Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
Ask The Plant Expert: What is the name of this plant? Thanks Brian
Plant Expert Reply:
Brian,
Sorry for the delay in my reply. It took me a little while to determine which member of the Gentianaceae family this flower is. I believe it is what they call a Texas Bluebonnet (Eustoma exaltatum). Other contenders would be Texas Star (Sabatia campestris) or Sea rose (Orphium fruitescens)
Hope this information helps.
What do you think readers, is this the right identification?
Thanksgiving doesn’t slow down these florists! We still received amazing photos of different flower arrangements for your viewing pleasure, and as usual we were blown away by the talent of our submitters. So scroll on down and enjoy this profusion of florals!
Gorgeous bouquet from Monday Morning Flower and Balloon Co. in Princeton, NJ
Beautiful hand-held from Inspirations Floral Studio in Lock Haven, PA
“‘Silver Sparkle’ hand-held for a prom.” [Read more…]
While plenty of Americans are gearing up for big Black Friday discounts at major retailers and online shoppers are browsing like crazy to get ready for Cyber Monday sales, we would like to remind holiday shoppers of the value of shopping local.
While everyone loves to get more for less, remember that small brick and mortar businesses in your community have great holiday sales too. And the best part of spending your hard-earned cash at these shops is that you are helping local families and their employees have a great holiday season as well. We can’t say it enough. Supporting local businesses helps build communities in a big way. So take part!
Local florists are stocked with beautiful seasonal flowers, wreaths, plants and trendy home decor that make beautiful gifts. Candles, gift baskets, picture frames, cards and so many unique items are waiting for customers this season. Be sure to head to your closest flower shop and check out all these potential presents!
With the success of the American Express campaign “Small Business Saturday”, more shoppers are seeking local establishments for gifts each year. So be part of the growing number of Americans who are choosing to invest their holiday dollars in their own towns. This means shopkeepers will have the revenue to grow their businesses, become involved with community organizations and even sponsor activities like baseball teams and senior services. Everyone wins when local businesses thrive.
So before you load up on midnight madness sale items from those big-box companies, think about where your money can have the most impact for your family and community.
After you survive Black Friday, Small Business Saturday and Cyber Monday, celebrate Treat Yourself Tuesday. It’s a great reward and the perfect way to guarantee you’re shopping local!
The sales team here at Flower Shop Network, just like the sales people employed by your business, has sales goals. And also like you, we try to find new and interesting ways to motivate our sales team to not only meet but exceed those goals. Our last contest was so successful, we thought we’d share this fun, seasonal idea with all of you. It’s the FSN turkey shoot!
This is our turkey shoot board. Think of it as a large dart board with images of animals acting as the bullseyes.
Here is a list of the potential prizes to be won. Those look awesome! [Read more…]
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!
That’s right, this is the week we’ve all been waiting for. We get to gather together with family and friends, enjoy some quality fellowship and of course eat lots of scrumptious goodies! Since the holiday is later this week, I know you’ve already contacted your local florist and gotten your order in for those Thanksgiving arrangements, right? Right?
Hmm … you’re lack of response is disturbing. Well, no worries. If you haven’t, there’s still time. Just click here to enter your zip code, find your local florist and start ordering! And since you’re going to need to add a card to that order, I thought I might offer up 10 funny and heartwarming Thanksgiving card messages.
Can you think of some funny or heartwarming card messages? Add them to the comments below! Have an amazing Thanksgiving!!
It’s Friday again, and that means gorgeous arrangements and beautiful bouquets! This week we have a large assortment of wonderful photos for you. From the amazingly creative to the extremely personal, these pictures are guaranteed to tickle your fancy and spark your creativity. But don’t take my word for it, look for yourself!
Elegant wedding bouquet from Floral Gallery of Aiken LLC in Aiken, SC
Beautiful wedding bouquet from Bouquets and Bows in Van, TX [Read more…]
Flower Shop Network is going to be closed on Thanksgiving Day, so the FSN family chose to get together this Thursday for food and fellowship.
We decided to go potluck style this year, and let me tell you, some of these folks can cook! Most of the food in these shots is homemade and it was all delicious. Enjoy the images, but let me tell you, the reality was fantastic!
Tables full of food. We had traditional favorites like candied yams and more ethnic fare with homemade hot tamales! Yum!
Is this the bread aisle at some local market? No! It’s just a few of the many tasty options we sorted through to fill our bellies.
Shelley looks thrilled with her selections! Well, it wouldn’t be hard. Everything was excellent.
Ask The Expert:
I found this flower in downtown Houston, TX. I think it’s beautiful and would love to know what it is so I can include it in my garden. I only took one picture, though.
I hope you can help. Thank you!
Joan
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Flower Expert Reply:
Joan,
Thank you for the question!
I believe this flower is from the Lantana family, specifically the Confetti Lantana. It requires a temperate climate to grow, zones 8, 9 and 10, so in Houston, TX it could conceivably grow year round. However, in colder parts of the country it would only be possible to grow the flower through the warmer months.
The Confetti Lantana loves sunlight, but requires little watering. Again, making Houston, TX a near ideal location!
I hope you found this information useful, and as always, thanks for contacting the Plant Expert!
Ed Belly
Have you found yourself preparing for the big day of turkey and gratitude? Maybe hauling the good dishes down from the cabinet and digging out the nice tablecloths. Perhaps you’ve been thumbing through a few magazines to see if there are any good ideas for decorations … if only you could somehow manage to make time to get to the craft store!
If your whole family is headed to your house to celebrate, we know your To-Do list is extra long. With deep cleaning, special cooking, and trying to manage everyday tasks like work and school leading up to the big day, who has time for decorating?
You do! With just one call to your local florist, you can have your house looking warm and welcoming with no extra time spent! Your guests will instantly notice the lovely look of delicate blooms and earthy textures and definitely savor the fragrant aromas only possible with fresh cut flowers.
Order a breathtaking centerpiece for your dinner table. Maybe an eye-catching arrangement for your entryway. A seasonal wreath is perfect for your front door or the dining room. Whatever room needs a special touch, flowers are a great way to make a statement. And best of all, they can be delivered right to you. No need to fuss, stay up late or struggle to finish that idea you saw on Pinterest that honestly sounded a lot better 5 hours ago. With flowers, your Thanksgiving decor will be a snap!
No matter your style, there is an arrangement for you. Want traditional? Modern? Outdoorsy? Just ask your florist. Read more about different Thanksgiving flower styles and make sure to order early so you can enjoy checking one more thing off your To-Do list!
Headed to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving? This is your chance show your gratitude for all the hard work it takes to put a successful holiday meal together. This year, be the thoughtful dinner guest who does more than help with the dishes. Order phenomenal blooms in seasonal yellows, reds and oranges to make someone else’s holiday decorating easy. Be sure to have the flowers arrive the day before and your hostess will reserve her biggest hug for you!
Enjoy everything this holiday has to offer and make your Thanksgiving decorating easy by bringing in nature’s bounty.
November is the month that everyone sets aside for giving thanks, and Flower Shop Network is no different! This month we’d like to take a few sentences to thank you, our florists and customers! Without the talented men and women who take up the challenging mantle of florist in every city and small town in the world, Flower Shop Network would not exist. A person does not become a florist to get rich. Instead, they do it because it’s something they love. Making other people happy during their most special moments in turn makes the florist happy. So to all florists out there, thank you.
For those of you out there who love flowers and bring your business to local florists, thank you. Without you, there would be no local florist to use. The local florist is the life’s blood of the floral industry, and you are the ones that allow them to thrive! So thank you all, and know that Flower Shop Network is committed to doing our part to help the floral industry and local florists flourish!
Happy Thanksgiving!
If you didn’t make it to Phoenix, AZ this September, you missed out on an amazing, informative weekend full of conferences, fun and some serious floral beauty! Flower Shop Network was there in force and we’ve got some excellent photos to show you. So sit back, relax and enjoy the show!
Here is a photo of the FSN booth. As usual, our setup crew did a great job! But enough with the same old, same old. Let’s take a look at some of the cool stuff!
Continue reading FSN at the Society of American Florists Convention 2013!
While we like to say every day is a perfect day to make someone happy with flowers, here are our absolute favorite reasons to spread love and kindness this month.
1. Hanukkah (first day) – November 28th – This is a very special year for the first day of Hanukkah. This is the first and last time Hanukkah will ever overlap with Thanksgiving! People are having fun coining terms like “Thanksgivukkah” and “Hanugivingkkah” just for the occasion. And there are so many beautiful blooms to help you celebrate. White, silver, and blue combinations are the most popular and are a perfect addition to the celebration table.
2.Thanksgiving – November 28th – Time to feast and give thanks with our families! And probably watch some football too. Make your celebration special with a fall-inspired centerpiece. Also, centerpieces make a wonderful gift to send to family and friends unable to come together for the occasion. Show gratitude for love and friendship with flowers
3. November Birthdays – November’s birthday flower is the chrysanthemum. Available in so many different varieties and colors, chrysanthemums will let someone with a special birthday know that you considered their gift carefully. A red chrysanthemum means “I love you” while white chrysanthemums mean innocence, purity, and pure love. Yellow chrysanthemums mean “slighted love.” Ask your local florist to include the beautiful and colorful chrysanthemum in a fresh cut arrangement or to deliver a gorgeous long-lasting blooming plant.
Continue Reading Best Reasons to Send Flowers in November!
We provide a Friday recap of all the wonderful posts and pictures from active florists on our Facebook Page. It’s been so much fun seeing all the completely different designs every day. We hope you enjoy these favorites and continue through to see more from each Friday this month:
Wilma’s Flowers, Jasper, AL |
Monday Flowers, Princeton, NJ |
Oran’s Flower Shop, Kingston, TN |
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Crossroads Florist, Mahwah, NJ |
Honeysuckle Lane, Aurora, NE |
Floral Design, Post Falls, ID |
See all Facebook Recap pictures in these posts:
As part of Customer Service Week, (October 7th-11th) we wanted to share with you one of our members who is working hard to boost customer service and sales in their flower shop.
A Local Florist Taking Action
Bridgette Mills Arnold, a 30 year veteran of the floral industry, is the owner of Posey Peddler in Joneboro, Arkansas. The shop has been a fixture in the Jonesboro area since 1998 and serves the local community with custom gifts, flowers, plants and home decor.
Recently Bridgette brought in customer service and sales guru Tim Huckabee of Floral Strategies to conduct a workshop with her employees.
Read more about Posey Peddler – A Florist Improving Customer Service!
Thanksgiving dinner. Is there a more delicious collection of food gathered together at one meal? Family comes together, gives thanks for the blessings in their lives throughout the past year and shares in a meal prepared to reflect the bounty they have received. It is a time of gratitude, love and appreciation for what and who has blessed your life.
What better way to express those emotions to your friends and family than through a gift of flowers?
This year, instead of arriving at your dinner with a prepared dish in hand, offer a beautiful fall bouquet to your hostess! She will be far more grateful to receive gorgeous flowers than yet another green bean casserole. The flowers will make the perfect decoration for the festivities and will be a boon to everyone’s day!
Read more about Don’t Forget the Florals for Thanksgiving!
Love flowers? Follow us on the above Social Networks! We are always sharing the latest articles from our Bloomin’ Blog, as well as the most fascinating news on the net!
Documenting Your Work – Photo Tips for Florists As a florist you are creating beauty everyday for others to enjoy and to help celebrate moments in their lives. But how often do you get to enjoy and celebrate your own work? Rarely, right? Between filling orders, making last minute rush deliveries, and trying to promote your shop, you are busy trying to run a business. But a passion for beauty got you into this industry so don’t let a hectic workday stop you from documenting your hard work.
FSN Member wins Second Annual Buckwald Scholarship! We would like to congratulate Lavender Hill Florals of Jeffersonville, IN for winning the second annual Buckwald scholarship! Way to go, ladies!
FSN and Rick Rivers at the Ozark Florist Association Convention The Ozark Florist Association held their annual convention on the 13th, 14th, and 15th of September. FSN was there to take part in the festivities and cheer on Rick Rivers as he gave his presentation titled “Marketing in Today’s Climate”. Here are a few photos of what we saw!
A Giving Boss’s Day with FSN Boss’s Day was a roaring success at the FSN offices, and for more than just our bosses! The sales department decided to do something a little different this year to honor Brock and Loranne, the owners of Flower Shop Network. Because our owners are such generous people, the sales department chose to do something that embraced their spirit, something that went beyond the walls of our offices and reached out into the community.
Help make Flower Shop Network‘s monthly newsletter even better! Got questions? Have an idea for a story? With your help, we can make the FSN newsletter just what you want and need. You can drop us a note in the comment section on the blog or email us at social@flowershopnetwork.com. We can’t wait to hear from you!
