As we head into the much-anticipated event season after a long hiatus, we want to share this handy tip to add some WOW to your roses at your next celebration! Reflexing a rose or any flower essentially means unfolding the petals to achieve that beautiful open & full look! This is a technique many creatives in our industry use for opening flowers by hand, best used for one-day-only purposes such as wedding arrangements and bridal bouquets (as reflexed flowers won't have the same long vase life). 

Step-by-step Guide

1. Firstly, ensure your roses are NOT still budded, or the petals are still very tight as they will tear when you try to open them (no matter how gently you try!).  The best blooms are aged about 5-7 days and slightly dehydrated.

2. Blow strongly into the centre of the flower or twist vigorously between your palms to shake off any water, and to help open/loosen the petals from the inside. Large water drops will increase bacteria and cause browning on the delicate petals- never a good look!

3. Starting from the outside, where the petals curve in; carefully fold the petals back and down, working your way around the petals. Remove any brown or dead petals.

4. Reflex approximately 2-3 layers (or as many as you like!). You don’t want to open them all up, just the outside petals. You can also blow the remaining inside petals (that haven't been reflexed) to loosen them up as well.

5. Once you've reflexed your roses, spray the heads with a VERY FINE mist of water approximately 1m above the rose heads. As mentioned, too much water will cause brown petals, however, a light mist will ensure they stay fresh and hydrated in the lead-up to your event!

6. Trim your stems on a 90-degree angle to ensure the greatest surface area for drinking, and pop in a bucket with water. The water level should come up just above your cut. Ensure no leaves fall in the bucket as this will cause bacteria to grow inside the stem!