In my family, grandparents rule the roost. The child in good with the grandparents need never want for another thing. They are protective, loving, gentle, and supportive. They rule their homes with iron fists and open hearts. I adore my grandparents and want only the best for them. We recently started celebrating Grandparents Day with them as a way of bringing the families together again during the year. My remaining grandmother and grandfather are in their early 80s. After that many years of receiving gifts for various occasions it gets kind of hard to give one that they'll really like. I've figured out the answer for them though. I have decided to send flowers to my grandmother with a very sweet Grandparents Day card message attached. My grandfather, a farmer, is receiving a plant instead but with the same message of love.

Those not so skilled in verse may struggle to find the right way to say what is on their hearts. Grandma and Grandpa know that they are loved, but what combination of words expresses the depth of this love with any kind of fervor? What Grandparents Day card message says it all but in the space of a little enclosure card? Instead of spending hours looking for the perfect message, spend the day enjoying time with your grandparents. They'll love the gift because you sent it, but a special message like those below help make it their favorite gift yet. With this list of Grandparents Day card messages compiled by local florists, it is easy to find the message that you need when sending flowers to grandma and grandpa.

Grandparents Day Card Messages

1)       The two of you must have been the inspiration for this special day. Happy Grandparents Day.

2)       A Loving Wish on Grandparents Day. To wish you a happy Grandparents Day and then remind you, too, how very, very much you're loved Today and all year through!

3)       Among the sweetest memories Our hearts keep through the years, Are special things grandmothers say and do– Their tender hugs and words of praise, Their laughter and their loving ways Are joys that we recall our whole lives through. With more love and special thoughts than you could ever know.

4)       A zillion hugs just aren't enough for grandparents who do such special stuff and always make me feel so very loved.

5)       It's great to have a day that honors grandparents. It's a wonderful chance to thank you for great times and feelings and lifelong gifts of your love.

6)       Thank you for telling me your stories and sharing your many years of experience and wisdom. I'm a better person for having learned from you. Happy Grandparents Day.

7)       A grandparent is a special part of all that's cherished in the heart.

8)       Grandparents give the best hugs! Here's one to wish you a Happy Grandparents Day.

9)       I love the way you love and the nice things that you do. I feel so very lucky just because you're you!

10)     For You On Grandparents Day. It's the perfect time to let you know how much you're loved, how much you're wished the best of everything.

You're only halfway through! Read all 20 Grandparents Day enclosure card messages. Brought to you by Flower Shop Network.

And people assume florists just DO flowers.

American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD)

That's hardly the case for the 116 florists who took part in the Accreditation Evaluation Session (AES) of the American Institute of Floral Designers (AIFD) at the yearly Symposium held this year in Kansas City, Missouri. 46 of the 116 earned the AIFD accreditation and can now say that they are AIFD certified florists. Flower Shop Network would like to congratulate all of the new AIFDs, but 5 individuals have earned a special pat on the back.

Flower Shop Network is very proud of the following members who earned their AIFD accreditation at the 2009 AES:

• Candy McNeil Cannon (The Flower Studio, a flower shop in Sun Prairie Wisconsin)
• Frances Davis (The Flower Merchant Ltd, a Springfield Missouri flower shop)
• Jeremy R. Estes (Kents Floral Gallery, a flower shop in Columbia Missouri)
  
• Janet Frye (The Enchanted Florist, a creative flower shop in Asheville North Carolina)
• Christy Langone (Langone's Florist and Greenhouse, a Westfield Massachusetts florist)

The AES is not a contest and no winner is declared. However, it's not easy either! Florists are judged on 10 points of professional floral design including mechanics, balance, color, theme, line and creativity. This is something that takes many hours of preparation (days, months even) and has earned its elite reputation partially due to the difficulty of the AES. When a florist earns his or her AIFD, they should be heartily congratulated at the least.

We at Flower Shop Network want to extend our congratulations to our good friends above and to the other florists who participated in the session. The 46 floral designers who earned their AIFD accreditation will be inducted officially at the 2010 AIFD Symposium in Boston, Massachusetts.

69 of the remaining 70 participants earned the Certified Floral Designer (CFD) accrediation which is the AIFD's newest designation program. Among these were three Flower Shop Network members who deserve a feather in their cap:

• Anthony Swick (Bay Bouquet Floral Studio, florists in Tampa Florida)
• Connie LeBlanc (Hearts Desire Florist, florists in Houma Louisiana)
• Joseph Farrington (Delorice's Florist, florists in Douglas Georgia)

Congratulations everyone!

Click the photo above to view the official AIFD press release and see a complete list of newly accredited participants.

Herbert Birch Kingston had the right idea when he created Sweetest Day in 1922. It was his way of giving a sweet gift to those who were normally forgotten. Orphanages, the terminally ill and the disabled in his hometown of Cleveland, Ohio received these gifts. What a heartwarming gesture from a special man! It has especially touched my heart which is why I have begun celebrating Sweetest Day by sending flowers or gift baskets to my friends. For me, it's a way to let them know somewhat randomly that I care about them all year long and want the best for them.

It's very easy to get lost in preparing Sweetest Day flowers and gifts, but the most endearing part of the presents is actually in the card message. Being not a wordy person when it comes to expressing emotion, this list of Sweetest Day card messages has proven to be very helpful. Because Sweetest Day celebrates sharing, here is a great list of Sweetest Day card messages prepared with the help of local florists.

A Sample of the Best Card Messages for Sweetest Day:

1)       This is Sweetest Day-a day inspired by the love and friendships we all cherish.

2)       You put the "sweet" in Sweetest Day.

3)       A wish for you on Sweetest Day. May you be as good and kind to yourself as you always are to everyone else!

4)       Because you are so special, so nice in every way. This brings you loving wishes for a happy Sweetest Day!

5)       Hope your Sweetest Day is sprinkled with all different kinds of happy!

Want a complete list of just the Sweetest Day enclosure card messages? View all 10, print and share with customers, or keep a list by your register. All card messages brought to you by Flower Shop Network.

Hibiscus Bloom

Ask the Expert: Can you identify this plant?
I have a plant that I would like to have identified. I have attached a picture below.  The leaves are a medium green and are elongated with serrated edges.  The blossom is a cream colour and I have had trouble identifying the exact colour of the centre – it is either a deep vibrant brown or a deep purple.  There are 5 petals on each flower and yellow stamens in the centre.  The flower is in bloom when I awake in the morning and when the plant is in shade or when it is dusk, the flowers are spent. Lin

Plant Expert Reply:

I can't see a leaf clearly to make a positive identification on the species but it definitely in the Hibiscus genus.  I would guess a Hibiscus moscheutos (common rose mallow or swamp rose mallow) or a Hibiscus trionum (Flower-of-an-hour).  The rose mallows  are woody-based perennials hardy in zone 5-10.  The Flower-of-an-hour are short-lived perennials that are hardy in zone 10-11.

This plant identification was brought to you by Flower Shop Network.

Crassula ovata arborescens - Baby Jade

Ask the Expert: could you please tell me what kind of plant this?
i have this plant someone gave me and i dont know what kind it is could you please help and also could you tell me how to care for it thanks. Linda

Plant Expert Reply:

Your plant is a succulent commonly called Baby Jade (Crassula ovata arborescens). I have one of these on my patio table.  If it is a true Baby Jade, you will see a slight red margin on the edge of some of the leaves.  Otherwise it is a Crassula ovata (Jade Plant).

They are extremely easy to take care of because they are tolerant of dry conditions. So if I forget to water it in the hot summer, it doesn't seem to care. Baby Jade likes a fair amount of light and can be pinched to shape it.  Watch for scale, aphids, spidermites, snails and slugs.  Over-watering will cause root-rot.  Keep it towards the dry side.  Fertilize every month or every other month with a well-balanced fertilizer.

Good luck and keep me posted.  I think you'll love this plant. I do!

This plant identification was brought to you by Flower Shop Network.

They'll flip when you send them a bouquet featuring lots of amaryllis.

So how did I get from dramatic to amaryllis? Easier than you'd think. The flower meaning of amaryllis is "dramatic". Now while I wouldn't recommend sending this to a drama queen as they may get offended and cause a storm of entertaining evenings, this is a really fun gift for someone who has been going through a rough or trying time and needs a pick me up.

The unique flower meaning of amaryllis also makes it easy to recognize that someone has been struggling to have an "even keel" day once in a while. Something always comes up or they never catch a break. I know plenty of people like that, my sweetheart and mother included. Both work their tails off to please and provide for other people with little gratitude in return. If I want them to know what I'm thinking, I'll make sure amaryllis helps me say it.

Other flowers with special flower meanings that will go well with amaryllis are:

"Melody of Flowers" with Alstroemeria

• Pink carnations (gratitude)
• Black-eyed Susan (encouragement)
• Cosmos (peaceful)
• Gardenia (joy)
• Gladioulus (strength of character)
• Lisianthus (calming)
• Pansy (loving thoughts)
• Star of Bethlehem (hope)
• Pink tulip (caring)

There are many other flower meanings as you might have imagined. These are just some of the beautiful flowers that represent a special sentiment that will help cheer up your friend or loved one. A sweet card message mentioning their meaning will be a sweet reward for someone very deserving of positive attention. When you contact your local florist for a pick-me-up treat for your friend, ask about using flowers with special meanings for an extra special, meaningful bouquet.

In the face of a tragedy, the kind staff at Citti's Florist in Santa Clara California maintained their primary focus—customer service. Citti's Florist has been a fixture in Santa Clara for more than 45 years. They've earned their reputation as dedicated, professional, friendly florists with creativity and talent to boot.

Sadly, a fire recently struck the flower shop leaving significant damage to the Citti's Florist building but none to the neighboring apartment complex. Linda Citti, a co-owner of Citti's Florist, was saddened but not deterred by the events. In the midst of the fire, they thought only of their customers and how to best take care of their needs. The strength and dedication shown by everyone at Citti's Florist is an inspiration to everyone facing a difficult challenge.

With other Citti's Florist locations in Campbell and San Jose,  Linda and her staff made certain that they would be able to provide enough flowers for the weekend's events that had been planned. They were faced with a challenge, met it head on, and rose to the occasion. Hard pressed but not crushed, struck down but not destroyed, all of the wonderful people at Citti's Florist kept their customers at the front of their minds. They saw every face as a reason to persevere and work harder to restore their flower shop.

Thank you, Citti's Florist, for being an inspiration to florists across the nation.

I highly doubt it after hearing about their latest good deed. Basically, they asked their customers to "pay it forward" on September 9th. Anyone who came in that day could pick up a dozen roses absolutely free. The intent? Keep one for yourself and give the other 11 to people in your life that deserve them. Say thanks in a simple way but a big one.

The good people at Tim Clark's Flowers in Markham Ontario also collected donations for The Centre For Dreams which is a great charity for developmentally disabled adults. Can you say "awwwww"?

Visitors to Tim Clark's Flowers that day were able to meet members of The Centre For Dreams, get a rose, give a rose and make plenty of friends in the process. Now if this isn't an awesome way to contribute to the community, I'm not sure what is.

Flower Shop Network loves to see local flower shops like these Markham florists do something good for their communities. More than a marketing ploy (though an added perk), community and charitable involvement is a fantastic way to keep people's faith in the goodness of others at a high. It stimulates the giving nature of others and is an encouragement to pursue other acts of community involvement. Tim Clark's Flowers is definitely paying it forward with activities like this. For that, they've earned a huge pat on the back and even a hug.

Way to go, Tim Clark's Flowers! You're an inspiration to us all.

Nipponanthemum nipponicum

Ask the Expert: WHAT IS THIS FLOWERING PLANT?
HI,I LIVE IN MASSCHUSETTS AND RECENTLY THIS PAST SUMMER I FOUND THIS PLANT GROWING IN MY BACKYARD BUT I DID NOT PLANT IT. IT HAS A BARE BROWNISH 10 12' STALK WITH THE THICK RUBBER LIKE LEAVES ALL GROWING UP TOP IN A THICK CLUSTER.IT STARTED TO BUD IN EARLY SEPTEMBER BUT HAS YET TO FLOWER.PLEASE HELP IN IDENTIFYING THIS FOR ME.

THANK YOU,
MICHAEL IN MASSACUSETTS

Plant Expert Reply:

I needed a little help identifying this plant.  I knew I had seen it before but just couldn't put my finger on the name for it.  So I contact the fabulous people at Tower Hill Botanical Garden in Boylston Massachusetts for some help. (They have an awesome botanical garden with some fantastic educational programs)

Here is their reply

Hi Jamie,
You may have your answer by now, but the plants looks like a Nippon or Montauk daisy to me.  You could look it up on Google Images to see if that is what yours looks like. It is evidently a native of Japan and first found here on the shore near Montauk, NY.
Best,
Sukey Haney

After looking at several pictures of Nipponanthemum nipponicum (Nippon/Montauk daisies), I believe that is what your plant is.  In the past this plant was classified as Chrysanthemum nipponicum.

Nippoanathemum are hardy in zones 5 to 9 and make an excellent cut flower. This shrubby perennial attracts butterflies and loves full sun.  Trim it back in the spring to maintain the shape. 

Please send me a picture when it blooms.  From the look of the healthy plant, it should be gorgeous when it blooms.

Just a little side note: If you are in the Boylston Massachusetts area this weekend,  the Tower Hill Botanic Garden is hosting 2 flowers shows and from Sept 26th until November they have an amazing scultpure show.

Ask the Expert: Purple Flowering Vine
We live in central Oklahoma. It is now mid September and my neighbor brought me these purple flowers off a vine he found growing up his cucumber trellis.

He has lived in his home for 29 years and did not plant this flower.  The vine is purplish in color and the blossoms are shapped similar to a butterfly.  I hope the pictures show you enough detail for identification. Sandy

Plant Expert Reply:

It looks like a hyacinth bean vine (Dolichos lablab) bloom.  You should start to see purple bean pods.  This vine with heart-shaped leaves is considered a short-lived perennial in frost-free areas.  Most people grow it as an annual.

Although the beans can be cooked and eaten, they are poisonous when eaten raw. Birds probably dropped the seeds in your neighbors garden.