My Everlasting Flowers: 3 Ways I Keep Them Fresh For Longer

Recently I have been the lucky recipient of flowers. In other words, courtesy of birthdays and other special occasions, I have been gifted them on a reasonably regular occurrence!

The first bouquet arrived a couple of months ago. It lasted one week.

It made me think twice about flowers and deflated my mood somewhat. After all, this was an extravagant bunch from a local florist, and it felt as though they deserved better.

The next bunch arrived from Avas Flowers. For those of you not aware, Avas Flowers is one of the most highly rated florists in the country. There are a lot of Avas Flowers social media channels that provide excellent inspiration and I’m one of their biggest advocates.

It was this bunch that seemed to change everything. They lasted for weeks (I lost count!) and while I think the initial quality was related to this, I also researched three easy tips that also helped matters.

Let me now show you how I prolong the life of my flowers and keep them fresher than ever.

1. I Wash My Vase

It sounds simple, but I never used to do it.

My initial thinking was that this was a natural plant, that is often found in a garden. Therefore, does a vase need to be ultra-clean?

As it turns out, it does. Over time, bacteria can start to develop in vases – whether this is from a previous bunch or dust that has accumulated over time. Suffice to say, this bacteria can impact the growth and life of your flowers substantially.

2. I Prep The Stems

Once upon a time I more or less shoved the stems into a vase upon receipt.

Now, the process is long-winded, but worthwhile, to say the least.

I measure the stems (to make sure they fit in the vase) and cut at an angle. I also clean any foliage that might fall into the water.

The reason behind this is again bacteria-based. The last thing I want is for more bacteria to contaminate the water, and by doing this I can minimize the changes.

3. Location, Location, Location

Finally, it all comes down to the location.

Again, there was once a time where I paid little attention to this. Now, coolness is key, and I make extra-effort to ensure that the flowers are kept firmly away from direct sources of heat (including direct sunlight).

By doing this, I’ve found that my flowers wilt much less, supposedly because they release less water because of the cooler conditions.