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Extra Features and Video Online FloristsReview.com R E A D O N L I N E 47 CONSIDER TRANSPORTATION BEFORE LETTING YOUR CREATIVITY EXPLODE In a flower design space, arrangements are easy to ooh and aah over. But event planners like Tricia Swift, co-founder of Tangram International Exhibitions, with offices in Pleasantville, N.Y. and Cannes, France, encourage practicality as well as artistry. For example, make sure the flowers are placed at the event away from the area where the bartender is preparing drinks. "Bartenders will move flower arrangements if they interrupt the flow of getting drinks," Swift notes. She states that "scale is essential" and recommends anticipating the space and the needs once the event in underway. Large arrangements are ideal for entrance points but not necessarily for bar areas. For many floral designers, the hardest things to transport are large "topiary"-style arrangements. When possible, Weisberg constructs them in containers that can be lifted off their elevated vases or stands and transported separately. "Because they are so large, they don't fit on the average rolling metal shelves," she explains. "We will maximize space by using folding tables, 'bungeed' into the vehicle. Arrangements will go both on and under the table. A standard cargo van will accommodate at least two six-foot folding tables, with room for other things, so you can transport at least eight large topiary-style arrangements." Another pro tip is to make sure to use heavy-duty non-slip drawer/shelf liner on top of your tables or shelves, to minimize sliding and shifting of arrangements. At e Bridgehampton Florist in Bridgehampton, N.Y., owners James Osburn and Michael Grim find that "old sheets, blankets, bedspreads, towels, pillows, etc." are useful padding and protection. "We place sheets in and around, say, 20 centerpieces," Osburn says. "For taller pieces, we use plastic milk crates stuffed with towels or, for larger ones, pillows." So, what happens when you can't separate your flowers and vases from each other? Let's say you have a flowered candelabrum or flowers in a tall vase. "In these instances, I like to place each vase or candelabrum individually into a five-gallon bucket," Weisberg remarks. "e bucket has a large surface area of contact with the ground and, therefore, is more stable. Because these arrangements are always top heavy, the depth of the bucket prevents the vase or candelabrum from falling over all the way, and they can be loaded and placed neatly together in a van or truck." Most florists will agree that the most important factor is to make sure that the flowers are snug, to support each other. "We will often reuse the boxes that roses come in Tularosa Flowers

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