Even though potted flowers, bouquets, baskets and floral arrangements are the most popular gift in the world, many of us don’t know exactly how to choose the best product in a flower shop.
If you want the presented bouquet to stand in the vase for a long time, the flowers to retain their freshness, their petals, aroma and color saturation – than follow the next expert recommendations.
Buy flowers online
Don’t waste your time and energy visiting flower shops. There is only one exception to this rule – the reliable and trusted florist works near your home and offers fresh plants. On the other hand, if you need to drive to the nearest farmer market and to spend 1-2 hours looking for the best bouquet – than you’d better find an alternative.
An alternative solution is to buy a bouquet on the Internet, visiting the pages of thematic commercial services. Like www.krokus.lv, which offers 24/7 flower delivery in Latvia. Just a few minutes choosing the best product in the floral catalog, filling payment form and specifying the delivery time – and that’s all.
Determine the price range
A nice bouquet that will definitely delight your girlfriend, wife, or mom doesn’t always cost much. If you’re on a tight budget, opt for inexpensive, seasonal flowers. In spring it is tulips, in early summer it is peonies, in the middle of summer it is lilies and lavender.
It is better to present just a few beautiful flowers than a hundred but of average quality. Therefore, if you have a little money, we recommend buying just one rose, a small bouquet of wildflowers, seasonal summer plants like hydrangeas, peonies, cornflowers or lilies. Don’t try to make an impression with large bouquet of non-fresh and cheap plants.
Give flowers immediately after purchase
The best time to give a bouquet is within 2-3 hours after purchase. Stale flora may look attractive too, but flowers will wither quickly. It is unacceptable.
During the summer months, flowers do not live long in the direct sun, heat, or high temperatures in the room. If you do not want the composition to lose its attractiveness and scent, do not buy flowers in advance.
Also, make sure a flower shop or online service guarantees the product’s freshness. Choose sellers who do business with direct suppliers and offer flowers that were cut recently.
Check the buds
If the flower bud is already open, it means that the plant will wither soon. If you want the bouquet to stand in the vase for a while, choose flowers with unopened or not fully opened buds. The petals of fresh flowers are firm and firm. If the petals are not dense, then the florist has cut off the dull petals and the flower will dry up in a day or two.
The leaves and stem should be green, fresh, firm and juicy. Look at the cut of the stem – it should be fresh, not dark. If the flower does not bend under the weight of the bud, then the stem is almost dry (dead).
Make sure the flowers are free from damage and scratches on the leaves, no signs of disease or insects are visible.
Don’t overdo it
Bouquet decoration is an individual task. If you know the girl’s tastes, that’s good. On the other hand you’d better find professional florist who knows nowadays trends.
If you don’t know what flowers she will like, here are some life hacks. Round bouquets are universal, they are always in fashion. Massive baskets are good too but you should present them to you colleagues or business partners. Heart-shaped compositions are in place only if you want to give them to your girlfriend on Saint Valentine’s day.
Too much brown paper and embellishments is a common mistake. Flowers are beautiful in themselves. If you’re offered a bouquet with a lot of wrappers and sequins, it might be stale. Some sellers try to cover flower defects of non-freshness with wrappers or glitter.
One-sided bouquet is the trend of this summer. The one-sided composition with craft wrapping paper can be gifted to a girlfriend or a colleague, mom or a teacher.
Not only flowers
Another fashionable trend is adding not only flowers, but sweets or fruits to a bouquet or basket. Absolutely everyone, even men, will like this gift. Flowers and chocolate are the best companions .
A professional florist will compose a composition of your favorite flowers, and then add appropriate chocolates, seasonal or exotic fruits, berries and other accessories to the bouquet.
Uniqueness is better than quantity
Don’t present a bouquet of 101 roses – it’s beautiful for Instagram selfies, but impractical. Such bulky bouquets are heavy, you cannot find a place for them in the interior, they are often non-fresh and made of non-quality flowers. After a couple of hours, the heavy bouquet will be likely thrown away, since many flowers in it will dry out.
It is better to give something unique, unusual. Even if you have a small gift budget, choose one or more beautiful seasonal flowers. For example, buy decorative sunflowers, hydrangeas, or a bouquet of vibrant wildflowers. Lilies and orchids are also a versatile gift.
Take care of flowers correctly
After you have been presented with a bouquet, take care of it properly. The stems should be trimmed a few centimeters to keep them fresh. The lower leaves should be removed so that they do not rot in the water.
Put the bouquet in water as soon as possible – this will help the flowers last longer. Each flower has its own favorite air and water temperature. Some plants stand better in a warm room, others in a cool room.
Protect flowers from direct sunlight. Add special products to the water to prolong the life of plants. If such a remedy is not at hand, then use sugar or aspirin. Potted flowers are a great choice if you want to present something memorable. Some of them will live for years growing and bringing joy every day.
