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Archives for June 2007

Plant trunk looks like an Elephant’s Foot – What is it?

ask the expert

This plant sits on a co-workers desk. The trunk looks like an elephant’s foot.  Can you tell me what it is?

Danponytail.jpg

SAF Announces: Sales Tax Project Grants Two-Year Extension

SAF announced June 28th that an extension was granted on the sales tax issue concerning the taxation of wire services orders. Below is a copy of the article issued by SAF.

Sales Tax Project Grants Two-Year Extension

The Governing Board of the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP) voted for a two-year extension of floral rules on the taxation of wire orders at its Detroit meeting last week. This extension, which lasts until Dec. 31, 2009, was granted to allow the project time to establish long-term rules concerning the taxation of wire orders. In addition, once the long-term rules are decided it will give time for the states and the industry to prepare to implement those rules. This extension means that sales taxes will continue to be collected by the sending florist and remitted to the local taxing authority — just as it has been for many decades.

The SSTP was started eight years ago as an attempt by the states to streamline the sales tax process by agreeing to uniform definitions and rules concerning the collection of sales taxes. This is done to facilitate the eventual passage of Federal legislation that will require retailers to collect sales taxes based on the destination of the product. The change will allow the states to collect billions of dollars in sales taxes that currently are not collected on Internet and catalogue sales. This change will level the competitive field between traditional “brick and mortar” retailers and Internet sellers, as well as bring significant additional revenue to the states. In the interim, by agreeing on uniform definitions and rules, many businesses are voluntarily agreeing to collect those taxes now.

Currently 15 states are full members of the SSTP that have enacted legislation in their individual states to bring their law in compliance with the SSTP agreement. Those states are Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont and West Virginia. Seven other states are associate members and are working on becoming full members. Those states are Arkansas, Nevada, Ohio, Tennessee, Utah, Wyoming and Washington.

SAF and Teleflora have been involved in the project since June 2002, working on behalf of the floral industry by attending the meetings and participating in the various committees. FTD has also participated in the effort.

For information, contact SAF’s Drew Gruenburg at dgruenburg@safnow.org.

— Paul Goodman, SAF’s representative to the SSTP issue, and president of Floral Finance Business Services Inc.

Dividing A Peace Lily

ask the expert

How do you divide a peace lily? Mine has become enormous and unmanageable.
Thanks
Chris

Tropical Flowers: A Great Tribute To A Parrot Head

I attended a birthday party last night for a Parrot Head (a Jimmy Buffet Fan) and as you can imagine the decorations and drinks screamed “tropical”. The most impressive thing at the party was the margarita table and not because of the margaritas. The hostess had her local florist create a beautiful tropical flower arrangement for the table. The arrangement was similar to this one

parrot.jpeg but on a larger scale. This arrangement contains bird of paradise, anthurium, protea, horsetail, hypericum, curly willow & monstera.
The arrangement at the party also included ginger. The tropical theme was continued through out the party. Vases containing bird of paradise, ginger, protea and anthurium were also on the food table. It was nice to see someone using tropical flowers as a table decoration. We all tend to neglect using exotic or tropical flowers in favor of more traditional flowers. I love to Protea in a ginger jar. I would love to know how you use use tropical flowers?

Will Lucky Bamboo Harm FIDO?

ask the expert

I was wandering if Lucky Bamboo plants are harmful to cats & dogs? My co worker is looking in purchasing one.

Watering Lucky Bamboo

ask the expert

I was interested in learning how to take care of my lucky bamboo plant. You give good advise although you did not specify how often to water the plant or how much water is sufficient.
LJ

Calla Lily Can It Make Your Wife Happy?

Last week I was eating lunch with my husband, when one of his co-workers asked me if I knew what stage of pregnancy his wife was in. I said “about 7 months”. He shook his head no and replied, “I can do nothing right and she complaints that she’s fat and ugly”. I told him to be patient and that I wished I could help.

Sunday I was gazing at my garden when it came to me. Flowers! Flowers always make me happy. Then I had a real epiphany when I saw the Calla Lilies in my garden. He needed to send his wife Callas and the card could say “the flower of beauty for the beauty in my life.”

When you look up Calla Lily under flower meanings, it means beauty. Not only does Calla mean beauty; it is the essence of beauty with its velvety blossom and solid silhouette. In flower arrangements, it can be used to create a straight or curved line. Calla Lilies are also used to create form in a flower arrangement. Bloom size can range from 1″ to 6″ with stems 8″ to 30″ long. Calla Lillies are like a confident girl — standing proud and tall by themselves or mixing harmoniously with other flowers. Most people assume Callas are white only, however they come in shades of red, yellow, green, pink, purple and orange as well. The most appealing quality that a Calla Lily has as a cut flower is it’s long shelf life. Calla Lilies will last for a couple of weeks in a flower arrangement if taken care of properly.

The next time someone you know needs a little beauty in their life send them a Calla Lily bouquet. I’m having a bad hair day … hmm… maybe I need a Calla Lily flower arrangement.
callasm.jpg calla lily calla1.jpg Calla lilies from my garden

Lavender and the Pursuit of Happiness

We are constantly searching for good health and the pursuit of happiness. We crave the latest gadget, try the newest exercise trend and look for the cure-all drug, hoping they will make us healthy and happy. Sometimes, the simplest things in life can fulfill our pursuit of happiness and help us achieve good health. Flowers have always been a powerful influence in human health and happiness. In pursuing happiness, what could be easier than surrounding yourself with flowers?

Many believe the pursuit of happiness can only be achieved if one or more of the senses are involved. The Romans recognized that flowers had a therapeutic quality, both medicinally and spiritually. For centuries, lavender, particularly English lavender has been known to have medicinal, aromatic and culinary qualities. In their pursuit of happiness, the Romans used lavender in their bathing rituals, for cooking and as perfume for their linens and person. They also used it to maintain good health; realizing it had a calming influence and was a natural antiseptic.

In your quest for the pursuit of happiness and good health, take a look at lavender and it’s therapeutic qualities. A sweetly -scented tonic herb with many medicinal qualities, common or English lavender (Lavendula augustifolia) is an aromatic perennial plant popular in most herb gardens. English lavender has been used internally to relieve indigestion, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, tension headaches, migraines and bronchial complaints. Sunburns, rheumatism, muscular pain, skin complaints and insect bites have all been relieved externally with lavender. Although a lavender plant can become woody in nature and must be rotated every four years, the flowers and it’s oil can be easily harvested. As a result, English lavender is often used for calming and relaxing aromatherapy and high-quality perfumes.

The pursuit of happiness may be a constitutional right in the United States, but how can it be achieved? Start by removing the depression, anxiety and irritability in your life. Invest in lavender oil and create your own house of lavender aromatherapy, where an exquisitely-sweet, calming wave envelopes you as you walk through the door. Housework becomes enjoyable as the sweet smell of English lavender wafts through the air. Lavender oil used in aromatherapy triggers a comforting zone in the brain, removing the stresses of the day. With the stress and anxiety of the day gone, you’ll enjoy spending time with your family or taking a walk with your dog. Make sure the lavender oil is ready when you sit down to pay bills. A little calming aromatherapy will ease the anxiety of paying those bills.

Nervous tension, muscle aches and insomnia are detrimental to our good health, but lavender can send them far away. Step into a hot bath with lavender bath salts and within minutes, the nervous tension is washed away. The Latin meaning of lavender is “to wash” and wash away is just what lavender bath salt does – it washes away tension. The warmth of the bath and scent of English lavender opens the mind and relaxes the muscles. Often, happiness is found with an open mind and a relaxed body.

Aromatic qualities are great attributes, but who can resist something that appeals to our sense of taste? English lavender is a culinary experience that can turn the ordinary, into a work of art. Crystallized lavender flowers on a cake give the eyes something to feast on before the taste buds get their share. A soothing cup of lavender tea melts all your tension. The pursuit of happiness is achieved when every aspect of life becomes interesting. Taste buds are launched into a world of culinary interest when lavender flowers and oil are added to ordinary jams, ice creams and vinegars.

Sometimes the pursuit of happiness is more than our internal happiness; it is also the ability to spread happiness to others. Flowers have been an instrument in spreading happiness to others throughout the ages. In centuries past, lavender was given to newlyweds for good luck. It is known as the flower of devotion, and has been called the “love” herb because of its fresh clean scent and insect-repellent properties. Think about all the ways lavender can help you spread happiness to others. Give good luck to a newlywed couple with a lavender plant for their new home. Show your devotion on Valentine’s Day by burning lavender scented candles accompanied with a bouquet of lavender roses. Send a friend a spa basket filled with lavender bath products and a vase of iris. Loving your life and those in it is what the pursuit of happiness is all about. Good health is likely to follow when you have achieved the pursuit of happiness.

In your pursuit, visit your local florist. Many florists carry lavender aromatherapy products, lavender oils, lavender bath salts and spa products, as well as potted lavender plants. Florists caring gourmet food products often have lavender jams, teas and cakes. So, pursue happiness through your local florist who is ready to help you with your lavender needs and gifts.

Contributor: Jamie Jamison Adams

Where Can I Find Black Roses?

Ask the Expert: Where can I buy black roses?

My girlfriend’s favorite color is black. I want to send her some black roses but I can’t find them anywhere. I know I’ve seen them before.

All About Lavender.

Thursday, the Flower Shop Network newsletter for June will be emailed to everyone who has signed up for the newsletters. However, if you would like a sneak preview of the newsletter here it is Lavender and the Pursuit of Happiness.

If you have any comments or questions about the article, you can log them on the blog.