In the overall scheme of things, water makes the world go 'round. You can tell if a flower has received enough water by looking at the petals. Keep your fingers to yourselves, please, as the oil from your spotlessly clean hands is enough to damage delicate petals-- just look. Notice if the petals are smooth and velvety (some flowers like larkspur have a curly petal, which is normal, as opposed to dehydrated petals, which look more lumpy). Some blooms, like lilies, can actually appear deformed if they haven't gotten enough water. So what you're looking for, when you purchase flowers, is uniformity-- unless you're going for the ikebana look, which I'll talk about in a later post. You want the overall shape of the flower to be symmetrical, and the petals to be plump. If you think you see blemishes, look to see if they are all over the flower. If they are, it's probably the true shape of the flower-- anthurium, for instance, have little indentations all over the petal. If there is an area that is rougher than the rest, that could be a sign of dehydration. Most roses appear soft and velvety. If there are wrinkles on the petals, or if the veins appear enlarged, that could be a sign of dehydration. What can you do about it? For best results, choose hydrated flowers. If you have fallen in love with the particular variety, though, hydrate immediately. Do not go to the mall and shop for 2 hours while these blooms wait in your warm vehicle, go home right away, cut stems with your sharpest knife and place in clean vase with the appropriate amount of preservative and cool water. Even if you wait until later to arrange them to your liking, hydrate immediately.

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