Don’t worry! If you’ve noticed a few darker petals on the outer area of your roses these are known as ‘guard petals’ and can be safely removed before you put them in your vase. They may appear slightly brown or lighter in colour, this is completely normal! These are simply the roses clever little way of protecting the inner flower before it begins to bloom, and whilst they might not look very appealing they can easily be removed to reveal the beautiful rose. If you gently remove the outer 2-3 petals you’ll find the new and soft petals inside.