This may sound like I’m stating the obvious here, but flowers and plants are living, breathing organisms. They are open to infection and disease and once they are cut it’s a fight to keep them alive and at their most beautiful.

Here at the Flower Shop – Pulborough we like to ensure that you get the freshest flowers possible, blooms that are almost at their peak from the moment you get them home.

As soon as the Flower comes in we act like an A&E department. Florists and surgeons have quite a lot in common and as soon as they arrive at our door we rush them in and administer first-aid. They have just spent several hours in a chilled lorry and we need to recut the stems as soon as possible to allow the flower to drink.

To most people coming into the shop it may appear like we all stand around chatting and ‘playing’ around with pretty flowers, but we like to keep the young scrubbers in the back, busily disinfecting buckets and vases. Don’t let anyone convince you that becoming a florist is all glamour and champagne. It’s crucial that we keep the buckets and vases in the shop scrupulously clean, the tiniest bit of bacteria could have a catastrophic impact. We love our flowers and want them to be at their very best for as long as possible.

We cut, strip and place the freshly cut flowers and foliage into buckets. We will make up a few bouquets each morning for those that what to pop in and grab an arrangement ‘on the go‘ but mostly our florists make up bespoke arrangements from the wide choice of flower we have, to order.

If there is going to be any length of time between picking up or having flowers delivered and getting them into water, then we will prepare what we call an ‘Aqua pack’ which provide your flowers with a nutritious packed lunch.

When you receive your flowers or get them home then it’s important that you re-cut them and get them into a clean vase of fresh water as soon as you can. If you simply plonk them in a mucky vase from the back of a dusty cupboard then chances are they are going to die off pretty quickly.

Don’t be scared of using bleach or disinfectant to clean your vases throughly, if you wouldn’t drink from the vase yourself, don’t put your flowers into them. Don’t be scared of recutting the stems either, once the stems have been cut they start to heal themselves by sealing their waterways so it’s important that they are re-cut and get that life-saving super food we supply with every bouquet.

Also think about where is best to place your flowers. You may want to display them in a bright, sunny spot on the window sill or you might have the ideal table near the fireplace or radiator, but your flowers won’t thank you for this.

The fridge probably isn’t ideal if you want to enjoy your beautiful arrangement, but if you have a cool airy space you and your guests will be able to enjoy them at their peak for longer.

So, here are 5 tips for keeping your flowers fresher, for longer:

1. Keep your vases scrupulously clean.
2. Re-cut the stems before placing them in water.
3. Use the complimentary Flower food provided.
4. Replace the water in your vase every couple of days.
5. Display your flowers in a cool, airy spot away from direct heat.

Remember

Flowers are living organisms. Help keep them alive and disease free for as long as you can, by using a trusted, friendly florist and following these useful tips.