Below are Dale's responses to some of the questions sent in by visitors to DaleRohman.com. Dale can't respond to every email, but you can contact him at dalerohman@sbcglobal.net. Dale wants to hear from you!

Q. I received fresh roses for my birthday and have had them for four days. They have not yet opened. They are called "Raquel" and were purchased at a Florist's shop. Would you please give me some advice on how to assist them in opening?
Sincere thanks,
Susan

A. Re-cutting the stems and placing them in warm water will help. Also, spray the heads of the roses with warm water. It is important to know, however, that different roses "develop" in different ways. Some will open wide while others only open partway. From my experience, the "Raquel" does not develop into a full-blown rose.

Q. Can you recommend a book or books showing simple designs for the different holidays or seasons using the bouquets that you can buy at the supermarket?
Norma

A. My favorite is "Flower Arranging, A Step By Step Guide" by Susan Conder, Sue Phillips, and Pamela Westland. It's published by Mallard Press.

Q. I have recently purchased a eucalyptus wreath. How long should it last? It is turning white in places and seeming to dry on the tips, which is changing the shape of it. I didn't think this material would do this?
Thanks.
Ann

A. Fresh eucalyptus will dry rather quickly-especially out of water. And, because there is no water intake, the foliage will wilt and, of course, dry in that wilted state, causing the change of shape. Eucalyptus has a habit of altering its color as it dries-often fading from silver-gray to dirty white and even beige.

Q. What does the color of each rose stand for? Red is for love etc.
Brenda

A. Pink- "Grace"
Coral- "Desire"
Yellow- " Jealousy" and "Infidelity"
White- "I am worthy of you"
Red & White together- "Unity"
Burgundy- "Simplicity and Beauty"

Q. Hello Dale! I am very interested in making live topiaries. Do you have any ideas on how to make my own wire designs? Like what gauge wire, etc. Thanks in advance for any help.
Julia

A. I suggest a heavy gauge electrical wire (from the hardware store). Cover it with green "sheet moss"-holding the moss in place with green waxed-string (from the florist) and them shaping the wire into the desired form. My friend, Michael Ball has a good set of instructions in his book "Wire Magic" published by North Light Books. Good luck!

Q. How can I preserve the flowers in a flower bouquet? My daughter was in a wedding recently and we were wondering how we could keep her flowers preserved for her. They are just beautiful and we don't want to just throw them away. Friends of ours just said hang them upside down in a dark, cool place. Is that true? Thank you.
Patricia

A. Hanging (or air drying as it is referred to) is one technique. However, the flowers often lose their original shape and fade in color. Silica gel works best since it absorbs all of the moisture from the flowers (called desiccant drying). It's necessary to submerge the entire bouquet beneath the level of the gel (which can be "handmade" using sand and borax).

Due to the large number of questions Dale receives, he is unable to respond to each question personally. Instead, he will post answers to some of your questions here. Come back often-the questions and answers will be updated regularly.