When my Mom visits Dallas, it has become a tradition to walk around the Dallas Arboretum in the mornings. We love winding around the sidewalks and trails that weave between landscapes and beautiful flowers. During one of our most recent walks, we stumbled upon a small flower arrangement class taught by a florist. With a 30+ year resume, this master florist had done events from Presidential Inaugurations to The Beverly Hills Hotel. With only a few other students, we had the opportunity to ask questions and learn tricks on flower care and arrangements. Here are a few tips from a master florist regarding bouquets and flower arrangements to promote longevity of your beautiful flowers!

5 Tips from a Master Florist:

• Cut flowers under water. When you trim the flowers under water it prevents air bubbles from getting up into their stems. Those air bubbles can travel up the stem (think of the stems as having little highways to transport water inside) and block the pathway of water. This can cause the flower to droop prematurely and decrease longevity. You can, however, trim the flower underwater and then move it to a different vase. The water droplets will stay on the freshly trimmed stem and act as a barrier against air.
• Remove any leaves from the stem that will be submerged in the water of the vase. Generally the florist will do this in an arrangement that is assembled within a vase. Store-bought bouquets may still have leaves attached to the stem. Removing submerged leaves will keep the water in the vase fresh and clean.
• If you add bleach to your flower’s water in the vase, limit it to a few drops. The bleach can act as a fungicide and prevent bacterial growth. He emphasized several times, do not use more than a few drops of bleach if you choose to do this.
• Change the water in the vase every two days. This keeps the water fresh and less likely prone to bacterial and fungal growth that can be harmful to your plants.
• Remove the stamens immediately. Stamens are the pollen containing filament within the flower. As the flower ages, the stamens can drop pollen causing pigmented pollen “dust”, potentially staining table cloths and linens.

And as a bonus tip:

• If you call a florist for a custom arrangement, always let them know where these arrangements will be placed. Will they be on a buffet table? Or a dining table? As you can imagine, the width and height of the arrangement can have a big effect on aesthetics and functionality.

Thank you to the florist, at McShan Florist, in Dallas for many of these valuable tips! If you are in the Dallas area I cannot recommend this team enough for your floral needs!

For more floral reading, be sure to check out the creation of a soft muted bouquet!

Live your life joyfully so,

Ashley