Deco Dazzle

Caring for your Deco Dazzle

Keep this arrangement in a cool spot away from direct sun, draughts and ripening fruit, and give it generous clean water, as the hydrangea drinks largely through its petals and will revive from a full overnight soak if it ever wilts. The sunflower and gerbera are heavy drinkers with stems that bruise easily, so handle them gently and check the water daily to keep their faces upright. Recut the woodier chrysanthemum and orchid stems on a slant every couple of days so they take up water freely, and keep the orchid clear of the cooler so it isn't chilled. Leave the dried cotton entirely dry and lift it from the water line, and it will hold its texture long after the fresh blooms have had their moment.

A note on your specific blooms

• Chrysanthemum — Chrysanthemum is sensitive to murky water — strip the lower leaves and refresh it often.
• Cotton — Keep the dried bolls dry and out of humidity, which can flatten and discolour the fibre - no water is needed.
• Gerbera — Gerbera has fragile stems — use shallow, clean water and support the heads.
• Hydrangea — Hydrangea takes up water through its petals — mist the heads and keep the vase topped up.
• Orchid — Keep orchid stems in cool, clean water away from ripening fruit, whose ethylene gas makes the blooms drop early.
• Sunflower — Sunflowers are heavy drinkers, so use a tall vessel with plenty of water and top it up daily to keep the stems firm.