The first hour
For loose stems, wash your vase, remove leaves that would sit underwater and make a fresh cut with clean, sharp tools.
Read the full adviceROSE CARE · THE MA PETITE FLEUR LIBRARY
How to care for cut roses
A little attention from the first day gives your roses the best chance of a beautiful vase life. Start with the way your flowers are presented: a loose bouquet and a finished arrangement need different handling.
By Ma Petite Fleur · Updated 4 October 2026THE SHORT VERSION
Start with these useful points
A small daily ritual
Check the water level every day. Refresh the water and re-cut loose stems every two to four days, removing flowers as they fade.
Read the full adviceHow long will roses last?
There is no single expiry day. Variety, how open the flowers are on arrival, transport and room temperature all matter.
Read the full adviceThe first hour
For loose stems, wash your vase, remove leaves that would sit underwater and make a fresh cut with clean, sharp tools. Mix the supplied flower food exactly as directed. A cloudy vase is a prompt to clean and refresh, not simply top up.
A small daily ritual
Check the water level every day. Refresh the water and re-cut loose stems every two to four days, removing flowers as they fade. Choose a cool position away from direct heat and ripening fruit.
How long will roses last?
There is no single expiry day. Variety, how open the flowers are on arrival, transport and room temperature all matter. Inspect the heads and water daily rather than relying on a guaranteed number of days. Brown, drying petals and a collapsing head indicate a rose is fading.
Roses in a bag or box
Do not pour water into decorative packaging. First identify whether the stems sit in a separate water container or a florist’s water-retaining base. Keep the support in place and follow the supplied instructions. Read our boxed flower guide before watering.
Care reference: RHS: conditioning cut flowers. Follow the care instructions supplied with your arrangement.
When your roses need attention
The water looks cloudy
For a loose bouquet, clean the vase and replace the water, then re-cut the stems with clean tools. For a finished arrangement, follow its supplied care instructions rather than dismantling the support.
A flower head is drooping
Check the water and stem condition. A fresh cut can help a loose stem take up water, but an ageing or damaged flower may not recover. Contact us with a photo if your arrangement arrives in poor condition.
Should I unwrap a box or bag?
Identify the water source first. Decorative packaging is not necessarily watertight. Do not pour water into it or remove the support without checking the instructions.
Choose your next bouquet
Care begins with a gift that suits its destination. Think about vase space, room temperature and how the recipient will carry it home. Read our guide to rose colours and gifting for help choosing.
Continue exploring
All flower guides · Ordering flowers in London · Our family story
VIDEO · RHS
Watch cut-flower preparation
The RHS conditioning guide introduces a demonstration by floral designer Jonathan Moseley on preparing, positioning and caring for cut flowers. This complements the flower-specific advice above.
Open the RHS guide and video ↗The demonstration opens on the publisher’s website. Use these techniques for loose cut stems; follow the supplier’s instructions for boxed or enclosed designs.
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