Question
Are hydrangeas difficult to use for a wedding bouquet?  First, will it be difficult
to get hydrangeas in march?  I want to make a round bouquet using an oasis
bouquet holder.  How long can I expect the blooms to last and is there anything
I can do to help make them last longer?

Answer
Hi.  First off, you should be able to readily order Hydrangea, but make sure you give yourself a good two week window to allow your supplier to locate them.  You'll pay a higher premium, but they can be found.  Now... to your second question; yes, they can be difficult to work with.  When not conditioned properly, Hydrangea will drop their head and not be very appealing.  You do have something working in your favor, though, since the stems are cut rather short for a bouquet, the florets actually support each other.  A good trick to try... make a fresh cut on the stem and IMMEDIATELY plunge into boiling (yes boiling) water for 10 seconds.  Then, IMMEDIATELY plunge into cool water ALL THE WAY UP TO THE NECK and leave them there overnight.  This helps force air out of the stem (which would otherwise pose a potential dam for the water to get through) and allows the flowers to take on more water then they are giving off... the very essence of conditioning.Be sure to order more than you need to allow you to choose the best of the best for the bouquet!