“This popular floral foam is not my first choice. Since it gives you more control, especially in the beginning, most people think it’s easier to manage. Flowers last longer in water so try and avoid using Oasis whenever possible, but if you must, here’s how.”
1. Prep the container
A. Soaking
Start by soaking the Oasis in a sink or bucket full of cool water. I like instant deluxe bricks because they soak in 30 seconds. Do not push the blocks down into the water; this will form air pockets in the block that won’t absorb water.
B. Lining
If the container you’ve chosen does not hold water, use a paper mache liner. This turquoise clay pot I’ve chosen comes from my antique booth, Chez Mimi, and is on loan from my best customer, boss, and mentor, Sybil Sylvester. It holds water so the mache liner is unnecessary.
C. Fill with Oasis
First, place as many solid blocks of Oasis as will fit into the container. Wedge smaller pieces around the blocks to fill in, using a serrated knife (shown tools shot) to cut the Oasis to the required size. If you turn a block on its side and slice diagonally, the result is a piece that is smaller on the bottom (perfect to fit down into the container) and wider on the top, giving you more surface area for stems. It took me several long months prepping containers to figure this out, and you get to reap the benefits!
Once you have the container full, shave the square edges off to create a bigger surface. Add water so the Oasis can continue to drink, making your arrangement last longer.
D. Tape
Using Oasis tape cut strips to go over the Oasis and across the container. The tape sticks to itself so make sure to run one long piece around the container to hold the other strips down.
2. Green it in
A. Cutting
I cut this greenery from the yards of several friends who were nice enough to share. Cut yours the day before and give it time to drink. Be choosy when you are cutting and save yourself some time in the end. Try to avoid cutting greenery that has holes in the leaves, brown spots, etc. that you will have to remove before you use.
B. Galax and Greenery
I start with a collar of galax leaves to cover where the Oasis meets the container and the tape is visible. Add cut yard greenery to get your lines going. I used acuba, leucothoe, hosta, rosemary, wild baby euphorbia—all some of my favorites. The greenery itself should be a pretty arrangement before you add flowers. It’s your backdrop so spend some time on it. Don’t skimp—use enough greenery so if you run out of flowers in the end you’re not left with gaps revealing Oasis…
