Florists and flower growers do their best to make sure their flowers get to you in tip top condition.  These simple flower care rules from Perth online florist, Perth Florist Direct will help them stay that way.

Once you’ve made your purchase – it’s all about speed.  Flowers detest car journeys, so forego the coffee or the sandwich stop if you’ve been at the florist..  Flowers also hate heat as it can damage them, so quick journeys are essential when the temperature rises.  Turn the dial on the airconditioning to its lowest setting to keep them cool and try and place them out of direct sunlight.

As soon as you can, place the flowers into a deep bucket of cool water.  A top tip is to spray a fine mist of water onto the petals and leaves to freshen them up. 

Once you’ve selected your vase, give it a rinse to make sure it’s squeaky clean.  Flowers and detergent don’t mix and any residue from previous bouquets can cause infection and harm your beautiful new blooms.  Once you’ve filled the vase with water at room temperature, add a sachet of flower food if you have it.  Good florists will provide this with their bouquets or arrangements. Use these powerful little packets as directed as incorrect dosage can do more harm than good.

Then snip about a centimeter off each of the flower stems. Always use sharp scissors or shears. The general rule is to cut soft stems straight along and woody stems such as those of roses or hydrangeas, at an angle.  Strip off any leaves that will be below the waterline, otherwise they’ll rot and also consume all the valuable nutrients.

To ensure your carefully arranged bouquet doesn’t lose its shape, you can always tie it with some florist’s twine.  This helps with handling the arrangement when you lift it to cut the stems or refresh the water.  Some arrangements are already tied, so it’s best to leave these intact.

The water in the container should be topped up regularly, particularly if the weather is very hot or humid, and it should be replaced with fresh water completely once every three days or so, says Perth florist.  They recommend that any leaves, petals etc be removed from the water as these can cause algal growth which isn’t good for the flowers.  Any dead leaves or spent flowers should also be removed to prolong the life of the arrangement.  Cutting another centimetre off the stems after a few days will also make the bouquet last longer.

If your arrangement is done in water-retaining florists’ foam, it will also need to be topped up often.  Trickle water slowly into the centre of the arrangement or look for a small groove (good florists will have made a special nick in the foam for that very reason).

And finally – you must see them to enjoy them, but try and put the arrangement in a coolish position.  They prefer temperatures between 18 and 22 degrees Celsius, and should be placed away from direct sunlight or any heating or cooling vents.  They should also be placed away from electrical appliances such as TVs, microwaves, ovens, fridges etc that emit heat.  And strange as it sounds, flowers and fruits aren’t always a marriage made in heaven. Some fruits give off a gas as they ripen which can speed up the rate of deterioration of flowers. 

And the final tip is the most important one – enjoy them.  They don’t last forever, but that only makes their beauty even more intense and special.  It’s Mother Nature at her best, says Perth online florist.