Secrets Revealed - Top Tips to Make ‘Tricky’ Flowers Last Longer.

A vase of fresh flowers brightens up any room, but to keep them looking their best they need to be cared for properly. While all flowers require some level of basic care, there are some ‘tricky’ flowers that need a little extra TLC. While this requires a bit more effort on your part, the payoff is worth it. 

There are two main things to look at - the bloom and the stem. 

Tricky Blooms

Hydrangeas:

Hydrangeas are known for wilting quickly. What’s not as well known is that hydrangeas absorb water through their petals. 

If your hydrangea is looking tired, fill a bucket or sink with water. Submerge the whole hydrangea head in the water for 30-60 minutes to rehydrate. 

Note: This is only if your hydrangea has wilted prematurely. This will not revive a bloom that is dead.

Lilies:

As lilies bloom they reveal stamens of pollen in their centre. Removing the stamens will lengthen their vase life.

Bonus: Lily pollen stains anything it touches. Removing it will save you from having to deal with a stain on your clothes later on.

Roses:

When you first get your roses, if the outer petals seem wilted and a bit black around the edge, don’t worry. Growers leave these petals on to protect the inner part of the rose during travel. Just remove the outer layer of petals to allow the rose to bloom.

Note: When you buy your roses check the base of the bloom. If one layer has been removed, no problem, that was the guard petals. If many layers have been removed, don’t buy. If  someone has removed multiple layers they’re trying to hide the fact the rose is old.

Tulips:

You bring some tulips home, put them in a vase and they’re standing straight and tall. The next morning the stems are curving and bending. What went wrong? Actually nothing. There are two scientific reasons why this happens. One, tulips continue to grow after they are cut and two, they’re attracted to light, so they’ll reach in that direction.

If you want your tulips to be straight, use a tall vase to give the stems extra support and turn the vase a quarter rotation daily.

Note: Or, you could just embrace the tulips movement and enjoy the uniqueness this flower has to offer.

Tricky Stems

Woody stems:

Woody stemmed flowers: Hydrangea, roses, lilac, heather, pussy willow

• You may have heard you should smash the end of woody stems in order to help them absorb water. This is actually the wrong thing to do. Smashing the stems will increase the amount of bacteria in the water and shorten the vase life of the flower.

• Instead, after cutting the end of the stem at a 45-degree angle, create an additional 2 inch cut up through the length of the stem. 

Hollow stems:

Hollow stemmed flowers: Bells-of-Ireland, amaryllis, delphinium, lupins

• The trick to getting hollow stemmed flowers to last longer is to fill the stem with water.

• Remove any foliage off the stem; Cut the end at a 45-degree angle; turn stem upside down under a running tap to fill with water; hold thumb over the stem until it’s placed in a vase of water. The flower now has a whole stem full of water to drink from. 

“Sap’ dripping stems: 

Sap dripping flowers: Daffodils, tweedia, poinsettias

• When you cut the stems of these flowers, a milky sap seeps out. This sap in the water clogs other flowers from absorbing water. There are two methods you can use to prevent this from happening. 1 - Cut the stem and immediately dip it in boiling water for 30 seconds; 2 - Light a candle and hold the end of the flower stem in the flame for a few seconds. Both will seal the end of the stem so they can then be placed into the vase of water.

If you follow these tips you’ll have ensured your flowers are in the best possible condition to give them the maximum amount of vase-life possible.

If you know of any other ‘secret’ tips, you’d like to share, please put them in the comments below.

4 Ways to Use Edible Rose Petals - Plus An Easy, Elegant Recipe

Edible dried roses

We’re heading into winter when it’s not as easy to use fresh edible flowers in your baking and cooking, but don't worry, you can still use dried flowers! They’re readily available and have great flavour. Today I’m going to share with you a number of ways you can use edible dried rose petals, followed by a really simple idea for you to try out at home.

Whenever I talk about using flowers as food, I always give a caution as you must make sure the flower you are using actually is an edible flower and that it meets certain safety standards. You can read my top safety rules HERE. 

Whether you dry your own rose petals or buy them from a reputable source, the best way to store them is in a cool, dark, dry place. Kept this way, they will last 1-3 years before they start to lose their colour.

Here are 4 ways to use dried rose petals:

As a garnish on sweet or savoury dishes: Dried flower petals can have a papery texture, so when using as a garnish chop them quite finely and sprinkle over top. You’re using them for their beautiful colour effect, not their texture.

As a spice: To use dried rose petals as a spice, toast lightly in a dry pan. This will intensify their aroma and add a smokey hint to their flavour. Just keep an eye on them while toasting as they can burn quite quickly. Grind them up and add to your savoury dishes. They work especially well in rice dishes. 

Brewed as a tea: Used as a tea, dried rose buds can be used on their own, or mixed with other types of flowers or herbs. The combinations are endless.

To make flavoured sugar:  Use ground rose petals (untoasted) and mix with granulated sugar to add as a flavoured sweetness to your dishes.

There are a multitude of recipes you can find that include dry rose petals, but if you want to start with something simple, try your hand at this beautiful and tasty treat:

Chocolate Dipped Strawberries With Rose Petal Sprinkles

To make approximately 24 strawberries:

16 ounces of good baking chocolate. I prefer semi-sweet or bittersweet, but you could also use milk or white chocolate;

2 Tbsp shortening (coconut oil also works);

1 lb fresh, clean, dry strawberries with leaves

2 Tbsp dried, coarsely ground edible rose petals

• Leave about ½ cup of chocolate to the side and then melt the rest of the chocolate and the shortening/coconut oil in a double-boiler stirring constantly until melted;

• Remove from heat and add in the reserved chocolate to temper it. Stir until melted;

• One at a time dip the strawberries in the chocolate;

• Sprinkle with rose petals on all sides;

• Lay on a parchment paper covered baking sheet until chocolate is set.

Top tip: These dipped strawberries sprinkled with rose petals are best eaten the same day they’re prepared, but if needed, you can store uncovered in the refrigerator for one day.

5 Fun Flower Food Facts

Before getting to all the fun flower food facts, I’m going to start (and then finish) this post with a safety note.

CAUTION: With all flowers do not assume the variety you have is the edible variety. Check with an expert before you consume. Once you have positive confirmation you have the right variety of the right flower, follow the general safety rules for edible flowers that I wrote about HERE. 

With that in mind, here are five fun flower food facts.

1 -  Violets: Violets taste like mint. These pretty purple petals have a hint of mint making them a perfect garnish for sweet or savory dishes. The leaves are also edible, just cook them in the same way you would spinach.

2 - Roses: The most flavorful rose petals are those that are the most fragrant.   All roses (once they’ve passed the safety test) are edible, but if you want a lot of flavour, choose the really fragrant varieties. Roses are great to infuse liquids or as a garnish for baked goods. Full of vitamin c, they are also a perfect - and pretty - addition to salads.

3 - Dandelions: Dandelions are a highly nutritious edible flower. If you want to eat something packed full of nutrients, eat dandelions. Vitamin A and C, iron, calcium, phosphorus, fiber - you’ll get them all in a dandelion. Young dandelions have a sweet taste (reminiscent of honey), but the older they get the more bitter they taste. The yellow petals are a great addition sprinkled on a salad and the greens can be eaten raw, or cooked as you would spinach. And if you want to be adventurous, perhaps try your hand at making some dandelion wine.

4 - Hibiscus: The hibiscus flower is edible. Hibiscus are beautiful, colourful tropical flowers. Their blooms are so big, you don’t naturally think of them as edible. Even in Hawaii I’ve never been served anything with a hibiscus flower as part of the dish. Making tea from the blossom is the most common way it’s used, but you can also chop it up to add a colourful confetti look to a salad or dessert. Recently I’ve had hibiscus blossom in syrup as part of a festive drink.  You can find details HERE. 

5 - Crocus: You need a specific type of crocus to harvest saffron. As mentioned in my ‘caution’, many flowers have multiple varieties. Crocus is one of them. Saffron comes from the ‘saffron crocus’, not to be confused with the ‘autumn crocus’. Saffron (from the correct type of crocus), is a great way to add flavour and colour to many dishes. It works well in Mediteranean and Asian dishes, (particularly anything with rice), and it’s also popular in bread baking. Saffron is the most expensive spice in the world. To make sure you’re using the real thing, I’ve heard of a little test you can do. Place a little piece of saffron in a cup of warm water or milk. If the liquid colours right away, your saffron is a fake. The ‘real deal’ takes 10-15 minutes of soaking before the colour changes. With the price you’ll pay for it, you want to be sure your saffron is genuine.

Once again remember this caution: With all flowers do not assume the variety of flower you have is the edible variety. Check with an expert before you consume. Once you have positive confirmation you have the right variety of the right flower, follow the general safety rules for edible flowers that I wrote about HERE.

Nine Flowers and Facts you may be Surprised to Learn

The colour of a hydrangea is determined by the type of soil it’s grown in.

We all love flowers. They’re a gift to us from nature, that we re-gift by giving to others. They’re beautiful and colourful, and fragrant, and they put a smile on our face. They’re also really interesting! I’ve chosen nine flowers to share some fun facts about them.

1 - Sunflowers: Young sunflowers move throughout the day, following the sun from east to west. Why does this happen? It has to do with the growth of the sunflowers. It’s a result of different sides of the stem, growing at different times of the day. The side of the stem facing east grows quickly during the day, and the side facing west grows quickly at night. Thus they move from east to west, following the direction of the sun. Once the sunflowers are mature, their growth slows down and they gradually stop tracking the sun altogether.

2 - Roses: Roses are related to many herbs and trees that include edible fruits. The rose family is called ‘rosaceae’. Included in this are a number of trees: apple, pear, peach, nectarine, plum, cherry, and almond, as well as berries including raspberries and strawberries. If you look closely at these trees and bushes when they’re flowering, you’ll see the similarities between them all. 

3 - Tulips: At one point in history, tulips were more valuable than gold. In Holland in the 17th century, tulip bulbs became so desirable they could cost more than ten times an annual middle-class income. That crazy time became known as ‘Tulip Mania’. Eventually, the tulip market crashed, and while they no longer have the same monetary value, they’re still one of the most popular springtime flowers. 

4 - Chocolate Cosmos: This flower actually smells like chocolate. It’s true! This delicate bloom actually smells like chocolate (and the colour actually looks like a red velvet cake). But while it smells like chocolate, don’t be tempted to eat it as it’s not an edible flower.

5 - Gerberas: Gerberas help you get a good night’s sleep. Gerba’s are so bright and cheerful looking you don’t think of them as a ‘restful’  flower. But because they release small amounts of oxygen throughout the night, they make a great flower to have next to your bed.    

6 - Hydrangeas: The colour of a hydrangea is determined by the type of soil it is grown in. The acidity level of the soil is what determines if you will have a blue, pink, or purple bloom. If the soil has a higher pH level, the hydrangeas will be pink. As the pH level gets lower they will become purple or blue.     

7 - Daffodils: Daffodils are used as currency. On the island of Scilly, as rent for his lands, Prince Charles is paid one daffodil! (That would be a nice rent to have to pay.) 

8 - Lilies: You can extend the vase life of lilies with one simple act. Fresh cut lilies can last up to two weeks. But you can extend their vase life even further by removing the pollen from the centre of the flower. When each bloom opens, carefully remove the pollen off the stamen. Be careful to not get any pollen dust on the petals as it will eat away at the flower shortening its life span.

9 - Daisies: How did the daisy get its name? One theory is related to its physical appearance. It’s said the yellow centre of the daisy resembles the sun. That was known as ‘the day’s eye’. Eventually, that just morphed into ‘daisy’. 

Before I started researching for this post, I knew some of these facts but didn’t know all of the explanations. Others were completely new to me. What did you learn?

(I’m now working on another post with uncommon facts related to edible flowers.)

Roses- Part 2

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of June is the rose.

This is part two of “Getting to Know Roses”. Part 1 looked at how roses get their names and their meanings in the language of flowers. Now we’re going to compare ‘standard’ roses to ‘garden’ roses, and I’ll share tips and tricks on how to buy and care for them.

When buying roses as a cut flower, there is a world of difference between ‘standard’ roses and ‘garden’ roses.

 Standard roses: Standard roses are probably what you will find when you go to buy flowers at the grocery store, corner shop and even your local florist. They have one stem per bloom and their petals are almost a pointed shape that rotate around a tight center. They don’t open up a great amount and they likely have no – or very little – fragrance, but they do come in a wide range of colours.

Most rose farms in the world grow standard roses because they’re able to get many blooms per acre planted. These types of roses are a staple in any florists cooler as they have a long vase life (up to two weeks) and are reasonably priced. 

Garden roses: Garden roses are what you imagine when you think of a traditional rose. They have dense layers of petals around a rosette center and waft an unbelievably nostalgic fragrance. Their beauty is undeniable and their romantic nature makes them a very popular choice for weddings and events. There are fewer farms that grow garden roses, and those plants tend to be less productive, yielding blooms that only have a 5-7 day vase life. The difficulty in producing this delicate bloom, combined with the high demand for them, makes them more expensive than standard roses. 

Buying and caring for roses:

There are an endless variety of roses. They make wonderful gifts, are perfect decoration for a special occasion and enhance the beauty of any surrounding. 

When you’re going to purchase some roses – either standard or garden – there are some things you should know to ensure you get the healthiest product available and get the longest possible vase life from your purchase. Here’s what you need to know:

1 – The first thing you should do is ask the florist or shop owner when they received the flowers. This will give you a good indication of their freshness. The more days they’ve been in the shop, the fewer days they’ll be in your vase.

2 – There’s something called a ‘bullet rose’. These are roses with the petals so tight together that they’ll never open. To make sure it’s not a bullet rose, check the petals at the top of the flower and make sure they are a little bit loose.

3 – Make sure the petals aren’t ‘too loose’. If the rose is fully open, it’s not going to last much longer. 

4 – Check there are no brown spots on the petals. If there are, give them a miss as this means they were either unhealthy to begin with, or are dying rapidly. 

Now you have your roses, here are some tips on how to care for them:

1 – When you get them home remove all the leaves that will be below the water line once you put them in a vase. Leaves will add bacteria to the water causing them to perish quicker.

2 – Re-cut the stems at an angle and place them directly in a vase filled with fresh clean water.

3 – Keep the flowers out of direct sunlight, heat sources, and drafts. 

4 – Every 2-3 days, re-cut the stems and put in fresh water. 

5 – If you put garden roses in warm water it will help the rosebuds to open. 

If you shop knowledgeably for roses and put a little bit of time and effort into caring for them, you’ll be able to enjoy them day, after day, after day. 

We already know that the rose is the birth month flower for June. Here are some other fun facts:

• It is the national flower for the UK and the USA.

• It is the official state flower for New York, North Dakota, and Georgia.

• There are over a hundred species of roses.

• A ‘Black Rose’ is not actually black but a dark red.

• Roses are edible. Just make sure no chemicals or pesticides have been used on them.

And in finishing, I share with you again one of my all-time favourite quotes to reflect on:

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” – Abraham Lincoln 

How Does a Rose Get its Name?

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of June is the rose.

The world has a love affair with roses. Their beauty mesmerizes us. Their shapes - classic, spray, garden, ruffled, sweetheart; their colours - reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, pinks, white; their meanings - love, friendship, joy, admiration, enthusiasm, adoration (all those beautiful positive feelings); and their fragrances - sweet, spicy, musky, fruity, fresh and intoxicating. Roses are truly the Queen of all flowers! 

Let’s get to know roses a little better. In fact, I’m going to make this a two-part blog post! This first part will look at how roses are named, along with their meanings in the language of flowers. The second part will compare ‘garden’ roses to ‘standard’ roses, and I’ll share tips and tricks on how to buy and care for them.

How roses get their names:

Bella Rosa, Coral Seas, Golden Angel, Lovely Lady, Tranquility –the names for roses are diverse, descriptive, imaginative, and just plain fun to learn. I was thrilled to find out there is a ‘Mary Rose’, and not only is it a lovely shade of pink (my favourite colour), but it’s a garden rose full of loose petals with a delicious fragrance. What could be better than that!

So where do roses get their names? The simple answer - the breeder gets to name the rose. Historically the breeder chose a name that described the flower’s heritage, or named them after family members. That evolved to using the names of royalty and then famous people. In today’s world, the name of the rose is quite important, as marketers want a name that is memorable and will sell. 

Are you wondering if you can name a rose? Well, you can, but that’s actually a very expensive process. However, for a more reasonable price, what you can do is name a single rose bush. What a great gift for a loved one! There are places in Canada and the UK where you can inquire about this.

Rose meanings in the language of flowers:

Now let’s move onto the meanings of the different colours of roses in the language of flowers.  While it’s universally known that the red rose symbolizes love, the meanings of the other colours are not as well known . Here’s a list:

• Pink (dark): Gratitude

• Pink (light): Admiration and joy

• Orange: Enthusiasm

• Yellow: Friendship

• Green: Rejuvenation 

• Purple: Enchantment

• White: Innocence

Using the colour and meaning of the roses together is a great way to customize a gift for a friend or loved one.

Coming up next, all about garden roses, standard roses and tips and tricks on how to care for them.

If there’s anything in particular you would like to know, put it in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.