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7 Houseplants You Probably Won’t Kill

Do you love the extra greenery that plants bring to a space but don’t have the patience to care for a houseplant? Don’t give up just yet! We’ve compiled a list of seven low-maintenance plants that are perfect for newbie houseplant owners. They’re durable and can withstand a little neglect every once in awhile.

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3 Plants Likely to Survive the Office

3 Plants Likely to Survive the Office

I am now the proud owner of a Phalaenopsis Orchid.  My husband bought this gorgeous plant for my desk.  The first weekend I left it, I knew I was going to come back to a dead plant.  So far, it has survived.  I’ve decided to name it Ollie the Office Orchid, and it has inspired me to write about other plants to brighten your office space.  

Heartleaf Philodendron

The Heartleaf Philodendron is easy to care for and is a classic houseplant.  The luscious leaves are heart shaped, and it can be grown in a pot or hanging basket.  It likes to climb, so it will need a stake or trellis if in a pot.  This is a low maintenance plant that can survive in low light with a moderate amount of water.  

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Home Arrangement Guide

When most people think of flowers, they think of birthdays, Mother’s Day, and other gift holidays, but blooms don’t need an occasion! An arrangement can be part of your home decor or a beautiful piece of design for your Sunday brunch table. Here is a quick guide on home arrangements to beautify your space and give it a more natural look!

For The Home

Whether it’s an end table, a corner nook or a guest bedroom, there are many areas in your home that need that little something extra to give it a finishing touch. Consider statement pieces, like an orchid, for end tables or a dresser. Choose a tall house plant, like a basket of corn plants or a Norfolk island pine next to a seating area or in a hallway to complete the room.

For The Table

When hosting a dinner or just decorating your dining room, the table arrangement is the focal point for any style. A short arrangement, like fresh flowers in a cube vase, is perfect when having friends over for dinner, because it won’t obstruct the view of guests, while still looking beautiful among the food spread. If you are looking to just decorate a dining room when not in use, consider a tall arrangement. An elaborate vase with tall blooms, like hydrangeas, is perfect to set a neutral tone to your table.

For Outside

If you are looking to decorate your front door or the back porch, you want your greens and flowers to enhance your patio. Hanging baskets give a little extra to a simple front porch. If you want an arrangement for an outside table, consider a bromeliad or English ivy that can easily be moved when entertaining.

Make any room standout with a little flower accents. Head to your local florist and pick up a few blooms to make your next home entertaining event extra special!

 

Photo courtesy of http://www.weddingandpartynetwork.com/gallery/photo/14350/

 

5 Best Reasons To Send Flowers In January ’15

January is all about moving beyond the previous year and striding forward with a clean slate. It’s appropriate that snow blankets the world at this time of year. As if Mother Nature is reflecting our sentiments with a visual display. But even in snow you can find flowers, and is there any better way to start a new year than with a bouquet of natural beauty?

Let’s find out all the reasons to send flowers this January!

#1 – New Year’s Day – Jan. 1st

A Beautiful SightIt’s the first day of a new year! Is there any better time to give someone the gift of flowers? Beautiful blooms will convey the love you feel as well as help put a smile on your loved one’s face. And since this day is supposed to be a reflection of what you’ll do all year, who wouldn’t want to always have a handful of fresh flowers?

#2 – Houseplant Appreciation Day – Jan. 10th

A day to appreciate your houseplants? It sounds crazy, but it’s true! If there was ever a better day to give someone a living plant, I certainly don’t know what it would be. Give someone the joy of a lovely plant to keep them company in their office, garage or anywhere else they may be. Plants clean the air and just look fantastic. Everybody deserves one!

#3 – Martin Luther King Jr. Day – Jan. 19th

Bright Winter SkyA great day to celebrate a great man who struggled to bring peace and equality into a harsh world. Give your friends and loved ones the gift of flowers and a reminder of the honor this day is owed.

#4 – January Birthdays

Birthdays are a great time to receive flowers and plants. Flowers are gorgeous and help make any day brighter while plants will be cherished and cared about for years. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!

#5 – Beat the Winter Blues

Wonderful WhiteSnow is beautiful, but sometimes all that endless white can start to grate on the nerves. That’s the perfect time to contact your local florist and order up some tropical blooms or other colorful arrangement to break the monotony of winter with a splash of spring!

You never need a reason to buy flowers. They’re great anytime! But it never hurts to have a reminder of all the great things flowers are good for.

Why are you buying flowers this month? Let us know in the comments below!

January is Houseplant Appreciation Month!

Houseplant AppreciationLeafy Friends Who Love You

Houseplants are wonderful additions to your home. They add color, life and a touch of nature everyday. They give off oxygen that helps purify your home and they ask for so little care in return. This is the month to give them a little extra love and attention. Now that the holidays have passed, find a moment to check in with your plants and give them some TLC.

Plant Care Tips

  • Make sure your plant is getting enough light! Check to see if leaves are still a nice dark green. Yellowing and dropping leaves can be a sign of not enough light. Also if new leaves are thin and small, you might need to find a new brighter place.
  • Rotate plants that are leaning or growing towards their light source. Increasing the amount of light will stop uneven growth.
  • Trim dead leaves with clean shears or by carefully pinching them off with your fingers.
  • Gently wipe dusty leaves with a soft damp cloth. Don’t use commercial plant shine products as certain types can damage the plant over time.
  • Water plants slowly and thoroughly. Stop when water comes out the drainage holes. If water runs out the holes immediately when watering, there might not be enough soil and too many roots. Time to re-pot!
  • Overwatering is the biggest problem for indoor plants. Use your finger to gauge if you should water plants or not. Stick your finger 2 inches in the dirt of each pot. If it is slightly moist 2 inches down, wait another day or two. If it is completely dry, water away. If you find it is very wet, cut back on watering.
  • It is best to water plants in the morning. Use tepid, or slight warm, water for best results.
  • Add in fertilizer if needed and consider re-potting any plants that need it.

Give The Gift of Green

Share the joy of beautiful indoor plants with a friend or loved one. Even if someone claims they don’t have a “green thumb” there are so many easy-to-care-for plants available at your local florist. Work with a florist directly and they will help you select a wonderful plant that will be enjoyed for years to come.

Best 5 Reasons to Send Flowers in January

Gray and blue don’t have to color this wintery month. We have some great reasons to send exciting flowers in January so not only can you help celebrate a special occasion, you can feel great about brightening someone else’s day… and your own!

Lush Garden Plant#1. Houseplant Appreciation Day – Jan 10th

The holidays are done. You finally got all the decorations packed away. But what is missing in your household now? Houseplants of course! Today is the day to tend to any plants you already have and definitely the best day to send a new houseplant to a friend or family member. Indoor plants instantly brighten a room, they purify the air and add life to the house day after day. Your local florist will have a great variety of easy-to-grow houseplants in all shapes and sizes.

Floral Finesse#2. Chinese New Year – Jan. 31st

Also referred to as the Lunar New Year, this traditional Chinese holiday is marked by bright red decor, big feasts, offerings to the spirits, and cleaning house to make way for good luck in the new year. Help someone near and dear to you celebrate good fortune and happiness with a bright Asian-inspired bouquet! Send flowers for their reunion dinner or as a wish for good luck in the coming year.

Forever Friends#3. New Year’s Resolution Solution

This is the month everyone is trying to start off on the right foot. To be healthier and more active is typically on the top of each list. But making new habits and ditching bad ones is really challenging. You can help support friends as they seek their goals. Trying to cut back on office snacking? Send some beautiful flowers that will provide extra encouragement all week long. Someone wanting to make healthier choices? A fruit basket is a perfect pick-me-up. Empower others to succeed and you’ll be inspired to stick to your own goals!

Feeling Hot Hot Hot#4. January Birthdays

You gotta love nature for creating flowers that are designed to bloom even in the gloomy cold seasons. So if there is a birthday to celebrate this month, January’s birth flower, the carnation, is ready to thrill and delight. Carnations are symbolic of love, fascination and distinction. With so many colors and varieties available you’ll be able to send the perfect arrangement to wish anyone a very special birthday.

Green Mystique Winter Flowers#5. Beat The Winter Blues

Even if you don’t have a full blown case of seasonal affective disorder, long grey winters have a way of bringing everyone down. After the December holidays and marching right into the coldest days of the year in many climates, January is an especially hard month for sunny dispositions. Battle the winter blues by sending some bright flowers! They will be a welcome surprise and serve as a reminder that spring is just around the corner.

Caring for a Six Trunk Norfolk Island Pine

Norfolk Island PineAsk The Plant Expert:Just bought a Norfolk Island Pine…actually six trunks…three feet high for Christmas. Read your YouTube article and wish to thank you. Would you mind telling me if I can or should separate the clump of six, or will they need to remain together? Can the plant(s) be safely re-potted as you usually re-pot plants, or is there something special I need to know? I live in Austin, Texas in an apartment with a nice patio where it should do well until summer, at which time it will need to come inside.

Thank you, Georgia Willis

Plant Expert Reply:

Georgia,

How very unusual. I haven’t seen one with six trunks. Whether you have three or six trunks, the recommendation would be the same, do not try to separate the trunks. If the plant seems happy in the current container leave it alone. However, you will need to make sure that the container allows for proper drainage. If you need to re-pot the plant, choose a container with a good drain hole that is 1 1/2 times larger than the current pot. Fill the pot with a general purpose houseplant potting soil so that the top of the current rootball is about 1/2″ to 3/4″ from the top of the new container. Do not add soil to the top of the rootball; simply fill in around the sides, then water thoroughly. For more care instruction, you can check out our Northfolk Island Pine page.

Hope this information was helpful.

Jamie Jamison Adams

5 Floral Gift Ideas for 5 Different Boss Types

Boss's Day - Send Flowers

Boss’s Day has really gained traction in recent years. If there was ever a time when this holiday could be ignored or set aside in favor of more important things, that time is long passed. So if you have a boss, and let’s be honest most of us have a boss, here are a few floral gift ideas to make your boss’s Boss’s Day a roaring success!

The Sports Fan

If you’ve ever seen your boss sporting their favorite football team’s mascot on his tie, he may be a sports fan. Your local florist is more than aware of any local or regional sports teams and probably carries a plethora of items they could use to put together a wonderful sports-themed arrangement. If nothing else, an arrangement using flowers in your boss’s favorite team’s colors can provide that “Wow” factor! If your boss loves golf, a sport where there are no teams, or is a fan of a team across the country, do not fret! Your local florist will have what they need to put together something impressive!

The Workaholic

Does your boss spend long hours at the office? Is she there when you arrive and there when you leave? Then she may be a workaholic. The best gift for these dedicated employers is a potted plant! The plant will inject some much-needed nature into their world while offering fresh oxygen that hasn’t been run through the building’s filters and HVAC unit. A plant is also very low maintenance. It will be a benefit without distracting this hard worker from her daily duties.

European Dish GardenChocolate Lovers BasketYou're The Best Sister

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What is this Plant My Renters Left Behind?

Ask the Expert: What type of plant and how to care for it.

Philodendron Houseplant

Philodendron Makes a Good Houseplant

This plant was left from my renters. The majority of the leaves were lying on the floor. I put two sticks into the pot to try to give the stems support and tied up with ribbon to have it grow up. Is this the correct size and type of pot? Should I leave the leaves where the lay? I rotated pot as to the leaves might rise when sunlight hits it. What is the name of the plant and how should I take care of it? Alexandra Allen

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:

Alexandra,
It looks like you actually have two types of Philodendron. The nice thing about Philodendrons is their versatility. So in this case, you could either let the leaves trail downward or give them support to grow up. Although the plant seems fine in its present container, you might want to re-pot the plant into a container about half-again as big. Be sure the new container has drain holes in the bottom and that you use a good basic houseplant potting soil.

If your sticks are giving the plant the support they need, keep using them. If you need more support, your local garden center should have plant totems.

Since this plant flourishes in bright, filtered or indirect light, it will thrive indoors. Just place it in a room with moderate light level. It is best not to place it directly in front of a window. Keep the soil moist, but make sure excess water can drain away from the plant. If the humidity level in your house is low, mist the air around the plant with lukewarm water every day at least once. About once a month give the plant a dose of a well-balanced fertilizer.

Hope this information is helpful.

Houseplants for Modern Design

While many people do not associate plants with modern interior design, you might be surprised how many are available with the sleek and sophisticated look fans of this look crave.
Red-Margined Dracaena - Modern Houseplant
Modern design is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation. We see this daily, from new tech gadgets, to appliances to even modern cars, but mostly we see it in architecture and interior design.

Characteristics of Houseplants for Modern Design

  • Strong lines, especially horizontal or vertical
  • Unified or solid colors
  • Simple; elimination of unnecessary detail or texture
  • Minimal accessories or extra frills, (ribbons, garden picks, etc.)
  • Sharp angles
  • Low profile
  • Airy and open
  • Neutral, subtle color shades

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