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.

Get ready for two months of flower decorating tips for fall! I’m one of the dozens at Flower Shop Network that adores the fall. It is beautiful weather, the perfect time to be outdoors, and the season for earth toned colors that blend the somber with the beautiful. Ahhhh…fall.

There are a lot of ways to decorate a home for fall. For starters, you’re going to need plenty of fresh flowers. Dried and preserved will work, of course, but there is something sensuous and inviting about fresh flowers. They just start the season off right. Besides, as the leaves begin to fall and the colors burst then fade, you’re going to like having the fresh flowers around as you welcome winter weather into your home.

Fresh Flower Decorating Tips For Fall:

'Fall Flirtations' Vase Arrangement

Holiday Decorating – There are several national holidays celebrated during the fall months of September, October and November. Labor Day starts the month of September off with a vacation day for many. Halloween and Thanksgiving also fall in the later fall months. Columbus Day is nestled into October as are other holidays. Whether keeping one theme throughout or decorating for each, order a themed flower arrangement from your local florist and display it prominently in your home. Don’t forget Halloween flower arrangements and Thanksgiving flowers when the time comes!

Fall Yard Decor – Flowers, hay, pumpkins, chrysanthemums and scarecrows are as standard to fall as the changing colors of the leaves. To celebrate, create a display in your yard that celebrates the natural elements of fall. Stack hay bales in a triangular fashion then arrange pumpkins, gourds, chrysanthemums and a scarecrow or two to accent your yard delightfully.

Fall Wreath – Seasonal wreaths for the door are fun fall decorations. Many florists create unique floral wreaths. To find out which wreaths are the most popular as you choose the one for your door, view the Top 5 Holiday Wreaths For The Front Door.

Decorate The Mantlepiece – The mantlepiece is one of the best places in the home for decorating. Welcome wall with the use of fresh garlands and greenery, gourds, baby pumpkins, miniature scarecrows and fall flowers. If you like the smell of fall themed candles, these are also fun additions to the scenery.

You’re off to a good start! Have fun decorating your home for the fall season. Don’t forget to stop back by and show us photos of your creative displays!

Spiky Flower Pod

Ask the Expert: Found this plant and trying to find out more
Hello!  I am trying to find out more about this plant I found.  It has these green round balls with small spikey things on them, but they are filled with air.  Do you know anything like that?  One of my friends thinks she has seen them dried before.  She thought it was called an Oscar - but I keep doing online searches and can’t come up with anything! THANKS! Michelle

Plant Expert Reply

It appears to be a Gomphocarpus physocarpus or Asclepias physocarpus.  You friend was partially correct. There is a Asclepias physocarpus called Oscar. It is commonly called Ballon plant or Swan plant and is in the milkweed family.  Catepillars love this plant.  Although I don’t think it is native any where in the U.S. (it is a southeast Africa native), there are many seed supplier who sell this plant.  It can become invasive if not controlled.