The Real Flower Company's Guide to Flower Care

We ship our scented, farm-grown roses and flowers directly to your door, so most arrive in semi-bud form. This helps prevent damage during travel and gives you more time with your flowers. Please follow care steps and allow 1-2 days for your flowers to fully open.

Our roses may, as nature intended, start to shed their petals after about 5 days. Our flowers are guaranteed to last for 5 days if the care instructions are followed; however, there are several things you can do to extend the life of your flowers:

-  Place your flowers into fresh water with the flower food sachet provided (if in the form of a hatbox or wreath, ensure the fibre floral is kept wet).

-  Always display your flowers in a cool room, away from bright sunlight or direct heat.

-  For maximum vase life, change the water every other day, as bacteria in the water will shorten the vase life.

Our general instructions will cover most arrangements, but there are some additional care instructions that can be helpful:

Hand-tied Bouquets

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

-  Remove your flowers from their wrapping and fresh bag.

-  Cut the stems at an angle to the correct length of your vase. Remove leaves that fall below the level of the water.

-  Place in the vase with fresh water and flower food, ensuring shorter stems are submerged too.

- If you like a loose arrangement, you can remove or loosen the raffia - this will give the flowers more space to bloom.

- Place them away from direct heat, sunlight, draughts and ripening fruit.

- For maximum vase life, change the water regularly, re-cut stems if necessary.

- In extreme heat, ensure the water is changed daily.

Hatbox Arrangements

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- Upon arrival, if any stems have come loose during transit, snip the ends and put them back.

- Check your arrangement’s fibre floral base is not dry and water carefully, if needed.

- The arrangement should remain in the hatbox and be watered regularly.

- Do not place the hatbox on a polished surface - always sit on a coaster or similar.

- To help the flowers longevity, set it in a cool place out of direct sunlight or draught.

Hatbox Trio Arrangements

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- On arrival, three hand-tied posies will be wrapped in paper. Remove all wrapping and cut each posy’s stems by 1cm.

- Place these into a large vase of water - the flowers will need a drink.

- Place a recyclable cup in each hatbox. Pour flower food and water into each cup.

- Place one posy in each hatbox.

- Do not place the hatboxes on a polished surface, and always sit on a coaster or similar.

- To help the flowers' longevity, change the water daily, and place them in a cool place, out of direct sunlight or draught.

Flower Tube & Posy

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- Fill the flower tube halfway with water and add the flower food provided.

- Remove the posy from its protective packaging and fresh bag.

- Cut the flowers down to the desired length - we recommend between 10 & 20cm. 

- Create a floral display evenly throughout the 5-hole tube.

Funeral Arrangements

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- On arrival, open the box and let us know immediately if there are any problems on 01730 818300, option 1.

- If the flowers are in the form of a bouquet or sheaf, remove all packaging and place them into water.

- If the flowers are in fibre floral, pour water onto the foam to top up the level.

- Store in a cool, dry place. Funeral Directors may wish to store them in their cold room.

- On the day of the funeral, remove from the cold room 1-2 hours before the funeral and allow to open.

- Sheafs and bouquets should lie on their side.

- Wreaths and hatboxes should be placed with a coaster or similar between surfaces.

Wedding Flowers

Bouquets and Posies

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- Bouquets will arrive in a fresh bag from which you need to remove them.

- The stems have been left long so that the bouquet can be put into water until the ceremony.

- Cut the ends off the stems by 1cm and place them into water with flower food.

- The bouquet should be kept in a cool room until the ceremony.

- If you would like the roses fully open, place the flowers at room temperature for up to 12 hours.

- Half an hour before leaving for the ceremony, remove from the water, dry with a towel or tissue and cut the stems to the desired length.

- The bouquet is finished with satin ribbon that will dry out quickly once the bouquet is removed from the water.

Petals, Buttonholes and Corsages

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- On arrival, the buttonholes will be in vials of water. Remove, trim stems, top vials water up and put back in place. 

- Half an hour before being worn, remove from the water vial and re-trim the stems to the desired length.

- Ensure arrangements are kept cool in a cool room until required.

Table Arrangements in Vases or Pots

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- Bouquets will arrive in a fresh bag from which you need to remove them.. 

- Vases and pots will arrive in tissue. Unwrap, add flower food and water.

- Place the bouquet into the vase or pot.

Candlebox Arrangements

If any of the rose petals are blemished from the journey, just take them off – it won’t hurt and will help them to bloom!

- Place the recyclable cup in the candlebox.

- Pour flower food and water into the cup.

- Cut the posies’ stems to an appropriate length for the candle box and put them in place.

- Keep cool until required.

- Top up the water level as and when necessary.