Bloomin' Blog

See You At The Southern Retail Florist Association Convention in Charlotte!

August 26, 2009 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

We are SO excited about the 2009 Southern Retail Florist Association Convention coming up this weekend in Charlotte North Carolina. A weekend near the beach with great people? Wouldn’t miss it!

If you’re still trying to plan your weekend, consider the SRFA Convention from August 28-30, 2009. It’s a fun three day weekend or can be a good day trip if you want to stay for just one day’s activities. Either way, make your reservations now and don’t forget to stop by the Flower Shop Network booth! Many of our Network Coordinators will be on hand and are looking forward to talking with you!

Ah…a picturesque weekend in Charlotte, NC. Florists can catch a break after the “back to school” rush and spend a relaxing weekend learning about floral industry trends, talking with vendors who make life easier, and networking with other florists. Whether over a beverage at the hotel or over a table at the conference, it’s always fun to mingle with people who share the same passions. That’s exactly what’s happening at the 2009 SRFA Convention!

A trip through the mountains is worth it to see Charlotte florists and other members of the SRFA at this year’s convention. We’re very glad to have this opportunity to meet and greet. We look forward to meeting you this weekend! See you at the show!

Filed Under: Floral Conventions & Flower Shows Tagged With: Charlotte NC Florists, Charlotte North Carolina, Floral & Flower Shows, Southern Retail Florist Association

Add Flower Power To Your Tailgate Party

August 25, 2009 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

It’s time to kick off the football season this year. Tailgating at football games is an ultimate American pastime. It’s something most Americans are born knowing how to do properly. What flower lovers want to know, though, is a great way to mix their favorite fresh decorations and football season hobby.

It may seem kind of anti-tailgating to bring along flowers. After all, it’s a male-dominated hobby where brewskies fly through the air and bratwurst is consumed by the yard. Don’t let that deter you, there are still ways to work tailgating and fresh flowers into one great afternoon.

Ask your local florist to create fresh flowers in the team colors then:

If you’re attending a high school football game, present flowers to the coach after an afternoon of tailgating. This is an especially good idea if the team wins (though you’ll have to wait a little longer for that answer).
If it’s just you and the girls (wives of players, mothers of players, fans), have each woman wear a lapel corsage or a wrist corsage in the team colors.
Go “Hawaiian” with the tailgate party theme. This way, you’ll have a reason to sport a lei in the team colors.
If you’re the only woman, don’t make the men forget that YOU are the coolest thing there, bar none. Overwhelming estrogen can be a downer, but a flower in your hair that happens to be the team’s main color is a way to maintain your femininity while acting like one of the guys.

Don’t forget to return to Flower Shop Network with pictures and stories of your fun tailgate parties!

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Football Flowers, Fresh Flower Decorating, Tailgate Party, Tailgating

Forgot What The September Birth Month Flower Is?

August 24, 2009 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

Fret not, dear blog reader. I have your answer.

The September birth month flowers are the aster and the morning glory. Oh yeah, beautiful and meaningful. Good stuff. If you were a reader last year you may remember “Mark September With An Aster-isk”, our friendly reminder blog about the birth month flower of September. You may also remember that September can be quite a headache for my family! With three birthdays on the same day stuff gets really crazy toward the middle of the month.

Mom is great. She’s one of my favorite people in the whole world and I’d be lost without her. That’s a great (and true) sentiment for the card, but you can’t really package that. Oh wait, yes you can! It may not come in a box but a birthday bouquet with aster is a package that she’ll be happy to receive! I’m thinking that showing it off to her friends at work will be fun for her given the type of women she works with. If I can make her day better, why not? So this year I’m sending Mom the gift that she loved last year — asters.

Ask Your Florist About Aster This September

Now the other Virgo in my life is a bit harder. I tend to stop by game stores a lot when shopping for him but I’m pretty tired of staring at electronics. By the time I muster up the courage to go shopping, the last place I want to be is somewhere that will take a lot of time. Plus, I can never remember which games he has so I get a gift card. It’s a little impersonal (or so he said last year) so I don’t want to repeat that experience.

My Love may be brutally honest but he has a point so I’m sending him aster flowers instead. It’s kind of payback for the comment about the gift card. Plus, his daughter loves playing with flowers and dirt and bugs and grass so we’ll have a lot of fun planting morning glory in the backyard. This may not be the ideal way to send birth month flowers of September. Given that not everyone lives in a fairytale world of romance and lollipops, I’m sure I’m not the only one who finds this a funny alternative.

Regardless of your intent, you really can’t go wrong with birth month flowers. They’re just too cool! Plus they’re really unique so you don’t have to worry about someone copying your idea. It’s all yours. Be your own with aster and morning glory this September.

Filed Under: Flower Suggestions Tagged With: Aster, Birth Month Flowers, Birthday Gift Ideas, Morning Glory, September Birth Month Flowers

Changing Lucky Bamboo Containers

August 23, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

Lucky Bamboo Pot Option

Ask the Expert: Re-plant my Lucky Bamboo
As you can see from the pictures my lucky bamboo plant has (I think) all but outgrown its original glass planter.
I would like to re-plant it in the new planter (see picture).
Will it look okay in this new planter?
Can I use rocks to fill it (along with the small pebbles it came with) and if so what kind of rocks I should use?
Clean and wash them?
What else do I need to be aware of?
Thanks
JD

Plant Expert Reply:

I think the lucky bamboo will look fine in the crytal shoe. You have two options: 1) You can place river rock pebbles in the container. You will need to wash the rock first with warm soapy water and then rinse them before placing them in the shoe. 2) Don’t place any pebbles in the container – I have had lucky bamboo in a vase without pebbles.

When you transfer the lucky bamboo use distilled water. You might lightly prine the roots at this time. The lucky bamboo may go into transplant shock for a couple of weeks. Don’t panic just let it be and it will come out of it.

Filed Under: Lucky Bamboo Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Dracaena sanderiana, Lucky Bamboo, Plant Care Questions

Phalaeopsis Orchid Care

August 23, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams 4 Comments

Ask the Expert: When will my Phalaenopsis Orchid Bloom? I bought a (indoor) Phalaenopsis Orchid plant that looked rather sad with its’ droopy leaves and no flowers on a Lowe’s discount table for a $1. Took it home and with some TLC it has perked up quite a bit. It has a long brown stem (like a skinny branch) growing out of the plant base. No blooms whatsoever, so do I cut the stem off and would another one grow in its’ place? When would I expect some flowers? Also, does this plant get root bound? I can see through the clear plastic (small) pot all these green thick “roots” seem crowded.

Never owned a Orchid before as I have heard they are hard plants to take care of. Thank you in advance for your help. Would a photo help? If so I can send one to you. Thanks – JD

Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply: Phalaeopsis orchids are not too difficult to grow. In fact at the nursery, we basically ignore them.

However there are a few things you will want to do:

Proper Light: Phalaeopsis need bright indirect light. Directly across from a south facing window is the best. You can also exposed it to 12 hours of fluorescent light if natural light isn’t available. Your orchid will have bright green leaves if it is getting adequate light.

Adequate Water & Nutrients: As for water, you will need to let it dry almost completely before you water it. You will need to fertilize it once a month with a fertilizer specially blended for orchids.

Proper Orchid Maintainence: Bloom stalks are normally pruned. If the plant has healthy thick green leaves that are not wrinkled or drooping, you cut the bloom stalk just below the lowest bloom. The plant should then send out a new flowering branch. If you stalk is not healthy, cut the stalk all the way down and be sure to water and fertilize properly as the plant recovers. When an orchid is this damaged, it can take up to a year before it will bloom again.

Oh as for the roots – it is perfectly acceptable for the roots to show.

Hopefully this information will help you bring your Phalaeopsis orchid back to it’s glory.

Filed Under: Plant Care Questions Tagged With: Orchids, Phalaeopsis orchid, Plant Care Questions

White Night Bloomer Is Hymenocallis harrisiana

August 23, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

White Flower Hymenocallis harrisiana

Ask the Expert: identify night bloomer
the flower blooms randomly every few years & starts blooming @ dusk & completes a bloom cycle in ~5 minutes. i’d appreciate you identifying it & providing any online info that is available about it. thanks – ed johnston

Plant Expert Reply:

You have a type of Hymenocallis probably a Peruvian daffodil (Hymenocallis harrisiana) or a Spider lily (Hymenocallis acutifolia). The plants all in the Amaryllidacaea family. They are bulbous perennials.

Different species of this plant have different blooming cycles. The first hymenocallis will bloom in spring followed by summer blooming ones and finally autumn blooming ones. You can find them in a native habitat in United States from Indiana, Kentucky, Virginia, south to the Carolinas, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Louisiana, Texas. They are also found in Mexico, Central America and South America.

You can find more information about hymenocallis at http://www.wildflower.org/plants/result.php?id_plant=HYLI.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Ask The Plant Expert, Flower Identification, Hymenocallis, Hymenocallis acutifolia, Hymenocallis harrisiana, Perennials, White Flowers

Are Hydrangeas Available For Shipment To Arizonia In October?

August 21, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: Can we get hydrangeas shipped to AZ in Oct?
If so, guestimated cost & how can we get the color we want? S

Plant Expert Reply:

Hydrangea are available in October. If you are a florist or an event planner looking for a source of wholeale hydrangeas , FGmarket.com has several hydrangea suppliers who will ship hydrangeas July through December. I would contact one of them for pricing and color availability. Hydrangeas on the wholesale level will run around the $7.50 mark.

I don’t there will be any problem having hydrangeas shipped to Arizona in October. Be sure to properly hydrate the hydrangeas when your receive them.

If you need hydrangeas but don’t qualify to buy them wholesale, contact a local Arizona florist who can sell them to you by the stem. The price will be much higher at the retail level.

Filed Under: Floral Resources Tagged With: Seasonal Flowers, Wholesale Hydrangeas

Jacksonville Oregon Florists Fights Arthritis

August 21, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

Caitlin

If you saw someone stealing something from a child, wouldn’t you want to stop them? Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis steals the carefree life a of a child. It needs to be stopped.

With the help of the 2008 Arthritis Foundation Child of the Year (Caitlin Ryan), Cowboy Flowers , a Jacksonville, Oregon florist is doing more than fighting arthritis. They are sending a message of faith, hope, truth, friendship, purity, strength and awareness all in a beautiful bouquet.

How does one bouquet filled with sunny yellows, perfect pinks, pure whites, and soothing blues accomplish such a big task?

The answer to the question begins with 11 year old Caitlin, who has had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis since the age of 3. Despite an up-hill battle with arthritis and a hip replacement, she is a happy and creative pre-teen with an eye for floral design. Add in a visit to Cowboy Flowers and Barb Wallgren, who recognized an opportunity to mentor a budding floral designer. Equipped with a heartfelt passion and an array of fresh flowers, this formidable team created a bouquet representing the essence of every person fighting arthritis.

Besides beauty, each flower in the arrangement has a hidden meaning: yellow spray chrysanthemum (hope), white chrysanthemum (truth), pink gerbera (purity & strength), pink carnation (I’ll never forget you) and the blue iris (faith & friendship). The cheerful beauty of this flower arrangement will give every recipient sheer enjoyment as it subtly fights arthritis.

How is this bouquet fighting arthritis? Cowboy Flowers is putting their money where their heart is with this bouquet. They are donating $10.00 for each “Bugs Beautiful Bouquet” sold. So anyone sending flowers can send someone fresh flowers and fight arthritis at the same time by ordering a “Bugs Beautiful Bouquet”.

When asked why Cowboy Flowers would put time and effort into this project, Barb replied “When you see the beauty in a child like Caitlin and know the battles she has fought, you have to do something to help. We have been fortunate to have wonderful customers (community). It is only right that we give something back.”

I think the reason is more than Barb’s humble reply. This flower shop sees the bigger picture – making the world a better place.

: Caitlin’s Bugs Beautiful Bouquet

: Bugs Beautiful Bouquet

Filed Under: Florist Spotlights Tagged With: Cowboy Flowers, Floral Design, Flower Meanings, Jacksonville Oregon Florist, Oregon Florists

Color Me Impressed By Every Blooming Thing (Akron)!

August 21, 2009 by Flower Shop Network 2 Comments

Let me preface it all by saying that I see hundreds of wonderful flowers arrangements every month. My personal tastes aside, there are florists all over the country that are knock-down-drag-out awesome at floral design. I was going through the Flower Shop Network Facebook page one day and found one of those florists. Color me impressed by Every Blooming Thing in Akron, Ohio! Wow.

Here’s a little preview of what grabbed my attention like a bargain hungry shopper at an outlet mall.

: Margarita Glass Flower Arrangment

: Margarita Glass Flowers Part Two

: Don’t Count Them Out For Traditionals!

: Great Flowers For Guys

: Contemporary Flowers & Zebra Background

: Great Back To School Arrangement!

For one thing, putting flowers in a margarita cup the way they did is fun, quirky, flirtatious, mirrors the fun of the season, and unique. Add to it that he features a lot of carnations in this arrangement and you can see why my eyes widened.

Scott and the gang at Every Blooming Thing are always using unique vases and backdrops to make their flowers come to life in a big way. Take the tall contemporary arrangement in a square red glass vase for instance. That by itself is beautiful for many reasons. Place the flowers in front of a zebra striped wall and you really have a fun arrangement!

They also make back to school gifts fun. Even if it’s not for a back to school gift, you can’t help but love the “cute factor” that the mug arrangement has. This particular arrangement is placed in a cat mug but I’d like to think that dog people like me can get something every bit as adorable. Knowing Scott and Every Blooming Thing, I’m sure of it!

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what to make of the arrangement featuring delphinium, white calla lilies, a spot of hydrangea and blue iris. I was instantly taken to it but couldn’t explain why for a very long time. The shapes that these flowers mimic, the deep colors, and the unique style of the arrangement just scream “buy this for a guy!!”

I wouldn’t count out Every Blooming Thing for traditional arrangements either. Just take a look at the flowers in the white square basket. Isn’t it fun?! It uses a great mixture of flowers so there are many textures, shapes, styles and colors to love. However, Scott works them all together into one amazing piece.

There are many florists touted for customer service. While I could go on and on about the same for Every Blooming Thing, I’d rather give kudos for the excellent floral design. Great job!

Filed Under: Florist Spotlights Tagged With: Akron OH Florists, Every Blooming Thing, Florist Spotlights

White Roadside Flower Is A Spider Lily

August 20, 2009 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

Ask the Expert: I found this and was wondering what it was

Spider Lily

I found this flower on the side of the road and have never seen one like it. Can you tell me what type of flower it is?
Thank you. Suzanne

Plant Expert Reply:

The lovely white flower is commonly called Spider Lily. It is a Hymenocallis. I’m not sure which Hymenocallis it is. It could be one of the following: Hymenocallis lirisome, Hymenocallis littoralis or Hymenocallis occidentalis. They usually bloom summer through autumn.

Filed Under: Flower Identification Tagged With: Hymenocallis liriosme, Hymenocallis littorales, Hymenocallis occidentalis, Spider Lily, White Flowers

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