Expert tips

Tips for ordering over the phone or online

• Specify exactly what you want. If you don't want certain flowers, or if you like particular aspects of the bouquet in the photo, note that on the online order form.
  
  
• Keep a hard copy of your confirmation email.
  
  
• Check on the flowers. The person you sent them to is unlikely to complain, but you could ask them to send you a photo. If they're not what you ordered - or are in poor condition - talk to the florist. If it's a superb bouquet, thank the florist for making the gift special.
  
  
• Lilies and roses are a good choice for Mother's Day: they've been grown in cooler conditions and will last longer.
  
  
• Decide whether a bouquet or an arrangement would be more suitable. A bouquet has more impact when presented at the door. Also, you're likely to get more blooms for your money, as less of the cost is taken up by preparing a bouquet compared to an arrangement.
  
  
• An arrangement is good for someone in hospital or a rest home, as it may be difficult to find a suitable vase or container for a bouquet. Also, some people may not wish to bother with arranging flowers, or physically can't cope.
  
  
• Watering a bowl arrangement can be tricky, so ask the florist to use a generously sized bowl.
  
  
• An alternative to a bowl arrangement is a bouquet presented in a lined cardboard container (sometimes called a "vox") or a water-filled vase. There may be an extra charge for the container.
  
  
• If the recipient won't be at home when the bouquet arrives, ask for it to be delivered in a "wet pack" - the stems are encased in a water-filled plastic bag.
  
  
• Ask the florist to include care instructions and a sachet of flower preservative. Flower preservatives prolong the life of your flowers by providing nutrients, restricting microbial growth in the water and softening the water so that it moves through the stem to the flower more easily.

Tip ... for pollen stains

Stains from lily pollen are notoriously difficult to remove. If you do get a mark on your clothing, don't rub it. The best fix is to take a strip of sticky tape and apply it to the pollen while it's still loose. We tried it - it works.

If there's no sticky tape handy, take a tissue and flick the pollen away. Resist the temptation to dab at it.

Tip ... for extending the life of your bouquet

Remove blooms as they die. Not only do they look unsightly but they give off gases which may cause the other flowers to die more quickly. Every second day change the water, re-cut the stems, and add more flower preservative.

Report by Bev Frederikson