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Garden Reminder: It’s Spring Bulb Planting Time

September 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Fall Is The Time To Plant Your Spring Bulbs

As we move into the cooler seasons of winter and fall, we all will miss the beauty of nature’s colorful canvas, painting our landscapes and gardens. Yes, flowers will be gone soon, but by acting now, you can ensure your garden flowers will be first to show their flashy heads next spring!

So this is a reminder for those of you looking to enhance your garden for 2012 or are just starting from scratch, now is the time to get to planting your spring bulb plants. These include: daffodils, hyacinths, crocuses, and many more! To learn more about bulb flowers, check out our article about planting spring bulbs.

Of course, colder months don’t have to be totally bleak. Order a cheery bouquet of colorful flowers from your favorite florist to enjoy inside while we wait for our bulbs to spring up next year!

If you have any questions, don’t forget our wonderful Ask The Plant Expert resource.

 

Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: , , , , ,

How to Care for Jerusalem Thorn

September 22, 2011 by

Ask the Expert: Care of Jerusalem Thorn ?

It’s a plant that is usual grown in the hot climate. It has many thorns. Has a yellow or red small flower. Gloria

Plant Expert Reply:
Please take a look at the first picture shown below. Since common names like Jerusalem Thorn can be used for more than one and often different plants, I am assuming that the plant you have is a Parkinsonia aculeata and not a  Euphorbia milii var. splendens (shown in the second picture)

Jerusalem Thorn (Parkinsonia aculeata) is grown as an ornamental tree for its attractive flowers and delicate foliage.

Location preferences: Jerusalem Thorn is a drought tolerant plant preferring a full sun location and sandy or gravelly soils. It tolerates chalky or alkaline soils. It thrives in hot climates and is susceptible to severe damage in climates that see temperatures below 18 degrees Fahrenheit or -7.8 degrees Celsius.

Water preferences: In the spring and summer, water this plant moderately and once a month apply a balanced fertilizer (something where the percentage of the primary nutrients are all the same. ie 13-13-13). During the winter water it sparingly.

Pruning needs: Jerusalem Thorn is a small ornamental tree that can reach heights of 25ft and a spread of 20ft. Prune it only if you need to restrict growth.

Pests & Diseases: Jerusalem Thorn is susceptible to galls, spider mites, mushroom root rot, dieback and some types of leaf spot.

Hope this information is helpful.

 

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With:

Happy Birthday Jason!

September 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Jason's Birthday

If you’ve kept up with FSN’s blog much at all, you KNOW how much we love cake and parties around here! Today we are celebrating the birthday of a man who we could not live without — Jason! He is everyone’s favorite handyman, a true jack-of-all-trades. If something goes wrong in the office, Jason is who we call, not ghost busters! He keeps our building looking new and in working order. (He is also really good at fixing broken cellphones, a skill we are ALL thankful for.)

You might remember Jason from last year’s Halloween pictures — he was a rescued Chilean miner. As you can easily see, Jason is known for keeping us laughing and keeping it fun here at the office. I’m not sure what we’d do without him. So,

Happy Birthday Jason!

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Filed Under: FSN Announcements Tagged With:

Spotlight on Solidago AKA Golden Rod

September 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

SolidagoOn a recent road trip, I couldn’t help but notice the colors of fall already starting to show. One fall flower that really caught my attention was the golden rod or, as most florists call it, solidago. Our Arkansas landscape is currently covered in this bright yellow flower. We aren’t the only ones who enjoy seeing solidago on the horizon, this flower has been adopted as the state flower by Nebraska and Kentucky as well as the state wildflower for South Carolina. While solidago is considered a wildflower or even weed by those in North America, it is actually a favorite garden flower in Europe.

Golden Rod Allergy Myth

Many people shy away from this particular flower because of it’s bad reputation of causing hay fever and other allergies, but actually ragweed is the culprit with a similar blooming time to solidago (golden rod). Actually the pollen of solidago is too heavy to be wind-pollinated and must be carried by insects from plant to plant. Handling solidago may still cause problems to those with allergies, however.

Use In Floral Design

Did you know golden rods (solidago) are a common filler flower used by florists? That’s right, in many designs florists use a hybrid version of the common golden rod to add bright yellow color and interest to a flower arrangement. They have been hybridized to bring out all the best qualities of solidago.  This fall-bloomer is a great addition to your seasonal decor.

Here are a few favorite flower arrangements that feature solidago from our Flower Gallery:

Solidago Arrangement  Solidago Flower Arrangement Solidago Flower Arrangement

Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: , , ,

It’s Mum Time!

September 20, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Yellow Potted Mum - Just in Time For Fall!

It’s Mum time!

With fall just over the horizon, it’s time for beautiful mum house plants to adorn our homes, porches and patios. Let the spirit of fall greet your house guests at the front door! Choose from an array of festive fall colored blooms that will last the whole season long! For the best selection, stop by your local flower shop!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions, Plant Suggestions, Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: , , ,

Feeling Fall-ish?

September 19, 2011 by 1 Comment

Fall is the wonderful transition from the sizzling summer to ice cold winter; the time when the weather is just perfect. It’s almost like a second spring that’s even more beautiful: with flowers blooming and colorful trees turning their autumn colors. Overall, it’s just a wonderful season to be celebrated while it lasts.

Fall HistoryFall Flowers

Before the 16th century, harvest was the term used to refer to the season. However, as more people moved away from farming to living in towns, the word harvest lost its reference and came to refer to only the actual activity of reaping, and autumn, as well as fall, began to replace it as a reference to the season. Although we do not call it harvest anymore, we still use many references from harvesting in our fall decor: cornucopias, wheat, gourds and pumpkins, corn, hay, etc.

Why We Love Fall

Fall is arguably the favorite of all seasons. Everyone loves the colors of fall and seasonal decor during this time is a MUST in most homes. You will see hay, pumpkins scarecrows as yard decor all season. Some of our favorite holiday parties happen during fall: Halloween & Thanksgiving. Halloween pumpkin carving is a favorite fall activity that dates back to the 1700s and Thanksgiving is all about celebrating the bounty of fall. American Football also gets everyone together for a party. Long fall nights are made for spending time indoors with family and friends.
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Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Say, ‘Goodbye Sniffles, Hello Sunshine’

September 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever had to spend time in the hospital, you know how gloomy it can be, especially if it’s an overnight trip or longer. There is an easy way to beat the glum: you know I’m going to say with flowers, but let me tell you why…

You’re In Our Hearts

Flowers are an instant reminder that someone is thinking of you. If your friend or family member is sick, whether in the hospital or stuck in bed at home, flowers sitting at their bedside will always bring a smile to their face. Because they were sent from you and your family, get well soon flowers are an instant reminder that the sick friend is well-loved and their friends want them to get better.

Hospital Flower Suggestions:

Get Well Flowers Get Well Flowers

The Healing Powers of Flowers

Believe it or not, flowers have healing powers. Think about it scientifically: color is simply light, and light is energy, that means color = energy! Color is simply light vibrating at different frequencies, and just like food, our bodies need light (the sunshine vitamin) to grow and get better. Colors are known to be therapeutic, this is called, chromotherapy. There are colors for relaxation, spirituality, peace, warmth, energy, happiness. Try sending a monochromatic (one color) bouquet of flowers to your friend feeling under the weather, or mix the colors to create your own chromotherapy arrangement. For a list of colors and their effects, check out this article: Get Well Flowers Have Healing Powers.

Chromotherapy Flower Suggestions:

Get Well Flowers Get Well Flowers

Yellow: gives feelings of warmth. Uplifting, re-activator, activates memory, purifies the body.
Green: feelings of harmony, self-control, and relaxation. Relieves tension, lowers blood pressure.
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Filed Under: Flower Suggestions, Gift Ideas Tagged With: , ,

Florist Stories: Memories From Design Competitions

September 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

We are excited to share with you our very first Florist Story submitted by Lori Mudge of De’Vine Floral Design & Gifts in Granville, IL.

For the past 3 years, Lori and her team at De’Vine Floral Design & Gifts have taken the floral design contest at Bonnett’s Wholesale’s by storm.

Lori tells us all about it here:

“Floral supplier, Bonnett’s Wholesale in Milan, IL always has there annual open house in August. They host a big design contest for all of their mid-west customers, guest designers and floral professionals, which we enter every year.

Bonnett’s Design Contest has three design categories to enter:

  • Anything Goes (anything you want in fresh, silk or whatever, with a wholesale price of $50.00)
  • Corsage + Boutonniere
  • Surprise Box

Florists are able to enter all three categories. The winner of the competition is determined by votes from Bonnett’s staff, as well as florists and industry professionals from all across the mid-west. I feel it is more of an honor to win here because it is judged by florists from Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Iowa.”

Lori shared these photos with us of her winning entries for the past 3 years in a row:

The first year, Lori received two 1st place awards in the Anything Goes and Corsage + Boutonniere categories. Her out-of-the-box designs set her apart from her competition.

Bonnett's Flower Competition

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Filed Under: Floral Conventions & Flower Shows, Floral Industry News Tagged With: , , ,

Flower Arranging With Children

September 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Flower Arranging With Kids Are you looking for something new to do with your kids? A new project that will showcase their creativity and imagination? Why not introduce the art of flower arranging? Flowers are bright and beautiful, with so many different characteristics, shapes and scents, your child will be captivated by the experience!

  • Arranging a basket with fresh cuts to spruce up the kitchen.
  • Creating beautiful potted plants to sit on the front porch is a great project for little hands.
  • A heart-felt arrangement made especially for grandma and grandpa.

Each season brings a different variety of flowers to pick from, each with their own special needs. Your local florist will be able to share with you the most appropriate flowers-types for children to handle. With some being more durable and sturdy than others, your florist will guide you in the process of choosing the most suitable flowers for your project. Letting your child pick out the flowers is a great way to get them going. Daisies, carnations and sunflowers are always a big hit. Whether you are picking from a garden or from your local flower shop it is a sure way to put a smile on their face.

Tip: Most local florists also sell loose flowers by the bunch. Take your children on a short trip to meet their florist, and be introduced to all the great flowers this season has to offer. Let them pick out their favorites to use in creating flower arrangements at home.

Flower Arrangement Example Flower ArrangementFlower Arrangement Example

Now Let’s get started!
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Filed Under: Flower Suggestions, Gift Ideas, Tips & Tricks Tagged With: , , ,

Vintage Kitchen Inspired Flower Displays

September 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Vintage Kitchen InspirationIt’s the newest fad – Flowers in Culinary Containers! Kitchen-themed flower art is both inspiring and classic. If your party plans take guests into the kitchen, this flower idea is the perfect addition to your kitchen.

To get that vintage-inspired, natural look, use these items for the foundation of your design:

  • Old colanders
  • Mixing bowls
  • Mason jars and ceramic jugs
  • Vintage tin cans
  • Muffin pans.

Find these items at local thrift or second hand stores. The older the better; these items can bring a special childhood nostalgia to life.

Kitchen-themed Flower Ideas

When choosing flowers, simplicity is key –

  • Choose garden flowers, such as peonies, garden roses, liatris, sunflowers, lilies, and delphiniums.
  • Include fruits and veggies, such as artichokes, apples, and eggplant for a natural, timeless ‘Farmers Market’ feel.
  • Interesting foliages add texture and eye-catching designs to your arrangement. Think long bear grass or wheat.

Fruits and vegetables are a great way to bring depth and creativity to a clear vase as well. Fill your vase or clear jugs with apples, oranges, carrots, cranberries, cucumbers or any bright colored vegetable or fruit.  Just imagine guests walking through the kitchen buffet spread, all the while mesmerized by your amazing kitchen flower arrangement. These displays are perfect for bringing an interesting impact to any event!

If you’re interested in adding a vintage kitchen flower arrangement to your next party mix, give your local florist a call. I’m sure they will have even more exciting ideas!

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: , , ,
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