The art of floral longevity

A guide for connoisseurs: 

From arrival to full bloom

An arrangement ofFlowers of Happinessis a living work of art that enhances the atmosphere of your home in Zurich. 

To make this fleeting beauty a lasting experience, it requires care that is as precise as it is loving. With a few expert touches, you can transform the moment of joy into weeks of splendor.

Step 1: 

The arrival – Where longevity begins

True elegance begins with liberation. Give your bouquet the first ten minutes of attention right after it arrives at your home.

• Freeing:Gently remove packaging, sleeves, and ribbons.
• Breathing:Give the blooms space to fully expand.
• Cleaning:Consistently remove leaves and thorns from the lower stem area.
• Cutting:Shorten stems by 1–2 cm at a 45° angle.
• Tools:Use only sharp knives or professional florist scissors.
• Protection:Avoid crushing the vital capillaries.
• Pro tip:Make the cut under running, lukewarm water to prevent air blockages.

Step 2:

The vessel – The perfect frame

Choose a vase that highlights the design character of your bouquet and provides stable support for the stems at the edge.

• Purity:Thoroughly clean the vase in advance with hot water and dish soap.
• Sterility:Bacterial residues are the main reason for premature wilting.
• The Golden Rule:Thewatershould/mustreach the binding pointof the florist, but not higher.No leaves in the water!

Step 3:

The alchemy of water & nutrients

Water is not just water. Plants have a differentiated physiology that relies on the right water temperature and nutrient balance.

• Cool elegance:Bulb flowers (tulips, hyacinths) prefer ice-cold, clear water.
• Rich hydration:Roses and woody plants require deep, lukewarm water.
• Flower food:Commercial preservatives regulate the pH level and inhibit bacteria.

The house signature elixir (per liter of water)

• 1 tsp of fine sugar:Provides essential energy for flower opening.
• 1 tsp of lemon juice:Lowers the pH level for easier water absorption.
• 4 drops of bleach (chlorine water):Keeps the water completely germ-free.

The natural alternative (without bleach)

• 1 teaspoon of sugar + 2 teaspoons of lemon juice + 1 crushed vitamin C tablet(ascorbic acid).
• Note:This variant is gentler but requires daily water changes due to the lack of antibacterial effect.

🚫 Important: When to avoid additives

Some sensitive flower varieties are allergic to sugar and additives! 

Use onlypure, clear water without additives, which you should change daily:

• Gerberas:Prefer very shallow, absolutely clean water.
• Tulips & Hyacinths:React to sugar with uncontrolled length growth.
• Hydrangeas:Require a lot of clean water without nutrient additives.

Curated care reference at a glance

Burning flower stems? Sunflowers and poppies, as well as a few others, are often sealed this way for good reason.Here to this blog post

Step 4:

The staging in the room

A luxurious arrangement deserves a prime spot, protected from the microclimatic adversities of everyday life.

• Distance:Never place flowers near ripe fruit (ethylene gas).
• Protection:Consistently avoid direct sunlight, drafts, and heating air.
• Night rest:A cool location overnight acts like a biological rejuvenation elixir.

Step 5:

Flowers are like us humans... we love fresh food. The flower water should be replaced with fresh water every 2 to 3 days, after cleaning the vase, and the stems should be freshly cut to admire their beauty for a long time.

Treating the seasons Ikons

1. Spring awakening: The tenderness of anemones & ranunculus

When Lake Zurich sparkles and the first rays of sunshine warm the city, these spring messengers bring an incomparable lightness to your interior.

• The expert tip:These varieties continue to grow dynamically in the vase. Choose a tall container that gives the stems space. Use cool water and cut the soft stems straight every two days with a sharp blade.

2. Summer Opulence: The Majesty of Peonies

The peony is the absolute symbol of summer luxury. Its heavy, fragrant splendor requires highly functional attention.

• The Expert Tip:If the buds are stuck together by a fine layer of sugar and do not open, a warm rinse of the flower head helps. Consistently remove all leaves that could touch the water to stop rotting processes.

3. Autumn Elegance: The Depth of Dahlias

In autumn, rich colors and architectural shapes dominate. Dahlias are the demanding divas of this season.

• The Expert Tip: Dahlias are extremely sensitive to bacterial contamination. Change the water daily and clean the vase thoroughly. A radical diagonal cut maximizes the water uptake of the water-rich stems.

4. Winter brilliance: The grace of the amaryllis

During the festive season, the amaryllis with its majestic growth is the architectural centerpiece of any high-end decoration.

• The Expert Tip:Since the thick stem is hollow, we often support it internally with a stick. To prevent the typical curling of the stem end in the water, simply wrap the bottom cut edge tightly with a strip of clear tape – an invisible technique for lasting perfection.