Oh dear. I think the problem is an 'air lock' from when you pick them to when you put them in water.
A florists' tip that my dad used to use (he grew dahlias to sell as cut flowers) was to dip the ends of the stems in a pan of boiling water. You would see the bubbles coming out of the stems, and when they stopped, you would put the flowers in the cold water they were to be arranged in.
I know it sounds daft, but it worked. ;D
valmarg
