Your flower care tips
Caring for your Roses Only flowers
When you receive flowers from Roses Only, know that you’re receiving a bouquet filled with love. Our fabulous team of florists handcraft every bouquet with extra special care, ensuring it’s received with gratitude, awe and love. Roses Only flowers are delivered with love and we want your flowers to stay happy and healthy for as long as possible, so read on for a few helpful tips and care instructions.
When you receive your flowers
Did you know that the first 24 hours after delivery are crucial in ensuring the longevity of your flowers? Follow these steps when you first receive your beautiful flowers:
Choose the right vase - your flowers need to fit comfortably in their vase, we recommend the vase to be approximately ⅓ of the height of your bouquet. Ensure the vase is rinsed and clean of any bacteria contamination too.
Fill with water - your flowers like tepid, lukewarm water best, filled to around ¾ full. You can add flower food preservative too if recommended with your bouquet.
Cut the stems - give your flowers a fresh cut before placing in a vase, taking 3-4 cms off the end of each stem and removing any leaves that sit below the water level. Make sure you cut at an angle with a sharp knife to give the stems a wider surface area and a better chance of intaking water and staying hydrated.
Flower positioning - once your flowers have been styled beautifully in their vase, place them somewhere you can show them off, but remember they are best positioned somewhere cool, away from draughts, direct sunlight, extreme heat and even fruit. (Did you know fruit releases a gas that accelerates the ageing process of cut flowers?)
Happy, long-lasting life - enjoy your flowers for longer by following the above steps and then simply clean out the water regularly, keeping it above ¾ full and ensuring it’s not cloudy or has any dead flowers floating. Re-trim your stems 1cm every few days and remove any wilted leaves or faded petals.
If you received Roses:
Sometimes the outside rose petals may look discoloured, but this is only to protect them on their journey. Peel these outer petals off to allow the fresher petals underneath to fully open and bloom. Use room temperature water and if the roses start to droop, add ice cubes to clean the water and re-cut the stems at an angle.
If you received Lilies:
Your lilies will arrive with their buds closed, ensuring longevity and giving you more time to enjoy their beauty. If you wish for the lily buds to open faster, place flowers in warm water and keep the vase in a warm, well-lit space. Remove the yellow stamens as soon as the lilies start to open to prevent staining of clothing or furniture and keep lilies away from your pets.
If you received Natives:
Probably the least fussy flower, natives can be kept in hot or cold conditions. They just ask for no flower food preservative, they do not like this. If you want to prolong your native flowers for even longer, have you considered drying them out? Simply leave them hanging upside down in a wardrobe for approximately 2-3 weeks - tah-dah - your natives will smell beautiful and last for another year.
If you received Tulips:
Your tulips will be delivered as tight buds that will open up overtime to reveal a bold, beautiful colour, but do not keep your tulips in direct sunlight or in a hot room as they will open too fast and will then not last as long. It’s good to know that tulips dislike flower food preservatives, but they do like dirty water. Tulips will grow towards the light and will often develop a natural bend (or droop), so don’t worry, this is perfectly normal and healthy!
If you received Gerberas:
Your gerberas actually prefer minimal water in their vase, approximately 5cm deep, as this prevents soggy stems. A tiny pinprick at the top of the stem just below the head may also prevent drooping.
If you have received a box arrangement:
Your stems will have been arranged beautifully in a floral foam block - this foam absorbs water and keeps your flowers hydrated. It’s recommended that you keep your stems in the floral foam and add water to it every day to ensure your flowers are drinking.
Most importantly, enjoy your flowers. Let your flowers bloom beautifully and absorb the love that has been shared with you.