Use wire cutters to shorten stems, as scissors may not be strong enough. Never use bare stub wires in an arrangement. This looks very unprofessional. Use green annealed wires or tape the wire using florists’ stem tape.
Artificial plants, pre-formed artificial bouquets and foliage can be split into single stems for individual arrangements.
Think about the way each type of flower or foliage would usually grow, and gently arrange the stems of the flowers and leaves so that they look natural, before inserting them into the foam