floral wire, 16-gauge wire, ikebana scissors
Ikebana Scissors
Ikebana scissors cut both branches and the stems of flowers well and are obviously suitable for the ikebana technique. You can also use other types of flower-cutting scissors if you find them more comfortable to work with. Many United States florists mainly use the floral knife. This knife is suitable for working with the speed necessary to make a large number of floral arrangements in a limited amount of time, as required in the flower business. When using a new tool, it's important to practice using it until you are comfortable with it.
Kenzan
The kenzan is used with the moribana style of arrangement and is typically placed in a shallow container to help support the flowers in the container. It's important to choose the right size kenzan for the quantity of materials used in the arrangement: If the kenzan is too small for the materials, it won't hold them securely. If the kenzan is too big, it's hard to cover the kenzan (it's strictly a functional tool and needs covering in the finished arrangement). Choose the size and shape appropriate to the size and shape of your container. I mainly use the round one because it works well with most containers, although the kenzan may also be rectangular or square. Kenzans and ikebana scissors can be found in the United States; look for these tools at stores that specialize in Japanese goods. You may also find them online. (See "Resources" on page 110.)
16-Gauge Wire
Wire can be used as support for the nageire style of arrangement. The wire is formed into a ball and placed into a container to hold plant materials. I usually make a rough ball-shaped wire by loosely coiling a thin (16-gauge) wire around my hand a few times. This wire is available at most hardware stores. If a more complex shape is necessary to hold the materials, I'll make a few smaller wire balls and place them together in the container. Doing this allows thinner stems to be held in the wire more firmly.
Green Florist's Wire
When I make ikebana I usually use green florist's wire, typically found in most arts and crafts supply stores. This type of wire is very useful for ikebana techniques such as attaching a splint to thin flower stems or binding together several stems (see the technique section for a detailed explanation) . I usually will only coil the wire a few times around each stem. If you use too much wire or coil it too tight, the stems may be broken. If it is difficult to find the green florist's wire, regular transparent tape can be used as a substitute to bind a group of thin stems.
Other Materials
Beyond these basic tools of ikebana and flower arranging, you may find these next items handy for adding finishing touches to your arrangements or for use in special containers.
Small Stones
I sometimes use gravel or small stones to hide the kenzan in a container. They look nice with fresh flowers because they are natural materials. I try not to use too fine of a gravel to hide the kenzan, because small stones can easily get stuck between the needles on the kenzan and take extra time to clean up.
Marbles
In Western-style arrangements, marbles are often used in glass containers to support plant materials or for decoration. I sometimes use marbles to make ikebana in glass containers. When choosing marbles for an arrangement, be aware of how their color will affect your overall design. Personally, I prefer matching clear glass marbles with most containers and materials.
Floral Water Tubes
The water tube is one of the tools often used to keep flowers fresh, particularly in Western-style floral arrangements. The water tubes can provide water to fresh flowers when other means for delivering water, such as floral foam, aren't practical. Use only one flower per tube, and check every few days to make sure that water remains in the tube after you finish the arrangement. An arrangement showing the use of floral water tubes is described in the step-by-step section.
Floral Foam
Floral foam is used mainly in Western-style floral arrangements. However, I often use this material for arrangements that need to be portable, such as gift baskets. You can usually buy this foam at a flower shop.
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