Preserving flowers at home

Flowers look beautiful in a home when the home owner takes good care of them in order to make them bring out the beauty he or she wants. Failure to preserve flowers makes them wither and lose their beauty.
Ms Olivia Mulumba has potted flowers on her house veranda. She says that she has always been watering them and picking out dry leaves twice a day.
“Flowers cannot stay without water because that is the only way one can preserve them for a long time,” she says.
Flower preservation combines both natural and artificial flowers and they both need care. For artificial flowers, Ms Patricia Upendo, the decorator and manager of Diplomazia in Bbunga, says that most of the flowers are put in flower pots and placed either on the table or in any desired corner of the inside the house.

Maintenance guide
She adds that different flower qualities go for different prices and are cleaned in a different way. For gold, one has to use a dust-blower to take off the dust.

“Most of the gold-like flowers are of broom and palm sticks that are designed and painted to suit the beauty of the home,” she says.

Ms Upendo explains that for other artificial flowers, they can be dipped in soapy-like water and later put in plain water. Thereafter, they can be hanged upside down so that the water dries up. One can also clean them using a cleaning or air spray to get rid of dust. They have to be cleaned properly while in use in order to preserve their life span.

Artificial flowers last longer more than fresh flowers if preserved well. “One has to preserve them well and while not in use, he or she must avoid folding and molding them in order to avoid fading and breakages,” she advises.

If the flowers are not in use, one should place a layer of tissue paper in a plastic box and lay them separately, then lay another tissue paper, put other flowers on top and continue until the process is complete. However, one shouldn’t crowd them in one box.

Mr Paul Nantamba, a dealer in fresh garden flowers, says one can preserve flowers by watering and pruning them whenever necessary. He adds that these flowers can be planted right in the compound or in the flower pots.
“After buying the flower, get a pot of a desired size, fill it with soil mixed with manure then fix the flower. Also, water the flower twice a day until it gets firm. Continue doing the same but as it grows, start pruning out the unwanted stems and grass so as to maintain the beauty,” he advises.
He says that the same can be done on flowers that are planted in the compound. There are different species that are put inside the house and those that are placed on the balcony or shade.

Flower types
Those that are put inside the house include; water lilies, fans, kariota, caritas and white grass. Flowers for the exterior are proton, clod line, monkey puzzle, alitalia, candle flow, lantana, faitus, rose, hibiscus, ken palm, bamboo and giranta.
According to Mr Godfrey Ssenyonjo, the manager God-Gracy decorators, cut fresh flowers can be preserved by putting them in a glass or pot of water and changing the water every day after cutting the stem at the extreme bottom.
He adds that one can use a flower oasis/ sponge after filling it with water. “Fill the sponge with water 12 hours before you fix the flowers so as to keep the flowers for a long time, it has to be with a lot of water,” he says.

Where to get them
Artificial and natural flowers can enhance any home furnishings whether they are used in pots or collections. There can be purchased from any flower dealer shops around town at an affordable price. Some of the places where one can purchase the flowers include Majestic Plaza, Pioneer Mall, and sure house Diplomazia and Bridal Centre in Bbunga. If one grows his or her own flowers the costs will be saved there more so he is in need of flowers for decoration.

Buying guide
Diplomazia and bridal centre in Bbunga
A bundle of 12 golden sticks costs Shs38,000
Half a bundle of six sticks cost Shs15,000
Other types with different colours cost between Shs5,000 and Shs8,000
interior flowers cost Shs5,000.
Exterior flowers cost between Shs2,000 and Shs 2,500 per stem.
Flower stands cost Shs14,000.
A table flower costs between Shs10,000 and 5,000 according to the size.
Cut fresh flowers prices vary according to size.
A bundle of Rose flowers cost Shs2,500.
A bundle of three stems of Mums cost Shs4,000.
A bundle of three stems of lillies cost Shs3,000.
A bundle of gipsal costs Shs3,000.
A bundle of six stems of carnation cost Shs5,000.
A bundle of 20 stems of kalipsal cost Shs5,000.