Trim Stems at a Straight Angle: Re-cut the stems straightly before placing them in water for optimal hydration.

Pro-tip from our experiences flower expert and florist Anette Nilsson: Keep the tulips in their wrapping the first hour when cut and placed into water to get the stems straight when they fill up the cells with water. 

Use Cold Water: Tulips prefer cold water; replace the water daily to keep it fresh.

Our flower expert Anette advises: Keep the water level in the vase low so that it just covers the lower part of the stems. Filling up the water a bit every day is better than adding a big amount of water at once. This is because when the stems are covered high in water, it stimulates the tulip to grow more which results in drooping blooms. 

Keep Away from Heat and Sunlight: Place the vase in a cool spot, away from direct sunlight and heat sources, as tulips are sensitive to temperature changes. 

Minimal Floral Food: Use floral preservative sparingly to avoid overstimulation of growth, as tulips continue to grow even after being cut. 

Support Stems: Tulips have a natural tendency to bend toward light, so arrange them in a tall vase for support and rotate the vase occasionally. 

Classic tulip vase with wavy rim 

When someone talks about a tulip vase, we often think of a vase with uneven and wavy edges. These are made especially for tulips. The shape gives them support as they stretch out towards the light. 

Old-fashioned Dutch tulip vases 

It used to be customary to put tulips in special vases with a separate hole for each flower. Such special vases were supposed to both show the beauty of the flowers and be a sign of wealth. Tulips were very expensive and were certainly not affordable by everyone. These typical Dutch vases used to be very common. Maybe you have been able to admire them in a museum?

Wondering what tulips represent? They carry varied meanings depending on their colour:

- Red tulips symbolise deep and passionate love.

- Yellow tulips represent happiness, friendship and cheerful thoughts.

- Pink tulips convey affection and good wishes.

- White tulips signify forgiveness and purity.

- Purple tulips symbolise royalty and elegance.

As the flower for spring, tulips are often associated with fresh starts and renewal, making them a popular choice for gifts and celebrations of life’s milestones. 

Tulips come in a wide range of varieties, categorised into different groups based on their bloom shape, size, and flowering time.

- Single Early Tulips bloom first in spring and feature classic cup-shaped flowers.

- Double Late Tulips are characterised by their lush, peony-like petals.

- Parrot Tulips have fringed, feathered petals that give a bold, exotic look.

- Fringed Tulips have petals with serrated edges, adding a unique texture.

- Triumph Tulips, a hybrid group, are known for their durability and vibrant colours, making them ideal for both gardens and arrangements. 

When tulips start drooping, this is usually down to dehydration! Although you’re keeping them in a vase of water, tulips have hollow stems which can become blocked with air bubbles. 

This trapped air blocks their water intake, causing them to droop. 

So, how to keep tulips from drooping? All you need to do is encourage them to drink up some more water. 

To do this, simply place the ends of your cut tulips in some boiled water for no more than 30 seconds and you’ll see them perk back up on their own! 

The heat will open up the stems, making them more permeable and able to absorb more water from your vase. This rapid intake of water can also help push the air bubbles out of the stem, meaning they’ll be more hydrated going forward. 

Tulips have a more delicate stem, so make sure you don’t keep them in the boiling water for more than 20 seconds – or you risk cooking them.

You may have noticed your tulips drooping in their vase, starting to fall sideways instead of facing up to the sky. So what can you do?

First, refresh your tulips by cutting their stems. You’ll want to use clean scissors to cut around 1 inch off, while cutting them at a 45 degree angle. This increases the surface area of the stems and will help with their water intake when they are back in your vase.

Use some freshly boiled water and simply dip the ends of your tulips in for around 10 - 30 seconds. Make sure you don’t exceed 30 seconds or your stems will start to disintegrate.

Refresh the water in your vase, filling it with 2-3 inches of room-temperature to cool water. Cool water helps your tulips stems stay firm after being in the heat.

The results won’t be instant. But within a few hours, your tulips should be back to standing up straight!