💐 How to Keep Your Flowers Alive

Easy Flower Care Tips from an Adelaide Florist (Who’s Seen Things…)

Hi, I’m Leigh, the owner of Lilli-Anthus Floral Design, and I want to share a few friendly, cheeky—but very real—flower care tips.

As an Adelaide florist, I absolutely love seeing where my bouquets end up—on kitchen counters, coffee tables, work desks. But sometimes, I get sent a photo that makes me pause…

Because there they are: my lovingly arranged flowers… sitting in about 2cm of cloudy water, looking like they’ve just been through a break-up.

So let’s chat about how to care for your flowers properly, so they stay fresh, happy, and looking just as fabulous as the day you received them.

💧 1. Change That Water, Please!

If your vase water looks murky, your flowers are basically bathing in a swamp.

Change the water every 2 days (daily if you can), and refill with fresh, room temperature water.

Pro tip: You wouldn’t drink three-day-old sink water, and neither should your roses.

✂️ 2. Snip the Stems

Use clean scissors or garden shears to trim about 1–2cm off the bottom of each stem at an angle. This helps them drink up more water and stay hydrated.

Bonus: Re-trim every couple of days to keep things flowing!

🧼 3. Clean Vase = Happy Flowers

Please rinse your vase before using it. Old water residue = bacteria = sad flowers.

Just a quick soapy wash makes a big difference in keeping your flowers fresh longer.

🌤️ 4. Cool, Calm & Collected

Keep your bouquet away from:

direct sunlight, heaters or air conditioning, ripening fruit (seriously—fruit gives off ethylene gas that makes flowers wilt faster), Your blooms want to chill, not cook.

🥀 5. Remove the Dead Weight

If a flower starts wilting, take it out. One dying bloom can spoil the rest—like that one friend who always brings the mood down.

Why I’m a Little (Okay, A Lot) Passionate About This

I spend hours creating each bouquet here at Lilli-Anthus Floral Design, using fresh, seasonal flowers sourced right here in Adelaide.

So when I see them looking parched and neglected in dirty water… let’s just say, the florist in me dies a little inside.

But I get it! Life is busy, and flower care isn’t always top of mind. That’s why I’m sharing these simple tips to help your flowers last longer and keep looking amazing.

Need Advice? Ask Your Local Adelaide Florist

Whether you’re unsure how to care for hydrangeas, why your tulips are flopping, or how to keep native blooms fresh—we’re here to help.

Send us a photo, pop into the shop, or message us online—we genuinely love helping you care for your flowers.

Keep Those Pics Coming (Clean Vases Preferred 😉)

I still love seeing where our flowers go, so keep sharing those photos! Just… maybe give the vase a quick top-up before you snap the pic, yeah?

🐾 👶 Bonus Tip: Keep Flowers Away from Small Humans & Fur Babies

As beautiful as flowers are, some of them aren’t so friendly to curious toddlers or mischievous pets. If you’ve got little ones or fur babies, make sure your bouquet is well out of reach.

Some flowers can be toxic to cats, dogs, or children if chewed or ingested. A few common culprits include:

Lilies (extremely toxic to cats), Tulips, Daffodils, Chrysanthemums, Ivy or foliage types used in arrangements (just to name a few!)

Florist tip: Just because it looks pretty doesn’t mean it’s safe to nibble.

If you’re ever unsure, just ask us—we’re happy to create pet-friendly or child-safe arrangements so everyone in the house can enjoy the flowers worry-free.

PS : a little Real Talk……

Flowers aren’t meant to last forever—they’ve been lovingly snipped from their life source (the plant they were happily growing on). While they can last longer with a little care, they’re not built for forever.

But here’s the truth: it’s not really about how long they last.
It’s about the moment they create—the feeling they bring to the person receiving them. That little gasp, the smile, the mood shift when they walk into a room and see something beautiful, just for them.

So yes, change the water, trim the stems, keep them out of the sun… but most of all? Soak up the joy they bring. That’s the real magic.

With love and cleaner water,
Leigh x
Owner + Head Florist
Lilli-Anthus Floral Design | Adelaide Florist & Flower Enthusiast