We've already discussed this month how Valentine's flowers aren't always roses and baby's breath. Going the extra mile to make it extra personal always pays off in the end. Here we've compiled a list of the trendiest flowers for Valentines Day 2012 (Coming up Feb 14th) that doesn't include roses! If you don't know your honey's favorite flower, I can almost guarantee she'll love one of these!

 5. Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria is a beautiful and delicate flower that kind of resembles a lily mixed with a gladiolus. Their big, showy blooms come in many beautiful colors and are used by florists in so many creative ways.

These flowers work well in many styles of floral arrangements, especially in traditional or garden-style designs.

 4. Carnation

Carnations have made a huge comeback in recent years with the appearance of bright new colors and styles. Florists have also found incredibly creative ways to showcase this ruffly flower. And you've got to love their long-lasting abilities!

Carnations come in so many unique and vivid colors now, as well as different sizes and styles.

3. Tulip

The elegance of a tulip is undeniable. Even it's champagne glass-like shape echos romance. Even their flower meaning is about love. Red tulips mean declaration of love and yellow tulip mean hopelessly in love; what more can you say on Valentine's Day?

Tulips are available in many different colors and also sizes. Their stems are unique in the fact that they can be bent and shaped in many ways, this gives florists many more artistic options.

Continue reading "Top 5 Trendiest Flowers This Valentines Day" »

Have you started planning your schedule for the 2012 flower shows and florist conventions?? It's only January, but the list of great shows this year is filling up! If you want to see the most incredible floral ART possible, learn edge-winning design techniques, have a whole lot of fun and fill up on inspiration, attending a floral convention is a MUST!

Take a look at these great upcoming shows!

JANUARY 2012 — Floral Conventions and Flower Shows

January 22, 2012: The Florida State Florists' Association Design Summit will be held this year at Oscar G. Carlstedts Co. Wholesale, Pensacola, FL. Florists and guests are welcome to attend.

FEBRUARY 2012 — Floral Conventions and Flower Shows

February 3 – 5, 2012: The Kentucky Florists' Association 55th Annual Convention will be held at the Capital Plaza Hotel in Frankfort, KY. Florists and guests are welcome to attend.

February 8 – 12, 2012: The Northwest Flower & Garden Show will be held at the Washington State Convention Center in Seattle, WA. Florists and guests are welcome to attend.

February 9 – 12, 2012: The Maymont Flower & Garden Show will be held at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, VA. Florists and guests are welcome to attend.

February 23 – 26, 2012: The Road Island Spring Flower & Garden Show will be held at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence, RI. Florists and guests are welcome to attend.

MARCH 2012 — Floral Conventions and Flower Shows

March 2 – 4, 2012: The Arkansas Flower & Garden Show will be held at the Verizon Arena in North Little Rock, AR. Florists who are members as well as non-member florists are welcome to attend.

March 2 – 4, 2012: The 2012 Great Lakes Expo will be held at the DeVos Center in Grand Rapids, MI. Florists and other industry professionals are welcome to attend.

Continue reading "Spring Flower Shows & Conventions" »

Business is competitive by nature. For florists, every opportunity to stay in the spotlight is crucial. Staying on your customer's minds will keep them, and their friends, coming back for more. Here are a few ideas for florists to showcase their talents in their own communities.

Host Open Houses

Think of great door prizes, interesting themes and other fun activities guests can enjoy while in your shop. Take this opportunity to showcase a wide range of designs throughout your shop. Let your visitors know just what's possible by your talented staff. Introduce them to unusual and unique flowers available.

•  Have a Ladies Night – Go wild and crazy with creativity. Have everyone dress up and wear their biggest derby hat and let them decorate them with flowers, then have a tea party. Or maybe keep it simple and just serve favorite desserts and delicious fruity drinks.

• Teach floral design classes – Open up your shop to new students from your community — host a floral design class! DIY is so trendy these days, creatives won't be able to pass it up! At Helena Florist in Helena AL, they host a Sips & Snips class, where guests can bring their favorite beverage and make their own, personal flower arrangement. Helena Florist provides all the necessary floral accessories for a particular design, and guests sip and snip the night away and take home their fabulous flower arrangement. The cost of the class is the same as the arrangement normally. Guests have a ton of fun with flowers, and show off their arrangement to all their friends.  Adapt this idea to work for your shop. You might teach a class for children, or a themed class for a holiday. It's all up to you! Continue reading "3 Tips To Keep Your Flower Shop In The Spotlight" »

Ask The Expert:

Please respond ASAP!  I need to use fresh hypericum berry for corsages TOMORROW.  How can I make them last through the Saturday eve wedding without water??

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

For this florist question, we went right to the source. We asked our florist friends and got an overwhelming response!

Hypericum berries are very hardy. If they came to you fresh, you should have no problems. For best results, use a little piece of tissue paper (facial or toilet) soaked in water at the bottom of the stem and wrap it as you would other flowers for a corsage. Keep them misted. Crowning Glory or Finishing Touch is also good to use to keep them fresher, longer. Be sure to keep them in the fridge at 38-40 degrees until you are ready to use them.

Hope this helps! Thanks for your inquiry.

And BIG thanks to all our florists who helped us out!

Predicted by Florists All Over The Nation

We asked our florist friends on Facebook what their predictions were for wedding trends of 2012, and received an overwhelming response. From new looks, to hot products; favorite flowers and color trends — we've got you covered!

Modern & Sophisticated – Think Royal Wedding

"I am starting to see a trend away from the hand-tied style, which has been a majority the last few years. I think modern/sophisticated is surfacing."  – Joy's Floral & Gift, Powhatan, VA

By Playa Del Rey Florist in Playa Del Rey, CA

Return to Simpler Styles

"I think simpler designs will rule 2012. I have 2 weddings booked for 2012 where bridesmaids are holding a single stemmed flower instead of bouquets. One with calla lily and one with long stemmed rose." – Finest City Florist, El Cajon, CA

Back to Traditional

"Brides are showing an interest in things like carnations, roses and babies breath again." – Monday Morning Flowers, Princeton NJ

 Dual-Purpose Bouquets and Arrangements

"We see dual purpose arrangements as the trend. Bouquets into cocktail table centerpieces; arches broken down down to adorn the ceremony." – Greenhouse Gallery Florist, Colts Neck, NJ

Eclectic Styles With Found Objects

"Rustic, natural looks with nicer flowers. Also collections of eclectic bottles & vases with few or single blooms for centerpieces." – The Enchanted Florist, Asheville, NC

Brides Want DIY

"I'm noticing many brides are being more hands-on & doing their own reception centerpieces. Perhaps to be more cost effective or personalized" – Flowers by Flowers, Parkville, MD

 Cascading Bouquets

I am also seeing a lot of requests for updated cascade bouquets styled similar to the shield bouquet Kate Middleton carried."  – Joy's Floral & Gift, Powhatan, VA Continue reading "Wedding Trends For 2012" »

Wow has it been a great year! So many incredible floral design trends — some new, some tried and true. We publish articles daily here at FSN, but today we are looking back through 2011 to find the best of the best in floral design trend posts.

• Pantone Color of the Year 2011

The official color of 2011 is honeysuckle pink, which is fantastic news for florists and flower lovers! The luscious reddish-pink is available in many varieties of flowers, and looks great paired with almost any style. Pantone has been the global authority on color and provider of professional color standards for the design industries for over 50 years.

• Unique Wedding Bouquets of 2011

It's no secret brides are looking for something out-of-the-box when it comes to their wedding. In the last three years, traditional weddings have declined by as much as 30%. Brides are opting for more of a personal and stylish look to make their dream wedding truly unique. While most brides keep with the traditional white dress, it's the bouquet that really packs the punch of pizazz. In this article, we will show you some really unusual wedding bouquets spotted at florist conventions all across the US.

• Yellow – The Hottest Flower Trend of Summer 2011

So many designs used the color, and why not? Yellow is the perfect color for summer! Sunflowers were one of the most popular flowers used. Brighten up any space with a bouquet of yellow blooms! Trendy yellow flowers keep us in a cheery mood, and are perfect for sending as a quick pick-me-up to someone who may be feeling a little blue.

• Feathers: Biggest Trend of 2011

I don't know about where you live, but here I can't go 50 feet without spotting someone with a hair feather extension!? Not just teens either — kids, moms, grandmas; even DOGS are getting hair feathers! It's definitely the biggest new trend this year! Why not add a little feather to your summer flower power?

• Creative & Custom Funeral Flower Trends

First of all, let's think of the purpose of funeral flowers: to show one’s love, and support for the family and the departed. Flowers comfort and soothe us as we say our final goodbyes, but why stop there? Creative florists everywhere are using funeral flowers to construct personalized tributes to fallen friends.

• Fall 2011 Wedding Bouquet Trends

Our florist friends on Facebook constantly keep us with our jaw on the ground. Each week they post some of the most amazing designs around! Because it's wedding season, we've seen a lot of amazing fall bouquets! So let's take a look at what trendy designs are popular for 2011 fall brides!

• Fruit & Veggie Floral Design Trends

Using apples, oranges and limes in floral design has become increasingly popular over the past few years, but now florists are finding new and innovative ways to use fruit like never before! At the recent Tennessee State Florist Convention, fruit and veggies in flower arrangements seemed to be a reoccurring trend, let's take a look…

• Photo Pocket Square Trend: Keep Her Next To Your Heart

Floral pocket squares are a great alternative to wearing a boutonniere. Guys love them because it moves the flowers further from their face, and are sometimes a bit more durable. Libby's Flowers, Gifts & More has taken the pocket square to a whole new level.

• Latest Christmas Floral Design Trends

I am always astounded at the creative and out-of-the-box methods florists use to create incredibly unique holiday arrangements every year. No two are ever alike! The way florists keep it fresh every year stems from their creative abilities. I love these beautiful holiday flowers, and I know you will too…

We want to know what your favorite posts of 2011 were! Let us know in the comments below!

If you haven't taken the time to stop by your florist this season, what are you waiting for?? In addition to great holiday flowers and centerpieces, your local flower shop will also have unique holiday decor, the best poinsettias, gifts and most importantly, TONS of holiday inspiration!

The photo above is the inside of Trig's Floral & Home in Minocqua, WI. You could walk around this store for days and still not see everything worth seeing! Here you can find the best in holiday gifts and decor, why would you need to go anywhere else?? This florist is a one-stop-shop for the season!

Need gift ideas? Check out this florist's shop in McFarland, WI. The Petal Patch truly has something for everyone! Whether you need something for your niece, brother, or that friend who has everything, they've got your covered!

Continue reading "The Holiday HotSpot: Your Local Flower Shop" »

I have to admit, probably my favorite part of this job is looking at all of the beautiful pictures of flower arrangements posted on our Facebook wall every day. I am always astounded at the creative and out-of-the-box methods florists use to create incredibly unique holiday arrangements every year. No two are ever alike! The way florists keep it fresh every year stems from their creative abilities. I love these beautiful holiday flowers, and I know you will too…

The three pictures above are all from the talented Tom of Crossroads Florist in Mahwah, NJ. Tom decorates the lobby of the same hotel every week, and it always looks outstanding! These three are the holiday designs he's created this year, and we LOVE how creative and unique they are! Instead of going with the traditional red and green, Tom has chosen small details of the season to highlight. The white and silver for winter; the cranberry and popcorn as hints of Christmas tree garland traditions, and the green tree ornaments mixed with mesh and star-like orchids. Fabulous work, Crossroads!

We can't leave off this beautiful BLUE Christmas tree also shared with us by Tom at Crossroads Florist. Done for a large corporate lobby, this uniquely hued tree is sure to catch everyone's attention! The blue used is so vibrant and vivid; we love it!

We love these festive, holiday centerpieces created by the talented designers at The Enchanted Florist in Asheville, NC. These designs feature the elegance of sleek, curved Calla lilies, mixed with the traditional Christmas cedar and a various of red ornaments. Janet, owner of The Enchanted Florist says, "Christmas Centerpiece doesn't always have to be the same ole thing." And she's definitely right! These were for a corporate Christmas party in her city.

Click to see LOTS more pictures from "Creative Flower Shops And Their Latest Christmas Floral Designs"

You might have caught our post on trendy Pocket Squares a while back. Well, Libby's Flowers, Gifts & More in Elberton, GA has taken it to a whole new level. We love this idea and had to share with you all!

As you can see, the florist carefully attached a photo of the groom's sweetheart to the pocket square insert. This would then be placed in the tuxedo pocket, and although you cannot see the picture when it is in place, the groom will always remember he has her next to his heart.

Click For More Floral Pocket Square Ideas

Ask the Plant Expert:  

What is the name of this flower bought from a florist? The blossom has many many petals. – Earl

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Earl,

The big pink flowers are Protea neriiflora.  The long bushy looking stems with flowers are Scotch Heather (Erica malathera). The large yellow flowers are Asiatic lilies, and the dark purple foliage-like flowers are leucadendron or safari sunset.

Do you need to know the name of anything else? Please let me know if you need more information about any of the flowers.

Here is a diagram to help identify your flower arrangement:

  Add Your Comment To "What Are The Names Of The Flowers In My Floral Arrangement?"