Flowers add elegance to a room. Floral designer Rita Maggart offers tips on basic flower arranging. Always cut flower stems as soon as you get them home, then put flowers in a bucket of warm water and let them sit for 2 to 3 hours. This opens the capillaries so water can flow more readily to the flowerheads. Before arranging flowers, remove any leaves that would be below the water line. This keeps bacteria down and helps the water stay clean longer. To arrange flowers in a container with a narrow neck, first weave the flowers in your fingers as you want them to appear in the container (figure A). When you've carefully removed your fingers from the woven stems, the flowers will stay in place in the vase. Before putting them in the vase, cut all stems the same length. Finish adjusting the arrangement when the flowers are in the container (figure B). To arrange flowers in a container with a wide opening, place strips of transparent tape over the opening in a grid pattern (figure C). This will hold the stems upright, and the completed arrangement will hide the tape. Always buy irises at the bud stage. Irises open very quickly, and buying them in bud will give you maximum enjoyment. Change the water in your flowers every other day, or when it looks cloudy. To keep flowers fresh longer, spritz them with water, and keep the water level in the container consistently high. A ribbon tied in a bow around the container's neck adds a color-coordinating touch to a flower arrangement.
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