I’m not quite sure where their cheery magic stems from (pun intended), but few things make me happier than a $10 bouquet of roses from the Flower District in New York. With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I thought I’d share my tips for keeping flowers healthy and beautiful.

1. Take bouquet out of wrapper (Okay, this step is obvious).

2. Snip off the end of the stems (or more if you’re fitting the flowers into a short vase).

3. Create a grid using tape. This will keep the flowers spread out and in place. Then fill vase 1/4 way with fresh water.

4. Place flowers into the squares on your “grid”. Make sure to water daily!