The Fascinating Tool That Will Give You A Truly Unique Flower Arrangement

It might sound odd to feel like your flower vase is "overused" or "overdone." After all, it's more about the flowers you place inside than the vase. But if you've ever found yourself reaching for the same container and thinking, "I want something new or different," then it may be time to search outside your usual comfort zone. Unless you're a florist, the Kenzan ring may be a foreign concept, but these clever floral holders can give you a really unique design that transforms your blooms and allows you to create various arrangement styles like Ikebana or radial bouquets. These give you a way to show off each bloom or piece of greenery to its fullest by utilizing wider bowls and various types of vases outside the standard cylinder shape.

If you're new to Kenzan rings, they can best be explained as a circular base with sharp metal pins that stick up all along the top of the flat surface. These are meant to hold the stems in place when you stick them on, and are often used by floral designers and florists to display unusual or varied arrangements. Optimal for combining different blooms of varying shapes, sizes, and species, these hollow circles allow you to enjoy the entirety of the flower or indulge in a more understated arrangement like the Japanese Ikebana art style.

As an interior design trend that helps gardeners enjoy their blooms, the biggest perk of a Kenzan ring is how many ways there are to decorate with your flowers. Some people focus on adding different blooms in varying heights to give more dimension and the impression of a garden of florals. Others try to create a more "bursting" design that allows longer stems to lean outwards for a more traditional bouquet. You can also use the middle of the ring for extra greenery and foliage which you prop up using the flowers at the front. Florists often use Kenzan rings for simple displays that would otherwise have too many gaps in a standard vase. They can cost anywhere from $30 to over $150, and there are different styles to choose from if you don't like the hollow center of the ring design.

You're likely to come across stems that are too thin to stick on your Kenzan ring pins. Ideally you want thicker stems for the majority of the flowers you choose, as they are easier to pop onto the pins. If you do have thinner stalks, wrap floral tape around the bottom to give you an area that can hold onto the ring. For your thicker stems, cut them straight across before adding them to your arrangement. This might seem odd, as you're usually meant to trim stems diagonally. However, this would prevent them from staying up on the pins to create a cohesive arrangement.

If you decide to make a more simple display using branches, you'll need to cut these stems on an angle. Unlike flower stems which are softer, branches are too firm to use when cut straight and may damage your Kenzan's pins. When you add these stems to the ring, you want to make sure the longer side is tilted outward or in the direction you want the arrangement to lean. One of the biggest perks of using one of these is that it allows you to try your hand at the basics of Japanese flower arranging, known as Ikebana, which is commonly focused on a few varied species of flowers rather than a big group of the same kind. If you've ever wondered about an Ikebana vase and why you need one, think of it as another tool to elevate the various flower frogs to show off your blooms.

The amount of time your Kenzan ring arrangement lasts will vary — it could be anywhere from a few days to a week or more, depending on the flowers used. The pins don't negatively affect the plants, and because the ring is submerged in a bowl filled with water, they are still getting the moisture they need. These are also a more eco-friendly choice than  plastic-based flower foam. Since you can reuse them like a vase, they are a sustainable option and worth the money. In order to get the longest display time out of your rings, make sure to clean them between every use, and keep a corrector tool handy to remove old foliage and stem residue.