Nothing lifts a room like fresh flowers, but they can be expensive.
Here are ten tips to help you get the best out of your arrangements. Buy flowers still in bud. You get the pleasure of watching them open and they will have a longer vase life than those bought in full bloom. When you get your flowers home, strip off any leaves that will be below the water line, cut off the bottoms of the stems and give them a good long drink of lukewarm water. Add a few drops of household bleach to the flower water to guard against the slime caused by bacteria and add a spoonful of sugar instead of commercially produced flower food.