Today I'm sharing my top 5 floral arranging tips to help anyone trying to create a beautiful, long lasting arrangement. As we all know, sometimes they seemingly wilt overnight but with these tricks, yours can last for much longer!

1. Always Give Your Stems a Fresh Cut Before Placing in Water

Seems obvious, yes? I know. When you're arranging your flowers, you might have all the steps down but THIS one! Don’t be afraid to move things around as you arrange, however, you need to remember that if you take something out, you must give it a fresh cut before reinserting it. Never cut a stem and leave it out, either!

 2. STRIP YOUR LEAVES

Another seemingly obvious one. If you're part of the Bloom Academy, you've watched me strip the bottom of the stems since the beginning. Why? It's because leaves can breed bacteria in the water which shortens the lifespan of your bouquet!

Additionally, your flower food (or a drop of bleach if you're in a pinch) will help keep your flowers alive; it kills the bacteria in the water that makes your bouquet wilt!

3. PLACE YOUR FLOWERS OUTSIDE

Now, I know you just spent all that time and patience creating this bouquet. Why are we placing it outside? Let me ask you this: when you walk into any flower shop or store, where are the flowers? In/around a fridge area! Make sure to leave your flowers in a "cool place," during the day (not next to the heat or fireplace). At night, pop them outside (if it's 40 degrees) and it will serve as a natural fridge for the flowers!

4. GET CREATIVE

Don’t be afraid to pick containers that apply to your aesthetic. This will bring everything together and make the flowers really sit in unity with your home. Allow yourself to have a handful of staples so that you don’t feel obligated to only use glass.

5. Guard Petals

I couldn't NOT let you guys in on this. If you don't know, when large shipments of florals arrive in shops and stores all over, they have what we refer to as "guard petals." At Hidden Garden Flowers, we actually keep these petals on so that they are protected while they’re on the way to you! Just know when it comes to arranging in store, we take them off to showcase the beauty of the flower. 

A FINAL THOUGHT

Flowers love water just like we love air....make sure they have enough! And don't forget you give yourself some fresh air today too. We are all just houseplants, after all.

Amy