If you want to preserve cut stemmed flowers like Lilacs etc., cut them right below the flowering bloom or blooms and then float them in a decorative bowl, instead of putting them in a vase. Stemmed flowers ( the stem portion looks like bark instead of a green stem ) won't suck up the water from a vase. By cutting them just below the flowering portion and floating them they will last 3 to 4 times longer, ( usually a week or so ) if you do it this way.
