Caring for your flowers - top tips from our professional floristry team

How to make your flowers last even longer using some simple tricks of the trade.

There are good reasons why flowers purchased from a professional florist last longer than supermarket bought blooms. We want to help you make them last EVEN longer which is why we're sharing some simple tips with you here.

It's so easy to leave flowers in their wrappers, pop them straight in a vase but a few extra steps will make all the difference:

• Consider the most suitable place for your flowers - avoid direct sunlight or draughts.

• Make sure your vase or receptacle is really clean. This will help prevent growth of bacteria.

• Fill the container with fresh, room temperature water until it is two-thirds full. There should be enough water to submerge all the stems.

• Mix flower food provided with the water before placing your flowers in the container.

• Remove your flowers from their packaging and recycle whatever you are able to.

• Clean off any damaged blooms, leaves or foliage that fall below the vase waterline. If left they will disintegrate and cause the water to turn brown.

• Always cut the stems at a 45 degree angle before placing them into water. This maximises the amount of water the flowers can draw through their stems.

• Check your flowers on a daily basis. Check for wilting heads, replace the water, re-cut the stems and clean the container every two to three days. This will make such a difference to their lifespan!

And most importantly, ENJOY your flowers!

A study found that seeing flowers makes us smile, and smiling instantly improves mood!