September 7, 2026
In
Garden and Floral Design, Newsletter Articles, Newsletters
Avoiding Floral Foam in Your Arrangements
by Master Gardener Linda Dietrick
Since 2021, the Royal Horticultural Society has banned the use of floral foam (also called Oasis™) at all of their events, including the Chelsea Flower Show. Though still widely used by florists to hold flower stems in place and keep them hydrated, floral foam is actually quite bad for the environment. It’s made of petroleum-based plastic that does not biodegrade when thrown in the landfill. As it falls apart, it also introduces microplastics, microscopic particles that are harmful to many organisms, into the soil and potentially into waterways. This is a real concern if, for example, a floral arrangement is buried with a coffin.