Dear Bridget, I got a vase of flowers but it doesn't have any food with it. What can I feed the flowers to keep them living longer?
-  Danielle

Danielle, I don't recommend you use any home remedies. You will get better results using a commercial preservative. You can probably buy some at your local supermarket floral department or florist. Or, even better, give the florist who sent the flowers a call and see if you can get some additional preservative from them. It would be a great way to see what other fun things they have.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Why do store bought roses not last more than a few days? We have used flower preservative and cut the stems and the roses are wilted by the second or third day.
-  Theresa - Mason, OH

Theresa, If you are using the preservative correctly and cutting stems under water, the roses may not be of the best quality. Preservative packets make little more than a liter of solution. Most consumers mistakenly don't measure the water before they mix the package. It is critical to the life of the flower to measure the water and use the proper amount.

Fresh roses, when properly handled from grower to store, should last about a week - sometimes more. If they are only lasting a few days, I would do a little more looking in the environment before looking for another retailer. Roses open quickly (not wilt, but open) in a warm room or where they are subjected to warm air drafts. Roses also may open faster in direct full or bright sunlight than in a more shaded spot.

Still, if those aren't issues, perhaps it is time to take a check of the quality of flowers you're buying. Do they have fresh green leaves? Are the leaves full of water and without spots? Is there any discoloration on the petals? If they don't look fresh, they may not be fresh. Talk with your floral retailer and see what s/he has to say. How long were the flowers in the store? It gets more challenging to have fresh product available in smaller towns were floral inventory turnover isn't as fast, but that's no reason to sell poor quality flowers. Does your florist have a guarantee? If not, perhaps look for one who would provide a week or so warrantee or guarantee on fresh flowers. Those individuals would stand behind the high quality of the products they sell.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm doing a science expirament and need to know what chemicals help keep a vase of flowers alive longer.
-  Cliare - Sonoma, CA

Cliare, We have an experiment outline with the information you need at our Flower Activity Center. You'll want to download Experiment #1 and the observation sheet. No home remedy provides longer vaselife than a commercial preservative in a measured amount of room-temperature water. The preservative contains a food source (usually sugar) and a biocide (to reduce the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi).
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do you take care of an amaryllis plant?
-  Mary

Mary, Potted amaryllis need good drainage and lots of bright, indirect sunlight. The bulb itself should be about an inch or so out of the top of the soil or medium. The bottom of the container should have lots of drainage holes and the pot should not be allowed to stand in water. After the bulb has flowered, allow it to grow for several months. In the fall, withhold water and allow the top to wither and dry. Remove the dried leaves and store the bulb out of the medium, perhaps in a paper bag, in a cool dry place (basement works well) for 3-4 months. In the winter, you can repot the bulb with about an inch of the top sticking out of the medium and keep the growing medium moist. Giving it lots of bright, indirect sunlight should promote the growth of leaves and a new flower bloom to enjoy!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I need help with my flowers for my wedding. I don't like pastels. I want no Roses, lillies. no Red, White or yellow. And certainly no pastels. I love Vibrant and rich. My favorite flowers are Hydrangea, gerber daisies, peonies. I dont know it this could happen. Also, I though breaking up the vibrant colors with lime green such as boscombe, or mums(butlers buttons) would break it up. Please help.
-  Janine - SI, NY

Janine, Designing flowers for your wedding is as challenging as preparing the food for your own reception, but many people have had experience preparing food rather than flowers. I will first urge you to consult some floral professionals in your area to relieve some of the stress that comes with preparing things for your own wedding. Take your preferences (colors, flowers, fabrics, etc.) and budget and ask them to show you some of the wonderful things they can do. Some floral professionals will ask you to pay for the consultation, and that is reasonable since they will be giving you some ideas that you could do yourself. Many floral professionals will find a creative way to work within your budget.

If you still are set on doing your own flowers, here are some suggestions. Use some longer-lived flowers like carnations and chrysanthemums and make simple designs. Hand-tie stems together the morning of the wedding rather than trying to arrange an elaborate bouquet. Use bud vases and put three stems of each flower in at varying heights. Make simple boutonnieres for the men using only one carnation or rose. Purchase the flowers as close to the wedding as you can, since storage will be another challenge. Flowers dry quickly in food refrigerators and most people don't have access to a floral cooler (with cool temperatures and higher humidity). Be sure to use a measured amount of floral preservative in all the containers and measure the water into which you dissolve the food.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do you revive cut gerber daisies that are drooping?
-  Karen - Monterey, CA

Karen, It can be difficult to revive wilting flowers. Understanding the cause of the wilting is key to your ability to revive it. But, understanding why the gerbera is wilting isn't always straight forward. You should expect gerberas to wilt and decline after a week or so of vase enjoyment, sooner if no floral food was used. The key to enjoyment of gerberas is like most other fresh cut flowers: select fresh stems, re-cut a portion of that stem off while holding the end under water, and use a measured amount of floral food in a measured amount of room-temperature water.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm doing a science fair project on carnations. Right now I'm testing to see how a carntion will survive in a certain solution. I need some info of what bleach, aspirin, and baking soda contain and if these products, mixed with room temp and refrigerator temp water will help carnations last longer. If you get this question please respond a.s.a.p. THANK-YOU!!!!!!!!
-  Claudine - Elk Grove Village, IL

Claudine, We have a great experiment outline that should be very helpful. It is Experiment #1in our Flower Activity Center. You may also find the observation sheet is a helpful way to collect your data. Bleach contains an acid and lye, so be extremely careful when you handle it. It will lower the pH of the water, helpful to water uptake by the flower, but it contains no food source. The aspirin, if it could be dissolved enough, would also form a weak acid. The large particles usually clog the flower's vascular tissue. The same is true for baking soda. Some goes into solution, and raises the pH of the water, but mostly it clogs the vascular tissue. You will see effects faster at room temperature than at 40°F (typical temperature of a home refrigerator).
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the affect of Extra Strength Tylenol on a plant? will it get greener or will it grow more, die, live longer. It's for my science fair project, please help.
-  Taylor

Tyler, The Tylenol should not have any impact on the plant. It doesn't have any nutrients (nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus) that the plant can use. We do have an Experiment outline that may give you some additional information. It is Experiment #2 at our Flower Activity Center.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Uhmmm yeah, I need the experiment chart from around September or October of 2006 it was a part of experiment number 1. I just need the chart for a science fair project!
-  Lisa

Lisa, Both the experiment and the observation sheet are still available in our Flower Activity Center.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am a florist and deal with floralife crystal clear as preservative for flowers. Floralife comes in both powder and liquid concentrate form. I was wondering if i could make liquid concentrate out of the powder form as it is cheaper in price. If i can do it what is the propotion i should use. Thanks much for your time.
-  Suzane - Severn, MD

Suzane, Great question! You could make your own concentrate, but the question you'll need to figure out is the proportion. It all depends on how much Floralife you can get into solution in a small volume of water. I'm not sure if the mixing directions use English or metric units. I'll use English for the example. It is harder to do the math for English units than for metric.

Let's say the directions indicate you should use one packet to a gallon of water. If you could dissolve 1 package into a quart, you'd have a 4x concentrate since it takes 4 quarts of water to make a gallon. If you mixed that concentrated solution, you'd add 3 more quarts to the concentrate to get the right amount.

For metric, if 1 packet goes into a liter, you'd dissolve 1 packet in 250 mls and have the same concentration. You'd add 750 more mls of water to make the regular strength. I'm just not sure how much of the powder you can get and keep in solution. I'd recommend you try cutting it in half, then half again, then perhaps half.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing the wedding flowers for my neice's wedding and I am using tall vases with water in them and the centerpiece on top. I want to color the water lavender. Do you have any suggestions on how to tint each vase of water so that thay will all be the same color throughout the reception hall? Also will this stain the clear glass vases? I will be renting the vases.
-  Gary - Winston-Salem, NC

Gary, You could use food or clothing dye. The clothing dye is more concentrated and will probably come in more colors already mixed. But, since you have a catering business, you may have access to more concentrated food dyes. Both will stain fabric table cloths, but not glass vases.

I would do some experimenting with the concentrated solution and the dye. You want to first measure the volume of water in the vase you'll be using. Then, determine how much red and blue dye you'll need to get the color you want in the final vase. You should fill the vases with water while the vases are on the tables (especially if they are large vases, they'll be very heavy when full). Then, move from table to table, adding the pre-determined amount of dye to each vase and mixing with a yard stick or some other large stirring device. Do the experimenting early with the water color so you're sure to get the effect you want.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, For my science fair project I am puting different "Home Remedies" in vases with the carnatoins i'm testing with. Well, i've heard adding a bit of ANTIFREEZE will help the flower. I have a dilema. I've heard several stories where it helped but a lady I know has much knowledge about flowers and she guesses it will die. It's the 3rd day and it's living still. What do you think will happen to it?
-  Sarah - Fairfield, IL

Sarah, Antifreeze is often either propylene glycol or ethylene glycol. I would have suspected the flowers would have died, but there may not have been much antifreeze in solution to see any effect.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm doinq a science project on cut flowers. The topic is which household chemicals helps preserve cut flowers the best can you please give me some advice. Thank you.
-  Brianna - Landover, MD

Brianna, Sure, we have just what you need at our Flower Activity Center. Log on to and download Experiment #1. We also have a very helpful observation sheet that should aid you in taking data. I wish you much success!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing Science n Display for a school project. My question is "Can you change the color of a flower?" I was woundering why can you only use whie carnations to dye/change color of? Also how does the color of the dye go up in trough the routes then up the stems?
-  Dani - Annapolis, MD

Dani, Be sure to visit our Flower Activity Center and download our Experiment #1 outline. You may also find the observation sheet helpful for you to collect your data. You can use a pale flower color, but it is difficult if not impossible to see a color change in a dark-colored petal. That's why we recommend using a white flower. It is just easier to see the color change.

Flowers have vascular tissue, like the tissue that carries blood in humans, but the system is quite different. Xylem carries water (and in this case dye) up the stem. Phloem moves the food made in the process of photosynthesis around. You can "see" they dye move up the vascular tissue since it is carried in the water. However, the water can be transpired out of the petals and the dye remains behind for us to see the path it traveled. Really an interesting science experiment!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am writing a research paper to go with my reseach experiment on which solution will best help keep flowers fresher. I am using 11 different solutions inculding 2 "homemade" preservatives. Two of the solutions are carbonated - water and soda. I need some information on the effects of carbonation on fresh flowers with references for my paper. Any ideas?
-  Kimberly - Brenham, TX

Kimberely, That will be a bit of a challenge. You can become a guest member of a site that has the most post-harvest information I've ever seen. It is the Chain of Life Network and is at chainoflifenetwork.org. Once registered as a guest, search for "carbonation" as a key word. If not much turns up, you might think about the effect carbonation has on water, especially what it does to the pH of water. Then, perphaps you can find some references to use from the COL network. An alternative would be to search the HortScience journal, especially if a local library has it. The COL will have some references from HortScience.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you provide a chart showing how long cut flowers last with the following 1. tap water 2. sugar 3. commercial preserve. Also, do you know the chemicals of each item. I am doing a science projet for 6th grade science fair. Thank you.
-  Breanna - Riverside, CA

Breanna, We have some helpful information at our Flower Activity Center. You'll want to download Experiment #1 and the chart you're looking for is in there. The chemical composition of floral food is usually a company secret. I do know they contain a sugar source (for food for the flower) and a biocide (to keep the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi down).
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am trying to find dried flowers called SILVER PENNIES. Can you help? Florists do not carry them.
-  Domenica

Domenica, I think you might be referring to Lunaria annua, or money plant. Some stores sell it as a dried flower, but others sell the seed. It may not be difficult to grow, depending on where in the country you live.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm writing a poem that has some flowers in it...to make the poem really resonate, I need to know a species of flower that dies very quickly and sheds its petals everywhere making a big mess. For some reason, I'm recalling hydrangeas do this-- Does that sound right? Could you supply me with some facts that about any flower that dies in a rush? Thanks so much.
-  Sara

Sara, Plant breeders have been working hard to keep this from happening. I do remember many geraniums used to shatter, and some still do. Marketers put a positive spin on this and called them self-cleaning. Flowers that are very susceptible to ethylene will shatter their petails. Some lilies will shatter with even a small amount of ethylene nearby. Hydrangeas can do this, but I it would be more plausible to use geraniums.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you tell me a little about the decaying process of flowers? I am doing a science presentation on decay and I wanted to talk about flower decay.
-  Eric - Canyon Country, CA

Eric, Flower senescence more accurately describes the natural process of decline and could include decay, but usually doesn't. The flower's purpose is to attract pollinators, so once pollination has occurred, there is no need for the flower. Abundance or absence of pollinators partly explain how long a flower lasts. Pollination speeds up the process of senescence, but isn't a requirement for it. Petals will fade in color, loose turgor and wilt, and have an upper limit to their longevity.

One key factor that speeds up the process is the presence of ethylene. For ethylene sensitive flowers (many are, like carnations and lilies), keeping ethylene away from flowers is essential to preserving some time for enjoyment. Ethylene is a colorless, odorless gas that plants naturally give off - so it is hard to detect and harder to keep away from flowers. It also is a by-product of combustion engines and in cigarette smoke.

Bananas are gassed with ethylene to ripen and ripening apples give off lots of ethylene. Fruit and flowers don'tmerchandise well together for this reason. Flowers give off more ethylene once a little is present. Like a tiny snowball on top of a steep mountain, a little ethylene can lead to lots of ethylene and big problems for flowers.

Sugar or food source is another cause of premature senescence. Once harvested from the plant, a cut flower has virtually no capacity to conduct photosynthesis. So, an alternative energy source is needed. If not supplied in the form of a commercial preservative, the flower will expend all stored energy and quickly decline.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How long will fresh cranberries last in a vase of flowers?
-  Tammy

Tammy, Fresh cranberries should last about 5-7 days in a floral arrangement. If you puncture the skin, they won't last as long. I say that because I'm not sure how you've included them in the arrangement. Still on the branches, the berries should look good for nearly a week.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm trying to figure out a flower arrangement that start with these letters: W, I, L, Y, O, U, M, A, R, Y, E.

I can think of
(L) Lily
(M) Marigold or Magnolia
(R) Rose
(O) Orchid

Any suggestions? Thanks!
-  AJ

Dear Bridget, I am doing a science project on flowers. My question is how does cutting the stems help preserve the life of fresh cut flowers? Could you give me your opinion on this please?
-  Darien

Darien, It is critical to recut stems under water, especially after they have been out of water for more than an hour. The stem works much like a straw, or even a hose. You may have filled a hose with water and used it to siphen water from one spot to the next. You may also know that if there is an air bubble in the hose, the siphon won't work. Flower stems are much like that hose. They need a constant flow of water up the stem.

When you submerge the end of the stem in water and cut off a portion of the stem, you are probably going to remove the air bubble that can travel up the stem and stop at the base of the flower head. You may have even seen flowers that suffered from bent-neck, where that air bubble stopped right at the base of the flower. You literally help to restart the flow of water up the stem when you remove the bottom inch or so from a fresh flower while holding that end of the stem under water.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My son and I are doing an experiment for a science project. Our statement problem is "Can plastic wrapper prolong the freshness of cut flowers?" What we are doing is that we wrapped the flowers with plastic wrapper all around except for the stems. To see if the flowers will still be fresh if bought days before the occasion. Please help us. Thank you.
-  Gina - Sunny Isles Beach, FL

Gina, Interesting experiment to try. I've not heard of this one, but the hypothesis would be that keeping the flower head in an environment with high moisture would slow down the aging process. True, fresh-cut flowers do benefit from high relative humidity. This reduces the amount of water lost through the petals in the process of transpiration. I would recommend you keep the flowers in a vase solution of room-temperature water and mix in a measured amount of fresh flower preservative or floral food.

I would suggest you use roses or carnations. Roses should last about a week, so the experiment could go pretty quickly. If you wanted it to last longer, use carnations (also less expensive).

I might suggest you use baggies and tape the stem end with masking tape or duct tape. It will be hard to seal plastic wrap. Try to keep the plastic off the petals. If you get some condensation inside the baggie, it may land on the petal and promote disease problems. That would confound your results.

You can read some more about our experiments and you may find the observation sheet helpful.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My question is for my science fair project. I was wondering will a flower last longer in fertilized or un-fertilized water? Thanks.
-  Megan - Statesboro, GA

Megan, Fertilizer provides nutrients for plants to take up through the roots and use for growth and development. Once cut from the plant, a fresh-cut flower has no roots and no mechanism to use fertilizer. The fresh-cut flower can use floral food or floral preservative, which is very different from fertilizer. Fertilizer contains mainly nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus. Floral food, however, contains mainly sugar and a biocide. So, they are chemically very different. You can learn more about floral food and fertilizer through three experiment outlines available on our Flower Activity Web Site and you may also find the observation sheet helpful.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I need to put together a fresh flora swag with calla lilies for an arch for my cousins wedding. I'd like them to be in floral foam so that we can transfer them inside for the head table at the reception. What is the best way to do this without having water dripping on the couple during the ceremony?
-  Yvette - Phoenix, AZ

Yvette, I would suggest you use floral tubes. You can insert one calla per tube and use either chicken wire or wire them directly to the arch. If you make a tube of chicken wire (about the size of a paper towel holder in diameter), you can easily insert the floral tubes into the frame. The challenge then becomes keeping the frame full of greens, which you can prepare a few days ahead of the wedding. You could easily remove the callas from the frame and use them in another frame (round or oblong to suit the table) at the bridal table.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can flowers be sent to another state? My wife is out of town and I would like to surprise her with a floral arrangement.
-  Anthony

Anthony, Yes, it is very easy to send flowers out-of-state and what a great surprise for your wife! There are several florists on-line that can deliver flowers and there are also some in that community. If you want something special, you could look for several florists in the town to which you wife will visit. I would telephone them and ask for the arrangement and price and they can take care of that for you all over the telephone. I would steer you to the local florist since they know the area, can hold or deliver an arrangement when the recipient arrives, and know what is in their inventory.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What flowers are in season for a winter wedding? Specifically for a bouquet.
-  Pat - MA

Pat, You have lots of choices for a winter wedding. Calla lilies are striking in shape and some have pink or yellow tints. Asiatic lilies are also striking at this time of year with lots of color choices. Roses always are a romantic addition to a wedding. My favorite are spray roses which have several smaller buds on one stem. Orchids, gerberas, chrysanthemums, and carnations have loads of colorful choices.

I would suggest you take the bride's preferences in color and flowers, any decisions already made (dress color, wedding party number, reception details) and the all-important budget and visit 2-3 professional florists. I highly encourage all brides to do this since floral professionals can show you work they've done and inspire your imagination to help make her day even more special with flowers.

Nearly every floral professional can work within a specified budget. While some may charge for the consultation, it is well worth the price to see what creative professionals they really are.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I've heard (and can tell) that most flowers from a florist do not smell as do their naturally grown peers. Why is that? I.E., carnations - grown by nature they have a big odor. Grown by flower wholesalers, they do not. Why?
-  Yvonne - Chandler, AZ

Yvonne, Genetics, in one overly-simplistic answer. We consumers want big and beautiful things. Scent became secondary to bigger and more colorful. Nature needs pollinators, one reason for scent. The fact that we humans also enjoy the scent escaped some of the plant breeders. Don't loose heart, though. Scientists are working to get the scent back into the blooms.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm conducting a science experiment and would like to know why, scientifically, flowers cut at greater angles would have a longer life span.
-  Caitlyn

Caitlyn, If you cut the flower stem perpendicular to the stem (flat cut) the surface area is smaller than if you cut it at an angle. In theory, that will increase the amount of water and nutrients that can be taken up by the flower. It is a very small difference, though, and one that may add a few seconds to vase life but really not very long. You can see some related experiments at our Flower Activity Center.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing a science fair experiment and I was wondering if you could tell me how pennies help roses stay alive longer.
-  Sunny - Hollywood, CA

Sunny, Pennies used to contain more copper than they currently do (see the U.S. Mint). If some of that copper could go into solution, it could lower the pH of the vase solution. Adding pennies to a vase is a home remedy that simply doesn't work. The best thing to add to a vase solution is a commercial preservative which contains both a food source (sugar) and a biocide (that keeps stem-clogging bacteria and fungi from growing too quickly).

We have an experiment outline that may be helpful to you - it is designed for an experiment like the one you are doing. It is Experiment #1 at our Flower Activities Center.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Any floral ideas for Son's 21st birthday party? Please help ASAP.
-  Ruchioswal - Fremont, CA

Ruchioswal, I would first identify a hobby or an interest, such as sports. It is then relatively easy to transform a new boot, soccer ball, or favorite team's football into a container to hold flowers. Soccer balls can be deflated and used as a half sphere. Boots can be lined with a cup and/or plastic wrap. Then, I'd select some flowers in his favorite colors or colors that coordinate with the vase. Red mini-carnations with gold chrysanthemums would look great in a football or brown boot. White chrysanthemums and red carnations would look great in a soccer ball.

Snowboarding an interest? An old board could form the base for an arrangement of bright orange gerberas and purple mini-carnations.

Avid reader? Glue several old paperbacks together and cut an opening with a jigsaw to insert a plastic cup as the vase. Outdated college text books would be ideal for this centerpiece.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, For the centerpieces at my wedding reception I was wanting to do tall cylinder vases filled with water and flowers submerged in them. I was wondering if you could tell me some flowers that would do well being submerged in water. I know that orchids and hydrangeas do. I was looking for something a little more colorful. The wedding is in March, and I know azaleas are really popular that time of the year in the south, and I would like to use those if they would work well. Please let me know some of your ideas. Thank you so much.
-  Dena - Excelsior Springs, MO

Dena, Submerging flowers is a popular trend. You can use just about any flower with either one of two methods. There is a glue that can fix a flower stem to the bottom of the vase. It can be tough to remove, so you may want to use the other method if you want to keep the bottom of the vase clean and even. You can wire and (floral) tape many flowers and then tie these to some rocks and submerge both. You could wire and tape gerberas and submerge them - they have bright, vivid colors.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Please help me understand the process of dying flowers. Are carnations and other flowers cut and the dye put in the water to change the color of the flower before being shipped for resale, or are the flowers grown and the dye inserted systemically then cut and shipped?
-  Holly - Carson City, NV

Holly, If the flower color is changed, it is always after harvest. Sometimes, flowers are put into a mixture of dye (pigment) and floral preservative and the color change occurs from inside the stem. That is systemically, but off the plant not on the plant. It doesn't, however, affect the genes of the flower. The other method is to spray paint on the color change. Both are done in the industry today.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, When dying white carnations...(1)Why does the higher concentration of dye make the petals change color faster than a lower concentration (in scientific terms) and (2) Why does the one with the lower concentration not show as much color as the one with the higher concentration? Does this all have something to do with the amount of dye in each molecule or particle of the water?
-  Cassie - Marengo, IL

Cassie, In scientific terms, a higher concentration of pigment (dye or food color) is easier to see because concentration determines color intensity. The pigment is diluted in the vase water and then you have to literally see it through the petal tissue. If the concentration isn't high enough, the color won't be dark enough to see through the petal tissue. The color is there in the lower concentration, it is just that our human eye can't see it through the petal tissue.

Think of the petals like layers of paper. If you put a bright light under several layers of tissue paper, you can see the light through the paper. The more layers of tissue paper, the less light comes through. However, if the light isn't bright enough, it won't even show through several layers. It has everything to do with the number of dye molecues in each unit (ounce or cup) of water. The more molecules, the greater their concentration, the easier it is to see.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I was surfing and came across your web site. I have some questions and was wondering if you could help me out with some of your knowledge. 1. How many anthers are on a rose blossom? 2. What is the number of styles on a rose? 3. How many flowers per stem are there on both a rose and a Alstroemeria? 4. What is the scientific name of a rose and alstroemeria? 5. What is the typical number of petals on a flower (or multiple thereof) in the Rosaceae family? 'If you could get back to me soon with this it would really help. Thanks for your time,
-  Joanne - St. Marys, ON

Joanne, Hortus III by Liberty Hyde Bailey is the reference book for botanical characteristics of plants in North America. With over 100 species (and probably hundreds more cultivars), it is difficult to make generalizations about the entire genus. Bialy indicated that all roses have five petals. I did find a good web site that has more information than Bailey, but I can't verify the correctness of the information. This site reports that roses have only five true petals and the rest are modified stamens. The number of anthers and styles on a rose will vary and, as the second web site reports, could be a very large number. Roses sold in floral retailers are in the genus Rosa, but are not any one species but rather a named cultivar (cultivated variety).

Strip or peel off any leaves that may fall below the water line. You don't need to remove all the leaves, just any that might get into the solution. Then, using a sharp knife or pruners, cut off the bottom inch or so off the stem while hold the bottom 3" under water in the sink or basin. Put the rose stem into the storage container.

Alstromeria are in the genus Alstromeria with over 180 species of this herbaceous monocot. It has (or should have) 6-7 petals and 6 stamen.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I found a beautiful flower some months ago in Central California, I was told that they were grown in Carpentaria, CA. My mom and I found a similar flower at a local Los Angeles shop and were told it is called a Lizis Flower, I have been looking online but so far have not found anything that looks like it. It looks like a rose, but has several flowers on a stem. The leaves are different, like a tree and there are no thorns. It has a pleasant scent. Thanking you in advance.
-  Polly - Los Angeles, CA

Poly, Our encyclopedia has a photo of Lisianthus or Eustoma grandiflorum. They are relatively common and many florists offer them for sale. The name you had was slightly different, which is why you may be having difficulty finding them.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am planning a 50th anniversary reception on a Sunday afternoon from 1 until 3:30 pm. I am using 50 yellow roses as a central centerpiece arranged in a brass container. The roses will arrive on Friday and a friend is going to do the arrangement that night. She has a refrigerator that is vacant and they can be kept there until Sunday about an hour before the reception. What temperature should the refrigerator be to keep them and how long should they last?
-  Mary Ann - Cookeville, TN

Mary, A food refrigerator cools the air by pulling moisture out; this is bad for fresh flowers, especially roses. Here are some things you can do to prolong the life of the roses and still use the refrigerator. When you buy the roses, bring them home immediately. Time spent in a hot or cold car and not in water will reduce the life of the flowers.

Next, be sure you have an ample amount of fresh flower preservative. Buy enough concentrate or powder to make several gallons of floral preservative mixture. A few packets won't be enough. Then, fill a basin or sink with warm (about room temperature) water. Prepare a vase or other storage container with a measured amount of floral food and warm (room temperature) water. It is important to measure the water and follow the directions on the floral food container. Too much preservative is as bad as too little in the solution.

Strip or peel off any leaves that may fall below the water line. You don't need to remove all the leaves, just any that might get into the solution. Then, using a sharp knife or pruners, cut off the bottom inch or so off the stem while hold the bottom 3" under water in the sink or basin. Put the rose stem into the storage container.

Once you've prepared all the roses this way, put a dry cleaning bag around the flower heads (to keep in moisture). Don't spray them with water or you may get spots on the petals. Then, put the whole lot into the refrigerator set to a temperature between 40°F to 42°F. They should be in prime condition for the next day. Be sure the designer uses fresh flower food in the container s/he uses.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How can I keep cut flowers looking fresh for longer? Often our flowers (especially gladioli) wilt within 4 days whereas I'd like to extend their life for 1 week. Thanks so much for your help!
-  Simone

Simone, Nothing beats a commercial floral preservative when it is used following the label directions. It has the correct balance of food (a sugar) and a biocide (to keep those stem-clogging bacteria and fungi at bay). For gladiolia, you will likely use a larger vase. I would measure the amount of water needed to fill the vase 2/3 full (be sure to usee room temperature water) and then add a number of packets or scoops of liquid or powder commercial preservative to follow the directions on the label. There are lots of home remedies out there, but none work as well as the commercial preservative. You can read more about some of the home remedies at our Flower Activity Web Site by downloading Experiment #3.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, When you buy a fresh floral arrangment from a florist, it has a foam-like substance in the vase that helps to hold the flowers in place. It is usually not a solid piece of of styrofoam, but I cannot seem to locate any of this in the craft stores. Do you know what this is and if there is anywhere that I can purchase it? I enjoy arranging my own flowers, but sometimes have difficulty getting them just the way I want them in the vase and also it helps to hide the stems with a clear vase.
-  Brenda

Brenda, You're looking for floral foam. There is a brand (Oasis) that is commonly used to refer to the floral foam in general (much like the brand Kleenex is often used for a disposable tissue). There are several kinds, so be sure you get one that can be used for fresh flowers (not silk or dried flowers). I found one source on line but there are many others. Use your search engine and use the words "floral foam" or "Oasis" and you'll find some retailers of the brand and generic floral foam.

You should soak the foam in a small basin of the sink, filled with warm water and a commercial preservative (be sure to follow the label directions). Float the bricks with the small holes pointing up to the ceiling so the water & preservative will slowly be absorbed. Don't force the foam into the water & preservative. Then, you can cut the foam to fit the container and fill the container with the left-over water & preservative mixture.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I want to know if you have any knowledge about carnations? I am doing a science project on carnations.
-  Taylor - Tampa, FL

Taylor, Carnations are in the genus Dianthus and in the family Caryophyllaceae. There are i∼ 300 species of this herbaceous genus. Some are annuals, some are biennals, and some are perennials. They originated in Eastern Europe and Western Asia and are found native to South Africa. All of this is from the book Hortus III by Liberty Hyde Bailey. The species Caryophyllus s the one most often associated with our common use of the fresh flower, carnation. There are hundreds of cultivars of this species, which has a broad array of colors.

Taylor, Carnations are in the genus Dianthus and in the family Caryophyllaceae. There are i∼ 300 species of this herbaceous genus. Some are annuals, some are biennals, and some are perennials. They originated in Eastern Europe and Western Asia and are found native to South Africa. All of this is from the book Hortus III by Liberty Hyde Bailey. The species Caryophyllus s the one most often associated with our common use of the fresh flower, carnation. There are hundreds of cultivars of this species, which has a broad array of colors.

You can see that this is a small amount in comparison to the number of carnation stems imported. Last year, the USDA reported that 900 million stems of carnations were imported to the U.S., with >90% coming from Colombia. Reuters had an interesting article about a blue carnation.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How would a carnation be affected by being put in salt water versus being put in sugar water.
-  Britany - Largo, FL

Britany, Salt is toxic to fresh flowers while sugar can provide food for fresh flowers. If you put stems into each solution (1 teaspoon of salt or sugar into 8 oz. of water) the flowers in salt will die faster than the flowers in sugar. You can also watch the development of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi in the glass with sugar water. We have an experiment outline which describes an experiment like the one your doing at our Flower Activity Web Site. You may find it helpful as you complete your study.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do crushed stems make a flower last longer?
-  Lily

Lily, We used to have that recommendation for woody stems (like hydrangeas and magnolia), thinking it would increase the amount of water the stem took up. It didn't, so the research shows that crushing the stems may damage the vascular tissue. So, simply cut them with a sharp knife or pruners. Either on an angle or straight across doesn't matter, either. Be sure to use a measured amount of floral preservative and room temperature water for all your fresh cut flowers. That will make a big difference!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, If I remove the stamens from Star Gazer lilies, will I also remove their fragrance?
-  Carol - Timonium, MD

Carol, No, the pollen has no fragrance. It will stain fingers, carpet, and clothing so removing anthers will avoid some exceptionally challenging stain removal later. It won't remove any of the fragrance.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, When a flower is dyed, such as a mum or daisy, can you expect the anthers and stamen to change color as well? Or since this is reproductive tissue and not vascular tissue, will they remain the same color as they were?.
-  Karen - San Antonio, TX

Karen, You hit the nail on the head by knowing the difference between vascular tissue and reproductive tissue. Vascular tissue will carry water with the pigment to all tissues, so the stamen may have some color change, but the pollen won't.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Why does the flower baby's breath have a bad smell to them after a few days? Is there anyway to stop the smell?
-  Tara - Sicklerville, NJ

Tara, Most flowers have some sort of volatile compound that is given off, some more desirable than others. There really is no way to stop the smell, but keeping the flowers at a cooler room temperature will reduce the amount of odor that you notice. The only alternative would be to cover up the smell with another pleasant odor, adding a fragrant rose or gardenia to the bouquet could help.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I read an article on how to dye fresh flowers some time ago, it turned out a total mess for me, could you give a simple step by step direction. Thank you.
-  Steve - Hartford, CT

Steve, We have just what you need at our Flower Activities Center. Simply download Experiment #3.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, When changing the water in vases after a couple of days, If you have run out of floral preservative, what can you use instead? I have been told a little bit of sugar works.
-  Lesley - Burlington, Ontario

Leslie, Consumers need several packets of floral food to help keep their flowers looking fresh for a week or more. Unfortunately, most are given only one or two packets. Please ask your floral professional to give (or permit you to purchase) more floral food. Sugar added to water is a home remedy that simply doesn't work to extend the vase life of flowers. Truly the best solution is a commercially-prepared preservative. Most floral professionals do have some for sale. Most of us just forget we'll need more. We have some interesting information about sugar and other home remedies at our Flower Activities Center. You'll want to download Experiment #1, just to read it.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the proper method for drying hydrangea?
-  Brenda - Pasadena, MD

Brenda, Drying hydrangeas upside down in a cool, dark place is really the best method for drying them. They are too thick to press and you would need a very large container of sand and silica to dry just one flower. You can hang them upside down for a few weeks. A cool, dry place (like a basement or closet) is ideal to keep them from being disturbed. Then, if you like, spray with a sealant (even hairspray can work) and that will help keep the petals in tact.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am dating a girl who I really care about. She is coming home from a competition in California and I want to send her flowers that say, Congrats, I'm proud of you, I like you and I miss you. What should get?
-  David

David, The language of flowers was very popular during Victorian times, but has literally lost much of the specific meaning of each flower in today's culture. I am thrilled you want to send flowers as a way to convey sentiments! I would encourage you to send her a color she likes or combination of colors she likes. If you want to bring some of the old language of flowers, ask to include some lavender which means "admiration." Whatever your choice, I believe she will really enjoy them and that you sent them.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Very informative answers - but I haven't seen too many questions being asked about Poppy's. I just love the look of them, and recently saw a picture in a magazine with a vase of fresh cut Poppy's. It has inspired me so much, that I would like to use fresh cut poppy's as an accent flower throughout my wedding and possibly even on my cake. Now it's going to be scheduled for October, but is inside if that matters...

Help - I've been reading conflicting opinions on their durability, with some saying NO the flowers wilt and petals fall off, others saying there are certain kinds, to others saying that it's not a problem depending on when their cut. Do you know if Fresh Cut Poppy's can stand up to a wedding? Thanks for your help.
-  Wendy - Edgewater, NJ

Wendy, Some of the difference in the answers you get comes from how well the flowers are treated. Poppies aren't among the longest lasting flowers (compared to carnations), but when professionally grown and well-treated after harvest and to the retailer, they can be a beautiful accent for a wedding. I would consult your floral professional and see if s/he has used them in the past (I always look for an experienced professional) and see if they have photos of the event. If not, you could do a trial run and see how they hold up for you. If the floral professional can get them from a reputable source, they should look great through your wedding.

One challenge is when do-it-yourselfers harvest wild flowers and then don't condition them. That could be problematic for a wedding. Talk with one or more floral professionals and see what s/he recommends. I would use their advice for this special day.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I arrange flowers for the altar of my local church and like it to be beautiful, but I have a budget and try to use wild flowers such as ferns. Each time they wilt or die, I've tried burning the ends, soda and other ways. Can you give me some advice as well as other wild flowers and ideas to use for a dramatic and cost effective way for the altar to look beautiful.
-  Monica - Norfolk, CT

Monica, Harvesting flowers from the wild may look like a great idea, but so often it doesn't turn out that well. Most commercially-available flowers are professional grown. Professionals grow plants that look similar, but really have been bred to perform well. The natives may be endangered species, another reason to leave them in their natural habitat.

Why not consider growing some flowers around or near the church that might be suitable for cutting? There are some tall zinnias that could be used in floral arrangements. Peonies in the spring are good for cutting and arranging. Gladiolus bulbs are easy to grow and are great cut flowers. I found one list of flowers for a "cutting garden."

Be sure to use some commercial preservative for all your cut flowers, measuring both the water and the amount of preservative that goes into the water. Cut flowers in the morning, when they are most full of water and store and prepare them in a cool room. Those things will help improve the post-harvest life of your fresh cut flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do roses get two different colors and what is this called? What hormones do florist use to make the flowers open up quicker? Thank you so much.
-  Francisco

Francisco, There may be some different flower colors on one plant due to budding more than one type of rose onto one rootstock. If there hasn't been any budding or grafting, you can get some natural variation in the flower color due to genetic mutations. You might see different shades of the same color on one stem, but not on others. You might also see a different pattern of colors (but the same colors) on different rose blooms. That is due to a natural genetic difference that happens in the layers of petal tissue.

Florists don't use hormones to open flowers more quickly. Conversely, they try to keep the flowers as tight as possible for the consumer to enjoy them longer. They use a commercially-prepared floral preservative (that doesn't have any plant hormones in it) to help keep flowers lasting a longer time period. Ethylene, a plant hormone, is a colorless, odorless gas that is used to help ripen fruit, such as bananas. It is naturally given-off by most plants, and is highly toxic to fresh flowers - causing them to die prematurely.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How can you keep flowers fresh in a brides hair throughout the reception?
-  Mary - Latham, NY

Mary, Freshness through the ceremony and celebration afterwards begins with buying great quality, fresh flowers from a reputable professional. It also includes selecting flowers that don't wilt as readily compared to others. Gardenias have a great fragrance, but brown faster than other flowers. I would steer you to carnations or chrysanthemums or even some orchids that can withstand some time out of water and still look fine. Arrange the flowers at the last minute in the bride's hair. I wouldn't advise misting the flowers once in her hair, but you can spray them with an anti-transparent that will help keep them looking fresher longer. Using all those tips, the flowers should look good through the important times of the day.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What flowers can be paired with white daisies to create a beautiful arrangement?
-  Joseph - Hyannis, MA

Joseph, White daises give a fun, informal look to most arrangements. You can keep an informal look by adding some yellow carnations that pick-up the yellow center of the daisy. I like adding spray roses, either pink or coral, to add a touch of fragrance and make the arrangement a little more formal. You can add just about any color of standard carnation to white daisies and have a stunning centerpiece. Add a few hybrid tea roses to that to really make it stand out.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I want to use flowers for wedding reception center pieces. I want to arrange them in a frosted bowl in green craft foam so they stand up. Either roses or calla lilies. And I want to know how long they will last in the craft foam, or how many days before the reception can I make the centerpieces to keep the flowers looking fresh if the foam is soaked in water.
-  Elizabeth - Wayne, NE

Elizabeth, You should use floral foam, not craft foam, for the flowers. Floral foam is sold at most craft stores. You should also use a floral preservative in the water. This is also available at some craft stores and a most stores where fresh flowers are sold. Prepare a dishpan or use the sink to add a measured amount of warm (about room temperature) water.

Mix in the recommended amount (from the preservative label directions) of preservative into the water. Add the foam brick with the small pin holes facing up. Allow the blocks to sink naturally; don't submerge them. This will insure they are well saturated with no dry spots. Then, simply remove the blocks from the water & preservative and cut to fit in your bowl. You should then fill the container with the left over water & preservative mixture.

Roses and calla lilies can be designed up to 36 hours before the event, but not much more if you want them looking fresh. You can add the greens a day ahead of the flowers and store the greened containers as indicated next. Be sure to store the completed designs in a cool location, preferably a floral cooler. Don't use a food refrigerator, though, since it cools by removing moisture and this is harmful to flower petals. A cool room or basement is an alternative to a floral cooler. An ice chest or picnic cooler can work, too, but they aren't very large.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married this July and wanted to have fresh flowers in my hair. My question is: Can I just attach the flower to a bobby pin or is there a special way to do this? Also, do you think orchids or gardenias will hold up better over the course of the day? Thanks in advance for your answer!
-  Ida - Cambridge, MA

Ida, Flowers in your hair for your wedding day will enhance your beauty! I would suggest using orchids, since the gardenia may turn brown in a few hours. Most orchids will withstand a few hours out of water and still look good for the photos. Find an orchid color that you like and will coordinate with your bouquet. You can buy floral tape at most craft stores. I would advise taping the orchid stem securely to a barrette or large bobby pin. You don't want it to fall out. The tape stretches over the stem as you wind it around spirally. You won't need much stem (about an inch) or tape to do the job. Congratulations!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How should the stems of hydrangeas be cut for longer life?
-  Silvia - Miami, FL

Silvia, Floral professionals used to suggest smashing the stems of woody plants when using them as cut flowers. We used to believe that would increase the surface area and the plant could take up more water. This hasn't be demonstrated scientifically, so we don't advise smashing or mashing stems anymore. A clean cut with a sharp knife or pruners is the best way to prepare a hydrangea stem for use as a cut flower. Always use a measured amount of water in a vase, following the directions for the commercial preservative.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What are the effects of over-the-counter medications like: Aspirin, Advil, and Extra-Strength Tylenol on cut carnations? And does it really matter if you use roses, or carnations in this experiment? Why do people use these methods of medication on their flowers, and does it work?
-  Aparna - Leonardtown, MD

Aparna, Folks aren't trying to medicate their flowers as much as they are trying to prolong the vase life of flowers. Some folks believe (falsely) that if you crush an aspirin and dissolve it in water, that it will help prolong the life of fresh flowers. Aspirin can form a weak acid when dissolved in water, but it doesn't work to prolong vase life. So, if they believe aspirin may work, why not other pain relievers? Well, they don't work either. You can read more about some home remedies that don't work at our Flower Activity Web Site.

It doesn't matter whether you use roses or carnations in the experiment. What does matter is that you use a commercial preservative as a "treatment" and that one will last longest. Be sure to measure the water and follow the label directions. Too much or too little preservative in the water won't produce the best results, either.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My niece just got married, and someone after the reception was told to put the brides boquete of flowers into the freezer. The bride wanted to have these flowers pressed to be preserved. Is there any way now that the flowers have been frozen to preserve them? Help?
-  Kelly - Longmont, CO

Kelly, Once they are frozen, they need to stay frozen. Thawed flowers will discolor quickly and become, well, a mushy mess. If there are some thin flowers, you could try to press them in sheets of white tissue paper, in a single layer separated by about 50-75 pages in a thick telephone book. The pages can absorb some water and the tissue paper will keep it clean. Roses or other thicker flowers should remain frozen.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a red rose bud that has been frozen in my Mother's freezer since my high school graduation in 1973. It is still as beautiful today as it was then! My question is this: Must I keep it frozen to maintain its beauty? I have been afraid to take it out of the freezer for any length of time. I keep it for sentimental reasons and reminds of some very carefree happy times?
-  Dorothy - East Freedom, PA

Dorothy, Wow, you did a great job to preserve the flower that long. I wouldn't remove it from the freezer because it would risk browning. If you have to move it, do so in a very cold cooler.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am to be married this summer and thought it would be fun to put dye in the centerpiece vases (which will hold gerbera daisies) but do not want to risk a color change in the flowers. Can you give me an estimated time on the length of time it takes before they will begin changing colors?
-  Maureen - Everett, WA

Maureen, In a warm room, it could take only a few hours to see a color change. What about a vase in a vase, with the outer one containing the colored water and the inner one containing clear water and preservative for the gerberas? Water pics for each gerbera might be another alternative, but you would be able to see the caps (usually dark green) through the vase. What about an outer covering of cellophane or plastic over the vase rather than colored water?
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I just recently completed my first floral design class and have a question. Is a hydrangea flower a form or a mass flower. Thanks for your help.
-  Linda - Anderson, SC

Linda, Hydrangea flower heads are so large that I would consider them a form flower. In a very large design, they could be a mass flower. I would more typically consider them form flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married next fall and would like to have fresh flowers, How do I keep my bouquet from wilting before the end of the night.
-  Brandi - Bonham, TX

Brandi, Even the best of florists cannot keep flowers from wilting. When handled properly, and kept at a cool temperature, the flowers can last a while out of water. The problem is, the flowers will be out of water for a while and probably not in a still or cool spot. You'll be enjoying them, as you should! Don't worry too much about the wilting over the period of the day.

Perhaps scheduling photographs earlier in the day, when you bouquet is fresh, will keep them looking good in the pictures. Hire a reliable professional to design your flowers and I'm sure you'll be delighted with them on your wedding day.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing an experiment for biology class in school, and I needed to know if red roses die faster than yellow daisies? If so, why?
-  Virginia - Homestead, FL

Virginia, So much of flower longevity depends on the genetics of the flower (some last a day, others weeks) and the care the flower received. I suspect the yellow daisies are chrysanthemums and they will probably last longer than red roses. I hope you are using a commercially-prepared floral food in the vase water, and that you measured the amount of water you added to the vases. That will give the fresh flowers their longest possible life
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How long can roses live without sunlight and water?
-  Juli - New York, NY

Juli, The plants can live a few days on stored water and sugars (product of photosynthesis and the reason they need light). Cut flowers need water and would only last several hours at room temperature without water. They don't need light since there is not enough chlorophyll in the stem and few leaves to produce any sugars. That is why you need to use a floral preservative in the vase water.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the meaning of a Chrysanthemum?
-  Cindy - Jacksonville, FL

Cindy, The color of the chrysanthemum conveys part of the meaning. In general, chrysanthemums can convey a meaning of cheerfulness and friendship. Others consider it to mean abundance and wealth. A red one can mean love, yellow slighted love, and white truth or purity.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Recently my new sister-in-law went to a beautiful shower and was telling me about the arrangements. She described a purple type flower (she said they looked like a bird of paradise) that was fully submerged in water in a tall cylinder type vase. I always thought you couldn't submerge flowers because of bacteria. Can you help me? She is doing a shower in 7/06 and would like to do something similar with submerged flowers. I have seen leaves, fruits and hydrangea in the past submerged but there were always flowers above the vase line. Thank you for all the help!!
-  Debbie - San Pedro, CA

Debbie, Trial is the best way to see if your idea will work. Submerging flowers is easy for some (flowers and people) and more challenging for others. Dense flowers sink and stay down more easily that lighter flowers. You could try arranging the flowers in floral foam (a small amount) and sink that foam and arrangement. Bird of paradise is fairly dense and should sink. The challenge will be keeping it upright or off its side. I would get some flowers and experiment in my sink (or a container like the one you want) to see if you get the right effect.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Your web site has been so helpful to me. Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions. My situation is this... I'm doing the flowers at my sister's wedding (cream & mocha dresses) and she's having a 5 tiered cake platform (w/cupcakes on it) I'd like to set up 2 vases w/foam on either side w/ pale pink flowers and some type of vine that can be wired up to drape the platform. Do you have any suggestions for a trailing plant/vine that might hold well in the foam? I plan on using mini carnations or sweetheart roses on the uppermost tier seeing as though there will be no water source for them. Any suggestions for the pale pink flowers?

Also, will ferns keep without water if massed around the base of "hurricane" candle holders as centerpieces?

Bridget, thank you so much for any advice!!!
-  Heidi - Waukesha, WI

Heidi, Ivy would be my first choice for vining. It wires well and is somewhat flexible and tolerant of no water. You can make "vines" from many different greens, depending on how much time you want to put into the making of the vine. You can wire and tape many (emphasis on many) small segments of wired and taped greens together. The glossier the foliage, the longer the greens will look fresh out of water. Just remember to keep them cool while you are working on them and cool until the time you decorate the platform. If there is no water, I would skip the roses and use only mini-carnations or put flowers in water picks. Roses will wilt after an hour or so without water. Even floating some sweetheart roses in a shallow saucer will provide them with a water source. Baker fern should look great for a few hours placed around a hurricane candle base, even without water.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you please help me design a creative centerpiece for a middle school lacrosse boys banquet in June. The centerpieces are then given to the parents of the 8th grade boys. Our colors are red/white/black (we usually substitute the black with silver or gold. What would you suggest within a reasonable budget?
-  Debbie

Debbie, I can envision a small arrangement that could be wrapped by an old net (or new, if it's in the budget) of the lacrosse stick. I would take some floral foam and plastic wrap. Mix a measured amount of floral preservative with room-temperature water and drop the foam bricks in with the dots or holes in the foam facing up. Allow the bricks to absorb the water naturally, don't force them into the water & preservative mixture. Then, cut the wet bricks into cubes; you should be able to get about 16 cubes from one brick.

Arrange flowers in the top (see next step) then wrap with clear plastic wrap (use a ribbon to hold the plastic wrap around the bottom of the cube) and insert in the net. If you use black nets, I would suggest red mini-carnations or standard carnations and white pompon chrysanthemums. I would use 3-5 stems of carnations and a stem of mums per arrangement, along with some greens. The boys could carry the arrangements in their sticks and present them to their parents!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I bought Hydrangeas from a florist yesterday. I took them home, trimmed the stems and put them in a pitcher with water. Before the end of the night, they were all wilted. Did I do something wrong? Do they need some sort of special treatment?
-  Lynn - Mount Dora, FL

Lynn, You didn't do anything wrong, but there are some additional steps you could do next time to get more enjoyment from beautiful hydrangeas. They have a large surface area with so many petals and do tend to dry out faster than some other types of flowers. Transport flowers in water and preservative when possible, and minimize the time out of the water. Always re-cut flower stems under water when you transfer them from a vase or bring them home from the florist. Hold about two inches of the stem end under water in a bowl or sink.

Cut off about an inch of the submerged stem end. This will help restart the flow of water up the stem. It can help, too, to keep the flowers cool in transport. Warm cars and trunks can dry out flowers surprisingly fast on a sunny day. Do they need special treatment? No. Clean vase, clean water with a measured amount of preservative, and that fresh cut with the stem end submerged under water. Those steps will help you get more enjoyment from all your fresh cut flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm planning a autum wedding and need ideas for the table.
-  Coleen - Pretoria, SA Canada

Coleen, Lots of great fall colors can be combined in a fall wedding theme. My favorites are red, gold, and orange. I would see what the bride's colors are and adjust accordingly. If the wedding is formal, I would select a formal container like a glass bowl or vase or low arrangement so it hides the plastic container. If more informal, you might find some fun baskets that could hold a plastic insert (cup or other vessel to hold wet floral foam). The container shape will dictate whether the arrangement is tall or wide, but should be 2-3 times the longest dimension. So, a 6" tall vase can hold a 12" to 18" tall floral arrangement (which may be difficult for guests to see around) or an 8" wide basket can hold a 16" to 32" wide arrangement.

Use the longest dimension and multiply by 2.5 or so to find the dimension of the finished arrangement. Flower choices are fun, too! Red can be carnations, mini-carnations, roses, or gerberas. Yellow, gold, or orange could be lilies, or any of the ones I mentioned in red. I would select 3 different shapes. For example, maybe red roses, yellow lilies, and orange gerberas could coordinate well. Talk with your floral professional as there are many shades and you'll want to see some of those actual colors as the day gets closer to be sure they coordinate and you're happy with them.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My son and a friend are hosting a graduation party later this month. What do you recommend for floral centerpieces that are masculine original and cheap. Their school colors are red and black.
-  Kari - Marion, IA

Kari, There are lots of fun ideas and red and black are great colors to work with. I would select containers that are meaningful to him. Does he play sports? Small soccer or footballs can be deflated and used as containers for fresh flowers. Like movies or books? Again, select a container and cover it with wrapping paper or book covers from his favorites. You can even use plastic cups (black perhaps) with red carnations or mini-carnations.

You could arrange 3-5 stems of either flower along with some greens in each container. I'm not a big fan of spray-painted flowers, so I wouldn't suggest using any painted-black flowers. There are lots of red ones. You can use chrysanthemums or carnations or even gerbera daises. A black mortar-board turned upside down can hold a plastic container for fresh flowers and would be very appropriate for a graduation theme.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have been a florist for 13 years. As you well know there are various opinions on every subject, and I was hoping to get yours on one particular debate. Does it help to put a wet paper towel around the bottom of a bunch of cut flowers for delivery? And, if so, how long can they be out of water before they begin to lose their longevity?

My opinion is that it does not hurt nor help the cut flowers, and they should be re-cut and put into fresh water within 2 hours. Or they should be put into aqua picks if the flower is going to be out of water for a longer period of time. Just curious. Thank you for your time.
-  Allie - Duchess, AB Canada

Allie, I agree with you. The paper towel may not help, but certainly doesn't hurt with floral deliveries. Fresh flowers need to be kept in water as long as possible. Realizing that shipment or delivery may not be possible in water, re-cutting the stems under water as soon as possible is the next best procedure. How long they can remain out of water and still have reasonable longevity is a function of the flower itself, its age, and the environmental conditions for shipping (temperature and relative humidity).

Warm and dry are enemies of fresh flowers. The hotter the environment, the less theflowers can be out of water without showing much decline in longevity. Aqua picks are an excellent alternative to shipping dry, especially for flowers like roses that require a lot of water to sustain them. The wet paper towel may not provide free water that the flowers can take up, but it does provide humidity for the air helping to preserve the longevity of the fresh flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Want to submerge hydrangea in large brandy snifters for wedding centerpieces, any thing I should know?
-  Geri

Geri, It's tough to keep a good flower down! They will float and will need some heavy weights to keep them on the bottom of the vase. I would clip the stem short and do a few practice runs or trials and see what will keep them submerged.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married on 5/20/2006. I am making centerpieces for the tables at the reception myself. I want to use glass bowls and float flowers and candles in them. What kind of flowers will float? I am not sure if I should use real or fake flowers. I have tried, as an experiment, with several fake flowers and they have all sank. Any advice?
-  Kelley - Arlington, TX

Kelley, You are smart to try some different alternatives and see what works best. I would encourage you to use real flowers. Many will float, as long as they are allowed to open. Buy a few stems and get some bowls out and see what works. Daisy chrysanthemums, with the stem snipped to be about a half-inch long, will float in a bowl, giving an informal look. Be sure to use a measured amount of floral preservative in the water (measure both water and use the correct amount of preservative as directed on the package label).

You can buy some roses, allow them to open from buds, and float the open blooms on water. Again, snip the stems to about an inch long. Some orchids will float, too. Select broad or flatter flowers, ones with that shape when they are open. Carnations sometimes are too dense to float. Most buds are so dense they will sink as well. You want flowers with lots of surface area, but also with that flat shape.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Frequently the water in a flower vase becomes smelly. Even when I change the water it doesn't stay fresh for very long. A friend suggested that I should add a touch of bleach to the water and this would keep the mold and smell from developing. Is this true?
-  Diane - Charlottesville, VA

Diane, No, I would not recommend you add bleach to the vase water. There is a natural population of bacteria and fungi on the stem and leaves. Removing the leaves that fall below the water line will reduce this natural population. I always recommend (and use myself) a commercially-prepared preservative in a measured amount of room-temperature water. This package contains a balance of food and a biocide, which keeps the population of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi in check.

It may also help to rinse the stems off before re-cutting 1/2 inch off while holding that end under water. Rinsing may reduce the population even more and cutting the stem under water will restart the flow of water back up the stem. Bleach contains an acid and lye, neither of which are helpful to the flower. If you start with fresh stems and change the water (with preservative) every few days, the water should stay clearer longer
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Is there a way to float fresh flowers in a pool for a Wedding Reception? I want to make a float featuring the Bride and Grooms' initials. Thank you for your time.
-  Linda - Fredericksburg, VA

Linda, Chlorine in a pool doesn't mix well with fresh flowers. I like to arrange them in a flat saucer (clear, of course) and float those in the pool. Don't make them too heavy or they'll sink. You can float the flowers in the saucers (use preservative and water in the saucer) and tie or connect the saucers to make their initials. Be sure to do a trial run to see how heavy the saucers are.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Does the structure of the stem or the type of stem of a flower effect the flower's vase life?
-  Anna

Anna, Plants can be classified as either monocots or dicots. This classification comes from the arrangement of plant tissues, among them the water (xylem) and food conducting (phloem) tissues. Flowers like orchids are monocots and flowers like carnations, roses, and chrysanthemums are dicots. The difference in how the tissues are arranged are shown in two slides at this web site.

Monocots have the xylem and phloem arranged in bundles and dicots have them arranged in a ring. But, no, the arrangement or organization of tissue does not affect floral longevity. Factors including production techniques, harvesting and handling procedures, treatment during shipping and in the retail location affect longevity. In the consumer's home factors like air temperature, water temperature, air drafts (hot or cold) and (most importantly) the presence of commercial preservative in a measured amount of water (at room temperature) are the keys to long flower life.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What happens to a flower that is cut diagonally?
-  Susan - Delaware

Susan, There was a time when scientists believed that cutting a flower stem on an angle (as opposed to a straight across cut) would increase the uptake of water because the stem surface area exposed to water was increased. The amount of increase in surface area and water uptake so little that we do recommend cutting flower stems under water to increase water uptake, but it doesn't matter whether that cut is at an angle or straight across.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Help! I've been asked to decorate the luncheon tables for a mad hatter affair in early May. My challenge is to use hats and a floral arrangement that can be sold afterward. I can't figure out whether I should put flowers in a hat or around the hat. Have you ever done anything like this or do you have any suggestions? Naturally, I'd like them to be clever and beautiful! Any help will be appreciated.
-  Cathy - Lake, IL

Cathy, Oh, you can have fun with that! First, find your hats. See which ones sit best upright and others may sit on the table better upside down. Maybe even turn some to the side. Next, select containers to hold the flowers. Depending on the hat size, you could use plastic cups or small plastic bowls. Fill cups and bowls with floral foam (already soaked in room-temperature water with a measured amount of floral preservative) to extend about a 1/2 inch above the top of the cup rim.

Now, select your flowers and colors. Some may create a big contrast while others accent the hat in a way that is more coordinating. A cowboy hat might have a shallow cup (cut off to about 2" tall) inserted to the side with a more horizontal arrangement of hot yellow gerberas and orange mini carnations. A pink pill box hat might be turned upside down and filled with pale pink roses in a broader bowl for a container. A jester's hat might have a colorful cup of red carnations, yellow chrysanthemums, purple statice, and greenery along side of it. A graduation mortar board might rest on a circle of all white carnations. A baby cap could have dainty spray roses in a bud vase near it. Hopefully, those ideas might spark your creativity.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a red rose that someone gave to me. I have already preserved it. Where and what can I store it for my keepsake?
-  Jane - Flowery Branch, GA

Jane, I'm a big fan of shadow boxes, so that would be my recommendation for displaying your preserved rose. With some simple tools, most anyone could make one. There are some pre-assembled ones in craft stores. You can stain or paint the finish to match any décor, and they keep the dust off preserved flowers. You could hot glue it to the base of a vase for a decorative touch. Otherwise, I would recommend wrapping and packing in a few inches of acid free tissue paper and placed in a sturdy box, stored in a cool dry place.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can something be mixed into your vase water to help your drooping roses perk back up?
-  Jillian - Hoquiam, WA

Jillian, Once the roses have started to droop, there is little you can do to revive them. It is important to cut a small amount off the bottom of the flower stem while holding it under water. Not cutting them under water likely contributed to their premature wilting. The floral professional should have given you some commercial preservative. It is important to use the entire packet, but dissolve it in a measured amount of warm (room temperature) water, following the package directions.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married in Gloucester MA this July and had a question about centerpieces. My color scheme is yellow and light blue and I would really like to try submerging yellow tulips or Gerberas in a tall cylindrical vase. I tried to do so using distilled water, but the flowers still float. Is there a way to use a glass bowl or one with more shape and to contour the stem of the tulips around the bowl to keep them in place? I did see somewhere to submerge them upside down and use a floating candle or other object on top to keep them from floating up. Lemons will also be incorporated as part of the theme - so a large lemon slice on top might be cute. My other idea was to slice up lemons and arrange them in a tall rectangular vase - any suggestions? Thanks so much!
-  Shona - Cornelius, NC

Shona, You might try purchasing some floral frogs to help keep the flowers submerged. You can attach the stems to the frogs, and the frogs are heavy enough to stay submerged. I like the idea of floating lemons on top. You might also float some yellow rose petals to have a contrasting texture. Another idea might be to submerge some yellow pebbles, keep the flowers above water (in the vase) and float some lemon slices in the vase water. You won't have to fight to keep the flowers above water and you can still incorporate all the elements you wanted. What about floating gerberas and lemon slices in a shallow bowl? You could place the bowl on a mirror to enhance the visual effect.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My husband and I are having a debate on as to how much water is needed in a vase for fresh cut flowers. Thank you.
-  Debbie - Cibolo, TX

Debbie, I can't play Dr. Phil and resolve marital disputes, but I can lend a hand on how much water to keep in a vase. The key is to have the right amount of water in relation to the floral preservative dissolved in it. Too much or too little preservative in water is as bad for fresh flowers as no preservative at all. Yes, all of the stems need to be submerged. None of the leaves should fall below the water line (they are a source of bacteria and fungi). So, the answer to the question is: enough to cover the stems (submerge them) and not so much that leaves are submerged. When you add water, be sure it is not just water, but a measured amount of floral preservative dissolved in a measured amount of water.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, If there anything that you can do to get cut carnation buds to open? I've had the bouquet since Valentine's Day and it still looks beautiful! I'm hoping there is something that can be done to allow the buds to open so we can enjoy them a little longer. Thanks!
-  Mary-Jane - Edgefield, SC

Mary-Jane, The very tight green buds probably will not open. Most flower buds need to be showing some color in order to open after they are cut from the plant. The small, green buds just aren't mature enough to continue developing in a vase. I'm glad you had some beautiful flowers to enjoy.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Which common flowers florists use do not last as long in floral foam? Why is this?
-  Scott - Fort Gratiot, MI

Scott, Floral foam provides water and support for flowers when a vase isn't the desired container. The vase provided water and support, and the foam provides that function but in a different way. As the foam dries out, water becomes unavailable to fresh flowers, reducing their longevity. It isn't that the foam is a poor performer, but that is the way it works. Flowers should last just as long in well-cared-for foam as in a vase.

Most professional florists will use a floral preservative in the water added to the foam. That reduced your question to, "which flowers won't generally last long?" The answer to that lies partly in genetics and partly in care before they arrive at your door. Gardenias and stephanotis won't last as long as carnations and chrysanthemums, even with the best of care. I would recommend you and your customers keep the floral foam well hydrated, use a commercially prepared preservative when you add water to the foam, and keep fresh flowers cool to get the longest enjoyment from them.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the name of the tiny white flowers that are often used as extra decoration in floral arrangements? I think I have heard the name "baby's breath," but I'm not sure. There might be more than one kind used for this purpose.
-  David - Dallas, TX

David, Gypsophila is the Latin genus for baby's breath. There are several species/cultivars that are used in fresh flower designs. You can find some more information about it at http://www.aboutflowers.com/fpvar/gypsophi.html or http://www.flowers.org.uk/flowers/facts/e-j/gypsophila.htm.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Are there any particular kinds of flowers that have especially long lives as cut flowers?
-  Abigail - Witer Park, Fl

Abigail, Chrysanthemums and carnations both have a relatively long vase life. If you buy good quality flowers, those can last two to three weeks. There are some tropical flowers that may have a longer vase life, but much depends on how flowers are handled. There are also some orchids that have an amazingly long life, on the plant. Among the ones most easily found in U.S. stores, carnations and chrysanthemums are some of the longest lived.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do flowers live longer in soil or water?
-  Teresa

Teresa, Fresh flowers should last longer on the plant (in soil) than in water. However, if you keep cut flowers cool (air temperature) you can prolong their life. If flowers in soil are pollinated, they will begin to die quickly. So, there are many factors that contribute to the longevity of a flower. Environmental factors being equal, they will last longer on the plant (in soil) than in a vase.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, This isn't a question. Thank you for the helpful info. It will help me win the science fair. I will definitely mention your name in the bibliography.
-  Alex - North Mankato, MN

Alex, I'm delighted we were able to help you and thank you very much for mentioning our web site! It is important to us that students of all ages who want to learn about fresh flowers have a friendly and reliable source of information. I also hope your interaction with our web site will foster an enjoyment of science - the world needs more curious scientists who enjoy their work!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I bought tulips for my husband for Valentine's Day. (He loves them!) Now they're drooping. I recall something about removing tulips from the water for a period and then putting them back in to resolve this problem. Is that correct, or should I just re-cut the stems, the way you recommend for other flowers? Let me know. Thank you!
-  Melinda - Worcester, MA

Melinda, Tulips will open up more in the day (and warmer temperatures) and close in the night (and cooler temperatures). I don't advocate taking them out of water. At the same time they open, the stem does stretch a bit and isn't super strong. I'd encourage you to display them in a tall vase where they will get enough support so they don't bend over too much. I tend to cut their stems shorter to give them the support they need. Be sure you're using floral preservative as well.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I just received a gorgeous arrangement of Stargazer Lilies and I want to preserve a few. What is the best method for preserving these?
-  Lauren - Little Rock, AR

Lauren, Preserving fresh-cut flowers, especially star-gazer lilies, can be a real challenge. The best method of drying will produce adequate (but not fantastic) results. I'd suggest you hang them upside down in a cool, dark room (basement if it's dry, closet as a second choice). The dark keeps color from fading as much and cool allows flowers to dry slowly. You can then arrange them in a dried arrangement or shadow box. Clemson University has a good web site on different methods of drying flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I just bought a bouquet of cut Gerbera Daisies. I read your cut flower care tips. Do you recommend anything special for caring for cut Gerbera Daisies. Thank you for all your info.
-  Chris - Tulsa, OK

Chris, Like all fresh-cut flowers, you need to keep them in a solution of preservative and water; cut stems under water; and use about room temperature water. There really is nothing "special" you need to do with the gerberas - just enjoy them. Their colors are exceptionally bright and cheery.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I want to correctly dry a purple iris, is there a good way to dry or press the flower and be able to keep its beautiful color. Maybe by hanging it upside down?
-  Emily

Emily, Purple iris are one of the more challenging flowers to dry. The best you can do is dry them upside down, but they will shrivel and lose color quickly. Pressing them really isn't an option, since they are so thick. Clemson University has a good web site that explains the various methods of drying flowers.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Is there a way to take cut flowers and dry them to plant the seed in the ground and they will grow more? Please help asap!
-  Shelby - Carthage

Shelby, Sorry, but there is no way to dry fresh flowers and obtain seed from them. The flowers need to be pollinated and then the seed pods need to mature. Enjoy your fresh flowers, but perhaps speak with a local nursery professional about the possibility of growing that flower at your home.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do I go about removing the part of a stargazer lily that stains clothes? Is there a certain way to do it? I did not know if you just cut it, would it kill the flower. I know this is a crazy question but I need to know.
-  Ashleigh

Ashleigh, I take a paper napkin and gently pull the stamens (yellow part of the flower with pollen that stains fingers and clothing). I try to take them off before the stamen opens to reveal the pollen, which is shortly after the bud opens. But, you can take them off at any time. Removing the stamens can help prolong flower life, not reduce it. If pollen gets on the stigma, the flower is programmed to begin to die because it has served its purpose. So, you're actually extending flower life by a day or two by removing the stamens.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have read a few questions similar to mine, asking about preserving flowers. Well, in my case, I have been with the same man for four years now, and I have kept every single rose he has ever given me, starting in like 8th grade. I have hung them so far, and that's it. I heard the color and quality would only last for up to 2 years, but I have had some for 3 or 4 years. Is there any way, after drying them, to keep their color, and keep them intact.

See my dream would be to use these flowers at our wedding someday. I just want them to be sturdy. So, I guess my questions are, is hanging the best way to preserve them, is there any way to make them strong, and do all of them have to lose color and quality after a certain point? Please answer me back, I have been trying to find answers to these questions for a long time.
-  Lindsay - Colwich, KS

Lindsay, That is so romantic! You are doing a great job in preserving the flowers. The air and light will continue the decay process, so keeping them in the dark and cool will help preserve their color. If you spray shellac or another "fixative" on the flowers, it may fix the petals for a while but not permanently. I would suggest you create a shadow box and arrange the flowers in the box. You could have one made with glass to keep the UV light out (that will fade the color). Once arranged in the box, you could view it, but it would be protected from dust and bumping (physical damage). I am afraid that if you tried to carry them in a wedding, that they would break and you would not have them to enjoy for years to come.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Why do flowers change colors if you dye them? What is in the flower that makes it do that?
-  Laroo - Hudsonville, MI

Laroo, There is nothing in the flower that makes it change color. The color change results when people add dye to the vase water. The dye needs to be concentrated enough so that it is seen through the petal tissue when the water is absorbed. We have an experiment outline to show you how to color flowers using food dye at our Flower Activities Center.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is it called when cut flowers in a vase absorb the water?
-  Miranda

Miranda, There is no scientific term for the absorption or uptake of water by fresh cut flowers in a vase. Flowers do transpire, or give off water into the air, a process that helps the flower to take up water from the roots or vase.
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am helping my friend with her wedding bouquets for her wedding in August. Can you tell me a good way to keep the flowers alive on the day as they will be out of water.-  Deirdre - Bedfordshire

Deirdre, There is no best way to keep living blooms alive when they are out of water. Some floral professionals will keep stem ends in a solution of water and floral preservative until just before the bride receives her flowers. Keeping blooms cool, whether in or out of water, will also help keep them fresh and last longer.

Be careful to not use a food refrigerator, though, because the food refrigerator will take water out of the air to cool the air. Removing water from the air (and from the flowers) is bad for the flowers. You can cover arranged blooms with tissue paper and store in the refrigerator, but you don't want to cover the blooms tightly. If covered tightly for very long, water condenses and you get free water droplets on the bloom, which promotes disease. The best you can do is to purchase high-quality flowers, keep them hydrated and cool until you arrange them, and arrange them as close to the wedding ceremony as feasible. After they're arranged, keep the stems in water that you can, hope for a cool day, and keep the blooms as cool as possible until the bride receives them.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I need a very inexpensive arrangement to put on 20 tables on St. Patrick's Day. Guests will be mostly rugby players and fans. Has to be easy to put together as I am a complete novice.-  Maggie

Maggie, I would suggest you find some bud vases or another tall cylindrical container (even a water glass can work!) and purchase some white carnations or and mini-carnations. You could tint the standard carnations green either with spray paint (wearing a disposable glove and protecting your lungs, hold the carnation in your hand so just the petal tips are showing and lightly spray with green paint; allow to dry before arranging) or tint with green dye (follow our instructions for Experiment #3. Accent with the white mini-carnations and some other greenery. You should budget 3 stems of standard carnations and 2 stems of mini-carnations for each table. If you can borrow some round mirrors, place the vases on the mirrors to enhance the visual appeal.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do you promote underwater stem cutting? Why or why not?-  Arnie - Rochester, NY

Arnie, Absolutely! Cutting the stem under water helps to re-start the flow of water up the flower stem, and eliminate the air bubble that could get trapped in the vascular tissue and cause premature death. I always recommend that everyone cut about a half-inch to an inch of the stem bottom off while holding it under water.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter is doing a science project. We are also doing the rose and carnation project to see which one takes up the dye first. Which should and what is the reason? Thank-you!-  Lynne - Huntersville, NC

Lynne, Of the two, I suspect the rose will absorb and show the color (dye) first. What you are testing is the pull of water up the stem. The dye, traveling along with the water, will be deposited in the petals. You can see the color in the vascular tissue of the petals because it is darker than the white pigment in the petals. Water, without the dye, will transpire out the petals and evaporate into the air. The flower with more surface area (petal size x number of petals) will pull more water up and transpire faster. My hypothesis is that the rose will be faster than the carnation.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the average number of petals on a carnation?-  Candace - MT

Candace, The reference book Hortus III usually contains that information, but it was not there for Dianthus carophyllus which is the Latin name for the standard carnation. I found one experiment that was conducted on a purple-violet carnation and the scientists reported the control or comparison carnations had 50 petals on average. I would use that as a good working number, but be aware that different cultivars may have a different average number of petals.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What effect does the colors of the flowers have on insects?-  Sandy - Saint Louis, MO

Sandy, I have seen some videotape of what an insect (bees) probably see when it flies toward a flower. The key attractant is the yellow pollen. Flower petals are attractive and serve like a landing strip for an airplane, to direct the insect to the pollen. It is in the plant's best interest to have insects (or other pollinators) find the pollen so that the flower parts can be fertilized with the pollen.

For humans, we enjoy the scent and visual beauty of the plant's efforts. We don't want pollination to happen, because it will shorten the life of the flower. Once pollinated, the flower petals will quickly fade and die to divert energy to fruit and seed production.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm getting married on 09/23/2006 in Houston, TX. I think my attendant's dresses will be in platinum. What flowers are seasonal in Houston that time of year. Also, I'm on a budget. Thanks.-  CJ - Houston TX

CJ, Every professional florist wants every bride to look her best, adorned with the most beautiful flowers her budget allows. In this day of overnight delivery and instant messaging, we can get flowers from many parts of the world relatively easily (and affordably). I would suggest you find three florists to consult with about your wedding. Why three? You'll get a range of great ideas!

What do you take to the consultation? I would suggest you take the date, number of attendants, fabrics (if you've already chosen dresses) or colors of wedding attire. The other things to think about and bring along are a budget and your likes and dislikes with regard to flower shapes and colors, and any flowers that have a special meaning to you (after all, the song goes "here comes the bride"!). Just as you would try or taste food from more than one caterer, I would suggest you see what creative potential your professional florists can generate. You may find ideas from one that might be adapted by another. Go with the one who you feel gives you the best experience (not just flowers). The florists will come up with a look that should be right for you and your budget. I wish you every happiness.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What can you do to rose buds to get them to open faster? We have some roses that we are getting ready to put into some arrangements for our niece's wedding and will only have one night to get them to go from bud to bloom. Any suggestions?-  Julie - Miami, FL

Julie, Use warm water (keep it warm by changing it every hour or so) with floral preservative and turn up the thermostat or use a hair dryer (indirectly only, not directly) to increase the air temperature. Warm, not hot, water and warm air temperature will help those buds open faster.  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am in 5th grade and my science project is comparing preservatives to extend the life of cut flowers. My teacher says we have to have a graph on our presentation board. I am not sure what info I can put in graph form. Can you help?-  Michael - Fresno, CA

Michael, You can graph several things for your experiment. Use days along the x axis (horizontal) and several different variables on the y-axis (vertical) including (a) color intensity, (b) browning of petals, (c) overall appearance or freshness, and (d) lost petals. You can use lost petals for flowers that may drop petals, like roses. Carnations probably won't drop any petals. I would suggest you develop some type of scale, or, if you have access to a digital camera, take a close-up photo each day. You could use our observation sheet along with Experiment #1 for some additional guidance.

If you take the photos with a newspaper date heading or just a 3x5 card with the date, you can then do a real "show and tell." It will also give you an opportunity to adjust a scale, knowing how brown the petal tips will become and/or how much dye will be absorbed. A scale can go from 0 (no petal tip browning) or (no dye taken up) to 10 (all brown petals ) or (solid color from dye). You likely will see results then that go from 0 to 5 or 7 (probably will take too long to get to 10). I wish you much success.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I want to know if die goes into white roses, better than the other white white flowers (daises, carnations etc.).-  Nyoika - Indianapolis, IN

Nyoika, White roses can be used, but more often people select carnations for the dye experiment. Daisies don't work as well because they have a yellow center. The dye still moves up the stem, but it isn't as clearly seen as it is against white petal tissue. Have you visited our Flower Activity Center and downloaded the Experiment #1? If not, you may find it useful.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My son is conducting a science project using carnations and food coloring. We put carnations in water and some in Sprite (no water, just Sprite) to see how long it would take for the food coloring to change the color of the flower. We then placed some of the flowers in a sunlit warm area, some in the dark warm area, some in a sunlit cold area, and some in a dark cold area. All flowers were either in the kitchen or the garage--no wind impact.

All of the tap water carnations have changed colors. However, the only Sprite carnation to change has been the one in the sunlit warm area. It has now been over 3 days. Why did the water carnations change color faster than the ones placed in Sprite? Why are the 3 remaining Sprite carnations taking so long to change? Thanks so much for your insight.-  Bobbi - Shiloh,IL

Bobbi, The soda is mostly water, with one large difference: carbonation. If the soda were flat (no bubbles) it may take the same amount of time as water for the solution with color to be taken-up. You did nice work in varying the temperature and sunlight, but not simultaneously. Another factor is the high concentration of sugar. A very high concentration of sugar could literally pull some water out of the fresh flower (water travels from an area of high salt/sugar concentration [the vase] to an area of lower concentration [the flower]).   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How much water can a carnation in a cup would absorb in a day?-  Anthony - Arlington, TX

Anthony, The amount of water a carnation would use would depend on the size of the carnation and the temperature of the room and temperature of the water. At higher temperatures, flowers of the same size will use more water. At the same temperature, larger flowers will use more water. You can measure the amount of water used by measuring the amount of water in a container, covering it with plastic wrap (to prevent evaporation) and poke a hole just large enough for the stem to be inserted. After a day or so, measure the water remaining. I suspect it would be a few milliliters if the carnation were kept around 70°F.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How would a carnation change if it were put into a different type of liquid such as orange juice, water and salt, water and food coloring, and soda? Please answer the my question including the types of liquids.-  Fabio - San Francisco, CA

Fabio, We have an experiment similar to the one you describe at our Flower Activity Center. It is Experiment #1. Flowers need food (a simple sugar) and something to keep the slimy stem-clogging bacteria and fungi from taking over. Orange juice provides a sugar (food for the flower) but that will fuel the growth of bacteria and fungi - not a good thing. Water and salt as a solution will actually pull water out of the fresh flower, the opposite direction it should be going. Another bad thing. Water and food coloring is interesting to watch (download Experiment #2 for more on this). Soda, the regular (not diet) kind has sugar and a low pH, so of the list that one should perform better. I always encourage people to include a treatment that includes a commercial floral preservative.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do calla lily stems become slimy when used in a wedding bouquet when not covered and held together by a single ribbon? If so, can this be prevented and how?-  Christy - Countryside, IL

Christy, There are fungi and bacteria naturally found on the stems of flowers. When given an optimum environment, they will grow and thrive even more so than the fresh flowers. There is no good way to eliminate them, since the fresh flowers are living tissue and can't be sterilized like surgical instruments. The slime is a combination of the growth of fungi, bacteria, and the decay of the flowers - in that order. Water will come down out of the stem (by gravity) and does get on the outside of the stem. If you dry calla stems before finishing the bouquet, it will slow down the growth of slimy fungi. If you wrap them, it takes even longer. It is easier, prettier, and neater to wrap the stems with ribbon. The bride has something nicer to hold onto and the stem stays drier.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How long do carnation live?-  Sandy - Megan

Megan, With ideal care, carnations can last several weeks. Typically, with good care carnations purchased from a reputable professional florist will last 10-14 days.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter is doing a project on "why roses smell" can you direct me to this type of information - thanks?-  Fhretscya - Henderson, NV

Fhretsyca, Flowers and fruits produce chemicals that volatilize or turn into gas from being a liquid. Roses have scent because they produce specific chemicals that become gaseous and we humans smell that compound as a rose scent. You might try a search engine to look at volatile compounds of flowers. There will be a lot of organic chemistry, which is what the compounds are.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What besides green foam can be used to hold cut flowers in a short round vase from falling out. I have stones, but they don't seem to work well.-  Susan - Stratford, CT

Susan, Clear marbles or pebbles can hold stems, but you may need to add more marbles or pebbles to the vase in order to get the stems well inserted. Another way to keep stems in a vase is to make a web design over the top of the vase with tape. There is a thin, green floral tape that is study and blends in well with the stems. It has the texture of duct tape, almost cloth like. Transparent tape can work, but it is wide and not very study.

Insert stems in the web between the pieces of tape. The thickness of the tape will need to be greater if the vase size is fairly large. Otherwise, it won't provide much support. You could cut or tear strips of duct tape in a pinch.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the difference between a Dianthus with a lot of layers of petals on top of each other, and a carnation?-  Aaron - Berkeley, CA

Aaron, The genus Dianthus is a large one, containing about 300 species. Dianthus Caryophyllus is the carnation and there are several hundred cultivated varieties of that species alone. That is the carnation we often use in fresh flower arrangements. Other Dianthus we see in the garden as perennials, and even annuals (pinks are in the Dianthus family and are an annual in most areas of the U.S.). Petal number and orientation are two ways botanists would distinguish one Dianthus species from another.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I want to know what are the different uses of cut flowers, I mean where are the right places to put them? Thanks in advance.-  Maria - Dubai

Maria, The beauty of fresh flowers can be enjoyed just about anywhere! People can wear them in their hair or on clothing. They can carry a single stem or bouquet. They can be displayed on table tops and other furniture, used to adorn a table for food or for fun. Some homes have a vase of fresh flowers in the entry to welcome guests. I keep flowers in my bathroom so I can enjoy them each morning. I also like to put some in a guest room to make my guests feel especially welcome.

If a container can hold water, it can be used to hold fresh flowers. It is important, however, to keep fresh flowers out of drafty areas or places that get warm. Dry air is detrimental to flower life. Direct sunlight can hasten their demise, too, but most people don't display fresh flowers in an area that gets lots of direct bright sunlight.

Where are the right places to put them? Much depends on personal preference and cultural norms. There maybe some places it is inappropriate to display them, but I could not identify a single one myself. Many people consider flowers as a non-verbal language, one that helps them express deep emotions that they may not have the words for. Some people use that language often, others may rarely know the beauty of fresh flowers. They can be elegant or simple, they can be bright or soft. They do bring feelings that words simply cannot in expressions of deep love or sympathy. Flowers do have a purpose in nature, but for humans their sole purpose is to inspire. Use them often and anywhere you want.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Does the size of a petal have anything to do with the amount of veins it will get?-  Micci - SLC, Utah

Micci, Yes, to some extent. Think about how much plumbing a small house needs to move water in and out, compared to a large house, you can find a good analogy. Larger petals would need longer veins, possibly more branches on those veins, to move food and water to those cells in the plants. Larger petals would have more plumbing to move water and food to all the parts of the petal.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do cut flowers stay longer in sugar water or regular water.-  Sade - Chicago, IL

Sade, Sugar does provide fresh flowers with a food source, but it also promotes the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi. It is difficult to say which will last longer. Plain water has no food or energy source and highly-concentrated sugar water will cause problems quickly. You might read more about which home remedies do and don't work in Experiment #1 at our Flower Activity Center.

Dear Bridget, How is salt actually toxic to flowers? I know it is toxic, but I don't know actually why? Thank you for your help!-  Jocelyn

Jocelyn, Salt is toxic to plants because it literally pulls water out of the plant roots. How does it pull water out? Water will move from an area where the salt is in low concentration (inside the plant or roots) to where the salt is in a higher concentration (outside the plant, as in the soil where salt has been added). This drying out can be very damaging to plants, even cause death. The extent of damage depends on how much salt is used and how small and tender the plant is. You can imagine it would take less salt to kill a corn seedling than it would to kill and oak tree seedling.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you please find me a web site that names flower and foliage stem structures. I can't find any information and I'm stuck on an assignment. xx  Kat - UK

Kat, If you search for "flower anatomy" you'll find some helpful sites such as this one http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Publications/ZooGoer/1995/4/floralanatomy.cfm. You can also do the same for "leaf structures" or "leaf anatomy." I would encourage you to check 2-3 sites, since information can vary slightly. Or, use the more reputable sources (such as the Smithsonian site shown above).   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Hi my name is Lindsay and I am a student at SUNY Geneseo in NY. I am doing a project on flowers and researching if it truly is better to cut a flower stem diagonally. I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me. I would greatly appreciate that.

1. Is is true that a flower does doe live longer cut diagonally? Why?
2. Do certain flowers live longer, that others, whether cut diagonally or not?
3. Do flowers live longer cut diagonally when put in sun? shade?
4. Does the stem need to be a certain length when cutting? If so why?

If you have any other information on the necessity of cutting a flower stem diagonally/not cutting it, that would be great. Any additional input would be wonderful on my subject. We needed an expert opinion for this project and I would GREATLY appreciate yours. Thank you so much for your time. I appreciate it so much.-  Lindsay - Geneseo, NY

Lindsay. Since you're a college student, I'll go into greater detail than I typically would for elementary or high-school students. You can find some literature on the subject at the Chain of Life Network and I would encourage you to log-on as a guest user and get the information you need during that one free visit. There are abstracts of research available on-line, so it will be a good resource for you if you don't mind reading some technical information.

Recent research will show that a fresh cut is important to re-starting the flow of water up the xylem tissue. However, the diagonal cut probably does little to no better than a straight cut. Scientists once believed that the additional surface area (minimal at best) increased the area of xylem that was exposed to water, improving the odds that more water would be taken up.

Stem diameters are small and that smidgen of an increase in surface area probably doesn't help. It did, however, keep the stem bottom from resting flat on the bottom of the container. That may have helped, but again very little. Would a slanted cut add a day to fresh flower life? Probably not. Does a fresh cut (either at an angle or flat/straight) increase vase life over a flower that didn't have a fresh cut? Absolutely! Please do visit the Chain of Life Network and find some additional information for your research. I wish you much success.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What type of spray adhesive can you use on real flowers to be able to sprinkle the flower with diamond dust glitter? Will it cause the flowers to die sooner? Thanks.-  Jan - Wilton, NH

Jan, There are products on the market to spray gold and silver glitter on petals or leaves. There is also a glue you can use to help glitter (dry) adhere to the stem. The spray glitters are finer and give a better look. One manufacturer I found at http://www.directfloral.com/searchresults.asp?Search=glitter&Submit=go. Yes, these products do interfere with the normal respiration process of the plant, so they will increase the decline process somewhat. How much they increase the process depends on the flower species, but these sprays are marketed and used for that purpose - and increasingly so in recent months.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, When do flowers last longer, when they have a lot of sugar or a little?-  David - Philly, PA

David, It isn't as much a question of a lot of sugar or a little sugar, it is a question of getting the right concentration of food and balancing that with a biocide to keep stem-clogging bacteria and fungi from thriving (and clogging the stem). Commercial floral food has that good balance, providing enough food to sustain floral development but also with a biocide to keep pesky bacteria and fungi from thriving. You can read more about home remedies that do and don't work at our Flower Activity Center's Experiment #1. You would be most interested in Experiment #1.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, This is for a science fair project and I'm trying to found why flowers turn brown when you touch them?-  Cathy - Belleview, FL

Cathy, Not all flowers turn brown when you touch them, but the "handling" does stimulate the production of ethylene. Ethylene is a naturally-occurring compound that flowers and fruit produce. It is also a by-product of combustion engines. Ethylene makes bananas ripen and turn yellow and helps tomatoes ripen and turn red. Since ethylene ripens fruits, you can imagine that it is not very good for fresh flowers. In fact, ethylene causes the decay of fresh flowers to speed up. Once bruised or touched (and it would be anything from causally brushing up against a flower to squeezing the petals), ethylene is produced.

A little ethylene production stimulates even more ethylene production. The touched part, or bruised part if you will, probably has the most ethylene production and quickly shows the damage. Some flowers are more sensitive to ethylene and show damage or browning sooner than other flowers that appear to be less susceptible to ethylene damage. I hope that will help you with your science fair project. Good luck!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What nutrients should flowers get to last longer?-  Sheila - Los Angeles, CA

Sheila, One miracle that makes plants different from animals is their ability to make food. Using water and carbon dioxide (what humans and animals exhale) in the presence of sunlight and within the chlorophyll (green pigment), plants make their own food. It is a simple sugar that provides energy for all the growth and development of a plant - including making and developing a flower. However, once cut from the plant, the fresh flower no longer is connected to its food source. There are not enough leaves on fresh flowers to produce the amount of food needed to keep them alive. The plant uses nutrients to build cells and keep systems functioning, but the only nutrient a cut flower needs is sugar.

We humans try to substitute that food source in the vase, providing food and water for the fresh flowers they would have normally taken from the plant. Some people add sugar to the water, but that promotes the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi. Remember that the flower needs to take up water and in that water should be a source of energy the flower can use. If water can't go up the xylem tissue (the water conducting vessels that work like straws to take water up to the tip of the flower petals) or if there isn't enough food, the flower will die. So, commercially-prepared floral preservative also contains a biocide that keeps the growth of those stem-clogging bacteria and fungi in check. For more information on this topic, we have an Experiment on our Flower Activity Center that shows people which home remedies do and don't work.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do flowers need acid?-  Dog - Hoboken, NJ

Dog, Fresh cut flowers, when removed from the plant, need a food source. We recommend the use of commercially-prepared floral preservative. This (usually powdered or granular) substance has a sugar (food source) and an acid to reduce the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi. So, the acid added to water helps keep the fresh cut flowers alive longer but does not provide a source of food. Do flowers need acid? Not really, but it helps keep the vase water clean and clear so the sugar can be taken-up along with water and extend the life of fresh cut flowers.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What types of flowers absorb the most food coloring when but in a vase filled with a mixture of water and food coloring?-  Marissa - Woodinville, WA

Marissa, Carnations are among the easiest flowers to see a color change. Single flower stems work better than multiple stem flowers. Roses, lilies, and chrysanthemums can be dyed. Just about any other light colored flowers can work, too. It is important to use a white or very pale colored flower to see the change. It is also important to use a fairly high concentration of dye. You'll be able to notice the change faster. Warmer air and warmer water will speed up the reaction, too.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing a science project on "which substance can flowers live in longer?" I am going to use baking soda with water, salt with water, sugar with water, and vinegar with water. I already saw your "experiment #1" file. Can you please tell me some sites for good information? I can't seen to find any good ones except for this one.(And I already explored yours) Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.-  Elephant - OH

Elephant, I, too, haven't seen many web sites with related information. You could check into two or three of the flower preservative manufacturers to see what they have. One is Floralife and another is Chrysal. I hope our information was helpful.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do dye un carnations travel up the stem faster in cold water or hot water? I need for you to answer A.S.A.P.I have to do this for a science fair project. Me and my partner really need help. Thank You!-  Kendra - Tallahassee, FL

Kendra, The dye will travel up the stem faster in warm water. Higher temperatures usually speed up most reactions. In this case, it happens with higher water temperature. Be sure you visit our Flower Activity Center and download Experiment #3 to see an experiment related to yours.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What color dye will go up the stem of a carnation the fastest blue, red, or green. Pleaze helllllllllllllllpppppppppp!-  Ashunti - Tallahassee, FL

Ashunti, The color of the dye won't matter as much as how much dye is in the vase. If you put all three colors into the vase in the same concentration (amount of dye to amount of water), at the same water temperature and same room temperature and have the same stem length, you should see a color change at the same time. We have an experiment that talks about how dye travels up the stem at our Flower Activity Center. You will want to download Experiment #3.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing a science experiment. My question is 'Does cutting the stems of flowers everyday prolong their life/ effect how much they drink?' My question to you is why or why not would cutting tips help?-  Jessica - Atlanta, GA

Jessica, No, cutting the stem every day will not prolong the life of fresh cut flowers. If you make the first cut under water, it will improve or extend flower life. However, once cut under water, the flow of water is started up the stem, so there is no need to make a fresh cut. If the cut gets clogged with fungi or bacteria, a fresh cut can help. If you use floral preservative, it will help keep the stem-clogging bacteria and fungi from growing quickly in the vase. You can also check out our Flower Activity Center to see some related experiments.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am helping a 16 year old for a theme birthday party which is Princess. Colors are red and gold. She likes me to make a royal elegant floral centerpiece. Please give your ideas and suggestions.-  Ruchioswal - Fremont, CA

Ruchi, Red and gold are fun colors for a regal event! You could adorn a gold scepter with red rose buds for the Birthday Girl. I would create some elegant topiary balls with red roses and gold ribbons. Another idea might be to take gold vases and use scarlet mini-carnations and red roses and accent them with goldenrod. I'm not a big spray-painting advocate, but in this case you could do some really fun things with golden dried hydrangeas and rose buds. You really could use just about any dried flower, spray painted gold, as an accent. I like red roses as they suggest elegance, but red carnations, min-carnations, gerberas, and lilies would be fun to incorporate as well.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I recently just found your site and decided to ask you my question instead of trying to find it myself on the internet. My senior class is looking for a class flower and we would like it to go with our class colors, Orange & White. So I was wondering what your suggestions are for a nice flower to use and a more kind of nontraditional flower to.-  Erin - Cody, NE

Erin, It's great to show school spirit with a class flower. I would suggest a white carnation, tinged with orange. You can color some or, working with your local florist and see if s/he can find a cultivar that has some orange and white. Otherwise, why not use two white carnations and one orange one. Carnations last a relatively long time, compared to most flowers, and are easy to find and not as expensive. This makes them an excellent choice for students! More young people need to enjoy fresh flowers on a regular basis. Introducing carnations as your class flower would be a great way to get them to want to enjoy them more often. Another, more sophisticated choice might be an orange Gerbera daisy. They are like a burst of sunshine and come in a very bright orange. You could even combine an orange Gerbera daisy with a few white carnations for a fun bouquet.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a very beautiful cut flower arrangement in a basket that I want to keep. The arrangement is very big. I have it sitting in front of my fireplace because there is no where else to put it. I was wondering if there is something I can put on the flowers to keep them looking the way they do now, forever. I didn't know if you could spray some kind of wax on them to save it. I really would like to save this arrangement.-  Jennifer - Chesterfield, VA

Jennifer, Fresh flowers can create some very wonderful memories. Unfortunately, they are alive and don't stay that way. There really is no very effective product to spray onto fresh flowers and have them last a long time. There is a good web site on floral preservation at http://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheets/HGIC1151.htm that will show you several methods of flower preservation. The methods work best if you preserve individual flowers. Thinner flowers are best preserved by pressing. Thicker flowers need alternative methods.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, For my science fair project I am trying to find out what preserves the life of carnations. Sugar, plain water, ginger ale or plant food? Any help with where I can find some research?-  Jernie - Fort Pierce, Fl

Jernie, The research is a bit scattered, but there is a great website that you can enter as a guest and find the abstracts for nearly every paper written on the post-harvest life of many cut flowers. The "Chain of Life Network" is located at http://www.chainoflifenetwork.org/. You can search by flower type or by additive. If you find papers in which you're interested, a large local or university library should have them. We have an outline at the Flower Activity Center and see Experiment #1. It is based on research, but I did not include the references so a broader range of ages could use the information presented.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm doing a lighting project,how different types of lighting effect the colours of flowers, tungston, flouresent, candle light and day light can you help please, kind regards.-  Nikki

Nikki, The wavelength of light, most often considered color, will influence plant growth and development, but not flower color. Different light fixtures emit different wavelengths, thus you get a difference in light color that may cause stretching of some plants and germination of some seeds. Flower color, however, is determined by genetics not light. Let's say that you used the same type of flower, but varied the light fixture. The differences in the flowers produced under one kind of light compared to another light fixture, may be in stem length or bud size, but not flower color. Colorado State has a nice explanation of light quality and its effects on plant growth.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Does the color of light affect the growth of daisies?-  Monica - Dolton, IL

Monica, Yes, the color or wavelength of light does influence plant growth. I found a good web site that shows the light wavelength and color. The wavelength will affect plant growth if it comes from an artificial source because the sun emits all light wavelengths needed for plant growth. Another good site shows the colors or wavelengths emitted by different types of artificial light. In addition to wavelength or color, plants are also influenced by light intensity and duration.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing a science project and I need a lot of information about the coloring of cut carnations. Would using soda to dye them make the plant die? I know usually food coloring is used but my project is to see if other things would work. Please get back to me as soon as possible!-  Kari

Kari, No, baking soda won't color the flower. Food dyes are your best alternative. You can visit our Flower Activities Center and download experiments #1 and #3 for some additional information.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How can I treat a foam block with perservatives?-  Sara - Houston, Tx

Sara, The floral foam block has two sides. Look closely and see that one has small holes while the other doesn't. Mix a bucket of warm water with a measured amount of preservative (follow the instructions on the preservative package). Gently drop the foam on the preservative mixture, with the hole side up. Allow it to absorb the water/preservative solution at its own pace, don't force it down. After about 15 minutes (or when it sinks to the bottom of the bucket), you can remove it from the water and cut the block to use in an arrangement. Be sure to add the water & preservative mixture to the foam block, keeping it moist.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How many petals do tulips have?-  Richard - Woodbridge, Va

Richard, Tulips usually have six petals, according to Hortus III, which is the book identifying most every plant in North America.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I took three roses from my mother-in-laws funeral arraingement. Can these cut roses grow roots to make new bushes of roses?-  Michelle - Plano, Tx

Michelle, I'm sorry but they usually will not root. Even if they did, the rootstock might not be hardy enough to survive in-ground pests. Roses are usually grafted or budded onto a separate type of rose (one cultivar on top and a different one for the roots). Modern hybridization has put in beautiful color and fragrance, but taken out some of the plant's ability to fight pest problems. I would suggest you contact the florist that made the arrangement, identify the type of rose used (ask for the cultivar name), and see if a rose grower in your area (or online) could sell one to you.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Could you please send at least 5 different flowers and where they originated.-  Tat

Tat, Hortus Third, written by Liberty Hyde Bailey contains information on "species of plants that have been available in North American horticulture" for a century with 20,397 species. Dianthus (or pinks) are a group of 300 annuals, biennials, and herbaceous perennials that originated around the area where the European continent meets Asia. Carnations are one of the more popular cut flowers from this genus. Hydrangea is a species with about 20 deciduous or evergreen shrubs which originated in North and South America, with a few from East Asia. Chrysanthemum has gone through a bit of an identity crisis over the past decade with botanists re-classifying its name several times. It originated in the northern hemisphere, in Europe and Asia (roughly where dianthus came from). Alstromeria (Peruvian lily) has about 60 species of herbaceous plants which originated in South America. Tulips (genus Tulipa) originated not in The Netherlands but in central Asia.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How does temperature affect water uptake in cut flowers?-  Jason - Johannesburg S.A.

Jason, Heat is a catalyst for most reactions, including the uptake of water in fresh flowers. Warmer water is taken-up faster than cooler water. Water at the same temperature is taken-up faster in warm air than in cooler air.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I enjoyed your Flower Activity Center, which I found on a Google search. I'm asking the following questions because my 5th grade daughter is contemplating doing the experiment in Question #1. I would also like to find some library resources for her on the subject, if you know of any. Thank you!

Question #1: Does cutting the stems of cut flowers make them last longer?

Question #2: If yes, why does cutting the stems of cut flowers make them last longer?

Question #3: What is the proper way to cut the stems of cut flowers and why is it important to do it this way?-  Angelina - Chicago, IL

Angelina, I'm glad you found our site and it has been helpful. Question #1: Does cutting the stems of cut flowers make them last longer? Yes, if you re-cut them under water.

Question #2: If yes, why does cutting the stems of cut flowers make them last longer? The stem of a flower is much like a straw. If the straw is filled with water (no air bubbles) it is easy to bring water up the straw. The same is true for flower stems. However, when we cut a flower off the stem, we break the continuous stream of water and an air pocket forms. If you re-cut the stem under water, cutting of about 1 inch from the bottom of the stem, you remove the portion that has the air bubble and restart the continuous flow of water up the stem.

Question #3: What is the proper way to cut the stems of cut flowers and why is it important to do it this way? The proper way is to cut them under water with a sharp knife or scissors. It doesn't matter whether the cut is flat (straight) or at an angle. Angled cuts may help keep the bottom of the stem off the bottom of the vase, but most vases aren't that flat and most cuts aren't that straight. The angle doesn't help nearly as much as the fact that you cut the stem under water and restart the flow of water up the stem.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I would like to bring some large leaves indoors to use in decorations. What can I use to keep them soft?-  Virginia - Mill Bay, B.C.

Virginia, There are some spray products that will keep leaves a bit longer than they normally would indoors. The products keep water from transpiring out of the leaf. We don't endorse brand names or specific products, but you can find some anti-transpirants (such as this one) in most floral or craft supply stores. These will keep some moisture in the leaves, but really won't keep them "soft" and pliable.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you please tell me any other flowers besides carnations that can be used as simple bud vase flowers. They must last for over one week and be comparably priced to carnations. Its for table centerpieces in a Senior Dining Restaurant and I would love to let them experience more than just carnations. Seasonal flowers would be great!-  Tracy - Chandler, AZ

Tracy, I would suggest chrysanthemums to fit the seasonal décor and your budget. You could put a single stem in a vase, because each stems have 5-7 (sometimes more) flowers. The warm, rich fall colors are plentiful in the selection of chrysanthemums. You could combine two colors and shapes to create a more interesting mix. Bronze daisy mums and yellow button mums make a nice combination. Be sure you are using floral food dissolved in a measured amount of warm water to get the most life from every fresh flower you purchase. Even on a limited budget, floral food is a great investment.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm trying to get help on my science project. So, my question is "what different types of lip treatment can preserve a rose petal"? Can you help me?-  Kawana - Chicago, IL

Kawana, The wax coating that you can get by rubbing a lip balm like product on petals will create a barrier so water doesn't escape from the petal. This won't preserve a flower, but will prolong the life for a bit. An analogy would be putting plastic wrap on bread. The bread will eventually dry out, but the process will slow down because the plastic wrap keeps the moisture in the bread from escaping. The lip balm will keep water from escaping out of the petal tissue.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the cause of fragrance in flowers ? (I have to answer a quiz) Best regards-  Achuthan - Palakkad

Achuthan, The organic compounds that are released by the flower create a unique mix and unique scent. Scientists call the volatile oils or volatiles (since some may not be oils). Modern science can replicate the chemical compounds and make things smell like their natural components. Thus, we have orange or gardenia scented things. It is a unique combination of organic compounds released into the air.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What gives a flower it's color? Is it genes or is it like a wild card?-  Cassie - Huntsville, AL

Cassie, It is both a combination of genes and a bit of luck (a wildcard as you phrased it). Flower color isn't defined in one gene, but is a combination of genes. The parallel in people is eye color. The color of your eyes isn't determined by only one gene, but several. Yet, children can have eye color different from their parents, if only by shades. The same is true in flower color.

Gregor Mendel (the "Father" of genetics) use peas to discover how traits (like flower color) are inherited. Read more about this here. Mendel showed that if one parent flower was red and the other parent flower was white, that some of the flowers were red and some where white. Was that a wild card or chance? No, but it showed him (and the rest of science) how flower color is inherited in peas. Peas are simple (one gene) but flower color in most flowers is more complex (more than one gene). I hope that helps and please keep your interest in science burning. The world needs more women in science!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you please tell me how to keep roses alive when floating in a bowl of water? Is it best to trim the stem completely so only the bud remains? Thanks!-  Kate - Burlington, VT

Kate, I would suggest that you allow the roses to open quite a bit so they will float. Buds aren't open enough to allow some of the petals to bend horizontally, helping the bloom to float by increasing the surface area. Permit them to open while you keep them on long stems, in a vase with preservative solution. When you're ready to float them, you should trim the stem to an inch or half inch from the base of the bloom. This will help keep the bloom upright and permit it to take up some water.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I recently won a beautiful fresh floral centerpiece at a wedding and would love to preserve it. How can I keep this as a dry floral centerpiece?-  Virginia - Scotch Plains, NJ

Virginia, While many flowers can be dried, it is a real challenge to dry an entire centerpiece and still have it look great. The floral foam is meant to be wet to hold the flowers in place. Floral professionals use a different foam for dried flowers (one that makes smaller holes). You could allow the arrangement to air dry upright, the flowers will lose moisture and color. Hanging flowers upside down preserves their shape more so that drying them upright. However, your fresh flower arrangement wasn't designed to hang upside down.

You might try hanging a few flowers in a cool, dark room (closet or basement) to dry and preserving them that way. This works well for thicker flowers like roses and carnations. For thinner flowers, like pansies, you can press them between clean sheets of tissue paper placed in a thick telephone book for about two weeks. There are also commercial freeze-drying alternatives, but they can become quite expensive. There is more information on preserving flowers from this web site.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I work at a gym and we like to have cut flowers in the locker rooms. However, we keep the locker rooms about 76°F and it is usually humid because of the showers and sauna. What are the best flowers for these conditions? Most tend to wilt within a couple of days. Thank you.-  Marissa - Bainbridge Island, WA

Marissa, I applaud your desire to use fresh cut flowers as they do add a nice touch wherever they are displayed. I think given the high temperatures and humidity that you should consider some tropical flowers. Bird of Paradise comes to mind first, with its striking blue and orange petals. I suggest tropical flowers because they are better engineered to withstand warmer temperatures and high humidity. There are some great ornamental gingers that are equally striking. I would suggest you work with a local florist for some suggestions and see what s/he can get from the wholesale florist in the area. Once you find some you like, and that withstand your conditions, you may be able to negotiate a lower price if you place a regular or standing order.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm getting married and wanted to know what kinds of flowers are in season at different times of the year.-  Jennifer - Oracle, Az

Jennifer, I wish you the very best on your upcoming marriage. We live in a world of overnight transportation which enables just about anyone to have just about any type of flower they want. It may be a real challenge to have tulips in July, but for the right price it can be done. I'd urge you to consider planning the flowers for your wedding in a slightly different manner. First, think about colors and flowers you love and ones you'd rather not have in your wedding.

What colors will attendants wear and parents? We tend to use cooler colors for a wedding in July and warmer or richer, deeper colors for winter weddings. I would then consider your budget. Just about every professional florist will uniquely create something for every bride within just about every budget. Armed with your facts and preferences, make appointments with 2-3 of the better florists in your area. You may have to pay for the consultation, but many will deduct this from the total floral bill if you choose to go with them.

Dear Bridget, Can you measure the decay of a cut flower?-  Annnna

Annnna, Post-harvest physiologists use a variety of measures to determine the decay of a fresh flower. The process of death is called senescence, and it is characterized by loss of color and turgor (water pressure that keeps leaves and petals upright). The loss of color is most commonly used to mark the progression of senescence.

Depending on the flower color, changes will occur from dark pigments to light or from light pigments to dark. For example, red roses may turn purple (get lighter) while white roses turn brown (get darker). Multiple measures are used because there are no objective tools to use (measuring sticks or timers). We look at how much of the petal or bloom has discolored, often using a percentage of the total area that has discolored.

Wilting is another measure used. We can look at how limp or down-turned petals are (if they are typically upright). We can also look at marketability, where the bloom "appears" still in good shape even with some blemishes or discoloration.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the best way to keep cut flowers fresh the longest?-  Denia

Denia, Flowers are still alive, so they need a source of food. I would suggest you re-cut a portion of the stem off the bottom while holding it under water. This helps re-start the flow of water up the flower stem. Then, find a clean container and add a measured amount of warm and floral preservative (read and follow the directions on the little package that hopefully came with the flowers). If you keep the fresh flowers out of direct sunlight and away from drafts (like heater vents or air conditioner vents) it will also give them a few more days for you to enjoy them.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I (quite accidentally) managed to air dry some yellow roses I recently received. They look perfect, but is there any kind of spray or coating that I can put on them to keep them in one piece and keep the petals from falling off? They look beautiful and it's a shame to toss them.-  Ronnie - Palm Harbor, FL

Ronnie, You can try either a good stiff aerosol hair spray or glue. Use several coats, allowing at least a day to dry in between coats. Either will help the flowers stay together for a long time, but not forever.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter saw rose petals that spelled out LOVE and was framed. She can't remember the details. Do you know of a procedure to do this?-  Jimmie - McMinnville, TN

Jimmie, You can do this yourself at home with some rose petals, white tissue paper, and a telephone book. Remove the petals from the flower and insert single petals between two sheets of tissue paper. Dry and press them in the telephone book for about a week or so. Once dry, you can arrange the petals on a mounting board or foam board. Once arranged, you can spray a glue or adhesive on top and allow it to set and dry. Once dry, then it can be framed.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, If you grow white carnations with colored food dye water (instead of plain water) do the plant cells change?-  Kelsey - Tucson, AZ

Kelsey, No, the cells won't change as a result of using colored water to help them grow. The plant probably won't even take up the dye, just the components of water it needs to grow. For more information on the topic, see our Flower Activity Center and download Experiment #2.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you tell me a type of flower that begins with the letter F? My teacher is writing this, but it is my question. I am in 2nd grade and I'm writing a poem about flowers.-  Sydnie - San Diego, CA

Sydnie, Freesias smell great,
flags (the floral kind), stand straight.
Foam flower doesn't drool,
Fennel is soft and really cool.
Four-o'clock is on time,
Fuchsia is sublime.
Foxglove has freckles,
Forget-me-not dainty petals.
Flame flower doesn't burn,
and firecracker flower would look good in an urn.

Have fun with your poetry!
  - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I'm so happy to have stumbled on your site! I'm getting married 10/22/05 and am having a vintage style wedding of the 30s-40s. I want to incorporate ostrich feathers and calla lilies in a 2" elegant crystal vase. I know to get the scale right I'll need to lengthen the stems of the callas. Is this difficult to do? Any other roadblocks you can foresee given what I'm wanting to do?-  Jessica - Denver, CO

Jessica, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! A vintage theme will be lovely with callas and ostrich feathers. However, it's going to be tough to lengthen the stem of a fresh flower. There are some tricks you can do to make it seem that way. We need to figure out a way to keep the stem ends in water, but have them only down a few inches in the vase. Since it is crystal, we'll need to get really creative.

A few trial runs will be worth the expense and show you how to pull it off. I would try a lot of clear marbles or pebbles first. Literally fill the vase with them. You should be able to anchor callas in this easily, and not really see the marbles. I realize this will require a lot of pebbles. Plastic wrap could be an alternative, but it is difficult to get water around the wrap and it is not as good an anchor for thick calla stems as marbles. You may even try a twist-tie wrapped around (coiled or tied in two places) a small diameter dowel rod or bamboo stake to give the stem length. Green ones will look more realistic. I wish you much happiness.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My boyfriend gave me a dozen roses. and I want to keep them alive longer so how do I do that? Right now, I have them in a vase with water and the flower food they came with is that all I can do to keep them alive? Do I change the water or buy more flower food stuff? Please help thank you. :)-  Mindy- Deltona, FL

Mindy, What a special gift! You've done things right so far. Whenever you get fresh flowers, including roses, get a clean vase and read the directions on the label of the floral food packet. Be sure to measure warm water to add to the powdered floral food and stir well. In a separate clean container, cut about 1 inch off the bottom of the stem while holding several inches submerged in water. This will help restart the flow of water up the stem.

Also, remove any foliage or leaves that will fall below the water line. If you can buy some additional floral food, it is a good idea to replace or change the water in a few days. It will get cloudy as bacteria and fungi begin to grow. Keep fresh flowers out of direct sunlight and away from drafts, like air-conditioner vents and heater vents. Enjoy!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What are the main purposes of a flower on a plant and how do some of them use sugar in the process?-  Chris - Manchester, England

Chris, The flower on a plant develops for reproductive purposes - to make seeds. The flower helps attract pollinators, one step in the reproductive process. Once pollinated, the flower no longer has a purpose, so it dies. A lot of energy goes into this process, which comes from simple sugars. The flower expends a great deal of energy to create and open the flower. Most petals have no chlorophyll of their own, so they rely on the rest of the plant to produce food for use in that area of the plant.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do rose petals have the same texture as a human lip? Can lip balm really help moisturize a rose petal just like it helps moisturize a human lip?-  Sarah - Chicago, IL

Sarah, I'm not sure if human lips have the same texture as rose petals, but I can answer your question about rose petals and lip balm. The balm acts to keep water from leaving the petals (or transpiring). Flowers naturally transpire water and take up water to replace what was lost. When you coat the petals, the water loss can't occur and the flowers won't wilt as quickly. It isn't that the balm moisturizes the petal, but that it prevents the petal from losing water.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Do flower petals dry up faster in natural sunlight or artificial light? What web site can I go to to find this out?-  Jenna - Ft. Myers, FL

Jenna, Light is a combination of three factors: intensity, duration, and wavelength. The sun itself has a bright intensity on a summer day in Ft. Myers (as most days in Ft. Myers). But, in Michigan and more northern climates, the sun isn't as intense in the winter (due to the tilt of the earth and how far away Michigan is from the equator; you're closer in Ft. Myers).

How intense is light from an artificial lamp? Much depends on the wattage of the bulb and how close you are to the light source (far away like Michigan in winter or close like Ft. Myers in summer). You could have the duration of the light from the sun and an artificial light be the same. You would need to find a bulb that has a total spectrum of wavelength in order to simulate the color of natural light. Most bulbs have some wavelengths missing. If you can get identical duration and wavelength, the only variable left is intensity.

In natural light (which probably is more intense than artificial light), the flower petals would dry up faster. I'm not sure of a web site you can go to and find this information, but you can figure it out by understanding some of the components of light.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am helping a friend with an afternoon wedding reception at a private home in mid October. There is a very large in-ground pool - it's beautiful. I'd like to float flowers on top and I read your site about how chlorine might affect fresh flowers- do you think silk flowers would work? If so, any recommendations? Thanks.-  Pat - Horsham, PA

Pat, You can still use fresh flowers, but float them in a clear (or colored) flat plastic plate or shallow bowl. The plate or flat bowl should float, even if filled with some water and preservative. It can create quite a stunning effect, especially in the evening. For example, you can float white flowers (carnations or chrysanthemums) in cobalt blue plates on a pool. That would be really cool.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Could you please give me an idea of how to use fall flowers in a hay bail for the outdoor entrance?-  Kathy - Spring City, PA

Kathy, I would suggest using some bright colors (like orange and yellow) and a hint of russet or a darker red to bring the bright colors out. I would cut some of the hay bail out with a very sharp knife, either standing it vertically or laying horizontally. Next, find a plastic bowl (those disposable storage containers are great for this) and fill it with floral foam soaked in warm water and preservative.

You can cover the container with plastic wrap if you're displaying the arrangement in the side of a vertical bale, but use a small skewer (to poke a small hole through which to insert the flower stem). Orange carnations would be super in this arrangement, combined with yellow gerberas and maybe a dark red or russet button mum for contrast. Orange lilies and yellow carnations would also be a knock-out combination. Use more orange than yellow or red.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Does removing all of the thorns on a rose decrease it's life?-  L. Halsey - Jacksonville, NC

L. Halsey, No, removing thorns from a rose does not reduce it's life. They are sometimes easier to handle, but it does not affect the longevity positively or negatively.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My mother is in the hospital. She received fresh cut red long stem roses. Along time ago a friend told us she knew how to plant a fresh cut flower and make it grow. Is there a way to do that and if so how? My mother really wants to plant them. Thanks.-  Patty - New Haven, Ky

Patty, I hope your mother is recovering well. Your friend must be an avid gardener, to have rooted the stem of a fresh-cut rose. It is not easy, and most hybrid tea roses sold today are grafted or budded onto a different rose root-stock. You can take a cutting with at least three nodes (where the leaves are attached) and cut the stem close to the bottom of the lowest node, removing the leaf with another cut (but leaving the bud that lies in the angle between the stem and the leaf intact). Dip this in some rootone or auxin growth hormone powder (sold at many garden centers) and then insert it into warm moist growing mix.

Leave the top two nodes alone and place the container in direct sunlight. If you can put a dry-cleaning bag around the whole thing to keep the humidity up, that is even better. With some luck, the rose may produce some roots. It will take some TLC to get it to grow into a rose plant, growing it inside until it achieves some size, before planting outside. You can see it would be much simpler to purchase a hybrid tea rose bush next spring and plant that outside.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do cut flowers get their bright colors? Can you add food coloring to the water to change flowers' color?-  Diana

Diana, The miracle of nature provides flowers with their bright colors. Genetics for flower color are complicated in most flowers, requiring more than one gene to produce the effect - not unlike eye or hair color in humans. To change the color of a light colored flower, you can use food dye. There are instructions for doing this on our Flower Activity Center, in experiment #3. If you download that, you can experiment with changing flowers to a different color.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing my own centerpieces for my wedding on 9/10 in humid Delaware. They will be comprised of hydrangeas and stargazer lilies in floral foam. Knowing the difficulties with hydrangeas and keeping them fresh, is it a good idea to do the centerpieces 24 hours ahead or should I wait until the morning of the wedding to put the hydrangeas in the centerpiece?-  Haley - Wilmington, DE

Haley, You're smart to wait until the morning of the ceremony to get the longest possible enjoyment from the hydrangeas. The humidity will help keep water loss down a bit, but probably won't be offset by a high air temperature. You could arrange all but the hydranges until the morning of the wedding. I'm sure you know (but will remind you) to keep the arrangements as cool as possible until the last possible minute and away from air drafts (air conditioning vents) and direct sunlight in the ceremony/reception area. They should look fine for an outdoor ceremony, but may begin to wilt after an hour or so.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Wondering what would be the best flowers to wear in (in a hair piece - headdress) my hair for the Carnival of Flowers in Toowoomba. They would need to last all day in spring sun and not wilt, bruise, die etc.-  Deborah - Toowoomba, QLD

Debra, Flowers adorning your hair can be really fun! I would use fresh flowers (the fresher, the better) and smaller sized flowers for two reasons. First, smaller flowers fit the proportion of the human head a bit better and secondly they tend to last just a bit longer. Most flowers are going to wilt after a few hours without water in the warm sun. Keep them cool as long as possible before wearing. I would suggest two favorites: mini-carnations and chrysanthemums. Smaller, button mums would be ideal for wearing in hair, but small standard chrysanthemums could be an alternative.

I like the mini-carnations because they look just like the standards, but you can make more petite arrangements to wear with them and they come in some many colors. Wire and wrap them well, keep them cool until the last minute, and they will last longer than most flowers for you in your hair.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My niece is getting married the end of September. Her reception is going to be at her future in-laws house. We have two large glass wine glasses that are about 40 inches tall that we are going to put in the entry way of their home. Since they will be the first thing that you see, we would like for this to make a great first impression. However we are having a difficult time coming up with a great idea. Also we need the project to be quick and easy since we will have numerous other things going on that day. Any help that you can give us would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!-  Terry - Irving, TX

Terry, What a fun container in which to display flowers! I would suggest you consider floating flowers. Roses, orchids, lilies, or another single bloom might be beautiful floating in such a large wine glass. What an elegant statement. Another alternative would be to make a tall arrangement in floral foam that coordinates well with the decor of the entry area. You can wrap the small foam block with foil and set it into the wine glass, then filled with water and floral preservative.

My last choice would be using clear glass marbles as an anchor for several tall stems. It will be more challenging to get a design to "stand right" in a large wine glass, using only those clear glass marbles. For colors, I would select one color that is dominant in the entry and use that as the primary color in the arrangement.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married next May and my dress is ivory, the girls dresses are mocha, I am going for an elegant look, what kind of flowers would really accent these dresses?-  Amy - Church Hill, Maryland

Amy, I would use ivory flowers, creating a nice contrast against the mocha dress color. Few flowers are more elegant than roses, the ultimate in romance. You might have the attendants carry ivory sweetheart bud sprays and you carry ivory hybrid tea roses (larger buds for you). Orchids are another elegant choice, but tend to be more white than ivory.

Depending on your florist, s/he may be able to find you some ivory orchids. Calla lilies are another elegant choice, but a bit more modern in terms of a bridal look. Attendants may carry 3-5 with a mocha ribbon and you may carry 12+. I would steer clear of a lot of "filler" flowers like baby's breath or greenery to bring the flowers to the forefront of attention. Some is nice, but don't over do the greens and filler. That will keep the look a bit cleaner and more elegant. I wish you the very best!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I need to know how to prolong rose corsages a day before the wedding.-  Denisa - Maple Ridge, B.C.

Denisa, If you keep a corsage cool, it will last longer. Many florists will put a corsage into a plastic bag with a little water sprinkled on the petals. After sealing it, they put the bag in a cooler. This helps the petals not transpire (lose water) very quickly. I would caution you not to put much water in the bag, since droplets can make marks on the petals. I prefer to set the corsage on a damp paper towel, and put both into a plastic baggie, seal it, and put it in the refrigerator.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I hear that there is a spray for fresh cut flowers that prevents them from dying. It kind of "freezes" the fresh flower look. Is that true? If yes, where can I find it? Thank you.-  Olga - Charlotte, NC

Olga, There may be some sprays that claim to "freeze" the fresh look, but they don't work very well. You can spray live flowers with many things, most keep the flower from transpiring water (the cause of wilting). You can block stomates with hair spray or shellac, and it will "freeze" them for a short time. These methods really aren't good methods of preserving flowers. Properly cared for, fresh flowers can last many more days than these spraying techniques can do.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am trying to decide if it would be ok to get my bridesmaids bouquets 2 hours before my wedding for pictures. With the Michigan August heat and outdoors pictures planned, I am unsure how the bouquets will hold up. They are all rose bouquets (shades of reds and ivory). The roses are also part of the head table décor for the reception. What are your suggestions? Hope you are able to answer my question fast. Thank you!-  Carrie - Ortonville, MI

Carrie, You're right, the heat will cause them to fade faster than cooler temperatures, but you should be able to take some great photographs outside and then have them still look fine for the ceremony & reception. Bring along some coolers (if possible) and gently store the flowers on top of a bag of ice, covered with white tissue paper or clean grocery bags (don't use newspaper as the ink may rub off onto the flowers). Is there a way to creatively put them in water at the head table? If not, a professional florist should do a good job with roses that they will look good for a few hours, even in the heat. Congratulations!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I recently did a science experiment on what makes flowers last longer when put in a vase. To my amazement vinegar worked the best I was wondering why is this the case?-  Ruth

Ruth, That is surprising that vinegar worked the best! We have a Flower Activity Center that has some great information on an experiment similar to what you recently completed. You'll be especially interested in Experiment 1. Vinegar is a weak acid, which helps water to be taken-up and does also reduce the growth of stem-clogging bacteria a little. However, there is no food source (flowers need a simple sugar to replace what the plant produced for it) so the flowers usually will last as long as the food they've stored.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My husband has sent me a dozen roses to my work place this Friday. Unfortunately, I am not at work. I was out sick and he is in Dallas on business trip. The office is very hot and I will not be in to work until Tuesday morning what can I do? What should I tell my coworkers to preserve them for me? Thanks.-  Wanda - Staten Island, NY

Wanda, Your friends need to get the flowers out of the box and into water. Tell them to open the package, and find a clean bowl and fill it with water. Also, find a clean vase and read the label directions on the package of floral preservative. Fill the vase with the measured amount of warm water and add the package (hopefully, 2 packs were included). Next, have them hold about 2 inches of the bottom of the stem under water in the clean bowl and snip off the bottom inch of the stem while holding it under water. They should also remove any leaves that might fall under the water line. Keep the flowers as cool as possible, by keeping them out of direct sunlight. What a sweet thing for your husband to do!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I enjoy preserving flowers and have had some success with drying with silica gel. Do you have a recipe for a fluid solution that could permanantely preserve roses?-  Fetinia - Alberta Canada

Fetinia, Permanent is a relative term in floral preservation. Once preserved, the flowers often need protection to last for a lifetime. It isn't so much the preserving process that damages the flowers, but the storage. Drying, pressing, and silica gel all have their advantages. Some may preserve fresh flowers by trying to have them take up glycerin. Clemson has a good site on the different methods of flower preservation. They recommend a 1:1 glycerin: water for young foliage. It may work for fresh flowers, but I haven't tried it myself. You might test a few flowers, following their method, to see what results you get.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Please can you tell me the names of the female and male parts of flowers. Thank you.-  Pat

Pat, The female parts are the stigma, style, ovule, and ovary. The anther and filament together make up the stamen which is the male part. This web site has a good drawing of floral parts: http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/qca/flowerparts.html.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am going to wire fresh flowers to grapevine wreaths for wedding reception decorations. Can you tell me which white flowers will last the longest without water?-  Jeanie - Charlotte, NC

Jeanie, Wilting is a function of time and temperature. Hydrate the flowers well before you use them and use them at the last minute. I would go with something that has a small surface area, like mini-carnations. The small bloom is relatively easy to wire and won't wilt as quickly as roses or lilies. But, do remember, wilting will go quickly at temperatures above 80°F.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a cosmetics store and some products are displayed on ice. I would like to insert some gerbera daisies in the ice to make the display colorful and fresh. How could I prolong the life of the flowers when doing this? Ideally I would like them to last a full week. Thanks.-  Lauren - Scottsdale, AZ

Lauren, Your best course of action is to keep the ice frozen. Once the ice melts and the flowers are exposed, the freezing damage will begin to show. The flowers, once frozen, don't take up any water or floral preservative, so there would be no need to put that into the ice.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the best way to keep fresh flowers from wilting on a cake in July?-  Josie- Jamaica, VT

Josie, It is going to be a function of temperature. The cooler you can keep the cake and flowers, the longer they will last. Don't add the flowers until the very last minute, keep the cake out of the spotlight and away from drying drafts (even air conditioning drafts will dry out petal tissue and cause wilting). But, the cooler the better.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter is getting married in February of 2006. Her colors are plum and white. What flowers would be cost effective and colorful for that month, using the dark plum. She also wants to use the petals for the reception tables and possibly the cake.-  Karen - Snellville, Ga

Karen, Congratulations on the happy occasion! There are some lovely roses and mini-carnations that are close to the color you describe. I would suggest you use whole flowers, not petals, as they will tend to dry and shrivel. Perhaps you could even find a sweetheart rose (smaller buds that come in multiple flowers on a stem) for the cake. They would be in better proportion to the cake layers than traditional hybrid tea roses. I like mini-carnations since they are petite as well. In our age of overnight delivery, just about any flower will be "in season" with a few exceptions.

I would urge you to find 2-3 professional florists and have a consultation with them. Take the colors, any additional information on color (dress fabric choices, size of reception tables, number of tables, any flowers or colors the bride must have or wants to avoid) and, of course, the budget. See what those creative professionals can do for you and then select one that fits not only your (and the bride's) dreams but budget as well. You may find some ideas to mix and match or you may find "one stop shopping." I do know you will find a great professional to either do the flowers and/or come up with some creative ideas.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am interested in ways to decorate wedding rehearsal tables and inexpensive ways to do so.-  Linda - Goldsboro, NC

Linda, Most every bride is on a budget and has favorite places to spend her precious dollars. My investment advice is in the flowers. Even if they are simple they can be elegant and fit nearly every budget. I like to use a mirror under a vase or bowl if I'm floating flowers to make it look like there are more. A simple bud vase with a single rose can make a more sentimental statement than some balloons or ribbon. Float an open rose in a clear glass bowl, perhaps with votives around the bowl. Sprinkle fresh petals on the table top (if the facility will allow this and many won't). Group 3 bud vases of different sizes and arrange them on a mirror. Perhaps put a similar color but different kind of flower in each vase (maybe from the bride's bouquet).   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I had two questions, the first one is what kind of glue do the florist use to put glitter on the roses and what's the name of the best food for the flowers that you think works great. I also just wanted to say that, I really appreciate you taking the time to answer all these questions. Its nice to know that there's someone out there who knows what they're doing and willing to help people like me. Thank you.-  Valerie - Apo, AE

Valerie, Thanks for your kind words. A spray glitter works best (glue with glitter in it) that can be purchased at craft stores. The glitter is very fine. If you want some larger glitter, you could use a spray mount (sold near the paper glue in craft stores) and gently or lightly sprinkle glitter on the petals. The spray glitter eliminates one step for you. The best food for flowers is a commercially prepared preservative. Follow the manufacturer's directions and always use warm water to dissolve the powder. The warm temperature will help the flower take water up faster.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do you keep the oasis down in a floral arrangement. I tried unsuccessfully to tape it down. When I fill container with water, the oasis floats.-  Ruthann - Flemington, NJ

Ruthann, Great question! Oasis, or floral foam, holds water and preservative and also helps physically hold fresh flowers for arrangements. Always thoroughly soak floral foam before using it. Using a clean plastic bucket, fill the bucket with a measured amount of warm water and add a measured amount of floral preservative (following package directions). Too much floral food is as bad as too little. Next, just gently set the foam on top of the water and preservative mixture. It will float! It will, however, begin to take up water and sink to the bottom of the container.

Allowing the foam to fill to capacity by floating and then allowing it to sink is what I mean by thoroughly soaking the foam. Always, put the larger holes facing up (to allow air to escape as the water & preservative mixture goes into the foam). Once soaked, don't allow it to dry or reuse it if it has dried. Discard the old foam and start again.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can you share some expert advises on how to straighten long stem calla lily. They are all curved up when you buy them. And also, how do you get them to bloom out nice and big?-  Jennifer - Houston, TX

Jennifer, If the lily stems are curved when you buy them, they haven't been stored properly. Lilies and some other flowers are geotropic, meaning they bend toward the sky or up. If they curve, that means they were lying down in the box, not upright in a vase or bucket. That's bad. You can get them to "straighten" by putting them upright in a vase, but it is hard to get them pointed straight up. You might find another source who gets them into a vase as soon as they arrive (and keep them from bending). It is easier than straightening them out.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am getting married in July and am wanting fresh flowers for my centerpieces. The bridesmaid dresses are navy blue, table clothes are Navy and Lavender (organza overlays) and I have tall slender, cylinder vases for the flowers. I am going with kind of a garden theme and would like purple, blue, lavender flowers. I really like Gerbera daisies, but would like to incorporate color into the vases as well that would go with the rest of my theme. Thanks for your help.-  Nicole

Nicole, Lisianthus, Liatrus, and Delphinium would be good choices for purple and blue flowers used in a tall vase. There aren't any purple or blue gerberas, but you could incorporate them into an arrangement using cream colored flowers. There are some lavender roses that might work well in your scheme.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My wedding is in October and my bridesmaids are wearing mocha dresses. I already sat down to discuss flowers with my florist and am uncertain if I am making the right choice! I had originally thought since the dresses are so neutral that I would go with bright flowers in the coral family with some brown/cream/white added in. Now I am rethinking my decision and think I want something more neutral that would blend in with their dresses. I want my wedding to be very elegant and classy. I also need some advice on centerpieces. I want to use fresh flowers, but my fiance lost his job so we are on a very limited budget. Thank you so much for your help!-  Cori - Grosse Ile, MI

Cori, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! Flowers, even a few simply arranged, can add the elegance you're looking for. I'm sad to hear your fiance lost his job, but fresh flowers (even a few) should still be a part of your celebration. What about white roses? They aren't stark white like a piece of paper, but rather creamy. If you carried a single white rose and your groom had one as well, it would make an elegant statement! A small bouquet of sweetheart roses would be lovely, too. Sweetheart roses have a bit smaller flower head, but have multiple (5 - 9) buds on each stem. You could carry three stems of those and have your attendants carry a single rose. Give the groom and ushers single rose boutonnieres, too. Have a single sweetheart stem in a bud vase on the table. I think white roses are exceptionally elegant. There are also lilies that aren't stark white, but creamier in color. They would look striking alone or in a small bouquet. I wish you much happiness!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am doing flowers for a wedding June 18. I was wondering how long hydrangeas will last if used in Oasis. It will probably be 80°-90° degrees that day. Thank you!-  Taisha - Benton, KS

Taisha, Hydrangeas are so popular, but they are not terribly tough when it comes to floral arrangements. They're going to wilt quickly given their large surface area (lots of flat petals) and small stem diameter. Buy flowers that were handled well, by professionals throughout the channel from grower to retailer. Keep them well-hydrated by recutting stems under water and conditioning them in clean buckets filled with warm water and preservative (measure the water and preservative because too much is as bad as too little). Soak floral foam well, with the holes pointing up to allow air escape. Float them and let them sink, don't force them into the water & preservative mixture. Arrange flowers as close to the wedding as comfortably possible and keep them cool as long as possible. You'll probably have 2-3 hours of them looking great, and after that it's anyones guess how good they'll look.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a friend, his daughter is getting married in July, and he ask me if I knew what fresh flower would be in season besides roses, the bride prefers something different. If you have any advice we would appreciate it. Thanks.-  Ruthanne - Shamokin, PA

Ruthanne, There are so many choices, isn't it wonderful? I would begin by asking the bride about the color of attendant's dresses, the fabric, and what color she prefers and dislikes. Armed with that information, make a few (2-3) appointments with floral professionals and tell them your budget and preferences. You'll be amazed at the creative ideas these professionals will design for your friend's daughter. Roses are a traditional way to express love, but there are so many fabulous flowers that can be incorporated with roses (or other flowers). Encourage your friend to ask the professionals, and ask more than one. I'm confident they can help.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I need some input. I have to do flowers for my nieces graduation. She loves orange and daisies and the theme is tropical I was thinking a long table arrangement with irish bells. We are Irish and maybe a bird of paradise or any other options. Help In Minnesota.-  Terrie - Maple Grove, MN

Terrie, I like the bird of paradise, but might suggest orange gerbera daises for the daises. Their color is striking and they would blend well with the bird of paradise. The Bells of Ireland may not go well with your tropical theme. You might want to do something separate with them in an arrangement by themselves. You can find some fun tropical flowers today, like ginger. Just ask your florist what s/he might be able to get for you. Don't refrigerate tropical flowers as they can suffer from chilling injury. A cool (about 55°F) place to store and prepare them will help, but don't let the temperature go below 45°F. Be sure to use a measured amount of preservative dissolved in a measured amount of warm water with all the flowers.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have a quick question, I'm making a calla lilies topiary arrangement. Do you have any expert advise on how to insert the calla into the foam without breaking the stems. Since Calla stems are very fragile and I will have to use the whole length of the calla lilies. Please email me back and let me know. Thanks-  J.T. - HOUSTON, TX

J.T., I will often cut the stem at an angle, to make a point that can be more easily inserted. If you need the whole stem length, you may need to consider wiring some stems (maybe just the longer ones). I don't recommend sticking something in the foam to form a hole. Part of the insertion gets the stem in close contact with the foam so water is more easily taken up. That's why the point works. You may make a bigger hole than needed and water won't be taken up as readily.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Which flower is the longest living? Which is the shortest?-  Stephanie

Stephanie, This is a tough question because the answer is "it depends." Day-lilies last only a day, but some naturally do last a few days longer. Some orchids and other tropical flowers can last several weeks, if they have the optimum conditions and stay on the plant unpollinated. The purpose of the flower is to attract pollinators so seeds are formed and new plants can be produced. Flowers that have lots of pollinators (insects, wind, or even rain can pollinate some flowers) can last a short time. Other flowers that have few pollinators may be genetically programmed by nature to last a long time so the pollinators can do their job. Another thing flower longevity depends on is whether or not it is cut from the plant. Humans can prolong flower life to some extent, but usually not much beyond what nature had intended.

For example, we can't make day lilies last much longer than a day or so. However, if no food source is provided to the cut flower, it will die quickly. Among the cut flowers we have typically in the U.S., carnations and chrysanthemums are among the longer-lasting ones, especially if they are given good care and handling.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What a great web site. I'm getting married in las Vegas 1st July 2005. I would like to have my wedding bouquet preserved and sent over to the UK. Do you have any idea whether this is possible? Many thanks.-  Julie - Manchester, U.K.

Julie, Preserving an entire bouquet is a real challenge. The blooms will not keep their beauty for long, even with preserving. I might suggest you select a few flowers to press or otherwise preserve. If you selected some of the thinner flowers (thick flowers like roses don't press well), you could reconstruct a likeness of your bouquet in a shadow box or have them framed. I would find a thick telephone book and some white tissue paper.

Select several flowers and put them, one at a time, in between two sheets of tissue paper. White paper will keep other dyes and ink from getting on the petals. I would separate each flower by about 20 pages (or more). Put some heavy books on top and leave them there for a few weeks. The pressure will help them stay flat. I've seen some pressed flowers mounted and framed and they are lovely. I've also seen people put them in a shadow box for framing. They cannot be as beautiful as your wedding day, but they (like photos) can be a great reminder of the celebration. Congratulations!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I was wondering how leaves affect the growth of a flower. Will leaves grow back? Will the flower just die?-  Barbra - Beacon, NY

Barbra, One miracle that makes plants different from animals is their ability to make food. Using water and carbon dioxide (what humans and animals exhale) in the presence of sunlight and within the chlorophyll (green pigment), plants make their own food. It is a simple sugar that provides energy for all the growth and development of a plant - including making and developing a flower. However, once cut from the plant, the fresh flower no longer is connected to its food source. There are not enough leaves on fresh flowers to produce the amount of food needed to keep them alive. The leaves won't grow back because the limited food/energy goes to opening the flower (not replacing plant parts). If a root system were to develop, new leaves would emerge from new stem growth.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Are there different types of flower structures?-  Brandon

Brandon, Yes, there are different structures of flowers. The basic parts are similar, although some flowers purposefully have some of those parts missing. Flower morphology is the structure & form of a flower. Texas A&M University has a great web site that shows the structure of angiosperm flowers (seed-producing flowers, generally not conifers) http://www.csdl.tamu.edu/FLORA/301Manhart/repro/Flower%20diagram/flower_diag ram.htm.

Ohio State has a nice page on some trees that are dioecious (Latin for "two houses"), meaning some plants produce only flowers with male parts and different plants produce flowers with only female parts (http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/1000/1059.html). Then, think about all the petal structures from orchids to daisies! Nature certainly is fascinating!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I just bought some flowers at the local farmers market and the lady told me to put ice in the vase because it tricks the flowers to think that they're still in the fridge and they will last longer. That sounds to me like it'd make the vessels in the stem constrict and be able to take up less water since warm water has the opposite effect. Am I right, and was that a bad suggestion? Thanks!-  Jennifer - New Hope, MN

Jennifer, You're right! Warm, not hot, water is taken-up faster than cold water. Most professionals I know, use warm (about 110°F or comfortably warm to the touch) to condition the flowers after cutting off the bottom one inch of the stem. They will then typically cool the flower heads by putting the vase or bucket into a floral cooler. Unlike food refrigerators, floral coolers have high relative humidity. This keeps the petals from drying out too quickly. It also will eventually cool the vase water, too, but it is warm enough to help get the water flow moving up the stem.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I mostly work with silk roses. PLease explain to me how to treat the fresh roses? Do I take the outside petals off before wiring them? I do know how to wire them. It is very important to me to do these particular corsages by May 20. I sure would appreciate an answer right away. Thank you.-  Bev - Montpelier, VT

Bev, Rose care and handling is much like other fresh flower care and handling. I would first encourage you to prepare a plastic or glass container with about four inches (deep) of a floral preservative solution. I recommend the commercial packages because they are an ideal combination of food source and biocide (to keep stem clogging bacteria and fungi from growing). Use warm water and a measured amount of preservative as too much in the water is as bad as too little. Use warm water (about 110°F) or what is comfortably warm to the touch.

Next, strip the leaves off the rose stem that may be under the water in the vase. I usually take off leaves from the bottom half of the stem. Then, immerse the bottom four inches of the stem in a tub of clean water and cut the bottom inch off the rose stem. Keeping some of the stem submerged while cutting off the bottom portion of the stem will help to restart the flow of water and preservative, helping the flower last longer. It is your choice to peel the guard petals (outer row of 2-3 petals) of the rose. Some professionals do this to remove the tan or not fully colored guard petals. If they look fine, don't peel them.

I would then put the roses in a cool place overnight to allow them to rehydrate. Food refrigerators cool the air by removing moisture from the air. This is bad for fresh flowers since they need low temperatures (between 36°F and 40°F) but high relative humidity. A cool place should be fine overnight. To wire the rose the next morning to make the corsage, take a medium gauge florist wire (about #24) and some green florist tape. I would snip off the stem to leave about 1" from the bottom of the rose head or hip. Pierce the hip (bulbous green part just under the head) perpendicular to the ground.

Bend the wire down, forming a hook through the rose hip. Take the florist tape up close to the head, covering the hook and hip entirely. Wrap in a spiral manner down the wire stem. Snip the stem to the length you need. Sounds simple, but you may want to practice on a few roses before making the actual corsage.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Can once dried cut flower brought back in natural fresh condition?-  Dhruv - Surat, Gujarat

Dhruv, No, I'm sorry, but they cannot be rehydrated once they are past the permanent wilting point. That is a physiological term for the point past which the vessels no longer will carry water up and the plant will die.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I enjoy making mothers day corsages for the mothers in my life, however the roses look pretty sad after only a few hours. I purchase roses the day or day before I make the corsages. My normal way of making these would be cutting the stems to about an inch then using wire and floral tape to put everything together. I do this Saturday night then mist all the corsages, cover them and put them into the fridge until Sunday morning. (I live in Tucson where it is already high 80's this time of year) I wondered if I should cut the roses close then put them in a preserving solution for a few hours then put the corsages together....HELP!!! Thanks for your help.-  Christal - Tucson, AZ

Christal, You're great challenge fighting low relative humidity & high heat of the Tucson environment when the flower needs high relative humidity & cooler temperatures. You can best prepare roses for a corsage by cutting about an inch off the bottom of the stem while holding about 2-3 inches of the stem under water. This insures re-starting the flow of water back up the stem. Use a measured amount of water and floral preservative in the vase.

Allow the rose to take up the preservative solution for about a day, while keeping the flower cool. That will help the rose be about as good as it possibly can be for use in a corsage. You are right to cut the stem off close (about an inch or so) and wrap with floral tape. You are simply fighting a hostile environment for flowers, but lovely for people.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I am planning a summer wedding in Michigan. I tend to have really expensive taste but I am also a frugal customer. I like (peach-to-pink colored) orchids, white gardenias, white magnolias, and peach/apricot and white calla lilies. Do you know how much each of these cost? Is there a way to even get (Mississippi) magnolias to Michigan? Are there similar, less expensive flowers that I could substitute? Thank You.-  Sarah - Midland, MI

Sarah, Smart consumers want as much value for their dollar, and savvy floral customers are no exception. I strongly urge you to talk to several floral professionals in your area (and there are several). Tell them about your dream flowers and ask them to see if they can develop those dreams for you within your budget. If not, there are gorgeous flowers to fit any budget - and true floral professionals will help you.

On such an important day, you probably wouldn't consider playing your own music or preparing & serving your own food. I encourage you to think in that same manner about your flowers and have a reliable floral professional you can work well with develop and deliver your flowers on your wedding day. Talk with several and see who gives you not only the best quality flowers, but works well with you and your budget. Congratulations!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have an odd question. My friend is getting married next week. She has planned her own wedding and asked me to help out with choosing and arranging the flowers... She wants to put floating candles and flowers on a pool, but I thought the flowers wouldn't do very well with the chlorine. Are there any flowers hardy enough for this application? Do you have any other ideas to float flowers on a pool? Thank you!-  Sonia - Orinda, CA

Sonia, Good thinking on your part! The fresh flowers will not tolerate chlorine well, but you might adapt the approach you'll use for the candles for the flowers. Select clear plastic vases or in a light color that coordinates with the flower color or color theme. Float blooms in or on those plates or bowls, using a floral preservative solution. An example might be white orchids floating on dark blue plates floating on the water. You can find a wide range of inexpensive, but sophisticated plastic bowls or plates to use as containers.

Mix up some preservative solution following the directions on the package label, and arrange the flowers on top of the containers. Then, simply carry the containers to the pool and set them adrift. I hope it is a beautiful day filled with beautiful memories!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How can I preserve my 2 doz rose wedding bouquet without the risk of losing pedals?-  Tasha - New Bedford, MA

Tasha, Drying the bouquet is one way to preserve your wedding bouquet. It is already tied or bundled together, so hang it upside down in a cool dark place. A basement without windows or closet is a good location. You may lose a petal or two, but this is just about the only way to preserve the roses. They are too thick to press, but you might consider pressing a few petals you selectively remove from a few very open flowers. Pressing is best done using a thick telephone book, but inserting the petals in between pieces of white tissue paper. The telephone book adds weight and the pages are absorbent.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, We are doing the flowers for my brothers wedding in 10 days time. The key flower is orange gerberas - however, during a practice run at the weekend the gerberas just flopped over and wilted. Is there ANYTHING you can suggest to prevent this happening? We are now extremely nervous that this will happen, which would ruin everything. Any suggestions would be very gratefully received. Many thanks and best wishes.-  Joana - London, UK

Joana, I would suggest you try using florist wire in this manner. Make a long fish-hook from a light weight wire, like 32 which is relatively thin. Insert the very long straight part of the hook down the center of the flower face and through the stem. The hook part would go off to the side of the center, keeping the length of the wire from going totally through the stem.

That should help keep the flower face upright, or the wire can be slightly bent to change the direction that the flower is facing. Most craft stores would have a light-gauge florist wire that would be suitable for this purpose.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My sister is having a baby in July and my family and I are planning the shower. I was wondering if you had any neat ideas on some arrangements and specific flowers to use. It's a boy!! I would like to do something different and want people to remember. Thank you.-  Dana - Pawling, NY

Dana, Congratulations to you and your sister! Flowers do help us celebrate life's most important events, so I'm thrilled you want to include flowers that will be memorable. Why not make the favors small blue vases? You can find many small plastic or even some inexpensive deep blue glass vases. Add white flowers - either mini-carnations or chrysanthemums. Tie a ribbon around the flowers maybe using the mother's favorite color or a contrasting color like yellow or red. For a centerpiece, take a piece of floral foam and cut it in the shape of a cube (we're going to make a children's alphabet or stacking block).

Soak that cube in warm water and floral preservative. Get a bunch of yellow chrysanthemums and 2 bunches of white mini-carnations. With the yellow carnations, insert just an inch of stem (cutting the flower head close) into the foam in the shape of your favorite letter (maybe spell mom's name or the baby's name). Add letters to the other four sides (total of five sides, don't decorate the bottom) and then fill in the rest of the cube with white mini-carnations.

If you're really creative, you could stack one on top of two positioned side-by-side. Simply display on a large flat platter, but keep the completed floral blocks in the refrigerator until you're ready for the shower to begin. Have fun!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter is getting married on October 25, 2005. She would like to have large flowers for the bridesmaid bouquets. The photographer suggested to have color in her bouquet as well. The bridesmaids are wearing black dresses. The colors she would like are deep reds, wines, and pinks. Someone suggested a Garnet King, but I'm having trouble seeing what one looks like. Any suggestions? The photographer suggested to have color in her bouquet as well.-  Jeannine - Sterling Heights, MI

Jeannie, First, congratulations on your daughter's upcoming wedding. I know this is an exciting time for all involved. Flowers help to create wonderful memories and celebrate the day, so I'm thrilled you want to get some color in your daughter's bouquet. When I was married 14 years ago, I asked my florist to create an English Garden for me to hold. It was stunning with so much color and so many types of flowers. I got a cramp in my hand holding so many stems!

If that bountiful look is too much, then I would suggest staying with tints and tones of one hue that is romantic - red! I found one photo of a chrysanthemum called Garnet King. It is a deep red chrysanthemum. You could use that or, even more romantic, red roses complimented by white lilies and pink mini-carnations. Some babies' breath or gypsophylia would be a nice accent.

I also asked for some jasmine at the back where I (the bride) could smell its lovely scent. It was a nice touch. I would also ask your floral professional what s/he might have in other shades of red. It is always nice to preview that bouquet in a small arrangement you can enjoy on your table for a week or two.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have to decorate a large border with narrow floral arrangements with greenery trailing down. What would you suggest to keep foam in, so I can design with fresh flowers and greens for a wedding. Using raquettes or floral containers is not cost effective. Area I am covering is 20 ft. long.I have 4 separate areas like that to cover. Please suggest ASAP. Regards-  Ruchi - Fremont, CA

Ruchi, You have a tough design challenge. That could be the next reality show - tough floral design challenges! I'm thinking modular elements or garland here. My first thought is to take some centerpiece containers and design something in them. Can those containers be attached to form a chain? If you can't find a narrow enough container, garland may be the way to go. Foliage is pretty durable and you can add flowers (although not as many if you had foam) at the last minute. I hope that helps.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My boyfriend gave me 3 beautiful roses and I was wondering if there was a way to preserve them longer, I have heard about spraying something on them, or hanging them up and I was wondering whats the best way to keep them looking beautiful longer. Thanks-  Barbara - Kellie - Williston, FL

Kellie, Roses are too thick to press well, but you may want to press a few petals. Hanging them roses upside down in a cool, dark place will preserve them. They'll shrivel a bit, dry, and lose some of their color (fade), but you will have them as dried flowers for a long time. Simply tie them together as you might arrange them, hang upside down, and leave them alone for a few weeks. Pressing petals in a telephone book (thick book with absorbent pages) can work, but it is better for thin flowers like pansies.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, Anemones, tulips, buttercups and poppies are bowl shaped flowers with black centers why do they have black centers?-  Tina - Lochmere, NH

Tina, Those flowers have black centers for the same reasons some birds have stripes - part of nature's plan. The flower color is bright to attract pollinators, mostly insects. There may be some color pattern that includes black centers that the insects "see" like a plane sees the landing strip at an airport. It may help their insect pollinators find the pollen more easily or it may be purely decorative.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, If you get this message in time could you please respond to this question ASAP? I just got a shipment of 400 roses at 10:30am this morning which is 5-4-05. I have to keep these roses alive until my wedding which is on Saturday 5-7-05 at 6pm. Should I remove all of the packaging from the flowers? They came straight from the farm?-  Jillian - Port Saint Lucie, FL

Jill, I would suggest you unwrap them, get many clean plastic buckets and buy a big container of preservative. Wearing leather gloves, strip the foliage down the bottom five inches (some thorns will come off too, that's why you should wear the gloves). Recut every stem off about an inch while holding it under water. Use sharp scissors that will work under water or a knife.

Find a clean milk or other gallon container (well rinsed). Measure the amount of preservative and fill the jug with warm water. Add that to the buckets to have about 2" of water/preservative solution. Then immediately put them somewhere cool, ideally about 45°F. Refrigerators take moisture out of the air, so food refrigerators will dry the petals. That will work in a pinch. The cooler (to 45°F) the better. Good luck!!   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How do I get hydrangeas to turn pink?-  Barbara - Rancho Santa Fe, CA

Barbara, This is an interesting challenge, even for commercial hydrangea growers. The color change occurs due to the pH of the growing mix or soil. Dr. Doug Bailey produced some information used today by commercial flower growers, but available also to the public at (http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/images/Hydrangea_Commercial.pdf). I also saw another interesting web site geared more toward consumers (http://www.hydrangeashydrangeas.com/colorchange.html) and found this information to be accurate for the most part. I hope both are helpful to you. My parting comment is to leave the color change to the professionals or be ready to invest a significant amount of time monitoring the pH of your soil.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, My daughter is doing a science experiment and she hasn't been able to find why bleach can help to preserve cut flowers. Do you know?-  Mim - Canberra, ACT

Mim, Bleach will act as a deterrent to the growth of stem-clogging bacteria and fungi. It really won't lengthen the life of fresh cut flowers. This is one of those myths that floral professionals would love to see go away. Commercial floral preservatives (sometimes call floral food) has a balance of a simple sugar (for a source of food) and is combined with an agent to reduce the growth of those nasty stem-clogging bacteria and fungi. Some people believe the bleach can do the latter, but it has not been demonstrated to be effective in the scientific literature.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, What is the lisanthus' origin and country originated?-  Madelina - Gaithersburg, MD

Madelina, According to Hortus III, Lisianthus is native to the West Indies, Mexico, Central America, and northern South America. Written by Liberty Hyde Bailey (considered the father of horticulture), Hortus III is considered the reference for nearly every cultivated plant grown in the U.S.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, How many solutions are there to keep cut flowers alive?-  Jessica - Sydney, NSW

Jessica, There are plenty of solutions a person could concoct to keep a cut flower alive. The key ingredients are a food source (simple sugar like glucose or sucrose) and something to keep the bacteria and fungi from growing. The ingredients would need to be in balance (not too much food or too little biocide) and still not harm the cut flower.

You could literally mix hundreds of solutions that might have an effect for a few hours to a few days. What is the easiest, simplest, and most effective solution? Commercial floral preservative has those two key ingredients in balance and in a simple power form that dissolves in a specified amount of water (there are also liquid forms on the market today, but we don't see them as often).   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I put flowers on my kitchen table for decoration all the time and I was wondering, would adding a little dirt into the water might help them grow better?-  John - Morris, IL

John, No, please don't add dirt to the water. There is a big difference in what a plant needs to grow and thrive and what a cut flower needs to continue developing. The best thing to put in the water is commercial floral food. It contains a balance of food (sugar) and biocide (to keep the stem-clogging bacteria and fungi from growing). Dirt, or soil as we horticulturists prefer to call it, contains nutrients to help plants grow. These nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and several others) are the building blocks for plants to make their own food through the miracle of photosynthesis. So, we're really talking about two different things when we discuss what plants need and what cut flowers need.   - Bridget

Dear Bridget, I have been asked to collect rose petals for my niece's Christening in August. How do I preserve them please? I have heard rumours of microwaves, warm cupboards, cold cupboards, ovens, ... HELP!-  Anne - Ifield, England

Anne, I usually dry rose petals to preserve them. Simply take a cardboard box that is shallow but wide. In the bottom of the box, put a few layers of newspaper and a top layer of tissue paper (to keep the ink off the petals while drying). Allow the roses to fully open and then peel the petals off the stem.

Thin layers (1/2" but no more than 1") will dry faster than thicker layers. I put the box (no cover) in a warm, dry place and stir them with my hand each day. Depending on how warm the room is, the petals should dry and shrivel within a week. The petals will be brittle and break once dried. If dropped on a carpet, they will be a challenge to sweep with a vacuum. There really is no good way to preserve the fresh petals without drying them (to keep them fresh).

What you might consider is buying some sweetheart roses, which come with several buds on a stem - yielding lots of petals, just a few (2-3) days before the Christening. Allow them to open and take the fresh petals from those stems. The sweetheart roses will be a bargain at that time of year and give you lots of colorful (light pink) petals.   - Bridget

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