This past week, ATELIER A had the opportunity to speak with the renowned Swiss knife company Victorinox, sharing some tips and tricks for preserving your beautiful spring flowers as long as possible. Victorinox is known the world over for its ubiquitous red Swiss Army Knife, a must-have in just about any situation.
The company has created a special line of products for gardeners, green thumbs, and flower dabblers alike. My personal favorite is the foldable pocket knife — it accompanies me everywhere.
The language of flowers
When the branches begin to bloom in spring, ATELIER A’s founder Kaye Anthon loves to integrate them into striking bouquets: flowering quinces, yellow forsythias, delicate magnolia branches or pussy willow — the options are endless! She first chooses flowers in the color of the blossoms on the branches then combines them with a fresh white to make the bouquet pop. “Ornamental onions are great for this purpose,” says Kaye.
Guide to blossoming
And how do you keep a spring bouquet fresh and blooming for as long as possible? According to the flower expert, preparation is everything: remove all leaves from the stems that could submerge in the water — they are a source of bacteria, contaminating the water and shortening the lifecycle of the flowers. Daffodils and tulips often arrive at the ATELIER with soil on their stems; in that case, hold the stem briefly under cool, running water to remove the dirt. Next, the flowers need a fresh trim, ideally with a sharp knife. Cut the branches twice (crosswise) so they can absorb as much water as possible in order to bloom.
Keep the water crystal clear
The flower vase needs to be clean — clean enough that you would drink from it yourself. A crystal-clear vessel and clean water are essential to maximize the bloom period of your flowers. The water should be changed every two days to avoid becoming cloudy. Place the flowers deep in the water. But keep in mind that there are exceptions: tulips, for example, prefer a low water stand. To really enjoy your blooms as long as you can, it helps to regularly give the flower stems a fresh cut. Placing the bouquet outside overnight on a cool balcony helps to extend its life as well.
Flower insider tip from Kaye
Instead of flower food, Kaye drizzles a few drops of bleached water into the vase: this keeps the water fresh and inhibits bacterial growth.
Find here the Video of my last collab with the Swiss Knive Company Victorinox