Best flower frogs: what they are and how to use them

Flower frogs date back as far as the 14th century, and are still loved for their functionality and style today. Many people even display them as a decorative feature in the bottom of a bowl or vase.

As more and more of us move towards sustainable gardening methods, flower frogs have also become a popular alternative to less eco-friendly accessories like floral foam. Florists and social media influencers often use - and reuse - them as they prepare and display their blooms.

So, what exactly are flower frogs and how do they work?

What is a flower frog?

A flower frog is a tool designed to give floral structures stability. They usually come in the form of a flat pad with vertical metal needles to hold stems, or a ceramic ‘pebble’ with holes.

Hundreds of years ago, flower frogs were used in ikebana, the Japanese art of flower design, but now they’ve found popularity across the world.

Types of flower frogs

You can find flower frogs in all shapes and sizes, but the most popular design is a disc with metal pins. They’re often called kenzan, or ‘needle mountains’ in Japanese and come in all sorts of shapes to fit different vases.

How to use flower frogs

To get started, just place the flower frog in the bottom of your bowl or vase and press the stems into the needles or holes to secure them in place. You can hide the flower frog at the bottom of a large container or use it as a statement piece in a shallow bowl, adding just a few carefully placed stems as decoration.

For woody foliage and larger stems, you may need to use a flower frog with a metal pin design, as they’ll be able to hold tougher material.

Flower frog benefits

Flower frogs offer an easy way to give your floral arrangements shape and structure. They’re an eco-friendly alternative to foam and require less adjustment than chicken wire and other types of netting. Plus, they often look beautiful in vases and bowls, and you can leave ceramic designs out all the time as an ornament - and conversation-starter!

The best flower frogs you can buy today

You’ll find flower frogs in antiques markets across the world, but that doesn’t mean you can’t buy brand-new ones. Here’s our edit of the best on sale right now.

Flower Frog Round Holder

For a simple, cost-effective option, you can’t go wrong with this flower frog from Amazon. It comes in at under £10 and you can choose the size (3.5cm or 6.1cm in diameter). The pins are just over half an inch long, and you get about 190 of them on the disc, so there’s plenty of room to secure your floral arrangements.

As for the construction, the flower frog is made with steel and rubber, with copper needles. Thanks to their golden tone, they’ll add some lustre to any shallow tray or glass vase.

You can also remove the rubber casing for easy cleaning.

Niwaki Kenzan Cut Flower Supports

• Buy the mini from Trouva (£13.00)
• Buy the medium from Trouva (£18.00)
• Buy the large from Trouva (£26.00)
• Buy the long from Trouva (£23.00)

Inspired by simple, functional Japanese design, Niwaki is a safe bet when it comes to investing in new gardening products. These are the brand’s Kenzan cut flower supports, available in four different sizes.

Choose between the medium, large or extra large versions, or opt for the long rectangular design. For smaller vases or shallow dishes, why not try the mini set of four?

Flower Frogs

• Buy now from Etsy (£14.99)

If you’re after a design with holes for stems as opposed to metal pins, this flower frog is a real winner.

With its curved ceramic construction and speckled finish, it’s just as beautiful as the blooms it’ll contain. Use it at the bottom of a vase or on its own with some dried flowers.

At 5.5cm wide and 3.5cm tall, this small flower frog is perfect for minimalist arrangements or single-stem displays.

WANDIC Flower Arranging Supplies

A complete flower-arranging starter pack, this set includes a speckled ceramic bowl and white decorative stones alongside a metal pin flower frog. It would make a stylish gift for anyone who loves flower arranging or minimalist design.

The actual flower frog is just under 7cm in diameter, while the ceramic dish is 22cm across, so there’s plenty of room for a moat of water. Either fill the pins with foliage or leave it sparse to keep the water on show.

Crafted with high-quality materials, the makers have given attention to detail in this set. The needles are made from durable stainless steel and set close together to keep stems in place. They’re fixed to a heavy base to reduce movement while it’s in the water.

Handmade White Pottery Flower Frog

The joy of these sweet flower frogs is their handmade construction and variety of size options. As they’re made individually, they’re all irregular in shape, and you can choose between several different square and circle designs.

Each is made from white and beige pottery; perfect for neutral homes. Add them to the bottom of a vase or keep them out on display.

As the holes are between 2mm and 6mm across, these flower frogs are ideal for fairly thin stems and shoots.

Metal Floral Pin Frog

Another option is this metal pin flower frog. As it’s made by hand, each one is unique. You’ll have the chance to choose from four different sizes between 3.8cm and 7cm across, so you can select the right one for your arranging style.

Each flower frog comes with extra-long pins placed close together to help secure your stems in place. The needles are made from shiny brass, and attached to a lead base.

Flower Arranging Holder

Here’s something a little different. Instead of using pins or holes to secure stems, this flower frog is a mass of aluminium alloy, which you can pull in different directions to create the shape you need.

Just drop it into the base of your vase and trap stems between the metal strips. The entire structure is roughly 10cm across and 4.5cm in height, so it should fit into the average vase.

Read more:

• The best cut flowers to grow in the garden
• The art of pot-et-fleur: combining houseplants with cut flowers