Video: How to Wire Large Flowers for Bouquets and More
In this excerpt from the Team Flower Advanced Wiring Techniques class, Kelly demonstrates how to wire large, over-sized flowers. Wiring flowers is a skill that can be incredibly useful as a floral designer. Not only does it enable you to move and direct a bloom in a specific direction, but it also allows for extra support for top-heavy flowers. (To learn how to wire small flowers, visit this page to view the video.)
Sara Logan Photography
Begin by creating a “bobby pin” shape with your wire and threading through the top center of the bloom. You’ll do this with two different wires, making a cross, which allows for wire on all four sides of the stem. Use a fifth, fine gauge, wire that you've fish hooked at one end to hook onto one of the wires at the top, wrap in a few tight circles around the top of the stem, and then spiral all the way down the stem to draw the four heavy wires together, and reinforce the whole. Then, use floral tape to cover as much of the wire as possible - beginning at the top and working your way down.
Key Points:
When wiring large flowers, be sure to use the heaviest gauge wire.
The amount of stem that you leave will depend upon the final application and use of the the flower.
If you're working with a flower whose petals have been reflexed, know that the top of the stem tape will likely be camouflaged by whatever petals are bending back and hanging lowest, so be gentle when applying the tape,
Strive for even spirals when wrapping reinforcing wire down the stem wires, and tear your stem tape at a bit of an angle when you begin to give yourself a precise starting point.
