Happy Thanksgiving from Flower Shop Network!

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It's not every day that you meet an incredibly down-to-earth, warm florist. Well, ok, for me it is. However, people in and near Bracebridge, Ontario, Canada might be missing this golden opportunity. Well guys, meet Bracebridge's warm and friendly florist, Cindy Rushton of CR Flowers & Gifts.

Though we could toot her horn all day, we asked for a few sounds from Cindy herself. Here's what she had to say about CR Flowers & Gifts:

Welcome to CR Flowers & Gifts.I am a new florist in downtown Bracebridge, the heart of Muskoka. We offer a full flowers store specializing in weddings funerals sympathy work. We have contemporary, traditional, tropical arrangments & hand tied bouquets, tropical gardens and live plants. We also have gift baskets, balloons and plush.I offer an everyday price of $24.99/dozen roses.

We deliver to Bracebridge and the surrounding areas like Bala, Port Carling Port Sydney Minnett Gravenhurst Baysville and Windemere. We offer free delivery to South Muskoka Memorial Hospital, Reynolds Funeral Home, Senior Homes and to Universay and Colleges in Bracebridge. In our store we also offer hand made cards and a variety of gifts. Please come in to see us at CR Flowers & Gifts.

If you plan to visit Bracebridge, live there, or are passing through, stop in and say hi to Cindy. You'll be glad that you did!

Cornucopias are awesome. They are unique, beautiful and bountiful. They are traditional representations of Thanksgiving. What's not to love?

Did you know that the cornucopia is rich in history and is as much as strong symbol of Greek mythology as it is a representation of the American Thanksgiving? Yeah. I didn't either until I began to search for ideas online that my local florist could use. I'm not super crafty so I figured I'd rely on the experts for this one. That aside, here's a brief history of cornucopias.

A Brief History of Cornucopias: (told you)

The cornucopia's (Latin:  cornu copiae) history can be traced as far back as the fifth century B.C. Obviously that's a bit longer than the early days of the American colonies. Though the mythology varies after centuries of retelling, Greek legend has it that the first cornucopia belonged to Amalthea. If you ever wondered who nursed Zeus as a baby, it was the nymph Amalthea. She used a goat's horn that had broken off and filled it with her breast milk so that Zeus could suckle.

One legend states that Amalthea was a goat herself and the horn was hers broken off by Zeus as they were playing together. He felt bad and gave it back to her,now retrofitted with supernatural powers. The power, as all of the legends concur, had the ability to fill itself with whatever the owner wished. It became a symbol of plenty and that's how it earned many of its nicknames.

See? The story is really quite interesting. I wonder how many of the pilgrims knew the legend and used cornucopias for this reason (their representation of plenty, abundance). As they were religious pilgrims under the Christian religion, I doubt they modeled their celebration after Greek mythology but it's an interesting speculation nonetheless. What do you think?

This Thanksgiving, why not decorate your table with a plentiful cornucopia surrounded by fresh flowers. Not only will the fragrance smell as good as dinner, but it will also be a festive decoration that will be a surefire conversation starter.

To buy cornucopias for your table, use FlowerShopNetwork.com to contact your local florist. You may also click the picture of your favorite cornucopia to buy one from your local florist. Read the rest of this entry »

Hi Jamie,

For those who missed last year's December birth month flower post, here's a quick recap. The birth month flower of December is the daffodil (Narcissus).

See? Told you it'd be quick.

Daffodils are awesome flowers. They are attractive, come in many colors, and have none of the qualities of the person for which they're named. In case you don't know the story, Narcissus is a figure in Greek mythology who was so enthralled with his own beauty that he could not fully love anyone else. It's a very interesting story that, despite many narratives, always ends in a white flower growing in the spot where Narcissus died. Narcissus can be either yellow or paper white hence the name.

Even if you're not into Greek mythology, the daffodil is an amazing flower that adds instant beauty to an arrangement. Want a true touch of yellow without going to sunflowers or daisies? Try paper white daffodils (Narcissus). Want the butter yellow color of a buttercup in a more prominent bloom? Choose yellow Narcissus. Either way, the gift is one that everyone will love.

Birth month flower arrangements are very popular with younger generations who desire uniqueness. If you need to buy a gift for someone who likes quirkiness, ask your local florist to arrange a birth month flower arrangement using daffodils. Your florist will welcome the challenge and your friend/family will love the drop of sunshine!

Want to send birth month flower arrangements for another month? Use Flower Shop Network to contact your local florist for more birthday flower ideas.

Flower Shop Network recently learned of one florist's creative idea for a post-Halloween celebration. Two big thumbs up to Family Roots Nursery in Dale Indiana for bringing fun, family, and florists together!

Andrea Peters of Family Roots Nursery shared her story of the "Witches Night Out" party that they threw for their customers. We were so excited about the idea that we knew we had to share it.

This year our shop hosted a "Witches Night Out" party for our customers.  It was a great opportunity to liquidate remaining fall & Halloween merchandise to prepare for Christmas.  We had specials all thorough the shop, witches brew, refreshments, door prizes & free broom parking.  Door prizes were awarded to the best dressed witch & best decorated broom. Attached is a photo of the dressed up employees (L-R Owners Aaron & Andrea Peters, Sue Kissling employees).  The event was considered a success & a good night to just have clean fun!!  Our customers are already asking if it will be an annual event!!

What creative thoughts are flowing through your head? Flower Shop Network is always happy to share a fun idea that helps show how creative florists are. If you have an idea, please comment below or email bjackson@flowershopnetwork.com.

Flower Shop Network is catching wind of the newest trend in florist talk. The holiday gift-giving season is back which means there are a lot of fraudulent orders and scam orders floating around. Don't be alarmed! We've heard the rumors too and want to make sure that you're protected from sending/receiving a fraudulent order. Here are tips that will help keep you safe from scam this holiday season.

• Scrutinize unusually large or hurried orders. Almost all fraudulent orders tend to be larger than average. Though some appropriate instances call for large orders, note particularly large and hurried orders.
• Verify sender contact information. Make sure that the sender has listed a contact phone number, physical address (which can be verified on Google Maps), and other information that lets you know you are dealing with a REAL person.
• Pay attention to the signature on the credit card. Make sure that the signature on sender's credit card matches the signature of the sender. Also, make sure that the signature is a real name and not an obvious nick name.
• Do not accept foreign (Non US or Canadian) credit card orders. Approximately 30% of all foreign orders are fraudulent.
• Note the email address and corresponding mail server. Take particular note if the account is a setup under a free server such as Yahoo! mail, Gmail, and others or a very strange server as these can be obtained by anyone anywhere.

You may also be interested in these posts:

Quick and Easy Ways To Spot Fraudulent Orders
FSN Applauds Tennessee's Consumer Protection Efforts
Why Sending Flowers Online Is A Good Idea

Ask the Expert: Hi,

I have a question about caring for my lucky bamboo plant.  I have had the plant for 2 and a half years, and the branch has gotten so large that it cannot even stand up straight anymore because of the weight.  It seems like the base node of the stalk is too thin to support it, though it is green and looks healthy.  What would you recommend?  Should I try to find some kind of wooden pole for support.  Your advice is highly appreciated.

Best Regards,
Alaina Kiskaddon

Plant Expert Reply:

Lucky bamboo stalks that are flimsy because they are too long need to be topped.  This gives you a great opportunity to create new stalks.

Before you top your lucky bamboo, you will need a few things: a sharp knife, rooting hormone, a container for the new stalks, and a water mist bottle.  I recommend using distilled water with lucky bamboo, but you can use tap water. If you use tap water it will need to aerate it overnight  before you use it.

Once you have assembled your tools, determine how short you want your existing stalk to be after you top it.  Now find a node close to the height you want the stalk to be.  The node is the raised ring on the lucky bamboo stalk.  Cut the lucky bamboo stalk off an inch above the node.  The part that is still attached to the roots will form new leaves and the part (top) that is left will become a new lucky bamboo stalk.  Dip the cut end of the top in rooting hormone and let dry.  When the rooting hormone has dried, place it in the new container filled with water.

In a couple of weeks the top will develop roots.  In a few weeks the existing stalk will form leaves. However, to help the leaves form you new leaves you will need to mist the stalks.  Start misting the stalk a couple of days after you have topped it.  Mist it once or twice a day until the leaves form.

You can create new stalks any time by repeating the process. Good luck and keep me posted.

Picture of a lucky bamboo node.

If you aren't the greatest chef in the world you can still bring a cool hostess gift to a Thanksgiving dinner. Thanksgiving flowers are a staple at the dinner table and around the home. What could be more festive than giving thanks for ALL of the harvests (flowers included) by bringing along a fall bouquet?

Now there are many types of flower arrangements that you can bring to a Thanksgiving dinner or party. To know which is right when talking to your florist, consider two things. First, consider the nature of the event. For instance, an elaborate dinner party may be beautifully decorated for fall. A simple "thank you" Thanksgiving bouquet will be a lovely reminder to the host and a good display for other tables throughout the home.

Next, consider the personality of the host/hostess. If they like opulence, over the top is better. Are they more contemporary or traditional? These things will help your local florist create a beautiful arrangement perfect for the occasion.

Want a visual idea to show your florist? Take a gander (bad pun-sorry) at these Thanksgiving flowers.

"Bountiful Cornucopia" pays homage to the traditional decorations of Thanksgiving. Cornucopias represent abundant bounty, good fortune, and blessings. In other words, perfect sentiments for your host or hostess.

Over the top Thanksgiving gatherings deserve the "Orange Opulence" flower basket. This simple but beautiful arrangement fills the room with the warm, earthy colors most associated with fall.

For some reason, contemporaries seem to gravitate to the "Contemporary Thanksgiving Flowers" arrangement. Go figure.

It may not be a waterfall but the "Cascading Splendor" Thanksgiving arrangement lives up to its name. It is contemporary beauty and style in a simple glass vase.

What's Thanksgiving without a candle wreath? Aside from a cornucopia, fall flowers surrounding warm colored candles are at the top of the list of popular Thankgiving flower arrangments. The  "Abundant Beauty" fall centerpiece puts a modern spin on the classic and is perfect for any table.

The "Amber Sky" of fall is one of its most glorious features. As a tribute to the splendor of the heavens, the "Amber Sky" fall flower arrangement reaches out with warm rays of sunshine through the whole meal.

Sometimes to make a point you have to put your money where your mouth is and that is what a handful of florists did last week. Cheryl Bakin of Parkway Florist, Clay Atchison of McAdams Florist and Lisa Greene of Nunan's Florist have been long-standing proponents of funeral flowers.

However, simply stating a fact — flowers are comforting or flowers make a funeral service special — doesn't always effectively make the point. So these creative florists, along with Melissa Mega of The Ivy Green and Kathy Dudley of The Bloomery, decided a picture was worth a thousand words.

Last month they attended the National Funeral Directors Association convention in Boston, painting a very important picture — flowers and funerals go together like peanut butter and jelly. Each taste good on its own, but together the taste is awesome.

With the kind and generous support of Smithers Oasis, Delaware Valley Floral Group and Pioneer Wholesale, the florists created several sympathy flower arrangements which gave the attendees a better picture of why funeral flowers are important.

Although I didn't attend the convention, I know the attendees experienced a WOW moment at the florists booth. If the flower arrangements were half as amazing as the descriptions Cheryl gave me, anyone walking up to the booth would be blown away.

Cheryl was kind enough to give me a run-down on the events at the convention. I thought I would share an excerpt of the design process. Maybe this will give you ideas on how to effectively communicate the importance of funeral flowers.

Contemporary Casket Spray

In less that 5 short hours, including the time to decide what containers we were using, what vignettes we were making, and which

Read the rest of this entry »