How to keep winter flowers and foliage looking fresh
Five minutes of care on day one buys you days of extra life. Here is exactly what I do in the studio.
By Kiki · 13 October 2026
Start with a clean vase
Bacteria are what shorten a vase life, not age. Wash the vase with hot soapy water and rinse it well before you fill it with cool, fresh water.
Cut every stem
Take two or three centimetres off each stem at an angle with a sharp knife or secateurs. Strip any leaves that would sit below the waterline.
Winter favourites, and how to treat them
Roses
If a head starts to droop, recut the stem and stand it in deep, cool water for an hour. It usually recovers.
Amaranthus
Those long, trailing tassels are meant to hang. Give them height and room, and they will hold their colour for well over a week.
Fir and spruce
Foliage like Nobilis fir lasts for weeks. A light mist of water every few days keeps garlands and wreaths looking fresh indoors.
Mind where you put them
- Away from radiators, fires and direct sun.
- Away from the fruit bowl: ripening fruit releases ethylene, which ages flowers.
- Somewhere cool overnight if you can.
Top up, and change the water
Top up daily, and change the water completely every two days, recutting the stems as you go.