When placing your flowers in a vase, basket, or container make sure
that the height of the tallest stem is one and a half times the
width of the base of the container.
Trim the stems using sharp scissors
to make a clean cut that will not injure the flowers.
Arrange the stems so the smallest flower or bud is at the top, and
the biggest at the bottom. This means that the larger the flower,
the shorter the stem will be.
Let the stems curve naturally the way they want to. Use a few leaves
or some delicate flowers for filling in the spaces between the
flowers.
Strip the stems of any leaves which are below the surface of the
water. Change the water in the vase once a day. Unfortunately, most
people do not change the water until it starts to smell after about
three days. Take my advice, don't wait for the third day.
Do not croud too many flowers into one vase, they need some space to
open and breathe. One bouquet does not necessarily equal one vase;
sometimes it's better to split a bouquet up into two vases. The
flowers will last longer this way.
You do not need to buy expensive vases. Many pretty vases can be
found for very little money, or use your imagination.
Do not decorate painted cans and other containers. Let the flowers
in them be the decoration. A vase can look more interesting if you
place it on some kind of base, such as a block of wood or a round
mirror.
