If you’re lucky enough to have a garden full of colourful flowers, you might be tempted to cut a few stems to enjoy indoors. This is an especially good idea if you spot a perfect flower with a broken stalk or want to rescue a flower struggling under its own weight.

Cut at least two inches off the base of the stem and place in lukewarm water rather than cold to limit any shock. Make sure there are no leaves below the water line and change water daily, keeping them out of any harsh environments.

These beautifully scented flowers should be placed in water immediately after buying or receiving and changed regularly thereafter.

The stem ends also need to be cut frequently to keep them looking their best and due to the woody nature, are best tackled with sharp secateurs.

Keep out of direct sunlight as Stocks can be particularly susceptible to mildew.

Summer temperatures can cause your hand-tied bouquet to wilt quicker that normal. A few quick tips to extend the life of your arrangement include changing the water regularly and using flower food with each refresh. Make sure your vase is spotlessly clean to keep any bacteria at bay and be quick to remove dead leaves.

Keep flowers away from the direct sunlight and choose to display them in cooler rooms. Finally, if you plan to be away a night or two, you can actually keep most flowers in the fridge!

The stems of hollow-stemmed flowers such as delphiniums need to be filled with water. Simply turn the flower upside down and pour water into the open cavity of the stalk. Place your thumb over the opening at the bottom of the stem and then put it in the water, trapping it inside and helping to keep the stem strong and straight.

Any bouquet arranged by us using delphinium will have had the stem conditioned in this way, but it will do no harm torepeat the process when refreshing your arrangement.

Also known as snapdragons, antirrhinums like to be kept cool, so keep them off the sunny parcel shelf on the way home (!) and display in a cool area away from direct sunlight.

Despite this, they like clean tepid water to drink and never to be too far away from it. Cut stems at an angle, about 1 inch from the bottom under warm running water, before placing them immediately in the vase.

You might be out enjoying your garden, but don’t forget about your indoor plants in summer. Make sure they’re not too exposed to sunlight and keep them away from the breeze of fans. Water whenever the soil feels dry, which you may notice occurs more often, and feed once a week.

Keep an eye out for pests which enjoy the warmer weather too. Finally, when you go away, don’t be tempted to leave them standing in water. Instead, give them a good drink in the sink, then lift them out to ensure the roots can breathe.