Dear Debra

I need some ideas on how to keep flowers fresh for a week.  I am having a Sister's Luncheon on Sunday in May, on the following Saturday I am having a small dinner party and would love to use the same flowers in different arrangements around the house. Margi, Chicago, IL

Dear Margi,

Paying attention to flower prep before creating your centerpiece and following a few easy tips after will prolong the life of your arrangement.

Preparing Flowers

v Soak flowers overnight in a clean bucket filled with water & floral preservative.

v Cut stems under water to prevent air from getting into the stem.

v Always cut above or below a node, to allow the flower to soak up more water.

v To prevent bacteria remove all leaves that will fall below the water line.

Care of Centerpiece

v Add bottled water with preservative to your arrangement daily.

v Change water & recut stems every 5 days.

v Remove any wilted stems.

v Keep your centerpiece out of direct sunlight..

One last tip: select flowers and greens with a long vase life. Flowers: Astromeria, Bouvardia, Straw Flowers, Orchids, Chrysanthemums, Carnations, Stargazer lilies, Ranunculus, Sunflowers, Anthurium or Gerbera daisies. Greens: Bear Grass, Eucalyptus, Statice or Lemon Leaves.

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Visit MemorableEntertaining.com for more detailed information on Cutting & Preparing Flowers  & our Centerpiece Gallery.  We also debut our first eBook, ‘Glass Cylinders, Rectangles & Globes, 23 Creative Centerpiece Ideas’, the end of April.