All About Flower Frogs
![flower frog mechanics](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0472/1387/1262/files/Toolbox_Mechanics-12_480x480.jpg?v=1659846548)
Whether you are an experienced floral designer or just experimenting with floral arrangements at home, flower frogs are a fantastic tool to have on-hand.
There is more than one way to keep flowers from listing to the side of an arrangement. The most common method is the use of a floral frog. Floral frogs are mechanical apparatuses used to create floral arrangements, keeping your flowers secure as you strategically arrange your stems in a vessel to create botanical art. Frogs are usually heavy and flat on the underside and spikey or gridded on the top. When placed at the bottom of a water-tight bowl, vessel or vase, they can hold even the most unwieldy flowers firmly upright. To use, press the ends of the stems directly into the frog’s spikes or slide into the gridded holes to position them exactly where you want them. Use a bit of floral putty on the bottom of the flower frog if it moves around easily in your vessel. Be sure to add the floral frog before you add the water or the putty will not adhere to the bottom of the vase. After arranging the stems using the frog as an anchor and holder, use short-stemmed flowers and foliage to conceal the mechanics.
Where can I find them? I am a sucker for vintage floral frogs and am always on the hunt for them at my favorite thrift and antique stores to add to my collection. I've also found them on Etsy, Ebay, and even my local buy, sell, trade pages! And if you're lucky, you might stumble upon one at a flea market, yard sale, or estate sale.
![flower frogs and floral arrangement tools](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0472/1387/1262/files/20220803-4_480x480.jpg?v=1659846373)
Pro tip! Are the pins in your frog bent? No worries! Simply use a butter knife to carefully bend the prongs back into their intended upright position.
This solution to keeping your stems anchored and upright is a low-cost, low-waste, recyclable option and is a great alternative to frogs for arrangements that are being gifted or are oversized. Shape the wire into a ball and gently press it into your vessel so it is positioned just below the top lip. Anchor the wire down with two pieces of tape in a crisscross formation secured to the rim of the vessel. Again, use flowers to conceal the mechanics. Wire mesh can be found at your local feed store or in my Amazon Affiliate page.
Note: Wire mesh can be a bit tricky to work with so I recommend using gloves when snipping the roll to section off pieces and when molding them. If you would rather not work with the sharp edges of wire mesh, I recommend the three-pack of easy arrangers that can be found on my Amazon Affiliate page.
metal grid jar lids and inserts
If you appreciate the classic simplicity and accessibility of various sizes of mason jars as vases as much as I do, mason jar grid lids are another low-cost, low-waste and recyclable option to add stability when arranging your flowers and foliage, making them a lovely option for flower arrangements that you plan to gift. These metal grid lids and lid inserts come in both regular and wide mouth mason jar sizes and even some gorgeous finishes! They set on top of your mason jar before screwing on the metal ring OR are welded directly onto the ring. I’ve found that they fit even the most vintage mason jars, making them very useful!
mesh produce bags
One final tip for adding a quick support system to your vessel is to use the red mesh bags that oranges often come in at the grocery store. This works best with mason jars because the metal ring can be used to secure it tightly into place. If I’m using a traditional glass vase or metal vessel, I simply cut a piece large enough to cover the opening and a little beyond and then secure it in place with a piece of tape, looping all the way around the vessel. Then, I make sure to cover the mesh with foliage and low-situated blooms when building the arrangement.