There is nothing like flowers to brighten a room, and a floral centerpiece makes any dinner a special occasion. Although it is simple and convenient to grab a bunch of flowers at the grocery store, the quality of such a purchase is questionable. The blooms have traveled from the wholesaler to the warehouse and then to the store itself, taking precious time off their short lives. A better way is a stop at a local florist, selecting each flower individually and making your own bouquet to suit your decor and your needs. Buying by the stem is also cheaper and a lot more fun.

Carnations and alstroemeria are both long living flowers that come in a wide array of colors. Button poms and mums can remain beautiful for up to two weeks as well. Asiatic lilies, casa blancas and star gazers will all eventually bloom though not all the buds will open at the same time. However, if your intent is to enjoy your purchase for as long as possible, these are good buys as well. Roses, the most popular choice, don't last very long, though they do look wonderful for the few days they do. Gerber daisies are also varied in color, and their large single blooms make a dramatic statement in an arrangement, but their longevity is questionable.

The easiest way to start is by choosing a color you like or a particular flower that appeals to you. Then you add those blooms that either compliment your initial choice or contrast it. Of course you can just buy a quantity of your favorite flower, a filler (baby's breath, caspia, solidago or statice)and some greenery as well, plunk it in a vase and you're done. But there isn't as much challenge to that as there is mixing the selections your florist can provide.

Try and make the stop to your florist the last one on your way home. Cut flowers need water to survive and the bottom of the stems close within a few minutes after being removed from their water source and keeping cut flowers without water and in a warm enviroment like your car hastens their demise. You can get your flowers water tubed, attached with removable vials of water that will keep them fresh for over 24 hours, but it's an unnecessary expense to incur if you're going straight home. Also, your florist should also be able to provide you with a packet of flower nutrient that clarifies the water and extends your bouquet's life.

When you arrive home, you should cut the flowers again, as short as possible to fit your vase. The shorter the stem, the longer a flower will last. Start with the greenery, add your primary flower, then the complimentary and contrasting ones and end with the filler to plug the gaps. A general rule of thumb claims that an arrangement should be one and a half times higher than its vase, but rules were made to be broken, too. When you have the look you want remember to add water to the container each day, keeping your creation beautiful for as long as possible.