In my past life as a florist, I spent five years testing the best (and the worst) tools. For the floral-designing friend in your life, here’s a roundup of tried-and-true essentials.
N.B.: To make sure we’ve got everyone on your list covered, see all of our gift guides to date in our House Gifts section.
Above: Foraged flower expert Louesa Roebuck sources dark brown wax paper to wrap her bouquets. For a similar look, this 30-Pound Pack of Wax Paper Sheets is $130 per bundle (and sure to last for numerous bouquets) from U-Line Shipping. See how Roebuck wraps her flowers in Not Your Mother’s Rose Bouquet.
Above: Every artist needs the right tools. These hand-foraged Japanese Pruners are my absolute favorite, providing a clean cut to allow the most surface area possible at the end of a stem; $98 from Kaufmann Mercantile. For more Japanese garden tools, see “Tools of the Trade.”
Above: Chefs aren’t the only ones with tired hands; the Moisture Seal Creme for Culinary Professionals from San Francisco’s Boulettes Larder is one of the best investments you can make; $65 at Quitokeeto (contact for availability) or directly from Boulettes Larder. Photograph by Heidi Swanson.
Above: For those whose homes double as pop-up studios, stackable flower buckets are essential. Due to storage issues, I always seem to be without the appropriate amount of buckets (I once used my blender to hold bunches of ranunculus). These Rubber Tug Trugs are made from recycled plastic and are $18 each from The New General Store. (N.B.: For more stacking green house ideas, read about this vertical urban jungle in Vietnam.)
Above: A good flower frog is hard to come by; for minimal, Ikebana-inspired arrangements, it’s a must-have accessory. These Steel Metal Frogs are available in four sizes, at prices ranging from $5 to $15, from Sprout Home. Read more from our post Vintage-Style Flower Frogs–Finally.
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