When you receive a hand bouquet from friends or loved ones, what do you do with it when you bring it home?

Do you leave it in the wrapping paper and watch it wilt all too quickly? Do you remove the flowers from the wrappers and feel that it is a pity since the packaging was rather pretty?

Here's our tip on how to maximise the enjoyment of your hand bouquet:

Swan Lake inspired hand bouquet by Flower Couture Pte Ltd

Try to let your bouquet sit upright at all times. When a bouquet is placed lying down, the flowers are more likely to be bruised, resulting in brown wrinkles. Especially vulnerable are white and pastel coloured flowers.

Remove the paper wrapper at the base of the bouquet. This bouquet has a layer of tulle which is like a skirt. So I retain the tulle, and remove the paper wrapper. If you bouquet has only the paper wrapper, you can slit it on both sides, so that the plastic wrapper inside is exposed and proceed to remove the plastic wrap.

Beneath the paper wrapper lies the plastic wrap. Remove that by cutting it at the part where it is taped. Remove the water soaked cotton wool, thus exposing the stems.

Cut an inch off the bunch of stems, to maximise water absorption by the flowers.

Use a glass container which is heavier (than a plastic or metal container) so that the container will not topple over due to the weight of the top heavy bouquet. A tip - if you use a container that is much wider than the circumference of the bunch of stems, your bouquet will not sit properly in the container and end up tilting to one side.

Choose a glass vase / bottle that the bunch of stems can fit snuggly into, approximately one-third the height of your bouquet. This will allow your bouquet to look all pretty in an upright position.

Remember to change the water and cut the stems (3/4 to an inch) daily. This will help the flowers bloom better and last longer.

We hope you find the simple tips here helpful and may you enjoy every single bouquet that your loved one gives to you.

How to better enjoy your hand bouquet