Flower care

How to make a bunch last, and what to know about each flower.

When the flowers arrive

Cut the stems
Trim 1 to 2 cm off each stem on an angle with a sharp knife or secateurs. Blunt scissors crush the stem and block the water.
Use a clean vase
Wash it in hot soapy water first. Bacteria in the water are what make stems slimy and flowers droop.
Strip the leaves below the water
Leaves left under the water rot and cloud it.
Fill with cool water
If you have flower food, use it as the label says.
Choose a spot
Out of direct sun, away from heaters and draughts, and away from the fruit bowl. Ripening fruit gives off a gas that ages flowers faster.
Every two days
Tip out the water, rinse the vase, refill it and trim the stems again.

Peonies: Often sold as tight buds. Keep them in a warm room to open fast, or somewhere cool to slow them down.
Ranunculus: Soft stems that bend easily. Cut them cleanly and don't crowd the vase.
Sweet peas: Pick off wilted flowers so the buds keep opening.
Garden roses: Thirsty. Check the water every day and take off leaves below the waterline.
Tulips: They keep growing and bend toward the light after cutting. Turn the vase now and then to keep them upright.
Daffodils: Their sap harms other flowers. Give them their own vase for a day before mixing them in, and don't re-cut them after.
Hydrangeas: Check the water every day. If the heads droop, recut the stems and stand the whole head in cool water for an hour.
Dahlias: Each head lasts about five days. Take off spent heads so the buds keep opening.
Sunflowers: Heavy heads on tall stems. Use a tall, heavy vase with plenty of water.
Foxgloves: Every part is poisonous if eaten. Keep them out of reach of pets and children.
Eucalyptus: Lasts for weeks in water. You can also hang it upside down to dry.
Billy buttons and strawflowers: They dry well. Hang the bunch upside down somewhere dark and airy for a few weeks.

Questions about a bunch you've had from us? Ask on the Contact page.