Ask the Expert: removing English Ivy from inside walls?
My 5-year old English Ivy plant died (I drowned it!), and I removed it’s vines from my walls. It had grown up, and along 2 interior walls, around some windows, and across some shutters. As I was removing the vines, some of the “feet” (mini-roots) stayed behind. How do I get these off the painted walls and the painted wooden shutters without ruining the paint? Jean
Whether decorating for a Thanksgiving dinner with family or simply enhancing the rest of your fall decor, try these wonderful blooms when contacting a local florist for fall flower arrangements, holiday centerpieces, autumn wreaths and more.
Colorful Fall Flowers Really Make Autumn Come To Life!
Tulips are one of those classic flowers that you just must receive at least once in your life. If your sweetheart hasn’t received an arrangement of tulips before, get cracking!
Most people hear of tulips and immediately picture fields of Dutch tulips, windmills and tiny wooden shoes. However, tulips represent so much more than just Holland. The flower meanings of tulips are also some of the most powerful expressions of love and adoration that can be expressed with flowers. Arrangements of tulips represent the perfect lover and frame. But just wait. The flower color meanings associated with tulips make them even more special. Red tulips express extreme sincerity and are a declaration of love.Do you love to make your sweetheart smile? Send an arrangement of yellow tulips which says “There’s sunshine in your smile.”
It’s hard not to adore the sender of gorgeous and colorful flowers, especially one who invested so much extra effort in giving a meaningful gift. Tulips are beautiful, colorful and meaningful—just what she’s always wanted in a birthday or anniversary gift.
Lori, lead designer at Flowers Insolita of Huntington New York, recently walked away with high marks and awards in a contest organized by an online community of floral professionals. “Flower Chat” asked the participants to create a non-traditional arrangement of a dozen roses just to see a few creative ways to forego the spring vase and baby’s breath this year. After seeing Lori’s arrangement, I’m not at all surprised that her dozen roses design received the praise that it did.
Lori’s dozen roses arrangement mesmerized audiences with an incredible display of balance, beautiful color, tranquil and inspiring appeal, and clever use of materials. This truly stunning arrangement inspires anything but the traditional idea of a dozen roses arrangement in a way that is so awe-inspiring that you may want to schedule your lunch break around looking at and discussing this design. Yes–it’s that good.
Lori’s design does not limit the roses to a single vase but instead spreads their beauty across zen-inspiring materials that instantly take the viewer on a trip through his or her mind’s eye to a meditation room in the middle of a tropical garden during the early morning. The gorgeous way that these roses are designed is so clever and interesting that any woman would be lucky to receive something so unique from her sweetheart. Every other woman receive roses this year? It’s ok. The lucky woman to receive something so spectacular would still feel incredibly special and as unique as the design.
Way to go, Lori! Way…to…go.
Like many wishing to find a unique birthday gift, I’m often torn when shopping for my friends that have a birthday in late October or November. Exiting the fall and entering the winter, this time of the year makes gift giving a somewhat daunting task. Thankfully this year I have found an idea for a creative birthday gift.
As my birthday falls on October 23rd, I’m caught on the dividing line between Libra and Scorpio. In some publications I am listed as a Libra while others have me noted as a Scorpio. These are very conflicting zodiac personalities with almost no noticeable similarities. Between this and the weather that follows the changing of the seasons, I know the difficulties of finding the perfect gift well. The humorous thing in all of this is that the Libra sign is represented by scales as individuals with a greater sense of balance and justice. The power-hungry nature of the Scorpio sign of which I’m on the verge can quickly throw my scales off-kilter. What fun!
The solution as I see it is to send a flower arrangement whose flowers denote certain astrological signs and time of the year. This is a very creative way to show someone how special they really are. For people like myself it is an unexpected treat. The zany mixture of flowers such as dahlias, gardenias, tea roses, gladiolus, and orchids (Libra) with the beautiful blooms of gerbera daisies, marigold, and sunflowers (Scorpio) provide a very quirky and colorful present for fall birthdays.
Scorpios are well known for being energetic, active, devoted, ambitious, thoughtful, and optimistic. (Not entirely bad qualities to draw from when I’m listed as a Scorpio.) Scorpios are very goal-oriented and patient. For friends and family with these qualities, a croton plant may be just the right gift as it has a longer life than cut flower arrangements but still provides the home with the same unique and dominating beauty as the Scorpio.
For both the fiery and passionate Scorpio as well as the cool and balanced Libra in your life, visit your local florist today to create an astrological flowers arrangement that is out of this world!
Ask the Expert: What flowers/colors will be in for Jan weddings
What flowers and colors will be “in” for January weddings?
Ask the Expert: Century plant, night blooming series
A cousin of mine gave me a (ugly plant), she called it night blooming plant, hers never bloomed.
I kept the on she gave me in a gallon ice cream bucket, with soil and water absorbent filler, watered and fertilized regularly, and in 2007 it bloomed on my closed-in porch. A very beautiful white bloom, about 6′ or more across/around. This year it had 2 blooms in August and one again this Month, October 2008.
My question is: what is the real name? Joan
See Attached Photo
Read the rest of Night Blooming Plant With White Blossom Is A Mystery »
Ask the Expert: does the temperature affect the growth of-an indoor plant?
hi, my name is Michaela, i’m in seventh grade, and i’m doing a science project on;
the effect of room temperature on the growth of indoor plants.
Read the rest of Temperature and Indoor Houseplants »
Ask the Expert: Peace Lily Care
The care of several new chapel plants (very low light) was recently given me. I know little about plants, but have read about the peace lily, since there is a lovely one in the chapel. The plant looks very green and healthy, despite the lowness of the light and the fact that from what I can tell, it’s been quite overwatered (daily waterings and it has even been left to sit in the excess water at times). The plant was only bought from a Home Depot about 8-10 weeks ago. Its original blooms are gone and the new blooms and brachts are much smaller and almost deformed looking (perhaps due to the light and water situation). Anyway, all this is a long winded way to ask whether I should slowly wean it off the excessive watering, or just go cold turkey and cut the watering. Or perhaps this particular plant appreciates excess water. What would you recommend? I would hate to damage the plant that was just given over to me for care. Thanks, mz
The thought of grave blankets may not conjure up the snuggly memories that it implies, but these pretty bits of greenery bring color to wintry graves and warm the hearts of visitors. When the colorful and delicate flowers of spring and summer have faded, grave blankets (or grave swags) provide very tasteful decoration during the winter months.
Using grave blankets was once primarily a Midwestern tradition delivered to the area by the Scandinavians that settled in the region. The popularity of using grave blankets quickly spread and is now a traditional practice in holiday decoration, especially among smaller towns. Much the same way that a wreath of pine, baby’s breath, poinsettias and more decorate doors in the winter, grave blankets provide a beautiful decoration during a time when fragile fresh flowers may not be able to withstand frigid winter temperatures.
Communication with a local florist is very important. Often local florists are more familiar with the customs and traditions of local cemeteries. Experience with local funeral homes helps local florists develop a familiarity with the local sextons and cemetery rules that may by very helpful and otherwise foregone.
Ordering or sending grave blankets is as easy as sending grave flowers. However, there are a few things that you need to know before contacting your local florist. If sending grave blankets to a friend or family member
in another town, be sure that the recipient is aware that the gift is being prepared. Grave swags are showings of respect and must be placed on the gravesite by a loved one. Because of this and cemetery rules enforced by local sextons, most florists require any grave flowers and decorations to be picked up from the store. To make sure that everything proceeds smoothly, have the recipient’s contact information ready when contacting a local florist.
Whether buying grave blankets from a local florist for your own loved one or a friend, make sure that the cemetery allows this type of grave decoration. Many cemeteries are very particular especially if the gravesites are housed in a private cemetery. Contact the cemetery director for more information. The phonebook isn’t always the best help in finding these good people. Contact your City Hall officials for more information or further contact information before asking a local florist to create a unique grave blanket for your loved one.
See? That’s it. Sending grave blankets is that simple.
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Cheer up someone with Sunny Tulips from your local florist! 
Beautiful Gerbera daisies compliment every birthday girl!
Vibrant sunflowers for your energetic Scorpio!
