There’s nothing quite like a fresh bunch of flowers to brighten a room, and with a little know-how, you can help them stay beautiful for well over a week. Whether you’ve just collected a hand-tied bouquet from our Dublin flower shop, received a delivery for a special occasion, or cut a few stems from your own garden, the way you treat your flowers in the first few minutes makes all the difference to how long they’ll last.
Below, the Flowers Touch team shares our tried-and-tested flower care tips, along with specific advice for the most popular flowers we work with, from roses to lilies to tulips.
Keeping Fresh Cut Flowers Fresh
As soon as your flowers arrive, re-cut every stem before placing them in a vase. This opens the stem back up so it can absorb water properly. Always cut at an angle using a sharp knife or florist’s scissors, then place the stems straight into clean water. A flower food sachet can help, but really, clean cuts and fresh water are the two things that matter most.
Check that no leaves are sitting below the waterline. Submerged leaves rot quickly and contaminate the water, shortening the life of the whole arrangement. Repeat this process daily: top up or change the water, remove any leaves that have slipped under, and take out any flowers that have died so they don’t affect the rest.
Give your flowers room to breathe. A loosely arranged vase allows air to circulate between the stems and will last noticeably longer than a tightly packed one. Keep the vase away from direct sunlight and heat sources, as warmth causes cut flowers to wilt far more quickly.
If you’re cutting flowers from your own garden, do it early in the morning. At that time of day the plant is cool, well-hydrated and at its most fragrant, giving you the longest possible vase life.
Caring for Hand-Tied Bouquets
Hand-tied bouquets need a little extra care when unwrapping. Cut the outer ribbon first, then gently peel back the cellophane, tissue or paper. There’s often a second tie holding the stems together underneath, so cut the stems before removing that final tie, then place the flowers straight into water and rearrange as needed.
Basket and Container Arrangements
Arrangements set in floral foam (Oasis) need topping up with water on the day you receive them, then every two to three days after. Pour water gently into the centre of the display, or check the back of the container for an easier access point.
For basket or container plant arrangements, check the soil daily and water as needed. Mist any green foliage regularly and remove faded flowers or leaves promptly. It’s common for one or two plants to outlast the flowering ones — when that happens, it’s worth repotting the survivors into their own container.
Flower-by-Flower Care Tips
Roses – Cut stems at an angle with a sharp knife, at least an inch from the base, and re-cut daily. Roses drink a lot of water, so avoid overcrowding the vase and change the water every day.
Tulips – Tulips keep growing after being cut, so feel free to trim them to fit your vase, or let them curve naturally. Move the vase carefully once the petals open, as tulip petals drop easily.
Lilies – Asiatic, Oriental, Longiflorum and Calla varieties are the most common. Oriental and Asiatic lilies have a particularly long vase life. Keep the water fresh, and gently remove the pollen-bearing stamens as the flowers open to protect furniture and clothing from staining.
Lisianthus – Remove spent flowers as they fade to encourage the remaining buds to open.
Daffodils – Cut the stems once and place in cold water. Avoid overcrowding the vase, and don’t recut daffodil stems after their first cut.
Amaryllis – Cut with a sharp knife and place in water, checking levels later in the day, as the hollow stems draw up water quickly. Take care when disposing of spent stems, as water can pour out slowly.
Iris – Cut and place in shallow water, topping up as required.
Gerbera – Cut with a sharp knife and place in a vase filled halfway with water. Gerbera stems can flop, so a little supporting foliage helps keep them upright.
Need Fresh Flowers in Dublin?
At Flowers Touch, we design fresh bouquets, wedding flowers and plant arrangements from our Dublin flower shop, and every order leaves us at its freshest. Follow the tips above and your flowers should reward you with days of extra colour and fragrance. If you have any questions about caring for a specific arrangement, get in touch with our team — we’re always happy to help.
