How To Care for Fresh Cut Flowers

Receiving a fresh bouquet of flowers as a gift, or treating yourself to a bunch or two can be a wonderful addition to your home. However, knowing how to care for your flowers correctly can help you get the most from your bouquet!

Suggested flowers for different occasions

• Birthday – Pink carnations, geraniums and jasmine
• Funeral – Lilies, red carnations, white roses, orchids and gladioli
• Wedding – Amaryllis, hydrangeas, gardenias and calla lilies
• Special Occasion – Camellia, daffodils, orchids and dahlias

• Shop the range of birthday flowers at Longacres, here.
• Shop the range of special occasion flowers at Longacres, here.
• Shop the range of funeral flowers at Longacres, here.
• Find more information on wedding flowers at Longacres, here.

Specific flowers and their meaning

• Red Rose – Love and desire
• Orange Tulips – Understanding and appreciation
• Red camellias - Passion
• White Lily – Sympathy
• Gaillardia – Joy and modesty
• Begonia – Thank you
• Alyssum – Beauty
• Freesia - Friendship
• Calla Lily – Attraction
• Pink Rose – Grace and happiness
• Pink Lily – Prosperity
• Dahlia – Graduation

Shop the full range of individual cut flowers at Longacres, here.

Shop the full range of floral bouquets at Longacres, here.

How to care for fresh cut flowers

This step-by-step guide will help you in caring for your fresh cut flowers, and ensure you get maximum enjoyment from your blooms.

1. Start with cleaning out your vase with warm soapy water. This will prevent any bacterial build up.
2. Fill your vase halfway with tap water.
3. Now add the most important ingredient - the flower food. Cut open your sachet of flower food and pour the contents into the water, and then gently stir with a spoon.
4. Now that your vase is ready, it's time to turn our attention to our bouquet of flowers.
5. Using a sharp pair of scissors or secateurs, trim two to three centimetres off the bottom of the stem at a 45-degree angle.
6. Before you place your flowers in the vase, we need to check that there are no leaves that fall below the water level. If there are, this can affect the lifespan of your flowers. To remove the leave from the stem, gently pull them away or use a pair of scissors to cut them off.
7. Repeat the process of changing the water and cutting the stems every two to three days, taking the time to remove any wilting blooms. This will ensure that you get the best from your bouquet.
8. Following our care guide, you can help your flowers last longer and get more enjoyment from the arrangement. If you need any further help or advice, please contact customer services at Longacres, or pop in store to see one of our talented florists.