Question
I am making a bouquet out of roses and I am wanting very large blooms.  Can you tell me a quick way to get roses to open to a large beutiful bloom quickly?

Answer
Really, the nature of the flower is the biggest variable that comes into play.  Each variety has a number of attributes - some have many petals, others not so many.  Some blow wide open, exposing the center within just a day or two, others stay tight and never open.  Some roses carry very large heads, and others very small.  Some varieties tend to have weak necks and the heads will drop before the flower opens.  These are okay for use in centerpieces or bridal bouquets, where the length of the stem will not be of particular importance, but avoid these varieties if you're planning to keep the flowers in a vase.  It would be best to ask your florist for particular varieties that open nicely - flowers with large heads, and a lot of petals.  Each variety has a name, and your florist may have suggestions based on the color you are looking for.  Availability will have a lot to do with it, too.  Some brands are widely available, while others are scarce.

Once you have a brand that is grown to open fully, you can speed along the process by following a few simple rules, some of which you may know, already.

1.)  Cut the bottom of the stem under water, and remove at least 1".  This prevents air bubbles from getting in the stem, which prevents water intake and will cause the necks of the rose to wilt before the bloom ever opens.

2.)  Use a very sharp pair of scissors or a paring knife.  Using dull scissors or pruners can bruise the stem and collapse the xylem, the tubes in the stem that bring water up to the bud and leaves.  This will result in premature wilting, as well.

3.)  Keep the flowers in a warm room.  However, do realize this will also shorten the overall life of the flower.  I'd suggest doing this only if you are intending for your flowers to last for a specific event, like a wedding.

4.)  You might want to ask your florist about a product called Crowning Glory.  This is a spray that is applied to the bloom.  It helps prevent petals from losing moisture and becoming dehydrated, which will cause the petals to appear veiny and wilted.  Blooms that open are especially prone to dehydration, since the petals are widely exposed to the air.  

You can also prevent this by spraying blooms with water several times daily.

5.)  If blooms wilt prematurely, you can often get them to perk back up by soaking the entire flower, bloom and all, in cold water for an hour or so, and then cutting another inch off the bottom of the stem, under water.