I’ve always loved a hack. You know - one of those random and often strange things that you can do to transform a home chore into a pleasure or enable you to create a realistic swan out of a napkin. Ok so they don’t always work. But the little tips I will give you here will I promise!! Now these tips are what we do in the trade. As a florist I know the importance of properly conditioning your flowers. This makes your flowers last up to 2 weeks and beyond as opposed to wilting after a day. But not all florists do this! It’s one of my pet hates - watching a florist at work just grabbing roses out the cellophane and using them right away. So when you buy from the supermarket, petrol station or even a florist this is what you need to do: 💐 ensure your vase is crystal clean. Fill with water to 3/4 depth and add the flower food. 💐 unwrap your flowers and remove all but the top pair of leaves - or them too if not particularly attractive! Firstly, why feed and water those leaves? Once the flower was harvested - their function is redundant. Plus - leaves under water create bacteria and rot to produce smelly water - and the flowers will die. 💐 take sharp scissors and cut the bottom of the stem at a 45 degree angle and place stem into your vase. A 45 degree angle ensures a larger drinking surface area. Make sure your cut is at least 1 inch up the stem if not more. Once these flowers were harvested they still “suck” up the stem trying to drink - and of course they suck air in! So you need to aim to cut above this point or you’ll end up with an air lock preventing your beautifully clean and food filled water ever reaching the flower head. 💐 change your water regularly. A tiny drop of bleach in the water helps to keep it bacteria free and won’t harm your flowers. I actually think a beautiful vase of flowers where the body of the vase isn’t filled with squashed up foliage and thorns but instead crystal clear water is so much more attractive! Enjoy your blooms!