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Almost all cut flowers sold in the US are now grown in Columbian greenhouses and shipped in by air. Different florists and stores will have different delivery dates. ASK when new shipments are due. Here in Colorado, Safeway foodstore offers the very best deal on cut flowers -14 roses for $9.99 - and they generally have a weekly special, in addition. Because of the Columbian thing, seasons don't mean too much anymore, but now is indeed a good time for daffodills, tulips, and iris which are more likely to be domestically grown. These flowers should NOT be put in any preservative mix - just cut the stems on a slant and put in a vase of water that is room temperature. Cut stems and change water daily for longest lasting blooms.
All other types of flowers should have stems cut on a diagonal and put in a vase of fresh water with a pack of the floral preservative that most shops offer for free. Again change water and re-cut stems daily. When I worked at the botanic gardens in Denver, their head horticulturist always used to say, "Never put flowers in a container that isn't clean enough that you wouldn't drink out of it." Its a good rule of thumb. If you can't for some reason get a hold of those little floral preservative packs, add a half teaspoon of sugar and a drop of bleach per quart of water. Beleive it or not, a penny placed in the bottom of the vase will also help your flowers remain perky.
Longest lasting blooms - carnations and algostamias and baby breath.
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