To make a bouquet last longer, cut 2–3 cm off every stem at an angle, put it straight into a clean vase of cool water with flower food, keep it away from heat, sunlight and fruit, and change the water every two days. Do those five things and most bouquets will last a week or more — many of ours last close to two.
At Coral Flowers we buy fresh from the London flower market every day and build each bouquet to order, so your flowers arrive at the very start of their vase life. What happens next is up to the vase. Here is exactly how we look after flowers in the studio, and how to do the same at home.
The first hour: what to do when your bouquet arrives
The first hour matters most. Flowers have been out of water while they travel, and the cut ends begin to seal. Getting them drinking again quickly is the single biggest thing you can do.
- Unwrap carefully. If your bouquet arrives in a water bubble or aqua pack, keep it upright and lift it out over a sink. Remove the wrapping and the tie only once the vase is ready.
- Prepare a clean vase. Wash it with hot soapy water and rinse well. Bacteria left from the last bouquet are the main reason flowers wilt early.
- Fill with cool water — around two-thirds full — and stir in the flower food sachet. Use the whole sachet for the volume it states; too little does almost nothing.
- Cut every stem. Take 2–3 cm off at a 45° angle with a sharp knife or florist scissors. Kitchen scissors crush the stem and block it. Cut and move straight into the water.
- Strip low leaves. Any leaf below the waterline will rot and cloud the water. Remove them all.
Where to put your flowers
Cut flowers last longest somewhere cool and bright, but out of direct sun. Avoid:
- Radiators, underfloor heating and sunny windowsills — warmth makes flowers open and drop faster.
- Draughts from doors, air conditioning or open windows, which dry petals out.
- The fruit bowl. Ripening fruit, especially bananas and apples, gives off ethylene gas, which ages flowers quickly.
A useful florist's trick: if you have space, move the vase somewhere cool overnight — a hallway or a cold room. Even a few hours of cool air each night adds days.
Daily care: the two-day routine
Every two days:
- Pour out the old water, rinse the vase and refill with fresh cool water.
- Re-cut 1 cm from each stem at an angle.
- Remove any flower or leaf that has faded, so it doesn't affect the rest.
Top up the water every day in between. Flowers drink most in the first 48 hours — hydrangea and roses especially — and a vase can be half empty by the next morning.
Flower-by-flower tips
Roses
Remove all leaves below the waterline and any thorns that sit inside the vase. If a rose head starts to droop (“bent neck”), it usually has an air bubble in the stem: re-cut it under water and lay the whole rose in a sink of cool water for an hour. Garden roses open fully and quickly — that is their charm. Expect 5–7 days.
Peonies
Peonies often arrive as tight buds and open over one to three days. To speed them up, put them in slightly warm water in a bright room; to slow them down, keep them cool. Once fully open they are at their most beautiful and last a few days more.
Hydrangea
Hydrangea drink through their petals as well as their stems. If a head starts to wilt, re-cut the stem and submerge the whole flower head in cool water for 30–60 minutes. Most revive completely. A light mist of water on the petals also helps.
Tulips
Tulips keep growing in the vase and bend towards light. That movement is natural. Use shallow water, re-cut them often, and turn the vase daily if you want them to stay upright.
Orchids (phalaenopsis)
Cut phalaenopsis stems are among the longest-lasting flowers in any bouquet — often up to two weeks. Keep them away from cold draughts and simply re-cut and change the water as usual.
Lilies
Remove the orange pollen-bearing stamens as the flowers open: pollen stains fabric and petals. Lilies are toxic to cats, so keep them well out of reach if you have one.
Common mistakes that shorten vase life
- Leaving flowers in their wrapping or water bubble for days.
- Using a vase that is too small, so stems are crushed and water runs out.
- Mixing in daffodils straight from the garden: their sap harms other flowers unless they stand alone in water for a few hours first.
- Adding sugar, lemonade, coins or aspirin. Flower food is designed for the job; home remedies mostly feed bacteria.
Frequently asked questions
How long should a bouquet last?
A fresh, well-cared-for bouquet usually lasts 7–10 days. Some varieties, such as orchids, chrysanthemums and carnations, last two weeks or more; garden roses and peonies are at their best for around a week.
Should I use cold or warm water for flowers?
Cool water suits most bouquets and slows the flowers down. Slightly warm water helps tight buds such as peonies open faster, and can revive a thirsty stem.
Can I keep the bouquet in its gift wrap?
Only for a few hours. If you need to wait before putting it in a vase, keep it upright, cool and in its water pack, then follow the first-hour steps as soon as you can.
Why are my flowers wilting after one day?
Almost always it is a blocked stem — from a blunt cut, a dirty vase or a long time out of water. Re-cut the stems, change the water and wash the vase, and most flowers recover within a few hours.
Fresh from the start
Care at home can only extend the life a flower already has. That is why we buy for each order on the morning it is made and hold no stock in the shop: nothing sits in a cold room for days before it reaches you. If anything in your bouquet isn't right when it arrives, message us on WhatsApp and a florist will help.
Looking for something new to put in that vase? Browse our bouquets, with same-day delivery across London when you order before 2pm.