonway]

I agree with Joe,it maybe old but it still has it usefulness when used properly.
My husband old and I wouldn't throw him away.

I believe Joe said to use the styro as space-filler, but it doesn't actually serve a purpose.

Not sure about your husband...don't personally know him...:boggles:

 

[Victoria]

Chantelle... until you learn the other applicatations others have mentioned use decorative pebbles instead of that awful styrofoam (great for the carbon footprint).

One of these days I'm going to drive your way. We can have a class or two.

V

 

[Joe Mioux]

The environmental issue is specious.

How many florists still use 2"x12"x36" styrofoam for other floral applications?

and how does Oasis revert back to its molecular elements? it doesn't.

I don't hear or read anyone complaining about Oasis, now do we?

 

[lil_goldie]

So, in speaking with the designers today about this thread they mentioned a couple things.
They barely use the shredded styro and when they do it's always in a ceramic container (like a large funeral piece) where it would weigh too much to load it with oasis (even cubed oasis, which is our most used method).
Also, we use it last Valentine's Day to go in a $29.99 red vase special to speed up the process. We churn out a couple hundred of those vases, so we just packed 'em with styro, used a few less greens and off they go.

 

[Victoria]

Joe, I choose to make even small steps to not create more landfill. For me, even one step in the right direction is more effective than staying with the same old thing.

My choice... and it's not "specious".

V