Bloom & Wild floral stylist shares a secret to keeping flowers fresh

If you want to make a room feel more uplifting, you simply cannot beat fresh flowers. Whether you pick up some super affordable Gypsophila from the supermarket, display a gorgeous bunch of eucalyptus in your most stylish vase or sign up to the best flower subscriptions, it's an instant boost.

Flowers are perfect for anyone decorating on a budget, and there are all kinds of tried-and-tested ways to make our lovely blooms last as long as possible. But when we visited Bloom & Wild to check out their Christmas designs, floral stylist Harriet Parry shared one trick we hadn't come across before.

Expert's secret to help you keep flowers fresh

'Fruit releases gases that cause the flowers to bloom and fade quicker than they should do,' says Harriet. 'So keep your arrangement away from your fruit bowl.'

Therefore, if you usually display your flowers in the kitchen, perhaps on the countertop or on a kitchen island, you may need to think again. Exposure to fruit such as bananas could shorten the life of your flowers - it makes a lot of sense given that placing a rogue, hard avocado near your bananas helps it to ripen.

Speaking of where to put them, it's a good idea to keep your flowers out of direct sunlight and away from heat (like near a radiator), as they dehydrate the blooms. You could incorporate fresh flowers into your hallway ideas as a way to greet guests with something calming as they walk through the door.

Harriet also recommends cutting 3 to 5 cm off the bottom of the stem, at an angle, to create more surface area for the flower to drink from. One thing we find really helps is to cut off the lower leaves on the stems so there are no leaves resting on the surface of the water or submerged underneath.

Removing any leaves that may have fallen into the water will also help to keep things fresh.

Changing the water daily is a simple but effective way to keep blooms happy - so try not to forget this easy step as it will really help. Each time you do, Harriet recommends recutting stems by 1cm.

And give your vase just as much attention as your blooms by giving it a thorough clean before displaying your flowers. Most importantly, take time to enjoy their wonderful colour and fragrance.