Make Your Bouquet Last Longer

With their lush, showy hues in dreamy shades of blue, purple, pink and white, hydrangeas make for stunning cut flower arrangements. However, these delicate beauties require some special care to maintain their vibrance and keep them looking fresh for more than just a few days. Follow these expert tips to maximise the vase life of your hydrangeas.

Trim the stems

Use sharp pruners or scissors to recut all stems at a steep angle before arranging them in a clean vase. Cutting on the diagonal maximises the stem's ability to absorb water.

Use a sterilising tablet

Fill the vase with cool water mixed with a commercial floral preservative solution. The preservative supplies nourishment while inhibiting bacteria growth that can foul the water.

Keep away from the sun

Display the arranged flowers in a cool spot away from draughts, ripening fruit, direct sunlight, and sources of heat like vents or appliances. Heat and ethylene gas emitted from fruit both hasten wilting.

Change the water regularly

Every 2-3 days, dump out the old water completely and recut 1/2 - 1 inch from the bottom of each hydrangea stem before refilling the vase with fresh preservative solution. This ensures continual access to fresh water and nourishment.

Be gentle

Take care to handle the flowers very gently. The petals bruise easily, which can quickly lead to discolouration and a shortened vase life.

With proper care following these guidelines, you can expect to enjoy your lush hydrangea bouquet for around 5-7 days before they begin to noticeably decline and fade.