Tips for choosing the best fresh flowers
When you order a bouquet of fresh flowers, quality is one of the most important factors to consider. You want to make sure that you get the best value for money. This is why it is essential to know what to look for in a quality bouquet. When choosing flowers, no matter the occasion, here’s what you need to be on the lookout for:
Wilting
If flowers are wilted, it does not necessarily mean that they cannot be revived. It does, however, mean that they aren’t as fresh as they should be. They might have been kept out of water too long or exposed to conditions that caused wilting (excessive heat or direct sunlight). It’s best to avoid such a bouquet and continue looking.
Dried leaves or petals
Once the flowers start to dry out, there’s no going back. Leaves and petals will start to dry out once the stem begins to die. This can be due to a number of reasons including the fact that the bouquet has simply reached the end of its life. In many cases you will notice wilting along with dried leaves and flowers. Obviously, this is not the kind of bouquet that you would want to present to a friend or loved one. Only the best fresh flowers will do if you want to show your affection, love, joy or appreciation.
Fresh flowers show no discolouration
Take a look at the flowers as well as the leaves. Look for any signs of discolouration. If you notice any type of defect in this regard, it could mean that the bouquet has seen better days or the flowers weren’t good quality to begin with. If flowers are sourced from inferior growers, the plants might not be as well cared for as they should be and this will reflect in the size, beauty and quality of the blooms.
Damage to any part of the flower
Stems can easily be broken and some
flowers are prone to bruising. Take the time to look at each stem and
make sure that it is not damaged in any way. If you receive a bouquet
and all of the fresh flowers look great except for one, remove that
bloom from the bouquet. If the stem is bent, you should cut it above
the bend and you can use it as a bud arrangement in another part of
your home. One broken stem is not the end of the world but if there
are several broken stems, this is unacceptable.
Fully opened
Flowers have a life cycle that begins with them in bud form and ends with the petals either drying, wilting or falling. Once the flower is fully opened, it is nearing the end of its life cycle. This is why, if you want fresh flowers, you need a bouquet that is still in partial bud form. Partial buds will open over the first few days. Tighter buds don’t always open which is why you don’t want to risk it with a bouquet that has not started to open yet. By choosing partial buds, you will enjoy the most value for money.
Don’t forget, if you are ordering fresh flowers online, the florist should always back their products with some kind of satisfaction guarantee. That way, if your flowers arrive wilted or damaged, you are entitled to some form of compensation.