Poppy Parade

Caring for your Poppy Parade

Keep Poppy Parade in a clean vase of cool, fresh water and check the level daily, because the thirsty roses and delphinium drink fast and will droop quickly if they run dry. The hydrangea takes much of its water through its petals as well as its stem, so a light misting of the head revives it whenever it starts to flag. Recut each stem at an angle before it goes in, and give the woodier rose and snapdragon stems a slightly deeper trim so they can draw water freely. Handle the calla lily and tulip with a gentle hand — their stems are fleshy and bruise easily, and tulips will keep growing and leaning toward the light, so a quarter-turn of the vase each day keeps the whole arrangement balanced. Lift the orchid, anthurium and gerbera away from direct sun and any draught, and they will hold their poise long after the softer blooms have had their moment.

A note on your specific blooms

• Anthurium — Anthurium prefers warmth — keep it away from the cold and wipe the leaf gently.
• 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.
• Craspedia — Give each stem a fresh diagonal cut and stand it in clean water; the bare stems need little else, and the golden heads hold for weeks.
• Delphinium — Keep the tall stems in deep, fresh water and out of draughts, as Delphinium drinks heavily and wilts quickly if the vase runs low.
• 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.
• Rose — Roses drink heavily — re-cut the stems at an angle every couple of days.
• Snapdragon — Trim the stems on a sharp angle and refresh the water often, as snapdragons drink heavily. The florets open from the bottom of the spike upward, so pinch away the lower blooms as they fade to keep the spire looking fresh.
• 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.