The Classic Flower Experiment

I finally bought some white flowers so we could get back into the science experiment book we bought. Why I have a compulsion to go in order, I don't know. Guess I just figure it will be easier to keep track of what we have done. Looking at the whole bunch in water before we started, I asked Orion to notice how only the bottom of the stem was in water, but the whole flower seemed fresh. I asked if he thought the water was getting up to the top somehow, and he said no.... So I said we should find out by putting them in colored water. He had fun cutting the stems and putting the food coloring drops in. He really wanted to put them all in color, and I got to explain the concept of a control and why we needed to leave some in plain water. The book suggested roses and carnations, but all Trader Joe's had were gerberas, so now we wait and see....