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Trim an inch or two off every stem with a clean cut. If it's a woody stem — hydrangea, for example — split the stem at the bottom. It'll help...

If you're cutting your own, do it early in the morning because they don't like to be cut during the heat of the day. But flowers from a grocery store's...

If it's a tight arrangement or if you've got a tape grid across the top, put the water — room temperature — in the vase first. If it's a loose...

Before you snip your first stem, think it out. What is this arrangement for and where is it going? Placement: If it's a centerpiece at a dinner table: Don't exceed...