Floral School

Floral School With Hanataba

18 min read

Welcome to Hanataba's Floral School

Feel free to mix and match flowers and greens as you like. Combine wildflowers with store-bought blooms. Gather a bunch of grasses and flowers along the bike path. Utilize dried flowers. The possibilities are endless. However, we understand that not all combinations turn out perfectly. That’s why we’ve provided suggestions here for combinations that work really well.

Creative Floral Combinations

Choose floral materials for your bouquet. This can include flowers, greens, grasses, dried flowers, or plants—mix according to your preference. It’s fine to place more than one stem in the same hole if space allows (and the stems are thin).

If you prefer thin stems, you can bundle them together, preferably placing the materials at different levels to create variation and depth. Hanataban fits most vases, large or small (of course, the vase must accommodate the Hanataban). Whether it’s dried flowers or live plants, the limits are yours to set.” 

What is the spiral?

When a florist arranges bouquets, the flower stems are always placed in the same direction to create a spiral shape, a technique known as spiral technique in the language of flowers. The purpose is, among other things, to allow air into the bouquet and thus create volume. Hanataban performs the spiral technique for you. Your flowers get greater spread and stay where you want them to stay.

Take care of your flowers

Caring for flowers is crucial for a successful and sustainable outcome. If you buy flowers from a florist, they are already cared for. If you choose to shop for flowers at the grocery store, you will need to do that work yourself. The longer the flowers go without proper care, the shorter their lifespan.

Trim your flowers with a sharp knife or pruner. Remove leaves, thorns, and other “unnecessary” parts from the stems. Florists often use the term “cleaning flowers,” which means removing damaged parts of leaves and flowers as well as leaves that would be submerged under the water. Always place your bouquet in a vase with cold water and consider changing the water daily. For the best longevity, place the flowers in water as soon as you leave the store, preferably within 1 hour

  • Rose

Did you know that most roses sold in Sweden are grown in Kenya or Costa Rica? It’s particularly important, when it comes to roses, that the rose petals do not come into contact with water. When they do, ethylene gas is released, which is highly toxic to the rose, causing it to wither quickly. With proper care, roses can remain beautiful for up to 2 weeks.

It’s not ideal to mix roses and tulips in the same bouquet because tulips grow quite a bit within just a couple of days, which roses do not. This quickly leads to an uneven and not particularly aesthetically pleasing bouquet.

  • Tulip

The tulip belongs to the lily family. The species has an unclear origin, possibly originating from Iran and has been naturalized in southwestern Europe; most cultivated forms of tulip are descended from the species.

To keep tulips standing tall for a long time, fresh cuts are a must. Let the bouquet stand in the packaging for an hour to absorb water. Tulips don’t need nutrients but are thirsty and prefer cold water. Change the water daily and keep your bouquet cool.

Tulip season is perfect for those who enjoy arranging their own bouquets. Start with a bouquet of high-quality tulips of your choice, and feel free to complement them with other flowers and plants. Since tulips continue to grow in the vase, it’s good to choose flowers that complement without being too strict in appearance; for example, a more bushy and wild style. It’s also lovely to mix tulips with other flowers, such as those listed below.

  • Alstroemeria ( Favorite that stays beautiful in the vase for a long time)

The genus Alstroemeria, belonging to the family Alstroemeriaceae, encompasses a diverse array of 125 species found primarily in two regions of South America: the Andes mountains of central Chile and the eastern regions of Brazil. These regions offer rich biodiversity and varied ecosystems where Alstroemerias thrive. Known for their vibrant and intricate flowers, Alstroemerias have captivated botanists and flower enthusiasts alike with their beauty and adaptability to different environments. From high-altitude regions to tropical forests, these resilient plants showcase the remarkable diversity of flora in South America.

  • Eucalyptus

The genus Eucalyptus is a plant genus within the family Myrtaceae. They are trees, rarely shrubs, with leathery, often bluish-green leaves that always orient themselves edge-on towards the sun. Hence, eucalyptus forests provide little shade. There are nearly 600 species of eucalyptus, with the majority originating from Australia.

  • Buttercup

The genus Ranunculus, commonly known as buttercups, comprises approximately 400 species scattered across almost every corner of the globe. These perennial plants propagate through rhizomes and typically feature hand-shaped leaves. Most species of ranunculus are perennial herbs bearing yellow or white flowers, adding vibrant splashes of color to various landscapes and habitats. Renowned for their resilience and adaptability, buttercups have earned a special place in gardens, meadows, and natural environments worldwide.

  • Anemone

The anemone belongs to the genus Ranunculus and is originally from the Mediterranean region. Its name comes from Greek and means wind; some claim it originates from the delightful spring breezes that blow when the anemone blooms. Another possible explanation is that even the slightest breeze causes the delicate anemone to sway.

Anemones are perfect as cut flowers (and can also be planted as bulbs). You can find anemones in colors such as white, pink, blue, and purple. Keep in mind that anemones are sensitive to bumps; handle them gently to get the most joy from the flower.

Anemone is a delightful spring flower that ignites feelings of spring. With its simple and beautiful expression, the anemone is both trendy and traditional. Its color variation makes it easy to love; it works equally well in a mixed or uniform bouquet. Anemones are available in late winter, signaling the approach of spring and brighter times. Some varieties bloom during other periods, such as the autumn anemone.

  • Pampas grass

Pampas grass is a species within the grass family that naturally occurs in the South American pampas in countries such as Argentina, Uruguay, and Brazil. It’s also a majestic decoration in gardens, forming a clump of long, narrow, arching leaves, from which the 2-3 meter tall stems grow.

Pampas grass is trendy and decorative, often sold in bunches. It has no scent. Dried plants and flowers can vary in color, shade, and size. Pampas grass may shed some when handled, but once in place, it makes a grand statement in its vase.

 

Clean Water

To ensure that your flowers last as long as possible, it's important that the water is cold and clean. Make sure that leaves and other debris do not end up in the water. Florists often use the term "cleaning flowers," which involves removing damaged parts of leaves and flowers, as well as leaves that would submerge under the water surface. The stems should be thoroughly cleaned to prevent bacterial growth in the water and in the vase. Additionally, changing the water regularly and trimming the stems every few days can help prolong the freshness of your bouquet.

Vases

The choice of vase for your bouquets is entirely up to you. Whether large or small vases are a matter of personal taste, depending on the type of bouquet you have in mind. If the bouquet is intended for a dining table or a sideboard, or if it’s part of a table setting for a dinner party, it may be important to consider the height. A low bouquet in a smaller vase may be preferred if you have a small table and wish to maintain visibility during dinner. Alternatively, a tall vase can be placed on the floor with a dried bouquet, such as pampas grass.

Let them speak like you words. Let them do their jobs without any hassle from the text. In about one more sentence here, we’ll see that the text moves from the right of the image down below the image in seamless transition. Again, letting the do it’s thang. Mission accomplished!

Holidays and Arrangements

Tips for floral arrangements you can create yourself:

  • Japanese flower arrangement
  • Wedding arrangement
  • Easter flower arrangement
  • Christmas flower arrangement
  • Orchid arrangement (cut orchids)

WORKING WITH THE HANATABA ORIGINAL

Vibrant bouquet featuring purple stocks and green viburnum arranged using a Hanataba Original Spiral Stem Holder in champagne gold on a table by a window.

GOT YOUR NEW HANATABA AND CAN’T WAIT TO GET STARTED? CHECK THIS OUT FIRST!

The possibilities with your Hanataba Original bouquet twister are endless. Whether you want to create a minimal and stylish bouquet with just lilies and a few grasses or a really romantic one, filled with roses, you can. Anything goes, that’s the beauty of the Hanataba Original!

Pink roses in a Hanataba Pink Champagne stem twist.er
 


While most flowers are great to use in our bouquet twister, there are some things to consider when choosing your flowers. First of all, they simply can’t have too thick stems or they won’t fit through the holes. Flowers with thin stems are usually not a problem, especially if you’re using our siliconediscs. Adding this disc to the underside of your Hanataba Original will keep thin stems from slipping through the holes.

Attaching a silicone disc to Hanataba Champagne Gold.


All readily available flowers, like roses, tulips, lilies, peonies, gerbera, alstroemeria and so on are perfect to use in your bouquet twister. Most filler flowers are great aswell, like gypsophila, limonium, clematis, thlaspi as well as greenery like eucalyptus, ruscus, ferns, grasses and thinner branches like cherry and spirea. 

 

Tulips and spring flowers in a Hanataba Champagne Gold stem twister.

TRY THIS TRICK

When using flowers with thin stems, like grasses or craspedias for example, you can always add more than one stem per hole in the Hanataba Original. This will add lots of volume and your bouquet will look alot fuller.
An easy way to do this is to gather up a few grasses and then use a small piece of tape around the bottom of the stems. That’ll let you push all the grasses through as one piece. The tape is then cut off and no one will be the wiser! 😉
This trick is especially useful when you want to use dried flowers in your Hanataba Original, since their stems are often very thin and quite fragile. 

Close up of flowerstems in a Hanataba Champagne gold stem twister in

BRANCH OUT

If you want a really full and lush bouquet I would recomend using lots of filler flowers and to add suitable greenery. Flowers that are multistemmed or multibranched are a great choice. They add volume and depth and create interest at different levels within the bouquet. Flowers like eryngiums, carthamus, japanese butterfly ranunculus, waxflower, some varieties of lilies and baby’s breath for example. 

Experiment with different flowers and remember to have fun with it! 🙂
The best part of all this? You don’t need to be a professional florist to get in on the fun. With a little bit of creativity and some enthusiasm, anyone can use a Hanataba bouquet twister!

GET CREATIVE WITH OUR NEW BONSAI WIRE

Bouquet with Hanataba bonsaiwire in a glasvase

Check out our new product, the Hanataba Original bonsai wire!

Aluminum wire is a popular tool among florists as it has various purposes in floral arrangements. It’s one of those things you’ll always find in a florist’s toolkit, ready to add that extra touch of flair to any bouquet or centerpiece! It’s super handy because it’s lightweight yet flexible and pliable, so you can twist and shape it however you want. Once you mold it into the shape you want, it stays put.

Hanataba bonsai wire scrunched up.


Create foam free and reusable decorations

Florists and crafty persons alike can use aluminium wire for all sorts of things.
For example you can scrunch it up to make a wire mesh that provides support to delicate flowers. It’s great at holding flower stems in place without the need for floral foam.

Placing a ball of Hanataba bonsai wire in a vase


If you’re feeling crafty you can creating cool designs or even make little accessories to jazz up your arrangements. It’s versatility allows you to create decorative elements such as swirls or twists or construct a wire frame for floral sculptures. Plus, it’s waterproof and resistant to rust and corrosion, so you can reuse it lots of times!

Floralarrangement in a metalvase, using Hanataba bonsai wire


You can find our aluminium wire in four colors, from classic silver and neutral brown to funky shades like pink or green. Choose the color that complements your floral design or use it as an accent to add visual interest. The wire is 2mm thick and each piece is 3m long. Use a needle nose plier and wire cutter when working with the Hanataba aluminium wire.

Our four colors of Hanataba Original bonsai wire


Other uses

This type of wire is also an essential tool in the art of bonsai. It is a versatile tool used for shaping, training, and supporting bonsai trees, allowing enthusiasts to create stunning miniature landscapes that evoke the beauty and majesty of nature.

STAY SHARP!

The latest additions to our floral toolkit are the japanese scissors and the secateurYou simply can’t care for your flowers the right way without great tools! Put that old kitchen knife away and start cutting your stems like a pro! These tools are supersharp and will last you a long, long time given proper care.

Bunch of pink flowers.

WHY DOES THE CUT MATTER?

Dull or inappropriate tools can crush or tear the stems rather than making a clean cut. This can damage the flower stem, inhibiting water uptake and causing the flowers to wilt prematurely. When flower stems are cut cleanly with sharp tools, they have a better chance of absorbing water and nutrients. This can extend the vase life of cut flowers, allowing you to enjoy them for a longer period. We all want that, right?

Japanese scissors and a bunch of flowers.

THE SCISSORS

Our pruning scissors are high quality, made in Japan in black carbon steel and are suitable for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Traditional japanese bonsai scissors like these are ideal for cutting small and medium size branches and roots and can also be used for general gardening jobs and floral arranging. With it’s short but pointed edge, it cuts flower stems cleanly resulting in better water absorption. 

Hand cutting with japanese scissors.

CARE INSTRUCTIONS

The best tool blades are made of carbon steel as it offers a very high cutting performance, a long lasting edge and is easy to re-sharpen – but they simply are not stainless. However, it requires only a little care to keep them from getting rusty. Just dry them after use! From time to time they need to receive a smear of oil and a re-sharpening when necessary.

Cutting stems with our wooden secateur

THE SECATEUR

Stainless steel secateurs are perhaps a little easier to maintain. They can be cleaned with water and mild detergent after use to remove any sap or debris. Occasional sharpening may be necessary to maintain optimal cutting performance. Our secateurs have a wooden handle that not only looks  good, it’s also very comfortable to work with! To stop the handle from drying out it can be rubbed with a little oil from time to time.

Both these tools are great to use in the garden aswell, when pruning bushes or shaping topiary. 

TULIPS IN A BOUQUET TWISTER OR IN A KENZAN?

Lush bouquet of deep purple and pink tulips artistically arranged with the support of a 200mm Kenzan Fakir ring, displayed on a classic white pedestal.

HEY THERE FLOWER LOVERS!

Today we’re diving into the wonderful world of tulips, probably the most loved springflower in the world! And it’s understandable really, what’s not to love about tulips? There’s just something about them that puts a smile on your face, don’t you think? 🙂

These vibrant blooms are great to use both in the bouquet twister or in a kenzan. Our big Kenzan ring has plenty of sharp spikes, and as seen above it can hold alot of tulips!

No matter if you’re a seasoned pro or a novice with a love for all things floral, arranging tulips in a Hanataba is both fun and rewarding and the result is likely to bring you joy!
In the bouquet below we’ve used elegant french tulips and some blossoming branches in a Hanataba Original Crystal Clear. A simple, yet stunning springbouquet!

French tulips in a Hanataba crystal clear stem twister.

As you may know, one unique characteristic of tulips is their tendency to continue growing even after they’ve been cut, so don’t be surprised if your arrangement looks a bit different the next day. Just give the stems a trim and adjust if needed – it’s all part of the fun. To keep your tulips fresh it’s essential to fill your vessel with clean water and to cut the stems with a sharp tool to ensure maximum water absorption.

So grab your favorite tulips, get creative, and let your inner florist shine!
Happy arranging! 
Elegant ikebana-inspired floral display with pink fringed tulips and budding branches in a white bowl on a pedestal, complemented by a classical white sculpture in the background.

FUN FACTS:

Tulips hold significant cultural and historical importance, particularly in the Netherlands, where they have been cultivated since the 16th century. The Dutch Tulip Mania of the 17th century, during which tulip bulbs were traded at absurd prices, remains one of the most famous economic bubbles in history.

In the northern hemisphere commercially grown tulips are usually available from december until easter.  However, in the Netherlands, the official start of the tulip season is celebrated each year on National Tulip Day, typically held on the third saturday of January. In Sweden we celebrate this day on the 15th of january.

Although the tulip is associated with Holland, Swedes buy more of them than any other nationality. Over 150 million tulips are sold annually in Sweden, according to statistics from Jordbruksverket.

Tulips come in so many different shades and varieties that the creative possibilities are almost endless!

ALL ABOUT KENZANS

Spring arrangement in a 200mm Kenzan ring.

HEY THERE, FLOWER ENTHUSIASTS! 

Let’s dive into a world where petals dance freely and spikes hold them in place—yes, we’re talking about the magical combo of flowers and kenzan! These little spikes may not look like much, but oh, do they work wonders. They’re like the backbone of our floral creations, keeping everything in place with ninja-like precision. 

Close up of a kenzanring

FROGS?

Kenzan, also known as the flower frog, was invented by the japanese many, many centuries ago. Originally created to help arrange flowers in shallow containers, it’s basically a metal or ceramic plate with spikes sticking out of it. These sturdy spikes keep flower stems in place and ensures that the flowers remain upright and stable. 

Kenzan springflower arrangement in a white bowl.

Kenzans totally changed the game for ikebana, the Japanese art of flower arranging, making it easier to create more complex and stable floral designs. Over time, kenzan has evolved, but its role in floral design remains essential. It’s a handy tool that helps you create balanced and beautiful arrangements with ease! 

Closeup of flower stems in a 120mm  Kenzan ring.
 

BLOOMING INSPIRATION

With a kenzan, anyone can create beautiful and long-lasting floral arrangements, it’s simply a great tool for florists and enthusiasts alike. We offer various sizes of kenzans, including our own version; the beautiful and versatile circular flower frog, The kenzan ringWith this product you can create elegant, wreath shaped floral displays using only one tool instead of for example several smaller kenzans or floral foam. 

Vibrant tablescape featuring a colorful array of flowers arranged using a 200mm Kenzan Fakir ring on a reflective gold runner.

A very proud moment for us was when the famous florist Per Benjamin chose to decorate the tables at the Nobel prize awards with our kenzan rings. It looked absolutely stunning! While most of us probably won’t use thousands of flowers like Per Benjamin did, the result is often just as pretty even if you use only a few of your favourite stems! That’s the beauty with kenzans; everything works, there is no right or wrong!  So go ahead, let your imagination run wild and see where it takes you! 

THE FLOWER FLUTE

Do you want a super easy and fun way to display your flowers?
Then you should check out our Flower Flute!

Closeup of flowerflute

This unique vase adds a touch of creativity and whimsy to your floral arrangements. Depending on your preferences and the aesthetic you wish to achieve, you can create cute displays by combining flowers of different colors, textures, and shapes to celebrate the beauty of the season.

Cutting flowerstems with japanese scissor

What sets the Flower Flute apart is its flexibility, allowing you to sculpt it into various shapes that suit your aesthetic preferences. Shape it in circular formations, maintain a sleek and straight profile, or gently curve it for a unique and elegant addition to your table settings. Using more than one Flower flute will add even more display options!

Inserting flowers in the Flower flute

HOW TO USE THE FLOWER FLUTE

  1. Fill the tubes with water 
  2. Choose your favorite flowers
  3. Give each stem a fresh cut with a sharp tool
  4. Insert them into the glass tubes 
  5. Shape the vase as you desire
  6. When it’s time for cleaning it I would recommend using a soft toothbrush
Flower flute filled with fresh flowers


This vase is perfect to use with thinner stems and different types of flowers that are not too top heavy. Dried flowers are perfect as well!

Sometimes, simplicity is key.
You can easily create a pretty display by using just one type of flower. If you fill all eight tubes of the Flower Flute with your favorite flower, fx vibrant germinis, cut in different lengths, this will make a bold statement and instantly brighten up your space.

Blue flowers in double flowerflute

The flower flute vase serves as a decorative piece in its own right. Whether displayed on a tabletop, mantle or shelf it adds an artistic flair to any space.
In the image above we’ve used two Flower flutes, this gives us even more room for creativity. It’s easy to link them together by removing one of the endtubes and then attach the rings around the endtube of the second Flower flute.

Get creative and play around with it, it’s so easy to use, anyone can do it!