Flowers with Lasting Power

A few days ago, I wrote about the importance of fresh flowers in our homes. What I didn't mention is that some flowers last better than others. We all want great blooms that won't fall flat after a day or two. To help that along, as soon as you get your flowers home, re-cut their stems on a diagonal (under water is best) with a very sharp knife or pair of shears. Change the water in the vase every day or so, and keep them out of direct sunlight.

All of these flowers, if properly cut and maintained, should last well over a week, possibly over two weeks. Here are some of my favorite long-lived blossoms:

Gerbera daisies (below) look great, bunched or singly displayed in bud vases. Sometimes they are sold with a very thin wire snaking up their long, slightly furry stems. Leave the wire in place; it helps hold up their big, fat blooms.

Oriental lilies aren't cheap (you can see in this photo, below, they are priced at $4 per stem). But they are extravagantly beautiful, and even one stem will give you quite a show as the pods continue to split open and reveal beautiful blossoms for days on end.

Sunflowers just have to be some of the happiest-looking flowers on earth! Those sunny yellow petals, that big, friendly face! These chunky blooms with their thick stems won't fit in a slender bud vase and will look silly if you plop them in a coffee cup. So give them something tall and sturdy to stay in, like a pitcher or a glass carafe (the kind inexpensive house wine comes in at your neighborhood Italian restaurant).

Dianthus, or Sweet William, and I were introduced to each other at my neighborhood farmer's market. Related to carnations and to pinks, Dianthus sports multiple little flowers that make a big total impact. I bought this bouquet two weeks ago when I took this photo, and the flowers still look great.

Lastly, if you live anywhere near a Trader Joe's, run over there, fast! They are having their annual Daffodil sale, and a bunch of 10 happy daffodils is selling for the ridiculously low price of $1.29! That's a lotta flowers for very little cash, people! Because I haven't learned how to embed the link into the words "Trader Joe's" yet, here is the link: http://www.traderjoes.com/

And as with all produce, look at their labels (or ask the friendly flower seller at the farmer's market) to learn where the flowers came from. If it's a choice between Alstromeria (another long-lasting bloom!) grown in Peru and some grown just outside your city, please choose the local flowers. Mother Earth will thank you.