Flowers sadly don’t live forever, but we have a handful of tricks up our sleeve to help your beautiful blooms last as long as possible.
You’ll find them below, along with our go-to list of naturally long lasting flowers, so you can send a bouquet safe in the knowledge that it’ll light up your loved one’s home for weeks on end without wilting.
How to make flowers last longer
So first, some general do’s and don’ts to make flowers last longer:
Trim the stems
Trim an inch or so off the end of the stems, cutting at a 45-degree angle to maximise the surface area. This allows them to suck up more water and saves them from lying flat against the base of the vase. Be sure to use sharp scissors to avoid crushing the stems. Repeat this process every few days to keep your flowers hydrated, and change the water while you’re at it.
Remove the leaves
Gently pick off any leaves that will sit in the water as they will rot, releasing bacteria into the vase. Those above the water line can stay, adding texture to your display.
Use the right vase
Match your vase to your flowers by considering their shape and size. The rough rule of thumb is that stems should be a maximum of twice the height of their vase.
Those with long stems, such as lilies, sunflowers and gladioli, fare best in taller vases with narrower openings that can offer enough support to prevent drooping. Hourglass or round vases are a good choice for top-heavy blooms with plenty of foliage, such as peonies, roses and hydrangeas.
Stir in some flower food (or try a copper coin!)
We pop a sachet of flower food into every Blossoming Gifts bouquet, so stir that into a litre of fresh, room temperature water to give your blooms the nourishment that they’d otherwise be getting from soil.
Flower food, which also helps to keep the water clear and free of bacteria, can be made at home by mixing two tablespoons of sugar with two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar, or one teaspoon of sugar with a few drops of bleach or clear alcoholic spirit.
Some swear by adding crushed aspirin or copper coins to your vase; this makes the water more acidic, which encourages water to travel up the stems faster, preventing wilting.
Be careful where you place your vase
Flowers of all varieties can be fussy, with different requirements, but they’ll all hate being close to a fruit bowl. Ripening fruit gives off a gas called ethylene that can cause premature wilting, and bananas are enemy number one!
Direct sunlight is another no-no, as it can frazzle delicate petals, and no flowers enjoy being right next to a draughty window or hot radiator.
Hot weather tips
Flowers need a little extra TLC when it’s hot out. Your flowers will drink more water, so make sure to change the water in your vase more regularly during hot weather to keep them fresh and healthy.
Buy your bouquets from us!
Buy flowers from Blossoming Gifts! Biased we may be, but we offer a 5 day freshness guarantee, meaning we’ll send you a new bunch of blooms if they look anything less than gorgeous for 5 days in your vase. Many of our bouquets will stay that way for much longer, but it’s nice to have some peace of mind, especially when sending a gift.
Which cut flowers are long lasting?
Let’s run through our favourite flowers with long vase lives (at least 10 days), along with any species-specific care tips.
Chrysanthemums (2-4 weeks)
Good old mums, as we call them, are renowned as one of the longest lasting flowers. Usually blooming for at least two weeks, if not three, they come in a wide range of shapes, sizes and colours.
They’ll almost always outlast the other flowers in your bouquet, so make sure to remove any wilted stems and foliage to keep it looking its best. Our pick of the bunch? It’s got to be our oh-so-jolly Sunny Days bouquet.
Orchids (2-3 weeks, or years if potted)
Elegant orchids represented luxury and sophistication in the Victorian era, on account of them only being deliverable from explorers in the tropics. They all last well when cut, be they vanda, cymbidium or phalaenopsis varieties, and can last a good few months if potted, or years if regularly pruned and repotted.
Orchids fare best in cooler rooms, so keep them well away from hot glass. Note that they’re particularly sensitive to that gas released by ripening fruit, too.
Carnations (2-3 weeks)
Trusty carnations – such as the frilly green ones in our summery Coral Charm bouquet – can really go the distance by following the standard care tips above.
Just be sure to give them enough space to bloom, as they can easily be crushed if packed too tightly into a vase. Ours arrive ready to flower and should open up after a couple of days in water.
Alstroemeria (2 weeks)
These long-lasting flowers, also known as Peruvian lilies, come in a rainbow of colours including red, orange, purple and white. Flecked or striped with darker colours, they symbolise devotion and friendship, making them a popular floral gift.
Alstroemerias don’t have any particular requirements, but will be happiest somewhere that’s bathed in gentle sun. They’re quite thirsty, too, so keep their water topped up and fresh. Ours arrive in bud so you won’t miss any of their glory.
Freesia (10-16 days)
Fragrant freesias not only smell divine, but they can also last for over a fortnight in your home. They’re a delicate bloom, so be particularly careful when transferring them to your vase.
Each stem may come with lots of buds, but it’s rare for more than four to six of them to bloom successfully. Gently remove any flowers that fail to open to help those that do last longer.
Lilies (10-14 days)
We all know that pesky lily pollen stains clothes and soft furnishings yellow, but did you know that it also erodes any petals that it touches, causing your lilies to die prematurely?
Luckily, the stargazer lilies in our range have protruding stamens that are easy to pluck off with a tissue as soon as the flowers open, so make sure you do just that. Note that all lilies are highly toxic to cats.
Hydrangeas (10-14 days)
Hydrangeas are one of the thirstiest flowers (their name actually means ‘water vessel’!), so take extra care to keep cut stems in full, fresh water. Large hydrangea flower heads suit wide vases that offer them plenty of space to bloom at their best. Our potted hydrangeas require watering at least once weekly to keep their soil moist. Their petals can soak up water too, so give them a spray every now and then.
If you’re interested in drying flowers, hydrangeas are a great place to start. Simply leave them in a vase with just a few inches of water and they should dry out beautifully in a few weeks, before lasting for up to a year. Once dried, they’ll be very fragile, so be careful when moving them.
Sunflowers (12 days)
Few flowers evoke as much positivity as vibrant yellow sunflowers, so we’re delighted that they usually have a decent vase life. In fact, they symbolise longevity in China, but that’s probably on account of the sun that they’re named after, rather than the blooms themselves.
Sunflowers appreciate having their stems retrimmed every few days, as well as their water replaced. They tend to have more foliage than most flowers, so make sure to remove any excess before plonking them into your – tall, for support up top! – vase.
Flower food and care tips are included with every Blossoming Gifts bouquet to help it look beautiful for as long as possible. Our 100% Happiness Guarantee means you can rest assured that your chosen bunch will last for at least 5 days, or we’ll send a replacement sharpish! Browse our colourful range today.
