Bouquet Care and Transport: Getting Your Flowers to Me in the Best Condition

The fresher your flowers arrive, the better the finished artwork will look. A small amount of care in the first 24-48 hours makes a genuine difference. Here's how to look after your flowers and, if you're getting them to me, how to transport them without anything falling apart on the way.

 

• Get it into water straight away. Place your bouquet in a vase of fresh water as soon as you can. The water should sit between one-third and halfway up the stems, no higher. I like to incorporate stems into the finished artwork wherever I can, and I can't do that if the stem has been kept in vase completely full of water - this can make it waterlogged and unusable.  
• Ask your florist for flower food. If your florist offers a sachet of flower food, ask them to include one. It genuinely helps keep blooms fresher for longer. If you won't be heading straight home after the event, plan ahead and bring a small vase with you.
• Keep it away from extremes. Avoid placing it in direct sunlight or in front of aircon vents. These will dry out or damage petals faster than you'd expect.
• Don't get the petals or leaves wet. When you're topping up water or moving the vase, be careful not to splash the flowers or foliage. If any foliage is sitting below the waterline, pull it out and keep it to the side. Things like rose leaves survive well outside of water. I press foliage too, as it makes the final artwork look fuller and more true to the original bouquet, so it's worth holding onto.

 

Preparing Your Bouquet for Transport

When it's time to bring your bouquet to me, keeping the flowers in a small vase would be excellent. Only choose this option though if you have a second person coming with you so that the vase can be kept upright. 

If there's only one person dropping off the bouquet, this is the next best way to prepare your flowers for transport.

 

Step 1: Wrap the stems in damp paper towel

Take two sheets of paper towel (they can stay joined) and drench them under the tap. Wring them out so they're damp but not dripping, then wrap them around the base of the stems.

 

Step 2: Add a second layer of padding

Take a single sheet of paper towel, wet it the same way and wring it out, then fold it into quarters. Wrap that around the base of the stems over the top of the first layer. This gives extra padding and moisture right where the stems need it most.

 

Step 3: Bag it

Slide a snap-lock bag over the wrapped stems and seal it as far up as you can go.

 

Step 4: Rubber band it

Wrap a rubber band around the outside of the snap-lock bag to keep everything snug and secure.

 

Step 5: Keep it upright

When you're transporting your bouquet, try to keep it upright. That might mean having someone hold it in the car, or placing it in a box that keeps it standing. Laying a bouquet flat can crush petals or cause water to run up into the blooms, which is exactly what we're trying to avoid.