The 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.
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