My mother loved to garden. The casket spray made sense. I did display an embroidered fleece throw that I had made for Her lap while in the nursing home, I had embroidered designs of her "life". The names of her children, her grandchildren, her roles in life, ( mother, sister, aunt, etc.). her hobbies. I wanted people to know something about her. She had dementia.
We handle dying and death in our own way. I would not have had a problem with people picking a flower from the casket spray. In fact, I think some did! Mom would have loved knowing that her flowers were shared. They ended up on her grave.
After my wedding....my sister took some of my flowers and placed them on my Dads' grave. (mom walked me down the aisle .....I was 44,). I loved that my sister did this....what a great thing to do!
Sandy