Choose with the senses
Walk the stall once before buying. Look for straight stems, unmarked leaves, and buds just showing colour; the fully open bunch is a week further along its story. Crush nothing, but do lean in: scent is a legitimate selector.
Three or five stems of one kind, plus a leaf or two of something dark, make a posy that fits a jam jar and a Tuesday. Odd numbers arrange themselves; even numbers argue.
Condition before arranging
Recut each stem under running water at an angle, strip the leaves that would drink in the jar, and let the bunch rest in deep cool water for an hour before its final vase. Conditioning is the unglamorous hour that doubles the posy’s life.
Then arrange in the hand, cut to graduated lengths, and tie once loosely. The jar does the rest, and the shelf does the week.
Published by the Fiolella journal.