Nothing says “You’re special” like a surprise bouquet of flowers! Keep that special feeling as long as possible with these tips for keeping your blooms fresh and pretty:

1. Put fresh-cut flowers into water right away to keep them from wilting. Use a clean vase or container.
2. Trim away any leaves that will be underwater while in the vase. Submerged leaves rot, causing bacteria build-up and shortening the lifespan of the flowers.
3. Trim the flower stems before putting your flowers in the vase. The stems should be cut at an angle to allow the flowers to take in as much water as possible.
4. Add the plant food provided by the florist to the water in the vase. When you change the water (which you should do every 3-4 days), change the plant food as well (if you don’t have any more plant food, sugar is a good substitute).
5. Don’t display your arrangement in full sun or over a heat sources, as this will cause the flowers to dry out and wilt faster.