How to Make a Floral Arrangement Using a Foam Block Inside a Container

Co-authored by Malori Maeva

Last Updated: November 22, 2022

Floral arranging is a real art. It takes time, patience and the understanding of balance and nature. This article explains how to arrange flowers using a floral foam block (oasis) inside a suitable container such as a basket lined with plastic or a ceramic bowl.

Steps

1
Choose a container, vase, or basket. This must be a container that is able to hold water. If using a basket, it should be lined with strong plastic or place a ceramic, glass or plastic bowl into it.
2
Soak a piece of floral foam (oasis in water). Completely cover the oasis with water to make sure it is saturated. This will take about 15 minutes.

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3
Remove the oasis from water. With a knife, cut the foam to fit into container with about an inch over the containers top.
4
Make an X to tape down the foam. Tape it to the edges with green floral tape so that it does not shift. The foam should fit tightly in the container. If there is too much water, you may empty a small amount out.
5
Find the center to start. You are now ready to add the greens you intend to arrange. You can decide how long or how short but it's nice to green a container with the edging longer. You do not have to cover all the foam, just enough that when flowers are in place you will not see the foam after.
6
Cut the flower of your choice for center. Make it tall, about 1 1/2 inches in length taller than your container. When working with flowers, always work in odd numbers, so that your center flower is one. Then choose odd amounts of the same flower. Usually do five for this flower.
7
Add the same flower as in the center to each side of the arrangement. That gives you four. (Cut flowers to length you want piece to hang over.) The fifth flower should be cut a bit shorter than center one, then place in foam next to it.
8
Begin to add other flowers, always in odds. Fill in using space one; do not worry about leaving gaps. You can always fill those in later. You want the flowers to have spaces. Work your way around piece all sides. Do not worry about the piece being all the same all around.
- Place flowers at angles. Use bright small flowers for filler.
9
Fill in gaps. Here are a few options:
- Add small pieces of gypsophila (babies' breath ) and fill in sections.
- Or, make loops out of ribbon (floral wire the ribbon loops to a wood pic). Place those in between.
- Some florists use greens (tree fern). Whatever you choose is alright. However, putting in too much of everything is odd.
10
Check to make sure that the foam is still very wet. If not, you may add more water to the container. Check the container every few days to see if it needs more water. Some flowers, like hydrangeas, require a lot of water. Keep checking your arrangement––as long as the flowers are alive, they need water.
- Dump out any excess water by gently tilting the container over a sink.

Community Q&A

Question

Why won't my floral foam soak up any water?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

Floral foam gets heavy when wet. Check the packaging of the foam to make sure you have the right stuff. It generally comes in green or brown, and is denser than regular foam.
Question

After I added water to the foam, the pot was overflowing with water onto the floor. What went wrong?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

The oasis foam absorbs water fairly quickly. Choose a container to pour the water that is a little smaller than the size of the foam block. Think of the foam shape as holding the same shape in water. You may not need all the water. Start with half a container and add a little more until the foam feels damp. Tip out excess water from the pot if you feel water on the side of the foam. It is not hard to over fill the oasis foam, so test pour the pot/container if you are not sure.
Question

I got a basket arrangement and there's oasis foam in it, how do I wet the foam again?

T. Chinsen

Top Answerer

Oasis foam is basically a sponge. Just pour water onto the foam. It will feel wet and squishy to touch when it has reached its maximum capacity for water.