You should always begin with a
clean container/vase.  

Clean with bleach and rinse
well if needed.  

Feeding your flowers is easy!

You can add to your water a
store bought flower food or a
little lemon lime soda.
Keeping proper care
of your container
and water is important for
prolonging your arrangement.
Vibrant green roses and rich purple hydrangeas
make a stunning and surprisingly simple arrangement.  
Hydrangeas have a semi-woody stem and they
exude a sticky sap that can pollute the water.
To prevent pollution, the stems need to be
cauterized in order to seal in the sap. Begin
by cutting the stem at an angle and then hold
the end over a candle flame until the ends are
sealed.  Don’t worry your flowers getting the
water they need, the water will be absorbed
through the cell walls of the stems.

Shopping List: 4 large hydrangeas & 12 roses

Add water and a little food to the vase.
I like using the urn style vase because the rim
supports and frames the hydrangea petals.

Begin the arrangement with the hydrangeas, trim
and cauterize the ends as directed above to fit in
your container.   Trim down the stems of the roses
and remove the foliage that will be below the
water line.  Add the roses to the arrangement by
placing them through the petals and stems of the
hydrangeas.  If you are having trouble with
placement, think of the arrangement as clock and
begin with the 12, 3, 6 and 9 spots and fill in from
there.