One of the things I love the most are fresh flowers. Through event planning/designing I have the luxury of working with flowers often- creating stunning designs that truly tell a story. I love the fact that you don't have to break the bank to get a bouquet of flowers ,they're very inexpensive and can be purchased from your local grocery stores for awesome prices (Trader Joe's prices are unmatched)! They are the perfect decor element to pick up while out running errands, to add throughout your home week by week.
Flowers bring so much peace and the lovely aroma alone could definitely brighten up any room or mood. They are part of every stage of life- from birth, death, weddings, memories, romance- and they continue to stand the test of time. I often get asked many questions on things you can do to take care of your fresh flowers once you get them. For those of you who wonder how to get your fresh flowers to last a little longer I’ve created a beginners guide that pretty much sums up every thing an Exquisite Butterfly would need to keep those arrangements fresh. With these Top Five Tips, you’ll definitely see your blooms last longer.
1. Hydrate. Just like we need water, flowers need water to survive also. When you first get the flowers home, to hydrate, a good practice is to submerge all of the flowers under water. You could submerge them in a sink or a tub (your choice). Water will enter through the bark, the surface, and the leaves. Flowers drink from the stem and evaporate out of the surface! WATER IS LIFE Quench their thirst but not with Sprite! Lol
2. Bleach- YES, you read it right....BLEACH. Adding 2-3 drops of bleach to your vase stops the growth of bacteria and it will make your fresh flowers last longer.
3. CLIP. Before placing your flowers in a vase be sure to trim the stems. Make a clean cut at a 45 degree angle. The cleaner the cut, the better they will drink (No need to order some fancy drink from the bar, flowers are satisfied with water lol) The main reason for clipping your blooms at an angle is because it increases the surface area of the stem that exposed to water, which mean they will drink more! Be sure to cut about 2-3 inches off every 3-4 days.
4. COOL. Keep them cool. They love cooler temperatures! They do not need any sunlight, and be sure to keep them out of extreme heat. You also do not want to keep them in front of vents. Storing them in the coolest room in the house will add to the life span!
5. Crowning Glory. My last and final tip is to purchase a bottle of crowning glory. It's the special sauce that us in the floral business use. It's wax in a bottle. It seals the surface so that your flowers can't dehydrate.