How to Make a Patriotic Cemetery Saddle

How to Make a Patriotic Cemetery Saddle

Creating a patriotic cemetery saddle is a beautiful way to honor a loved one with lasting red, white, and blue florals. These arrangements are especially popular because they are designed to fit securely on top of a headstone and hold up better outdoors than fresh flowers. In this tutorial, I’m sharing how to make a full, balanced cemetery saddle using budget-friendly greenery, florals, and outdoor ribbon. This design has a professional look, but it can still be made affordably enough to leave room for profit if you plan to sell them.

Supplies Needed

• Cemetery saddle form with styrofoam attached, or a plain saddle form plus styrofoam
• Floral pins
• Zip ties
• Ficus leaves
• Leather leaf greenery or plastic greenery, similar in style
• About 25 artificial flowers in patriotic colors
• Lilies
• Red roses
• Blue roses
• White filler flowers
• Outdoor plastic funeral/wedding ribbon, number 40 ribbon
• Stem wire
• Floral glue
• Wire cutters
• Scissors
• Needle nose pliers
• Optional moss for covering visible foam

Why These Supplies Work Best

When making cemetery arrangements, durability matters most. Since the saddle will be outdoors in the heat, wind, and rain, less expensive plastic-style florals often perform better than more delicate silk flowers. They tend to keep their color longer and hold up better in the elements.

The same is true for ribbon. Outdoor plastic ribbon may not be as easy to work with as wired ribbon, but it lasts much longer and resists fading. That makes it ideal for cemetery saddles, especially for memorial designs that may stay outside for an extended period.

Step 1: Prepare the Saddle Base

You can either buy a ready-made cemetery saddle with foam already attached or make your own with a plain saddle and a block of styrofoam. If you are building your own, attach the foam securely to the saddle frame using floral pins, pushing them all the way down into the foam. For extra security, wrap a zip tie around the side of the frame and foam, so it stays firmly in place.

The metal arms underneath the saddle are designed to grip the tombstone. You can gently bend them upward a bit if needed, so they fit snugly.

Step 2: Add the Ficus Leaves

Start with your ficus leaves to create the foundation and shape of the arrangement. Cut each stem in the middle and spread the leaves out a bit. Insert one large piece on each side of the saddle so they drape outward. These two sides need to match in length so the arrangement stays balanced.

Then place another ficus piece in the center, about midway down into the foam. This gives you a graceful, flowing shape that stretches across the tombstone. This style is often called a “draped” saddle, and it gives the design a fuller, more elegant look.

Step 3: Fill In With Leather Leaf

Next, use leather leaf greenery or similar plastic greenery to fill around the ficus. Insert pieces on either side of the lower section of the ficus, then use additional greenery in the center and corners. Cut stems at an angle before inserting them so they slide into the foam more easily and stay secure.

This greenery helps establish the top line of the arrangement. Decide how tall you want the finished saddle to be, and keep your flowers below that greenery line for a neat, professional shape.

Use about six to seven stems of greenery total, adjusting as needed depending on how full your pieces are.

Step 4: Separate and Organize the Flowers

Before placing flowers, pull apart your bush or bundle and organize everything by type. This makes it much easier to build the arrangement evenly. You want at least three different kinds of florals for interest and texture.

For this patriotic design, use lilies, roses, and filler flowers in red, white, and blue. Keep one extra flower aside for the end in case you need to fill an empty spot.

Step 5: Place the Main Flowers

Start with the lilies. Match two stems of equal length and insert them in the center so both sides look even. Then place additional lilies between the greenery sections, always checking the balance as you go.

After the lilies, add your smaller roses. Alternate red and blue for a patriotic look. Place one rose higher, one lower, and let one drape slightly downward for movement. Continue building outward, keeping the two sides visually balanced.

A helpful design trick here is to think in triangles. If you have two flowers forming the base of a visual triangle, place a third above or beside them to complete the shape. This keeps the arrangement full and pleasing to the eye without looking random.

Step 6: Add Filler Flowers

Once the larger flowers are in place, start tucking in the filler flowers. Place them in the gaps between your roses and lilies, especially around the top and sides. Leave a small open area in the center where your bow will go.

If you can still see bits of foam or stems, add more filler greenery or tuck in a little moss to cover those areas.

Step 7: Make the Bow

For the bow, use number 40 outdoor ribbon. Cut a long tail, about 26 inches, then form loops by folding the ribbon over on itself. Because this ribbon is unwired and plastic, it wrinkles easily and stays wrinkled, so work carefully.

Once you have the loops made, find the center and cut small notches on both sides. Secure the center tightly with stem wire. Fluff each loop by gently pulling and twisting it apart. This helps separate the layers and gives the bow some shape.

Attach the bow to a floral pick or stem, dip the end in glue, and insert it into the open center section of the arrangement. Use pliers if needed to push it securely into the foam.

Step 8: Add Ribbon Streamers

Cut a few shorter strips of ribbon and attach them to floral picks or stems with wire. Insert these around the arrangement, weaving them through the flowers and greenery. The ribbon helps camouflage mechanics, adds movement, and ties the whole patriotic theme together.

Keep the streamers tucked naturally around the flowers rather than letting them stick straight out.

Final Thoughts

A patriotic cemetery saddle is a meaningful and practical memorial arrangement that can be made beautifully on a budget. Using affordable plastic greenery, durable florals, and outdoor ribbon helps create a design that lasts longer outside while still looking full and elegant. Whether you are making one for a loved one or creating them to sell, this is a wonderful project to add to your design skills.