If you find there aren't many flowers in your garden for picking this Christmas then try using some simple, old-fashioned hydrangeas. They have flourished in the wet weather and are flowering well but need some special treatment for good vase life.

Cut your hydrangeas in the evening and scrape the bases of the stems up about 100mm then stand them right up to the flower heads in a bucket of cold water. Leave them overnight to have a good "drink'' and then arrange them in the morning.

Try to cut mature blooms that are fully open. Newly opened ...

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