A Guide to Caring for Your Flowers from First for Flowers

A beautiful floral gift is a joy to receive, and here at First for Flowers in Darlington, we want to help you enjoy that joy for as long as possible. Whether you've received a classic hand-tied bouquet or a stunning floral arrangement, this guide contains our expert tips to keep your blooms looking fresh, vibrant, and beautiful for days to come.

The #1 Secret to Long-Lasting Flowers: Location, Location, Location!

To get the very best from your blooms, the most important thing is to find them the perfect home! Flowers are a bit like us - they're happiest when they're comfortable in a room with a stable, moderate temperature. Keep them away from life's extremes: direct sunlight, the heat of a radiator, or chilly draughts.

And here’s a crucial floral secret: Keep them well away from your fruit bowl! Ripening fruit releases a harmless gas that makes flowers age much faster.

A special warning on temperature swings:

• This means places with big temperature changes are off the cards. Avoid spots like a conservatory, which can get too hot during the day and too cold at night.
• If the flowers are a surprise, please do not hide them overnight in a conservatory, car or caravan. The temperature shock could mean your beautiful 'surprise' doesn't quite go to plan!

Caring for Your Hand-Tied Bouquet

First, a quick check: Most of our bouquets are delivered in an aqua pack (a temporary water bag) for ultimate freshness. If your bouquet is in a water bag, you don't need to do a thing for the first two days! Simply enjoy it as delivered and follow the guide below after 48 hours. If your bouquet was delivered without a water bag, it is essential to place it in water immediately by starting at Step 1.

1. Step 1: Get Prepared

   Find a suitable spot to work and gather a clean vase, a pair of sharp scissors or a sharp knife, and your flower food sachet.

2. Step 2: Prepare and Fill Your Vase

   It is vital that your vase is thoroughly clean. Wash it with soap and water, then rinse well, as bacteria is the number one enemy of fresh flowers.

   Using a measuring jug or an empty bottle for accuracy, mix the flower food sachet with the amount of fresh, lukewarm water stated on the packet. Once the food has fully dissolved, pour the mixture into your clean vase.

   Top Tip: If the packet makes more solution than your vase can hold, keep the leftover mixture in a clearly labelled, safe place (away from children and pets) to use when you next change the water.

3. Step 3: Check Your Flower Food Type

   We use different types of flower food to guarantee the best results. Please check the name on your sachet:

   • Floralife® Universal Flower Food (Our standard sachet): To get the best results with this food, you must trim the stems as described in the next step.
   • FloraLife® EXPRESS Flower Food (For our eco-friendly ranges): This advanced formula is designed to work without re-trimming the stems. For these bouquets, cutting the stems is optional.
4. Step 4: Unwrap and Trim the Stems

   Holding your bouquet over a sink (if it was in a water bag), snip the base and let the water drain. You can now remove this bag and any lower packaging. It is crucial that you do not untie the string or ribbon holding the stems together – this maintains the bouquet's beautiful, professionally arranged shape. The upper gift wrap can be left on for decoration or carefully removed.

   Using your sharp scissors or knife, trim at least 2-3cm (about one inch) from the bottom of each stem at a 45-degree angle (unless you have FloraLife® EXPRESS food and choose to skip this).

5. Step 5: Place in the Vase

   Immediately place your bouquet into the prepared vase of water. Gently arrange the flower heads if they have become compacted during transit.

Ongoing Care for Your Bouquet

• Change the Water: Every 2-3 days, you should replace the water completely. Don't just top it up, as this allows harmful bacteria to build up. Re-fill the vase with fresh water and, if you have more, another dose of flower food.
• Re-trim the Stems: Each time you change the water, give the stems another fresh 1cm trim at an angle to help keep them drinking.
• Find the Right Spot: Flowers last longest in a room with a stable, moderate temperature. Keep them away from direct sunlight, heat sources like radiators, and draughts. A crucial tip is to keep your bouquet away from the fruit bowl, as ripening fruit releases a gas that causes flowers to age much faster.
• A Note on Temperature Swings: Rooms that experience big temperature changes, like conservatories, can be too hot during the day and too cold at night, which can shock the flowers and cause them to wilt prematurely. For the same reason, if you're planning a surprise, please don't be tempted to hide your flowers overnight in a car, caravan, or conservatory. The temperature extremes could mean your beautiful surprise doesn't quite go to plan!
• Tidy Up: As as soon as you notice any flowers or leaves starting to fade, remove them from the bouquet. This not only keeps the arrangement looking its best but also prevents bacteria from spreading to the other flowers.

Caring for Your Floral Arrangement (in Foam)

Your arrangement has been designed in special floral foam (often known as Oasis®), which holds every stem perfectly in place.

For the first two days, there's nothing you need to do. Your arrangement is perfectly happy. Find a suitable spot for it to be admired, and simply enjoy! From day three onwards, the foam will need topping up.

• Check the Foam Daily: The foam is the flowers' source of water, so it's essential to keep it moist. From the third day, gently touch the surface of the foam.
• How to Water: If the foam feels dry, slowly pour a small amount of fresh water directly onto the foam, allowing it to soak in. Using any spare flower food solution is always best. Aim to make it feel damp, like a well-wrung-out sponge, but be careful not to overfill the container.
• Location, Location, Location: Your arrangement will last longest in a cool room with a stable temperature, away from direct sunlight, radiators, draughts, and the fruit bowl.
• Avoid Temperature Extremes: Like a bouquet, arrangements are sensitive to big temperature swings. Rooms like conservatories can be too hot or too cold. If the flowers are a surprise, avoid storing them overnight in a car, caravan, or conservatory, as the fluctuating temperatures can cause them to wilt and spoil the surprise.
• Remove Faded Blooms: Gently pull out any flowers or leaves as they begin to fade to keep the display looking beautiful and fresh.

We hope these care instructions help you enjoy your beautiful floral gift for as long as possible. If you have any questions at all, please don't hesitate to contact us here at First for Flowers in Darlington.