Florist's tips

• Flowers appeal to everyone and thus they can act as a sensual liaison between people and the space in which we live and work.
• Base your flower selections on shapes, colour, and texture that will play off one another.
• Choose flowers which accentuate the size, shape, and colour of your container.
• Base your choice on where your flowers will be displayed, and specifically where they are in relation to the eye.

Helping to extend the vase life

• After purchase do not allow flowers to remain out of water for too long. (If travelling far with your flowers you could place them in a bucket of water or wrap the ends with wet tissue).
• Use a clean vase at all times; any residue can harbour bacteria which will block the tiny tubules that carry water up the stems, therefore reducing your flowers life.
• Use fresh water at all times, add flower food and top up with fresh water as necessary. Cloudy or smelly water should be removed and replaced with fresh water. Do not be tempted to use the flower food in higher concentration as this will be detrimental to the flowers and will begin the process of reverse osmosis, causing the nutrients to be drawn out of the stems into the water. Carefully remove all packaging and trim 3cm from the ends of the flowers at a 45° angle with a sharp knife or florist scissors. This opens the vascular system and enables the stems to quickly take up water.
• Do not hammer, crush or otherwise damage your stem ends as this only destroys cell structure and reduces the possibility of water uptake.
• Remove any leaves which will sit or fall below the water level.
• A good rule of thumb is to cut flowers to one and a half times the height of the container.
• Avoid direct sunlight, heat or draughts which can shorten flowers life. Ideally position flowers in a light and cool spot (18-22°C).
• Do not place flowers near to fruit and vegetables - fresh flowers are highly sensitive to the ethylene gas which mature fruit and vegetables produce, and exposure to this will cause flowers to die prematurely.
• Remove faded flowers as they occur, this will keep the rest of the flowers looking fresh, and in certain varieties it will encourage buds to open.
• Take great care with lily pollen as it may stain clothing or furnishing. Use sticky tape to remove - do not use water or try to brush it off.
• Lily pollen can be harmful to pets if eaten.
• Berries may also stain and should not be eaten.
• Never place flowers near electrical equipment and always use a protective matt between the container and the surface on which it sits.
• Always wash your hands after handling flowers as some flowers may be toxic and cause skin irritation.

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Floral Designer, Chris Wood

Floral Designer, Chris Wood, has been active in Horticulture and Floristry for over 25 years and received his Diploma at the Welsh College of Horticulture. After college, Chris worked at Clifton Nurseries in London where he created some of the most stylish of Horticultural Floral Interior landscapes in London.

For the past 12 years, Chris has been the design force behind Waitrose Flowers. Chris works in close collaboration with the Waitrose suppliers, designing concepts for the product range across flowers, plants, bulbs & gifts. Most recently, Chris has worked on introducing a new Floral Brand in store called "Blossom & Bloom", a simple and stylish floral offering with a signature aubergine wrap colour. This concept builds on the huge success Waitrose has enjoyed over the past decade and takes supermarket flower design to a higher level.

Spending a lot of his time visiting growers and trade shows around the UK and Europe, Chris sources out new trends and ideas ensuring that he stays on the cutting edge of floral design. After more than 25 years in the business, Chris is as passionate as ever about floral design and is regularly involved in floral demonstrations, large scale wedding flowers and sharing simple and stylish ideas for home floral decorations in the Waitrose Seasons Magazine.

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