How to Preserve Your Arrangements for Maximum Enjoyment Capacity

"Water it as soon as you get it, then check the water level every couple of days."

We field a lot of questions about how to care for bouquets and arrangements to extend their beauty. You know how it goes: you get a super-stunner of an arrangement, and you want to enjoy it for as long as you possibly can. Here, you’ll find a collection of our trusty, tried-and-true tips for keeping happy, hydrated flowers.  

First up: when you get a cut arrangement, place it out of direct light and away from drafty spaces and dips in temperature—even short exposure to intense sun or cold weather can damage them. Water it as soon as you get it, then check the water level every couple of days. When the stem isn’t touching water, they’re hard to rescue.  

Changing the water completely is really the best thing you can do for your arrangement—both water levels and water cleanliness/clarity is essential to their health and staying power. You could do this at the same time you trim your stems, too—when you’re checking or changing water, cut an inch above the stem bottom and place in water within 30 seconds so they don’t start to scab over; you’ll want them to be able to drink.  

Flowers should come with a somewhat closed bloom and will continue to open. We think they tend to look their best (flirtiest) after a few days. As flowers start to wilt, pull things out or pinch brown edges or blooms off. Anything that’s a stalk or a spire (like a snapdragon) can have its lower blooms pinched off as they fade. We love Star of Bethlehem because they continue to open up (and, they’re real cute). A little bit of rearranging skill can go a long way.  

There’s a hormone produced by fruit and flowers that ripens them; it’s the same if flowers are next to fruit or vegetables. Wild, right? If you’re keeping your arrangement in the kitchen, for example, try to keep it away from bowls of fruit and where you keep your vegetables to nix any chance of life cycle speed-up.  

Finally, drying! There are so many flowers and greens that dry beautifully. If you have protea, palms, grasses—go for it. They’ll look gorgeous in a bud vase or hanging with other dried varieties. Strawflower holds its color really well while drying, and magnolia leaves (beloved for their velvety brown texture on the backside) work well in wreaths and garlands. 

And, scene! You can always reach out to us to talk about all things flower-care, whether it’s calling the shop, emailing us, or reaching out via Instagram.