To preserve the freshness of the millions of delicate flowers and plants for the Rose Parade, volunteers rely on refrigerated transport, rigorous planning of the assembly stages, and the use of individual water vials.
Assembly takes place in huge, climate-controlled warehouses located throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
Each fresh rose is prepared by hand, inserted into a small water-filled plastic vial, and then attached to the float's structure.
To prevent the plant materials from drying out, volunteers wait until the final 48 to 72 hours (starting December 29) to install the fresh flowers.