IS that Valentine’s Day bouquet from your special someone starting to wilt and droop?
Pause before you cast those roses out to the compost.
With a few tricks, your buds can be the gift that keep on giving . . .
STAY FRESH: Keep your fresh blooms going as long as possible by removing any dead or decaying stems and changing the water in the vase every three days or so.
Make sure leaves and other foliage are above the water line to avoid contamination.
DRY OUT: Before roses start to brown you can dry them so that they last long past the day of romance.
Simply remove the leaves and tie the stems together at the bottom with string.
Then you can hang the flowers upside down in a dark dry place for around two or three weeks.
When they are dried out you can display in a vase as you would with a fresh bunch.
Just be careful handling them as they’ll be more fragile.
BATH TIME: Once your roses start to wilt, you can use them as part of a luxurious pampering session.
Florist Kathy Muir, who works for bath and beauty brand Lush, says: “Petals from an old bouquet make for a nice addition in baths and will carry on the romance past Valentine’s Day.”
Rose petals are linked to relaxation and adding a few petals to an evening soak will make you feel extra special.
Or you can create special rose petal bath salts, which are a lovely gift too.
First dry them out by leaving on a tray for a few days then tear or blend into small pieces.
Mix with a couple of cups of Epsom salts — a 1kg bag is £3 from Sainsbury’s.
Add a few drops of essential oils to the mixture. Lavender and rose essential oils both work well.
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