You stick a bunch of flowers in a vase and, voila, you have a centerpiece. It’s nice. Everyone likes nice, right? A little boring, but, hey, it’s nice.

What if you want more than nice?

Floral picks can give you more pizzazz than just nice. They work with centerpieces, wreaths, garlands, art projects, and even costume pieces! The idea is that they can add texture and / or height to your display, as well as customize it to your theme.

Construction

Generally floral picks are constructed as a stick (the “pick” part) which can be made from plastic, metal, or wood, either with or without a sharpened end. Sometimes it is just the pick and you have to attach the decoration yourself or a pick with a forked holder at the end to hold a small card for a message. Other times you can find pre-made picks already decorated with flowers, berries, tinsel, ribbon, chenille stems, and decorative objects like stars, beads, hearts, etc.

TIP: If you have the time and want something more specific than what you can find in the stores, see our upcoming tutorial on how to make your own floral pick!

Foundation

When planning where and how to use your picks, the first step is to consider their foundation, i.e. what is anchoring them in the display.

Vertical display: For picks that need to stand up in a vase or other vertical display, you will need to either have the pick attached to the rest of the display (tape, wire, or tied in) or anchored in your base material, i.e. floral foam / styrofoam, marbles, acrylic beads, rocks, etc. Your pick will need to be made of a stiffer material that won’t bend to make either option work best.

Horizontal display: For picks that are displayed horizontally like in garlands, you will find that a pick with a flexible material such as wire will work best. This will help you wind the pick into the base, wrapping it around the foundation.

NOTE: For wreaths, it depends on whether your base is foam (see vertical display) or wire (see horizontal display).

Function

When it comes to how you use floral picks, it really depends on the material of the pick. You’ll find there are limitations with picks that are stiffer such as those made with plastic or wood. Because of this, I like picks made with wire that can bend, allowing for more flexibility and usage. These are usually wrapped in a fabric or paper covering, but you should still keep an eye out for any uncovered or sharp points.

Decorations

Floral picks are traditionally known for being part of decorations, but you don’t have to leave it at just floral arrangements. You can use flexible wire floral picks on lamps, light sconces, and chandeliers for a lovely effect. Got a bare doorknob? Wind some colorful picks around the base (nothing too bushy that it could interfere with the function of the door, though). They also look great wound around the bottom of vases and serving ware.

TIP: For a more themed look, try arranging a bunch of similar floral picks together in a vase with nothing else. It can look very artistic and modern!

Gifts

If a plain bow is just too plain for you, consider tying ribbon around a pretty floral pick for interest. You can also spruce up humdrum floral bouquets with a few glittery picks. My personal favorite is the trend of using vintage jewelry attached to a pick and placed in bridesmaids’ bouquets for a little glam and later usage.

Costumes

I know you are looking doubtful… but, YES, costumes, too. Floral picks are great for corsages and decorating hats. Just keep the picks short and watch out for pointy ends. Steampunk party, anyone?

Have fun and get to pick-ing!