Eclipse 5

Caring for your Eclipse 5

Keep the arrangement in cool water away from direct sun, fruit and air-conditioning draughts, all of which shorten the more delicate gerbera and hydrangea. The roses and hydrangea are heavy drinkers, so check the water level daily and top it up; the hydrangea also takes in moisture through its petals, so a light misting of its head helps it stay full. The bird of paradise and sunflower carry woody, thirsty stems that benefit from a fresh diagonal cut, while the hollow tulip and gerbera stems are fragile and prefer shallower, frequently changed water to stay upright. Lift out any spent gerbera or tulip blooms as they go over, and the longer-lived carnation, alstroemeria and calla lily will carry the bouquet on.

A note on your specific blooms

• Alstroemeria — Strip any lower leaves below the waterline, as its foliage wilts well before the blooms and clouds the water.
• Amaranthus — Recut the stems at an angle and keep the water shallow, as amaranthus drinks heavily and the lower stem softens quickly when submerged too deep.
• Bird of Paradise — Recut the woody stem at an angle and refresh the water often, as this thirsty flower drinks heavily and lasts longest in a deep vase.
• Calla Lily — Re-cut the thick, fleshy stems on an angle and keep water shallow, as callas are prone to softening if stood too deep.
• Carnation — Cut stems cleanly between the swollen leaf joints rather than through them, as carnations draw water best when the node itself is left intact.
• 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.
• Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.
• Sunflower — Sunflowers are heavy drinkers, so use a tall vessel with plenty of water and top it up daily to keep the stems firm.
• Tulip — Tulips keep growing in the vase and lean toward light, so use a tall, supportive vessel and turn it daily to keep the stems straight.