How to make your arrangment last longer.

The pros really know their ingredients.  A good floral designer can arrange 50 stems in 7 minutes.  Like a highly skilled chef in a kitchen, preparation, inspiration, and technique are the hallmarks of ‘artful’ perishable creations.  The following tips will help you savour the flavour of professional designs longer.

Ask for flowers in season.
Thanks to the diversity of the global garden, most flowers have year-round availability.  But a cut tulip in November won’t be as vibrant or as long-lasting as the May version and will certainly be more costly.

Trim the stems of hand-tied or loose boxed flowers.
Flowers are 90% water and need a constant source of hydration to ensure their longevity.  If the stems have been out of water for even a short time, the dried ends will inhibit water uptake.  Trim on the diagonal with a sharp knife or shears before placing in a clean vase, filled with warm water and cut flower food.

Feed your flowers daily.
Florist flowers that come in a vase or a floral foam container have been pre-treated with products that keep the water clear, clean and odorless, inhibit bacterial growth and promote flower blossoming.  However, further treatment is recommended to extend the life of the flowers.  Simply dissolve the contents of the flower food sachet in fresh water in a watering container and top up your flower container daily.

Give your flowers space.
Display in a cool, draft-free location, away from harsh sunlight and heat vents.  Don’t set flowers on top of a TV or stereo.

Replace or remove wilted flowers.
Some flowers like the delicate Iris live only a few days while flowers like chrysanthemums and carnations almost survive on neglect.  Remove any wilted flowers as soon as possible to prevent accelerated deterioration.  (Flowers are like apples; one bad one can spoil the container.)  A professional arrangement is designed from the inside out and therefore should be able to withstand the absence of the more short-lived varieties.  Better still, add fresh new flowers.

Reuse the greens.
Foliage is the secret ingredient in lush, full, professionally designed arrangements or bouquets.  Many types of greens will last up to six weeks.  Just trim the stems and use them again with new cut flowers.