Getting flowers is always a bit special, and with a little bit of love when they arrive, they’ll stay looking lovely for longer. Follow these tips to help your bouquet bloom beautifully and stay fresh for as long as possible. 🌸
📦 Unpack Carefully
As soon as your flowers arrive, carefully remove all outer packaging so they can begin to breathe and rehydrate. Take your time when unwrapping to avoid damaging delicate petals or stems. If your bouquet is hand-tied, keep the string or tie in place, this helps the arrangement hold its shape.
🏺 Prepare Your Vase
Choose a clean vase that’s the right size to support your bouquet - too small and the stems may be crowded, too large and the flowers may not sit securely. Fill it with fresh, room-temperature water & use the flower food provided to help nourish the flowers and reduce bacteria.
✂️ Trim the Stems
Trim the stems to help them absorb moisture more effectively. Using sharp scissors, cut around 2–3 cm from the bottom of each stem at an 45 degree angle (rather than straight across). This increases the surface area for water uptake and prevents the stems from sitting flat against the base of the vase, allowing them to stay fresher for longer.
🍃 Remove Excess Leaves
Before placing your flowers in water, take a moment to remove any leaves that would sit below the waterline. Leaves left in water can break down quickly, encouraging bacteria to grow and shortening the life of your bouquet. You can also remove any outer “guard petals” if you’d like the bouquet to look its best straight away.
💧 Hydrate and Display
Place your flowers in the prepared vase straight away so they can begin drinking. Arrange them gently, allowing enough space for the blooms to open naturally. Keep them in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight, heat sources, draughts, and ripening fruit (as this releases natural gases that can cause blooms to age more quickly).
🔁 Ongoing Care
Refresh the vase water every few days, cleaning the vase thoroughly to remove bacteria. Fresh water helps flowers stay hydrated and healthy. Re-trim the stems each time you change the water, and remove any wilted flowers or leaves to keep the rest of the bouquet fresh. (For an extra boost, you can add a hint of sugar to the water when flower food is unavailable, mimicking natural plant nutrients)