Luo Songsong songsongluo@126.com MOST people love the sight of fresh flowers, but once cut from the plant, they usually don’t last long, and people might even feel a little depressed watching them wilt and die. A new method for preserving flowers can help them keep their freshness and soft texture thanks to a special liquid that can keep the flowers “alive” for two or three years. The technique makes it possible to preserve the flowers in their prime, and they only require very simple care. Since preserving flowers is a delicate and detailed job, preserved flowers are more expensive than fresh flowers. “When hosting a gathering or party, either at home or the office, floral decorations are a must-have to liven up the atmosphere. Flowers are also the epitome of love, happiness and devotion and make wonderful gifts for those you love,” said Dao Rui and Li Meizhi, two best friends who run a preserved flower shop called Flower and Alice. Since flower preservation is still a new practice in China, the preserved flowers produced domestically are not as good as those produced overseas, they said. Most preserved flowers sold in local shops are imported from Ecuador, Japan and the Netherlands. To make sure their customers get the most meaningful and unique gifts, the duo choose the boxes and flowers and tailor the arrangements to the needs of each client. “The flowers are arranged so that the gift box reflects the relationship between the giver and the receiver,” they said. To make the arrangements aesthetically pleasing, they will sometimes add dried plants, artificial pearls and other decorations. Sometimes they will add a miniature wooden guitar, a model airplane, a doll or tea bags to appeal to the customer. Besides the flower box, they also arrange the preserved flowers in a glass dome to create spectacular flower scenes. For those who’d like to DIY their own preserved flower box, they can buy the processed flowers wholesale at Flower World on Hongli Road in Futian District. | 