So you bring some beautiful flowers home and you want them to last forever. Part of their beauty is, of course, that they won’t, so you must enjoy them while they are in full flower. But Blossom Flower Shops wants you to get as much life and enjoyment out of them as possible, which is why we’ve included our best tips below, so read on.

Any woody stemmed flower, which includes hydrangea, stock or lilac, should be shaved and split. Shave the outer skin on the bottom 1″-1.5″ of the stem revealing the fleshy membrane beneath, then cut a slit up the bottom of the stem. This offers more surface area for the flower to drink from.

When your hydrangea wilt, submerge the whole head in warm water. A hydrangea drinks from its petals and will re-hydrate after a few hours.

For any grouping of flowers, change the water every other day. Wash the container, refill, and snip those stem tips. Once cut, tips reseal. Re-cutting opens the ends back up so the flower can get as much water as possible.

With just a little TLC, your flowers can live long and prosper.