The best part of my job is meeting new and interesting people like Renee De Stefano Griswold of FloraBella Designs LLC. Renee is a florist in Wallingford Connecticut who can turn any frown upside down. Ever meet a person who seems like they’ve never had a bad day? That’s Renee.

Renee's Daughter With Her Flower Girl Bouquet

I was privileged to meet Renee while viewing the Flower Shop Network Facebook page. She’s polite, insightful, fun, and has a charm about her that’s as hard to resist as gravity.

Through her entries to the FSN Facebook Photo of the Week contest we were all able to see her talent for floral design as well. Two time winner of the contest, photos of Renee’s work always cause the heart to skip a beat and the eyes to take a second look.

Plain and simple, Renee has a knack for wedding flowers. Her bouquets are exquisite. Her wedding cake flowers MAKE the design. Her wedding flower designs do not detract from the bride, but rather accentuate her delicate features and pure beauty. It takes an amazing florist to pull that off. To those who have visited FloraBella Designs LLC, there’s no doubt in our minds that Renee is exactly that.

FloraBella Designs LLC is also about networking and building relationships, both with customers and other party and wedding vendors. Through the friendships that she has built, Renee is able to be the best wedding florist in Wallingford. She lets her talents play off of the talents of other vendors. This cohesive effort helps the wedding run smoothly and the bride maintain her “center of attention” status.

Helpful and cheerful, Renee doesn’t accept anything less than perfection from herself and her coworkers—inside and outside the shop. She’s a dedicated florist with an eye for beauty. Whether it’s a wedding or a more simple occasion, the sweetest florist in Wallingford is Renee of FloraBella Designs LLC.

To find an incredible florist near you, visit www.FlowerShopNetwork.com.

Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches. If you’re like the florists at Boulder Blooms in Boulder Colorado, taking the punches isn’t an option.

Jerrica and the team at Boulder Blooms are not your everyday florists. Their passion is to create an efficient, eco friendly flower shop that gives as much to the earth as it takes. They are the recent recipients of the “Zero Waste Business of the Year” award which was no small challenge.

Being eco friendly isn’t always easy. True, there are things everyone can do to be more “green”. Sometimes life throws you a curveball and that’s when your ingenuity and creativity takes over. Boulder Blooms knows exactly what that’s like.

When faced with the task of recycling the little plastic pieces that come on flowers from wholesalers, Boulder Blooms hit a brick wall. Or so it seemed. They found a local recycling center that would take them but only in a very large amount. Instead of backing down or sitting on their hands, Boulder Blooms encouraged other local florists as well as their wholesaler to keep these tabs until the large number was met. That’s eco-effort at it’s finest.

Another crafty idea for Boulder Blooms was to customize a bicycle to use as a local delivery vehicle. Yes–a bicycle. Boulder Blooms’ flower shop is located close to Colorado University (Go Buffs!) so wheeling flower deliveries made more earth-friendly sense. They special ordered a bicycle outfitted with what they needed for delivery and turned the town upside down with their inventive concept.

Boulder Blooms doesn’t stop there. After talking with Teresa and Jerrica, co-owners of Boulder Blooms, I’m convinced that no material is too large or too small for their eco friendly efforts. Every detail from the lightbulbs to the cleaning materials is outfitted with ecofriendliness. These Boulder Colorado florists don’t stop with a passion for flowers. Their passion is also for the earth and that’s something to be very proud of. If you want a florist that shares your pride in a greener world, stop in and talk with the team at Boulder Blooms.

Ask The Expert: I split and transplanted my peace lilly plant.    It didn’t do well so I cut it way back and now it isn’t growing at all.    Will it ever grow back, or should I throw it out?     How do you start new plants if you want to start from some slips? M Moe

Plant Expert Reply:

Have you or a friend ever died your/their hair, decided it wasn’t just right and then cut your/their hair off to correct the bad dye job, only to be further frustrated by the time it takes for the hair to grow back? I ask because at some point in all our lives this scenario has happened.  What is the one thing that could have prevent all the problems? PATIENCE.

Patience is what your peace lily needs. After you split and transplant a peace lily, it will look a little rough. Provided you didn’t plant the peace lily too deep, it will rebound and form new growth in a few weeks.

If you cut all of the peace lily foliage off, the plant will struggle to complete the photosynthesis process which all plants need to survive.  This doesn’t mean that the peace lily won’t survive.  It does mean that the road to health and beauty will be much longer. Again, it will need patience.

As long as the plant has not turned black, mushy or smell, it should form new leaves and recover.  Make sure the roots stay moist but not soggy. The plant will not use as much water as it did when it had leaves.  You can give it a light solution of vitamin b1 or fertilizer to help stimulate growth.  Be careful not to give it too much fertilizer since the plant is already stressed.

The way to propagate peace lilies effectively is by splitting them.  As long as the piece you separate from the mother plant has a good root system and healthy foliage, it can be planted to start a new peace lily.

So give your peace lily a little time.  You may be pleasantly surprised in a couple weeks with new healthy foliage. Good luck and keep me posted.  If your plant doesn’t make it you can always order a peace lily from your local florist.

If you live in Las Vegas Nevada, you don’t have to put on your swim trunks to visit An Octopus’s Garden. Cathy Labrum, head of accounting for Flower Shop Network, recently sent flowers from this trusted Las Vegas florist. Not surprisingly, the results were amazing.

Cathy’s only instructions were “designers choice—make it something unique”. That was all it took for the florist at An Octopus’s Garden. They delivered the birthday flower arrangement to Cathy’s longtime friend, June, and were greeted with a surprised smile. Surprised, yes, because she was not expecting the flowers. Surprised too because of the beautiful, contemporary design of the arrangement.

See? You’ll be pleasantly surprised when you leave the design to the florists. Opting for “designer’s choice” is like finding the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow without having to chase the colors from end to end. It’s like saying “I need money” to a bank teller and watching them cart out piles of money. Saying “designer’s choice” to a florist, especially florists at An Octopus’s Garden, is like watching brilliance fall from the sky and land in the vase. The artistry and expertise of florists and floral designers is a reassurance you can trust. When you let the experts decide, the best awaits.

Much like Cathy’s experience with An Octopus’s Garden in Las Vegas, leaving the art to the artists will result in a masterpiece of flowers.

Want a designer’s choice arrangement from your local florist? Use FlowerShopNetwork.com to contact your local flower shop today.

90th Birthday Flowers by Flowers Plus

Congratulations to Joel at Flowers Plus, a Charlotte NC florist, for winning this week’s Flower Shop Network Facebook photo contest of the week!

It’s a team effort for sure over at Flowers Plus. Johnny Fann submitted a photo of Joel’s design and then called on all of his friends (and a few of ours) to vote for the photo. Together, the votes tallied very high for Joel’s winning arrangement. We’re very happy for everyone at Flowers Plus because they work hard to please everyone they meet. Customers, coworkers, other florists, other people…everyone. They deserve a nod and now they have an award to go with it.

Neat story–my birthday was the 23rd of October. Joel’s birthday was the 24th. Here’s a happy belated birthday present, Joel.

Want to get in on the action? Join the photo contest by submitting your photo to the Flower Shop Network Facebook page or adding it in a comment on this post. There’s always something fun happening when Flower Shop Network is around so come join us and see some really fantastic photos.

Get a look at this week’s other photo contest entries from other fans and local florists: (View all on the FSN Facebook page)

Ask The Expert: I read your article on Peace Lily  - (Spathiphyllum clevelandii) but didn’t see anything on how to propagate it.

Is it similar to a Hosta, (plantain )lily?

Thanks, JH

Plant Expert Reply:

Yes it is basically the same process.  You create new peace lily plants by dividing them. Propagate by removing the peace lily from it’s container; then take a sharp knife and cut the plant from the roots to the top of the plant - this will ensure that each plants has an ample amount of roots. Take the divide pieces and follow the re-potting instructions.  The new container will need to be same size as original container.

Peace Lily Re-potting Instructions

Peace lilies (Spathiphyllum) should be re-potted when the root growth has overfilled the container. Use a humus rich potting soil to repot the peace lily. To help the roots to retain soil and prevent the root tearing, re-pot the plant when the soil is somewhat moist. For determining pot size follow this rule of thumb; use a pot that is 1½ times the size of the previous pot. When placing the peace lily in it’s new pot, keep the plant level the same as it was in the old pot (fill the pot so that the top of the root-ball is at the same level as before). After re-potting, water slightly to remove any air bubbles that might have occurred and wait a couple of weeks before fertilizing.

Want a unique gift? Don’t forget about birth month flowers. November is a festive month full of enjoyable fall weather and holidays. To play this up when giving a birthday gift try sending the November birth month flowers instead. And the November birth month flower is…

The mighty Chrysanthemum!

Buy Chrysanthemums From A Local Florist

I’ve found that everything sounds better with a little grandeur or fanfare added. Add a dose of that to the enclosure card message and you have the best birthday gift you’ve ever given. Birth month flowers are unique and quirky which is perfect for the unique and quirky person you love!

Remember last year’s story about the November birth month flower? I can barely remember yesterday so here’s a recap. My grandfather’s birthday is exactly one month after mine. November 23rd rolls around each year and I struggle to find a gift for him now that he’s in his “80 somethings”.

80 years of birthday gifts is hard to top but last year my brother and sister joined me in creating a festive fall display for his new city home to make him feel more at ease. He’d farmed for over 70 years so the natural touch just outside the door made him perk up a lot. This year, we’re repeating the decorations in a different design and including chrysanthemums. The choice of flowers and plants is irrelevant to him but it makes us feel better for giving a truly unique gift. He’s just happy to have our outward affection.

Know someone like that? Whether sending a birthday gift to someone like my grandpa or to someone who requires fancy and unique gifts, chrysanthemum’s the word for November. Don’t forget to let us know how it turned out!

Want to send chrysanthemums this November? Flower Shop Network makes it easy to buy chrysanthemums from your local florist.

How do you fill your Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday evenings? If you’re like the fun florists at Helena Florist in Helena Alabama, you spend your evenings laughing and talking, drinking and learning, sipping and snipping. That’s the idea behind their “Sips and Snips” classes which teach you how floral design techniques that you practice during the class on an arrangement that you get to take home. How cool is that?

Sips & Snips Design Class Photos by Helena Florist

Flower Shop Network recently detailed some ways to hit home with DIY (do it yourself) customers. Helena Florist has found a fun way to make everyone see how magical and charming the world of flowers is. With the “Sips and Snips” classes, you simply bring in your favorite beverage and spend a few hours playing with flowers.

This is something that DIY-ers should rush to (and do by the droves in Helena AL). You’re not just throwing something together willy nilly. You’re not stuck at home reading a book on floral design, lost as a goose while figuring out which flower goes where and how to make it look better. At “Sips and Snips” classes you are actually being taught how to design flower arrangements yourself. Plus, you get to KEEP what you create!

Now I’ve seen a lot of great ideas. I’ve sat through hundreds of hours of classes on a range of subjects. I’ve watched florists bloom and I’ve felt a tiny hearbreak as some have wilted. What I haven’t seen as often–something Helena Florist has mastered beautifully–is the art of involvement. True. Personable. Involvement.

You can spin words to say whatever you want. Catchy phrases and quirky gimmicks become dated quickly. What sticks around and forms lasting impressions is knowledge that comes with a smile. When Helena Florist opens their doors for a “Sips and Snips” class, they greet their friends with a smile.

These guests aren’t just customers or students. They are friends who share an interest and benefit from the expertise of the florists. They’ll forever commit to memory what they’ve experienced at Helena Florist even if they can’t always remember the difference between a Flemish and an English Garden bouquet. It’s the smiles that draw them in, the sips that wet their appetites for learning, and the snips next to a smiling teacher that stick around forever.

Want to win free blood red roses? Find the official contest rules below. Before we get to that, here are some tips for how to use your Halloween flowers to vamp up your night!

Ever heard of Twilight, True Blood, or The Vampire Diaries? Ever read Dracula or The Vampire Chronicles? Welcome to the current world of pop culture, my friend.

These iconic series, books and movies are sweeping all generations and creating a bloodthirsty craving for all things vampire. This Halloween, you can guarantee that at least one person on your block is throwing a vampire halloween party. If that person is you, here are some flower decorating tips that will really vamp up your halloween decorations.

First, remember that most dark colored flowers need to be special ordered by your florist. But hey, knowing that someone else is taking care of that planning tip will ease your mind and free up time for the other details. When talking with your local florist about which flowers to order, consider these:

• Peppermint Carnations mimic the flower on the cover of the New Moon book (Twilight Saga book two)
• Chocolate anthurium are perfect inside a werewolf flower arrangement (Twilight Saga)
• Chocolate cosmos, a favorite fall flower, also accent werewolf colored arrangements (Twilight Saga)
• Taboo or Black Beauty roses along with red roses give a black and red theme to Vampire flower arrangements
• Twisted willow is just creepy enough to be perfect for Vampire or Werewolf inspired flower arrangements
• Oak leaves are readily accessible foliage that look awesome beneath punch bowls filled with blood red brew

Next, think about the characters that your party will focus on. Are you throwing a True Blood party? Think Southern with an edge of vampire. Throwing a Twilight party? Romance is the name of the game so play up the rivalry between vampire and werewolf. Half of the room can be Vampire inspired (fun to say) while the other half howls werewolf. If you’re jamming at an 18th century vampire party, get a little scary and pick flowers that lend to your spooky ambiance.

Buy Blood Red Roses In A Red or Black Vase

Twilight party flowers don’t have to be dark and scary. Bella says that blood smells like rust and salt. Try a rust colored arrangement like Autumn Vibrance. Bella is also from Phoenix. She’d love the Phoenix Flame flower arrangement at a party inspired by her. Unique containers make the flowers look great so red or black vases with dark roses or other flowers will light up the night. Think of the Richly Rosey bouquet when picking flowers for the Cullen family.

Also for Twilight party flowers, remember that the werewolves in the books were different colors. You have russet brown, almost silver and several other colors. Playing to the werewolf side will give you a lot of creative leeway with the color of flowers you choose.

If you’re throwing a True Blood party and need flowers, pick flowers with scary names. Your local florist can tell you which are in season, in stock, need to be specially ordered and which have names that make your blood run cold. Since True Blood is more “adult” than Twilight, pick flowers that perk your adult “spidey senses”.

And yes, there is another series on television called The Vampire Diaries. Bram Stoker’s Dracula books have been around for generations. With the blood lust in full effect, you can walk into any bookstore and find a vampire story that will get your party planning mind in gear. Take those ideas to your local florist and watch the magic happen on the spookiest, creepiest night of the year.

OFFICIAL TWITTER CONTEST RULES:

That’s right. Flower Shop Network is GIVING AWAY FREE BLOOD RED ROSES to one lucky person. Luck has less to do with it though. All you have to do to enter is retweet this post with the hashtag #FSNBRR. That’s it! Just retween this post by midnight Thursday, October 29th and you will be eligible to win your choice of free blood red roses or another Halloween flowers bouquet from a local FSN member florist for delivery in the USA or Canada (valued up to $50). Wanna play? Get tweeting.

I have to admit that I’m pretty much addicted to the new Flower Shop Network Flower Dictionary. It’s awesome! It accompanies the FSN flower meanings page but enhances it. For people like me that want to know something quirky or trivial about everything, it’s the cat’s meow.

For starters, I love flower meanings. I know several of them by heart and can prattle them off to my friends. Whether they’re listening or not, they’ll remember the conversation when I send them flowers and put the meaning in the enclosure card message. It’s fun to be the sender of a unique gift. Matching flower meanings to an arrangement? Well, that’s cupid’s arrow shot straight to the heart of quirk-lovers like me.

We all know how Generation Y loves to be unique. As it was mentioned to me yesterday, “your generation loves to be heard.” We do. I have to agree. We also love stuff that stands out from the crowd. How can you be heard if your message sounds the same as everyone else’s? Ya can’t. So, flower meanings are a win-win because you get to send a traditional gift of flowers which everyone loves plus the added benefit of making it unique. Ta-da!

Here are a few of my favorite flower meanings to get you started:

• Ambrosia — “your love is reciprocated”
• Bouvardia — “enthusiasm”
• Mini Carnation — “pure love, my heart yearns for you”
• Orange Rose — “fascination”
• Red Rose –”love, I love you”

There are tons more on the FSN flower meanings page so check it out and see if any stand out to you. Florists–feel free to print these off and put them with your FSN Selection Guide. Watch what the unique twist will do when Generation Y visits your store.

To send flowers with special flower meanings, use Flower Shop Network to contact your local florist.