Care and Conditioning tips for cut garden roses

Why do garden roses arrive closed?

Garden roses are bred and grown to open beautifully after cutting, just as they would on the plant. To ensure they reach you safely, they are harvested at a carefully selected cut stage, treated with a post-harvest solution and rehydrated in cold storage.

The roses are then graded and packed. Each farm has its own process, but the flowers are usually protected with tissue or a sleeve before being wrapped tightly in cardboard, known as an SFK. This protects the delicate rose heads during transport and helps prevent them from opening too early.

The roses then enter the cold chain and begin their journey from the farm to Parfum Flower Company, your wholesaler and, finally, to you.

What to do when your garden roses arrive

• Unpack them immediately: Remove the roses from their boxes as soon as possible.

• Remove the plastic sleeves: Plastic can trap moisture around the roses, so remove all plastic sleeves straight away.

• Leave the SFK in place: If your roses arrive with an SFK cardboard wrap, leave it around the rose heads while they take up water. This supports and protects them during their initial hydration. If they arrive without an SFK, don't worry. We deliberately remove the wraps from varieties that need a little more encouragement to open.

• Cut and hydrate the stems: Recut the stems and place them into thoroughly cleaned buckets filled with fresh water and flower food. Leave them in a chiller or cool space for at least four hours.

• Remove the SFK:  Once the roses are fully hydrated, remove the cardboard wrap and remove any unwanted foliage.

• Give them plenty of room: Do not overcrowd the buckets. Garden roses need space around their heads to open without becoming damaged.

• Keep the guard petals: You may notice marks or damage on the outer guard petals. Leave these in place while the roses open, as they protect the softer petals inside. Remove them only when you are ready to use the roses.

• Allow plenty of time for opening: Move the roses into a room-temperature space and allow up to four days for them to open fully. Once they reach the perfect stage, return to the cold store until you are ready to use them.