HomeHow to care for your flower delivery

At Viki Flowers we pride ourselves on delivering flowers to your door that are at the height of freshness, and now we're willing to pass on some of our secrets to you. Here are some tips from us on how to take good care of a popular selection of our available bouquet range, so you can ensure that those flowers requiring special treatment and handling stay fresh for as long as possible.

LILIES - These elegant flowers have a delightful but strong smell, so choose a cool, well-ventilated spot to avoid their perfume becoming too overpowering. Lily pollen can also stain easily, so be sure to protect your clothing, work surfaces and carpets before arranging them. Better still; remove their furry stamens using scissors and gloves. Lily petals can also bruise easily, so take care when handling to avoid brown marks.

GERBERAS - These cheerful flowers can sometimes droop prematurely due to their stems being exposed. To avoid this, change their water regularly and feed them every few days with a suitable floral feed. Cleaning the vase and surrounding areas with an anti-bacterial agent can also help prolong their life.

ROSES - Receiving roses by post is a joy, and to keep their leaves looking as beautiful as possible, avoid getting them wet and be sure to cut off any excess foliage so that only the stems sit below the waterline. Roses can occasionally wrinkle if left too near to a heat source such as a radiator, so put them somewhere cool. If they do beging to wilt, you may be able to revive them by submerging them completely in water for an hour or so.

CARNATIONS - Dianthus is highly sensitive to chemicals known as ethylene - harmless gasses produced by certain types of fruit and vegetables. So, to keep carnations in good shape, avoid placing them near the fruit bowl and when arranging, cut close to a leaf node to allow maximum water absorption.

CHRYSANTHEMUMS - Flower bouquets containing these daisy-like blooms can last for a long time if you take care to trim off any excess foliage from their stems, thereby avoiding drooping or leaf yellowing. Removing any dead leaves and re-cutting the stems will further help to prolong their life, as will keeping their water free from debris.