All cut flowers eventually die because their stems are blocked by air bubble or bacteria which prevent water form reaching the flower.

How do you prevent this from happening?
Avoid air bubbles lodging in the stem by carrying a bucket of water with you and placing each stem into a bucket of water immediately after cutting. Wilting is usually caused by an air bubble which stops the flow of water to the flower head causes it to flop.
Tip: Re cut and soak bought flowers in this way.

Woody stems:

Using a sharp knife, scrape 5cm off stem ends. Crush ends with stone or hammer. Please end in 10cm boiling water poured into a jug or tin and allow to stand for 20min or longer, allowing water to cool. Transfer to bucket filled with cold water and leave for 2-3 hours or overnight.

Hard stems:

Scrape 5cm off stem ends. Slit stem for a short way with a knife and place in 5cm boiling water for 10 min. Transfer to bucket filled with cold water and leave for 2-3 hours overnight.

Hollow stems:

Place stem ends in boiling water for 3min. Remove from water hold stems upside down and fill with water from jug. Plug ends with cotton wool and place in bucket of cold water for 2-3 hours with stem ends down. Cotton wool acts as a wick.

Soft stems:

Stand in 5cm of boiling water for 3-5min re cut under cold water and leave for 2-3 hours in bucket filled with cold water.

Milky stems:

Scrape 5cm off stem ends. Place in boiling water for 20 min or scorch stem ends with a candle or match flame. Transfer to cold water for 2-3 hours.

Tips:

Container plants may need watering more than once on very hot days. Feed fortnightly with a liquid fertilizer such as multifeed p. nitrosol, seagro liquid fertilizer.
Spared compost or bark nuggets around the roots or shrubs to reduce the need to water and weed
Water lawns if the weather is hot and dry, cut lawns once a week.
Feed with fertilizer especially formulated for lawns.
Watering after it.

Courtesy of Kay Montgomery