Ask The Expert: I grew some cali lilies this past summer and now they are finished blooming. They have pods on them now. Is there something I should do to keep them ready to replant next season. When will be the best time to replant them. Any other suggestions ? Evelyn
My mother is a Virgo. I’m dating a Virgo. Oddly enough, their birthday is the same day. Suffice it to say that gift giving in the Jackson family becomes very difficult around September 15th. I’m quite taken with birth month flowers as unique birthday gifts because it blends the traditional with the creative. This is a very endearing quality after three years of finding a unique gift for a man and a charming birthday gift for a mother all on the same day!
My fellow is fairly easy to please when gift giving is involved. His birthday is a fairly major occasion but finding a way to make him feel completely special on that day is difficult when we also celebrate Mom’s birthday on that day. Not this year! The two birth month flowers of September are aster and morning glory. My sweet pleasant beloved makes a point to call me from work every morning just to say good morning. For this reason, the birthday gift for him becomes *drum roll* … the morning glory! Coupled with a few wish-list gifts, a packet of seeds of this birth month flower will add a dash of whimsy to the traditional gifts. I’m still learning to knit so that I can watch him fake excitement over an ugly multi-colored sweater for next year. For this year, flowers and game consoles will do.
My mother is amazing. She’s the most incredible woman in the world (except for your mother, of course) and that near grasp of perfection can grind away at the nerves when birthday gift shopping. My mother either has everything, wants nothing, or won’t specify. Well, she’s not getting an option this year. My mother is an avid vegetable gardener. She also landscapes her yard and my grandfather’s yard to give them immaculate appearances. I know that she loves flowers and loves decorating her home with the flowers from her garden. This year she’s getting a bouquet of aster for her home and, since morning glory is typically a garden flower rather than a cut flower, a few started morning glory to add to her collection of incredible garden flowers.
Wonderful. I’ve finally found a way to satisfy all of the people in my life with September birthdays just by incorporating the September birth month flowers into a unique birthday gift. Thankfully October is all about me. Just kidding.
Contact your local florist for a unique birthday gift for your September friend!
Fiddling with the zodiac signs to create an awesome gift idea can be loads of fun. I have several special occasions to celebrate in August so gift ideas run short as July winds to a close. Thankfully for all, my father has reached the age where it is forbidden for another year to mention his fifty-something birthday. The good people in my family still like to make everyone feel special on their birthday so we tend to sneak-attack him with a gift that he can’t refuse; all the while chocking it up to a random present or involving my family in the celebration of my anniversary (also the 28th).
I struggle to find a flower arrangement that will satisfy the rugged tastes of the men in my life but the brilliant thing about fathers is that it truly is the thought that counts. For many years my father would send a single carnation to my sister and me on Valentines Day. Because of this, last year I sent him a single carnation along with his favorite John Wayne movie newly printed onto DVD. We’d both seen “El Dorado” at least one hundred times and a single flower is kind of boring alone. However, it was the understood memories of both that made Daddy forget the law against celebrating his birthday and enjoy the day with his family.
This year is a bit different. I’ve decided to do for Dad’s birthday what I did for my mother but with an extra special touch. I looked up the birth month flowers for August which are gladiolas and poppy. Not wanting to give poppy to my pappy this year, I asked my local florist if she could create a very manly arrangement using gladiolus as the focal flowers. This will be easy because the flower meanings of gladiolus are strength of character, sincerity and generosity. My father embodies these qualities better than most. Gladiolus are also the flower of the gladiators. Who doesn’t think of their father as the strongest man in the world?
Because my father loves certain war medals, I ebayed my heart out until I found the one that he talks about almost incessantly. My florist June and I have discussed a wonderful arrangement that includes his favorite medal amidst a batch of his birth month flowers. This year I’m absolutely certain that August will be a month of surprises and one that Dad will enjoy with us again. I’m hoping that he’ll forget the young-at-heart 50+ and become like a kid again when he sees his unique birthday gift.
If pictures are worth a thousand words, how many words are flowers worth? Every individual attaches some special memory or memories to the many types of flowers in their lives. Whether it was the focal flower in the bouquet that he delivered with the engagement ring, the sympathy flowers that made mourning easier, or simply the creative gesture of a loved one who somehow just knew that a little boost would turn the day around, there are thousands of memories to delve into when we pass flowers in the grocery store, garden, or local flower shop.
Some flowers, though, have very particular flower meanings and can be sent to express a very specific feeling or message. The birth month flower of August is gladiolus so which better to share? This beautiful, tall blossoming flower represents some very pleasant flower meanings making a gladiolus arrangement the perfect gift to send a message to a guy or a girl!
Express sincerity with a gladiolus bouquet. Sometimes it takes just that little extra to push through the “yes” decisions in our minds. Being completely sure of the sincerity of the sender is the difference between “99% sure that you’re the one for me” and “I’d follow you to the ends of the earth.” Avoid any confusion by ensuring your sincerity with an arrangement of gladiolus.
Express strength of character with gladiolus flowers. Integrity, strong ethics and values, and high moral fiber are qualities that every person looks for in a partner. Make your best qualities shine through. Highlight those strong qualities in another person who needs reassurance of their wonderful self. Gladiolus are the perfect flowers for subtly expressing strength of character.
Sincerity and strength of character are wonderful character traits. Why not put them on display with the help of a fresh gladiolus arrangement from your local florist? The catalog of personal memories along with the flower meanings of gladiolus and many other flowers truly does beg the question…how many words are pictures of flowers worth?
There are many awesome flowers that make great additions to summertime flower arrangements. When it comes to creating an exquisite display for my tables, centerpieces, gardens and other home décor uses, I look to these fabulous blooms for an extra splash of cool during the summer months.
Hydrangeas in full bloom are gorgeous additions to the home or garden. The blossoms of hydrangeas provide a very distinctive and soft scent that no nose can resist. Hydrangea Read the rest of Five Cool Flowers For Summer »
Celebrate July with a bang! The fabulous flower for the month of July is the larkspur which is the common name for several varieties of flowers from the Delphinium and Consolida genera. Beautifully complex, the intricate spikes of Larkspur plants bloom in colors ranging from white to blue and violet to pink, making Larkspur an attractive addition to gardens, homes or inside flower arrangements. The long, stemming Larkspur plant adds a very desirable height and visual appeal to flower arrangements. This touch of distinction keeps Larkspur the popular choice for florists desiring a little extra for a truly stunning arrangement.
Celebrate your independence from unoriginal, boring gift ideas this July. The uncommonly appealing blossom of the larkspur can be used to Read the rest of Light Up July With Larkspur Flowers »
Ask the Expert: what flowers are in in October. Kelley
Ask the Expert: What flowers are in season in the Great NW on 7/4?
I am planning a wedding to commence on the 4th of July this year. I am trying to plan it as “‘green,” local, and inexpensive as possible. My colors are green, purple, white, and perhaps bold yellow highlights. Please email me your response as soon as possible. Thank you! Shawnicee
It’s Earth Day again! Time now to celebrate the rich beauty and the fullness of this great planet that daily sustains the lives of millions of inhabitants. With such a remarkable and rewarding existence, it is no wonder that April 22 marks the yearly celebration of such a fascinating home.
My older brother and I were sitting around discussing “green” politics one day—a practice not at all unusual or uncommon. The topic of Earth Day and Arbor Day spawned such enthusiasm that a planting party idea quickly emerged. He and I sat for hours planning an elaborate gathering of ourselves, our neighbors, and our community around a group of plants ready to break ground on environmental awareness and renewal. What plans to be a great time is reserved for six o’clock this evening at our local park with a host of friends, family, flowers, and foliage.
A bit of history on this holiday is that Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22 of 1970. Senator Gaylord Nelson had for several years been very disheartened by a lack of environmental awareness in political policy. Senator Nelson had tried earlier during the presidency of John F. Kennedy to push the issue into national attention. He met with President Kennedy to plan and discuss a national conservation tour. Though the success of the tour did not produce the results Senator Nelson had desired, it did spawn an idea that would later become Earth Day.
An epiphany of sorts came to Senator Nelson during a visit to a college campus in the summer of 1969. The Vietnam War was spreading fury among young protestors who took to the streets in opposition. Senator Nelson’s view of these events sparked the idea for a national protest of the atrocities affecting the environment. Senator Nelson first spoke officially of a national grassroots demonstration for the cause at a conference in September of the same year. The following April, his vision came to life and would later become what we now know as Earth Day. More than 20,000 demonstrators including individuals, schools, and civic groups participated in the nationwide awareness movement.
With this knowledge emblazoned in our minds, Mark and I decided to keep the fiery tradition alive. While we may be just two people, we’re two humans who breathe deeply the fresh air of a new day. A swim, ride, or hike is as much a renewal to our spirits as a fresh glass of lemonade on a hot summer day. Earth Day is a celebration of waking up to a fresh landscape, a way to appreciate our surroundings, and a national moment of thought toward the natural wonders that bring so much joy into the lives of us all.
If you can plant a tree to celebrate Earth Day, send or buy a plant that improves air quality such as peace lily, Chinese evergreen, English ivy, snake plant, or heartleaf philodendron (all pictured below). To learn more about plants that improve air quality, read NASA’s Interior Landscape Plants for Indoor Air Pollution Abatement report.
- Brynn FSN Support Staff -
April is the month of many birthdays in my family. I knew that I wanted to send my elderly grandmother a colorful spring bouquet but was unsure of which unique gift to give my sister. Shannon shares a birthday with my best friend, which is difficult enough, but her birthday is also one of five family birthdays in the month.
I went in search of a unique idea for expressing just how meaningful Shannon is to me and how special she is apart from anyone else. I began shopping through the horde of treasures on her wish list but nothing particularly grabbed my fancy. I dislike shopping and exhaust easily under the pressure to be sold something so I took a break to peruse the rest of the marvels that the Internet has to offer. It was shortly thereafter when I stumbled upon a great gift idea and all I had to do was look to the stars! No, I was not viewing the celebrity gossip blogs but was looking at an article that noted the different types of flowers that coincide with astrological signs. How interesting!
I hear Shannon speak often of the birthstone that correlates to her zodiac sign so sending flowers that designated her astrological sign seemed like the perfect idea I’d longed to find. My dear little sister is an Aries which coincides with beautiful blooms such as tulips, red roses, and amaryllis. It was quite a treat to watch her smile at the spectacular bouquet our local florist had arranged.
This is similar to the bouquet that received such a favorable response.
April also cedes two weeks to the Taurus sign under which my grandmother falls. The arrangement of iris, sweet pea, lilac, and lavender is sure to brighten her table in the coming weeks. I look forward to letting my grandmother see how much thought went into her gift so that she will know how often she is on my mind.
Both women are strikingly different and sending a personalized gift of birthday flowers helped express all of the things about both that I love so much. They are strong, intelligent, beautiful, graceful, and charming ladies. In as much as I wish I could share my love for them in words, so also I wish I could have forever captured the indescribable happiness of seeing each receive my gift and feel as adored and splendid for a moment as I find them all year.
Brynn - FSN Support Staff
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Gladiolus arrangements envigorate any summer day!
Chinese Evergreen
Peace Lily
Heartleaf Philodendron
Snake Plant - Mother In Law’s Tongue - Sansevieria
