Caring for your Flowers

Caring for Vase Arrangements

Your Nancy's Floral vase arrangement is delivered already hydrated with professional flower food mixed into the water and ready to enjoy. The most important thing you can do is make sure it continues to have plenty of fresh water.

• Check the water every day. Some flowers can consume a significant amount of water very quickly.
• Add fresh water whenever the level drops.
• If the water becomes cloudy or develops an odor, carefully change it using a clean vase whenever possible.
• Remove leaves or foliage that fall below the waterline. Submerged foliage decomposes and encourages bacterial growth.
• Every few days, stems may be re-cut before being returned to fresh water. Remove a small amount from the bottom of the stem using a sharp cutting tool.
• Keep the arrangement in a cool location away from direct sunlight and strong heating or cooling drafts.

Arrangements Designed in Floral Foam

Many basket arrangements, centerpieces, sympathy designs and other floral pieces are created in water-absorbing floral foam. Nancy's Floral prepares the foam with professional flower food already mixed into the water before your arrangement is delivered.

The floral foam provides flowers with a continuous source of moisture, but it must remain hydrated.

• Add fresh water every day. Carefully pour water into the arrangement so the floral foam remains moist.
• Add water slowly to avoid overflowing the container.
• Do not allow the floral foam to dry completely. Once severely dried, flowers may have difficulty rehydrating.
• Keep the arrangement cool and away from direct sun, heating vents and strong air movement.
• Remove flowers as they finish blooming to keep the remaining arrangement looking fresh.

Wrapped Bouquets & Loose Flowers

If you receive or purchase flowers that are not already arranged in water, getting them hydrated promptly is especially important.

• If you cannot place the flowers in water immediately, keep them in a cool location away from direct sunlight.
• Start with a clean vase and fresh water.
• Add commercial flower food according to package directions when available.
• Remove any foliage that would sit below the waterline.
• Re-cut approximately 1/2 to 1 inch from the bottom of each stem using a clean, sharp knife or floral shears.
• Place the flowers into water immediately after trimming.

Woody flowering branches such as lilac, quince and forsythia may benefit from being cut with sharp pruning shears rather than ordinary scissors.

Caring for Roses

Roses are beautiful but thirsty flowers. Their longevity depends heavily on consistent hydration, clean water and proper temperature.

• Never allow a rose arrangement to run dry. Check vase water or floral foam every day.
• Keep roses away from direct sunlight, heating vents, air-conditioning vents and ceiling fans.
• Remove foliage that falls below the waterline.
• Refresh vase water when it becomes cloudy and re-cut stems periodically with a clean, sharp cutting tool.
• Some rose varieties naturally remain tighter while others open dramatically into large blooms. The degree to which a rose opens is often a characteristic of the variety rather than an indication of freshness.

Flowers That Arrive in Bud

Some of the longest-lasting flowers are delivered while their blooms are still developing. Lilies, alstroemeria, iris, tulips and many other flowers may arrive partially or completely closed and gradually open after delivery.

This is often a sign of freshness rather than a problem. As the flowers hydrate and mature, the arrangement may become fuller and more colorful over the next several days.

As individual blooms finish, simply remove them while allowing unopened buds to continue developing.

Lily Care

Lilies often arrive with several closed buds and can provide an impressive display as they gradually open.

• Keep the arrangement well hydrated while buds are developing.
• Remove finished flowers while leaving unopened buds intact.
• When a lily opens, the pollen-bearing anthers may be carefully removed if desired.
• If lily pollen gets onto fabric, avoid rubbing it into the fibers. Gently lift loose pollen away first.

Flower Fragrance & Sensitivities

Fragrance varies greatly between flower varieties. Oriental lilies, stock, gardenias, hyacinth and some other flowers can have a noticeable fragrance, while many tropical varieties and other flowers have little or no scent.

If fragrance sensitivity is a concern when ordering flowers, let Nancy's Floral know. Our designers can recommend varieties that are generally less fragrant.

Flower Food & Fresh Water

Every fresh flower arrangement from Nancy's Floral is prepared with professional flower food already mixed into the water, whether the design is arranged in a clear vase of water or in water-saturated floral foam.

Flower food is specially formulated to support hydration, provide nutrients and help control bacterial growth so fresh-cut flowers can continue taking up water properly.

After delivery, the most important thing you can do is keep your arrangement well hydrated. Check the water level every day and add fresh water as needed. For arrangements designed in floral foam, carefully add water to keep the foam moist without overflowing the container.

If you completely change the water in a vase arrangement, fresh flower food may be added according to the package directions if available. We do not recommend using aspirin, bleach, soda, mouthwash or other household remedies in place of professionally formulated flower food.

How Long Should Fresh Flowers Last?

There is no single vase-life number that applies to every arrangement. Different flower varieties naturally age at different rates.

Some delicate flowers may have a shorter natural life, while carnations, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and certain tropical flowers can often remain attractive considerably longer. Environmental conditions and care also play a major role.

In a mixed arrangement, it is completely normal for some varieties to finish blooming before others. Removing older blooms and transferring the remaining flowers to a smaller vase can allow you to continue enjoying them.