We would be delighted to have you as our guest in the garden. Here are a few
tips to build the best bouquet.
1. Include Foliage, Filler, and Flowers
It's easy to pack your vessel with big bright blooms, but they truly look their best with complimentary accents. Try giving your bouquet a collar of foliage for a complete look. Basil, Lamb's Ear, Mint, and Mahogany Splendor add contrast and texture.
2. Strip Your Stems
Lower leaves left on flower stems will serve as a host for bacterial growth in the water, producing an undesirable smell and reducing your bouquet's vase life.
3. Cut at the Correct Stage
Some flowers will continue to open once cut while others will not. Sunflowers and Cosmos experience the longest vase life when cut just as the petals begin to unfurl. On the other hand, Zinnias and Yarrow should be fully open with sturdy stems. Celosia, Globe Amaranth, and Strawflowers are best when the top of the stem is sturdy.
4. Make Deep Cuts
It will go against your intuition to cut past little side shoots that could become flowers, but do it anyway. It encourages the plant to send up more long, straight stems.
5. Practice Post-Harvest Care
Give your stems a trim at a 45 degree angle and a fresh vase of a water every 2-3 days. Sunflowers and Zinnias are known for making the water appear dirty even if you have recently changed it, but a drop of bleach will help clear the water up without harming the flowers.