Flower Power

When designing a room, there is something that I always like to include - Flowers. Whether fresh or artificial, flowers add that perfect finishing touch to a scheme. I provide bespoke flower arrangements as one of my services, see my website www.lmbinteriors.co.uk for more details, but if you are purchasing or have been given a bunch of fresh flowers here is some advice to help them last longer.


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Make sure that you have removed all the leaves that will be below the water line, leaving them on the stems causes bacteria to form as the leaves decay which will shorten the life of your flowers. Make sure the vase is clean by washing it out before use.

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A common mistake that most people make when they have bought fresh flowers is they place them in a vase of cold water. Cut flowers should always be placed in tepid water, it is easier for the flowers to soak up and there is less oxygen reducing the risk of air bubbles forming in the stems. Add the flower food that comes with the bunch to the tepid water, this helps the flowers to last longer.

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Cut the stems around 2.5 cm (1 inch ) from the base and place into the tepid water filled vase. Every three days recut the stems and change the water - if you have any flower food at home add a small amount to the tepid water.

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Using these tips will help you to get the most out of your bunch of flowers and they will last much longer. As a cat lover I feel it is important to stress that Lille's are poisonous to cats so please do avoid them in your arrangements. If you really want Lille's in your home, purchase artificial ones instead - of course do make sure that you supervise your pets as artificial flowers do have small parts which is of course a choking hazard.