Flowers: how they can boost your mood and memory and how to keep them fresh

How flowers can act as a tonic to boost us mentally through bonding hormones is only just now beginning to be widely understood.

Debra Bela

6 min read

May 1, 2021 - 6:30AM

News Corp Australia Network

Florist Saskia Havekes at her Potts Point shop with Sunflowers. Picture: Tim Hunter.

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Saskia Havekes is looking at a single rose placed artfully in a cut glass vase on her antique dining table.

“It’s called True Love,” says the florist who heads up the internationally regarded flower shop Grandiflora.

Saskia, who is considered Australia’s florist to the stars, says this delicate bloom is the perfect choice for Mother’s Day, which takes place on May 9. But this rose is, in fact, an excellent option on any day, either as a gift to someone you love or even yourself, especially if you’re feeling a little low.

For a single flower’s ability to reduce stress and promote social trust by helping release the ‘bonding hormone’ oxytocin has been widely studied. Research shows that flowers soothe jangled nerves and ease stress. That fact is widely acknowledged.

Saskia Havekes OF internationally regarded flower shop Grandiflora. Picture: Tim Hunter.

So much so that the native Australian Flannel Flower is used as the national symbol for Mental Health Awareness.

Flower Industry Australia chief executive Anna Jabour, is, unsurprisingly, a floral fan.

She favours the always elegant tulip, which she has vases of throughout her home – from her bedside table, to the bathroom, to the lounge.

“They make me feel relaxed and happy,” says Anna. Her comments come as no surprise to Saskia.

“Flowers are such a tonic,” she says emphatically.

“It’s all about bringing nature into a room and if you’re at home in a tiny apartment and can’t get out to the park, to have a vase of greenery with fresh flowers is something very special,” she adds.

Saskia specialises in grand, oversized floral creations with plenty of white blooms and dusty overblown pink roses, trailing ivy and even huge magnolias. Think dramatic, elaborate extravaganzas. But in recent months Saskia’s customers have made a dramatic turnabout and are instead opting for simple, sunny flowers that light up a room, in particular sunflowers.

“Sunflowers have become a real thing,” says Saskia.

“They’re a flower of hope and joy. They’re like a big smile.”

This sudden desire for sunflowers is likely driven by the pandemic.

Poppies have grown in popularity. Picture: Claire Takacs

SURGE IN DEMAND FOR FLOWERS AT HOME

When the Australian way of life changed overnight in March last year and the country went into lockdown, florists stood in empty shops and wondered what role flowers would play in this new COVID world. But within weeks, orders started flooding in. The directive to work, rest, study and play at home, coupled with not being able to physically visit loved ones, led to a surge in demand for flowers to carry messages of love.

We also began buying flowers for ourselves so that we could pep up our homes. And it turns out we were on to something.

A recent international study for Flower Council of Holland found 60 per cent of consumers reported that flowers have made their living and home working environment more pleasant. Something we all need.

For the first time in 26 years, Saskia’s business Grandiflora has been delivering more flowers to people’s homes than to their workplaces, and it’s a trend that shows no signs of slowing.

“People are not going back to work five days a week,” she says.

“They are spreading themselves between the workplace and home, and are more heavily weighted in favour of home. And it’s really nice to receive flowers at home.”

International research shows that of the one in five consumers who turned to flowers during the pandemic, 60 per cent say will continue to buy the same quantity of flowers both for themselves and others throughout the next six months.

For the first time in 26 years, Saskia’s business has been delivering more flowers to people’s homes than to their workplaces Picture: Tim Hunter.

“Without a doubt this has been good for local growers,” says Saskia.

“The industry shrank so much when international imports arrived, now people are turning to local growers.”

Melbourne florist Michael Pavlou says we’re currently spending between $10 and $100 on blooms a week, with native blooms a hotly sought-after item.

“There’s been a huge increase in demand for flowers over COVID,” says Michael, who suspects this is directly connected to the fact that people are not travelling overseas and have more disposable income.

It’s expected that Australians will spend more than $100 million on flowers for Mother’s Day next weekend, according to the FIA. Your mum will love you for it and our growers, too.

But perhaps consider buying some for yourself also. Research shows that flowers have immediate and long-term effects on mood and who wouldn’t want a little of that.

Florist Sonia Bitmead with her daughter Molly, 12, at their flower farm at Karalee. Pics Tara Croser.

TIPS TO LOOK AFTER YOUR FLOWERS AT HOME

– Change the water every second or third day to keep it clean and recut the stems to stop them sealing over. This could give help you get an extra 3-4 days out of your flowers

– Clean off any greenery that sits in the water. It makes the water go rancid faster.

– Put half a Milton tablet in the water when you change it. You will find this at a chemist. It is a mild bleach and is used to clean babies bottles. It keeps water fresh and clean and helps with the longevity of the flowers.

– Avoid draughts, direct sunlight and heat unless you are trying to force buds to open for a specific occasion. If this is the case, put a little tepid water in the vase and this will accelerate bud-opening, particularly in lilies and tulips.

– Buy three vases: a small vase for the bathroom or near the bedside or the entry to the home on a little side table; a good sized glass vase big enough to hold a couple of bunches of lilies; and a vase that expresses your personality or one that has been gifted to you that may be an unusual shape or is ceramic or black or frosted.

23/08/17 A bouquet of native Australian flowers which is grown by Australian Wildflowers in Laharum on the western side of the Grampians. Picture: Aaron Francis/The Australian

HOW TO ARRANGE FLOWERS IN A VASE

– Start with a skeleton of greenery and place flowers into the skeleton so they are anchored. A base of Buxus creates good structure and then you can put in roses that are supported by the strong greenery.

– If you do not have greenery, choose enough of one type of flower to fill the vase. If you are budget conscious, try two bunches of tulips and the vase should hug the tulips so they don’t tip out.

– Don’t be afraid to take the band off a bunch of flowers and rearrange them in a vase, or separate them to use in different parts of the house.

– And don’t be afraid to cut long stems and put flowers in a smaller vase. Lillies can be cut down really short for effect in smaller vases.

– Marigolds and jonquils can work like bananas and ‘ripen’ other flowers more quickly so keep them separate.

HOW LONG SHOULD CUT FLOWERS LAST?

Roses: One to two weeks. They respond to a lot of care. Don’t leave their stems exposed. Some people cut roses under water so they don’t get a bubble in the stem.

Orchids (especially phalaenopsis) and hydrangeas: Orchids last 4-6 weeks and Hydrangeas around a week. To get an extra week out of them when they start to go soft, sink the entire head of the flower underwater in a bucket overnight or for a full day with their stems in the air.

Fragrant roses (especially Mr Lincoln), freesias, lily of the valley and gardenias: They may only last a couple of days but are enjoyed for their perfume and highly prized for special events.

Australian natives: A flannel flower lasts a few days. A desert pea may last a day. The flowering gum could last four days. The banksia and waratah can last up to two weeks, and eucalypts anywhere from 3-8 weeks. Kangaroo Paws last generally no longer than 3-4 days.

Source: Saskia Havekes, Grandiflora