Although you wouldn't necessarily know it by looking around, April is indeed Daffodil Month.

There's a distinct lack of the sunny spring blossoms in my Toronto neighbourhood—something that's largely down to that particularly brutal winter which has delayed bulb flowers across the country.

Spring's slow start is just one more reason to pop over to an Ontario Real Canadian Superstore or Loblaws location to pick up a live daffodil in support of the Canadian Cancer Society. For every $5 bunch sold, $2 goes to the Cancer Society, and you'll also receive that iconic daffodil pin that you can wear proudly to show your contribution to the cause.

And when those daffodils in your garden beds eventually do bloom, keep these helpful cut-daffodil arrangement tips from Loblaws' floral & gardening expert Peter Cantley in mind:

1. Daffodils last longer in shallow water. Put them in a clean vase with cool water, and change the water every couple of days.

2. The secret to keeping cut flowers looking good as long as possible is to minimize the growth of bacteria in the water and to provide nourishment to replace what the flowers would have received had they not been cut. Your best bet? A floral preservative. You can pick up packets of the stuff wherever you buy fresh cut flowers.

3. When daffodil stems are cut, they emit a kind of sap that can be harmful to other flowers. Soak the cut daffodil flowers alone in water overnight and then rinse the stems before arranging them with other flowers.

4. Display your flowers in a cool spot that's out of direct sunlight and away from heating or cooling vents.

5. Don't place daffodils (or any other fresh flowers, for that matter) near ripening fruit. Ripening fruit releases small amounts of ethylene gas that can age flowers prematurely.

Want to plant your own garden? Check out our ultimate spring planting and gardening planning guide.