By Sally Sola, Founder, Cheltenham Flower School
Over the weekend I hosted a workshop where someone was explaining that they often like to arrange flowers in church. Recently the Church of England has banned the use of floral foam and asked that chicken wire is used as an alternative. This is a move I fully support but my customer explained that it has left her and many others not knowing how to proceed. Unfortunately, they don’t know how to use it as an alternative and this is something that I can fully understand.
If you’ve joined me for a workshop, you’ll know I gently encourage moving away from floral foam where we can. It’s something I’ve become more mindful of over the years, and chicken wire has become one of my go-to alternatives. It’s simple, reusable and once you get used to it, such a lovely way to work.
Why I Love Using Chicken Wire
By using chicken wire, it instantly softens the way you design. It doesn’t hold stems rigidly in place like foam, instead, it allows everything to sit more naturally, with a gentle, garden gathered feel. It encourages you to slow down a little, to place each stem with intention and to really notice the movement and shape of your materials. It does take a bit of practice but it’s worth it and of course, it’s a much kinder choice for the environment too.
Getting Started
You really don’t need much to begin:
Chicken wire
Wire cutters
A vessel or container
A little waterproof tape (Pot Tape)
Cut a piece of chicken wire and gently scrunch it into a loose, rounded shape. Don’t worry about making it neat, the unevenness helps to hold everything in place. It does need to fit your container securely much like floral foam does and you may prefer to use some gloves to protect your hands whist doing this. Nestle it into your container so it feels secure and if needed, add a strip or two of tape across the top to keep it anchored, again exactly like you would when securing floral foam in your container. Remember to fill your container with fresh water.
Building Your Arrangement
This is where it becomes enjoyable. Start with your foliage to create a soft base, letting stems weave in and out of the wire. A solid secure foundation of foliage is in my opinion, key to help hold your flowers in place. If you are creating larger pedestal style arrangements some tall branches or Blossom can really help but they must be secure in your container. From there, begin adding your focal flowers, turning your arrangement as you go if required. Instead of pushing stems into foam, you’re almost threading them into place, which gives you much more flexibility to adjust, move and refine as your design evolves. Every arrangement becomes a little more instinctive, a little more you.
A Few Gentle Tips
Begin with slightly sturdier stems to create your framework
Cut stems at an angle to help them slide into place
If something feels loose, simply guide it through another section of wire
You can tuck in a little moss or foliage if you’d like to soften the look of the mechanics (tape and chicken wire). I often use green coated wire as it does disappear into the design, and it can be cleaned and reused after my design has died without it rusting.
A Small Shift That Makes a Big Difference
Moving away from floral foam doesn’t have to feel complicated or restrictive. In many ways, it opens a more natural, relaxed style of floristry. One that feels more connected to the seasons and the materials in front of you. It’s not about perfection, but about enjoying the process and letting your design unfold. But I do appreciate how overwhelming and daunting it can be, especially as we have all been using floral foam for so long.
If you’d like to learn more about working this way, I share these techniques in my workshops. Where you can explore, experiment and build confidence with more sustainable methods, all in a relaxed and welcoming setting with gentle guidance. I’d love to have you join me.
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