Serenata Flowers - Flower care tips

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your tulips feel much the same. Welcome them to their new environment by following these simple steps.

Tulips aren't your run-of-the-mill houseguests. They're more like A-list celebrities - always looking for the limelight. To prevent arced stems that are the result of bending towards the sun, keep your tulips in their wrap for half a day while they sip on their flower food cocktail.

1. While relaxation is important, you need to keep your tulips on their toes. Untie any bits of string that are keeping the flowers together and then cut about 3cm off each stem, ensuring you make the incision at a 45-degree angle. If you can perform this task while holding each stem under water, all the better.
2. Drinks and snacks all round! Empty the sachet of plant food into a vase and fill it with water. Not ice cold water, mind you. Water is the red wine of tulips, so they prefer a glass served at room temperature.
3. Arrange the tulips in the vase and then settle your guests somewhere they'll feel welcome - away from bright light and drafts, and somewhere you'll enjoy their company and remember to take care of them.

Play the perfect host by changing the water and adding more plant food every three days or so. Feel free to talk to your tulips, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your lilies feel much the same. Welcome them to their new environment by following these simple steps.

Despite their air of sophistication, lilies are prone to being messy guests. You can prevent them from spilling pollen by carefully removing the stamens - hold each stamen firmly at its base and tug gently.

1. In the same way as you like to take off your coat and put down your bag, your lilies want to get rid of any excess baggage. Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline of the vase, and untie any bits of string that are keeping the stems together.
2. While relaxation is important, you need to keep your lilies on their toes. Cut about 3cm off the stems, ensuring you make the incision at a 45-degree angle. If you can perform this task while holding each stem under water, all the better.
3. Drinks and snacks all round! Empty the sachet of plant food into a vase and fill it with water. Not ice cold water, mind you. Water is the red wine of lilies, so they prefer a glass served at room temperature.
4. Arrange the lilies in the vase and then settle your guests somewhere they'll feel welcome - away from bright light and drafts, and somewhere you'll enjoy their company and remember to take care of them.

Play the perfect host by changing the water and adding more plant food every three days or so. Feel free to talk to your lilies, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your orchids feel much the same. Welcome them to their new environment by following these simple steps.

Don't despair if the flowers on your orchid die, simply snip off the stalk at the plant stem. If the whole stem turns brown, cut it down to about 15cm and you may be surprised with some new growth when you least expect it.

1. Don't think your orchid is here for the plant equivalent of a city break. This is a guest who'll be sticking around for a while. Orchids can last up to a month if properly tended, and may even revisit with new blooms four to six months after you think they've "gone".
2. Fortunately, proper tending doesn't take much effort. All your orchid needs is a drink every now and again. Be wary of over-watering though, especially if your plant is in a plastic or metal container; plants in non-porous pots dry out a lot more slowly.
3. Orchids do like their drinks just right, however, and only in the mornings. A little water once a week in colder climates and twice a week in warmer, drier climates should do the trick. Be careful to avoid wetting the leaves and mop up any pools of water with some tissue.
4. Settle your guest somewhere it'll feel welcome, and somewhere you'll enjoy its company and remember to take care of it. Orchids thrive in bright light, but are averse to direct sun and drafts.

Play the perfect host by rotating your orchid to give it even exposure to any natural light. Feel free to talk to your plant, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your hand-tied bouquets feel much the same. Welcome them to their new environment by following these simple steps.

1. In the same way as you like to take off your coat and put down your bag, your flowers want to get rid of any excess baggage. Remove the protective aqua packaging over a sink, but leave on the string tied around the stems - it holds the flowers in place and doesn't discomfort them in the slightest.
2. While relaxation is important, you need to keep your flowers on their toes. Lay the hand-tie on its side and cut about 3cm off the stems, ensuring you make the incision at a 45-degree angle.
3. Drinks and snacks all round! Empty the sachet of plant food into a clean, wide-necked vase and fill it with water. Not ice cold water, mind you. Water is the red wine of the flower world: best served at room temperature.
4. Lower the hand-tie into the vase and then settle your guests somewhere they'll feel welcome - away from fruit, radiators, bright light and drafts, and somewhere you'll enjoy their company and remember to take care of them.

Play the perfect host by changing the water every few days. In warm or dry environments, you can also mist your hand-tie every morning. Feel free to talk to your flowers, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your gift-wrapped bouquets feel much the same. Welcome them to their new environment by following these simple steps.

1. >In the same way as you like to take off your coat and put down your bag, your flowers want to get rid of any excess baggage. After removing the flowers from their wrapping, untie any bits of string holding the stems together and carefully remove any leaves that will be below the waterline of the vase.
2. While relaxation is important, you need to keep your flowers on their toes. Cut about 3cm off the stems, ensuring you make the incision at a 45-degree angle. If you can perform this task while holding each stem under water, all the better.
3. Drinks and snacks all round! Empty the sachet of plant food into a vase and fill it with water. Not ice cold water, mind you. Water is the red wine of roses, so they prefer a glass served at room temperature.
4. Arrange the flowers in the vase and then settle your guests somewhere they'll feel welcome - away from fruit, radiators, bright light and drafts, and somewhere you'll enjoy their company and remember to take care of them.

Play the perfect host by topping up the foam with water daily. You can also mist your arrangement every morning. Feel free to talk to your flowers, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.

How do you feel when you arrive somewhere after a journey?

Chances are your flowers feel much the same. Even though they've arrived in a limousine-like vase with plush seats of florist's foam, they'd appreciate a down-to-earth welcome to their new environment.

1. There's nothing like a drink to make your flowers feel at home. Gently pour some fresh, room-temperature water into the centre or back of the arrangement, adding a little more after the first serving has been absorbed by the foam.
2. Carry on in this fashion until the foam can no longer absorb any more. Tip off any excess water.
3. Settle your guests somewhere they'll feel welcome - away from fruit, radiators, bright light and drafts, and somewhere you'll enjoy their company and remember to take care of them.

Play the perfect host by topping up the foam with water daily. You can also mist your arrangement every morning. Feel free to talk to your flowers, but be careful not to cause unease to other guests who may be visiting.