Flower Memories

No New Baby Flowers? You’ve GOT To Be Kidding Me!

July 21, 2009 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

My brother’s son was born on June 22nd. It was a bit earlier than we’d expected but we were all happy to finally have him here! I left work and raced to the hospital about an hour away. I found out their room number and walked in. I was expecting “New Baby” flowers, balloons, baby gift baskets, etc. Something! Anything! What did I find?? Nothing!

Nothing.

I was surprised, a little embarassed because I hadn’t been able to call ahead for a gift delivery, and quite unimpressed with the calibre of friends who would just show up empty handed for no reason! My sister had already been there and brought lunch. My other brother wanted to wait til they made it home to visit. All sets of parents were acting like normal grandparents. I showed up with camera in hand and expected to have to push away gifts to get a shot of the baby. Unfortunately, no. Ugh.

There is a happy ending. I moved an hour and a half away on the baby’s one week birthday. Not wanting to leave without seeing my nephew, I visited him and his parents the day before. Come to find out, their house was filled with baby stuff and baby gifts. Much to my surprise, a bouquet of new baby flowers was on the kitchen counter. I was shocked and appalled that no one had considered baby gifts when we were at the hospital. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that someone had taken the time to have new baby flowers delivered with a stuffed animal. It was adorable!

I know for sure that the next time one of my friends or family has a baby, I will call ahead and have flowers delivered. I do NOT want to repeat that experience.

Filed Under: Gift Ideas Tagged With: Baby Gifts, Flower Memories, Gift Ideas, New Baby Flowers

Do You Know What Biking And Flowers Have In Common?

July 10, 2009 by Flower Shop Network Leave a Comment

Are you into bike riding? I ride my bicycle all of the time. I’m kind of addicted to the feeling of the breeze in my face. The tightness in my abs lets me know that I’m also getting my daily dose of exercise but in a fun way. The burn in my legs drives the feeling home. I never knew that flowers and bike riding had anything to do with each other, but biking with the honey showed me how the two come together seamlessly.

We were biking together at a local state park in June (and every weekend since then) when it just suddenly dawned on me. They may not be cut fresh flowers, but the flowers scattered all over the sides of the path were absolutely gorgeous. We rode a bit farther than we would have otherwise because we were admiring the nature around us. That’s not really like him so I was quite impressed that our surrounding caught him like that also. After all, we’ve been there dozens of times before. It wasn’t until we began biking the paths that we’d walked together before that we discovered just how pretty flowers are whether in a vase or in the woods.

I hope to have a similar experience when I do my other favorite outdoor activity next weekend–kayaking. Even if I don’t, I’ll always have that surreal moment when he and I noticed together that something that we love (biking) was always surrounded by something we take for granted (wildflowers).

Filed Under: Flower Memories Tagged With: Bicycle Riding, Flower Memories, Fresh Flowers, Peaks My Interest, Wild Flowers, Wildflowers

The Friendly Florist That Will Just Make Your Day!

August 28, 2008 by Flower Shop Network 1 Comment

One of the joys of my job is that my faith in people and their good nature is daily validated by Flower Shop Network’s network coordinators. I recently learned of Fuqua and Sheffield Florist, a full service florist delivering flowers in Richmond, Virginia. The positive influence of these great people is so contagious that I couldn’t help but pass it along to you.

Lyle and his team light up the room even over the phone. Every employee seems delighted with life and genuinely excited about the work that is being done. Sending flowers from Fuqua and Sheffield Florist is a refreshing drift back to a time when working in a flower shop was invigorating and exciting because every new customer was a chance to let out the artistry and creativity of the designer. Each new face was a new opportunity for something bigger, better, and a brighter smile. This kind of enthusiasm is electric with the employees here and no doubt a direct reflection of the bubbly and pleasant rapport between Lyle and his customers. It is nearly impossible to keep from smiling after speaking with any of the wonderful people at Fuqua and Sheffield Florist.

There is a saying that it takes a dozen positive encounters to counteract the effects of one negative encounter. Lyle and his team are setting out to reverse that belief by delivering one intensely fun-filled experience after another. Passionate and driven, it’s instantly a treat to work with the team on creating romantic wedding flowers, beautiful birthday arrangements, sincere sympathy arrangements and any other floral dream in the imagination. How fun! After just one conversation, you know that Fuqua and Sheffield Florist will deliver the flowers that draw emotion from anyone—and be passionate about it!

There remains to be seen an occasion where Lyle and his team created an arrangement without vigor, drive, and contagious energy. Passion about flowers goes a long way, but when a whole team of people absolutely radiates happiness and enthusiasm—that’s impossible to keep to myself.

Filed Under: Florist Spotlights, Flower Memories Tagged With: Florist Spotlights, Flower Delivery, Flower Memories, Flower Shop Network, Fuqua and Sheffield Florist, Richmond Virginia Florists, Sending Flowers

The Beauty Of Flowers And Flower Pictures

August 19, 2008 by Jamie Jamison Adams Leave a Comment

About a month ago I came across a blog called Garden Muse. Cindy Dyer writes this blog which revolves around the wonders of the garden with amazing pictures of flowers, vegetables, insects – basically anything that occurs in a garden. I was instantly an admirer of this site. After all, it contained two things that I am very passionate about gardening and photography. Flowers have a depth and richness of color along with a textural quality making them exceptional subjects for pictures. I love to take pictures of the flowers in my garden. Unfortunately my passion for photography doesn’t translate to skill. My flower pictures are often a pale comparison to the beauty of the flower in which I am photographing. Cindy, however, is a spectacular photographer and her flower pictures are breath taking. After seeing the lily photos on Garden Muse, I was inspired to take a picture of my new Salmon Star lily. I planted it this spring and it smells almost as good as my Stargazer lilies.

In case your interested in pictures of flowers, here are a few more from my garden.

Above is a Casa Blanca Lily

This arrangement has Casa Blanca Lilies, Platycodon (balloon flower) and eucalyptus all from my garden.

Photo of a Calla Lily from my garden.

My flower pictures may not measure up to the ones on Garden Muse but I think I’ll keep trying. After all, the pictures will remind me of the flower memories and beauty that occurred in my garden during the growing season. This winter when things are cold and dreary, I’ll be able to pull these pictures out and enjoy their beauty once again.

Filed Under: Flower Memories Tagged With: Casablanca Lilies, Floral Photography, Flower Memories, Flower Pictures, Stargazer Lilies

Fresh Flowers And A Square Vase Make A Great Birthday Gift

July 25, 2008 by Jamie Jamison Adams 1 Comment

How do fresh flowers by the stem and a square vase make a great birthday gift? Well for me is it incorporates everything I love: geometric shapes, flowers and the personal efforts of my husband.

Every year Neal gives me flowers for my birthday but there is always some kind of twist to the arrangement. One year he had our florist create a flower arrangement in a beautiful vase that had a bright abstract pattern. The vase still sits on my kitchen buffet reminding me of that birthday every time I look at it. Another time my birthday arrangement arrived with a crystal wine stopper uniquely placed among the flowers and foliage. So this year I wasn’t sure what to expect. So I waited all day for the florist to deliver my birthday flowers but at 5pm I still was flowerless. I assumed that Neal, after years of sending me flower arrangements for my birthday, had decided to give me something different. I left work and sped home to see what was in store for my birthday. As I entered the living room I saw this:

These gorgeous peach colored roses were sweetly arranged in my favorite square vase. Neal’s special twist this year was to actually make my birthday flower arrangement. He had hoped to gather flowers from our own garden to create the arrangement. He had actually done this a week before when it was our turn at church to provide the alter flowers. Below is a picture of that arrangement. It contains Casablanca lilies, Balloon flower blooms and Baptisia foliage all from our garden.

However our garden, like all gardens, doesn’t always cooperate and he didn’t have anything to work with this week. So Neal popped into our local florist and picked up the roses and came home to work his magic. We can always count on our local florist to provide us with fresh flowers that we can take home. That’s the great thing about local florists, they have fresh flowers all of the time. Most florists will let you buy them by the stem or they will create an arrangement for you to take home or to be delivered.

I was glad that Neal continued the tradition of giving me flowers on my birthday. My flower memories are very precious to me and these flowers will rank among the top. So how do fresh flowers by the stem and a square vase make a great birthday gift? They create a flower memory that includes the wonder of flowers in a uniqueness container and the knowledge that someone really loves you.

Filed Under: Flower Memories, Gift Ideas Tagged With: Birthday Gift Ideas, Flower Memories, Fresh Flowers

Fresh Flower Arrangements In The Strangest Places

June 27, 2008 by Jamie Jamison Adams 2 Comments

I believe that every room deserve a fresh flower arrangement and that every one should receive or send fresh flowers at least once a year (although the more times the better). But, yesterday I was pleasantly surprised to find a flower arrangement in a place that you don’t often see them — a public bathroom.

I popped into the bathroom at Garvan Woodland Gardens in Hot Springs AR and found this beautiful flower arrangement. In fact this was one of two fresh arrangements in [Read more…]

Filed Under: Flower Memories Tagged With: Botanical Gardens, Flower Memories, Fresh Flowers, Garvan Woodland Gardens, Hot Springs Arkansas Florists

Amazing Prom Flowers, Dresses, Formal Wear And A Hummer Limo

April 27, 2008 by Jamie Jamison Adams 14 Comments

Things sure have changed since my prom days. My sister-in-law just sent me pictures of my nephew’s prom. Oliver went to prom last week with his girlfriend, Courtney, and as is custom these days, it was a group affair with a Hummer limousine to boot.

When I say things have changed I mean everything: the hair styles, the prom dresses, formal wear for the guys — even the prom flowers!

When I was in school the pin-on corsage was the only option we had for prom flowers. Now, prom flowers are a fashion accessory, not just a nice gift from your date. Prom-goers embellish their purses, shoes and necklaces with flowers for prom. They use the wrist corsage like a piece of jewelry! In fact, one of the girls in my nephew’s prom group had a flower ring. Not a ring in the shape of a flower, but a flower ring.

I have never really wanted to relive my youth, but I wish I could go to prom just so I could wear one of these cool wrist corsages and flower rings.

Prom Transportation

The transportation to prom is another thing that is completely different. I rode to prom in a Toyota Corolla, not the most prestigious of vehicles in 1983. Now, they arrive in limos and not just any limo, but a Hummer limo!

My nephew, Oliver, is on the right side with his girlfriend, Courtney, and his friends, Whitney and Dustin, are pictured on the left. I think the colorful prom dresses, fantastic tuxedos, amazing prom wrist corsages and the limo are a huge part of the whole prom experience, but the most important thing last weekend was the memories Oliver and friends made that will last him a lifetime.

If you want to see more pictures of the gorgeous prom dress and prom flowers, I know that several are posted on Wedding and Party Network. If you have prom pictures you would like to share, Wedding and Party Network lets users submit pictures to their site!

Filed Under: Flower Memories, Trends Tagged With: Flower Memories, Prom, Prom Flowers, Prom Trends

Making Memories With Flowers – How do You Do It?

March 31, 2008 by Jamie Jamison Adams 1 Comment

Not long ago Brynn wrote about the memories she had of her grandmother picking daffodils from the roadside. Now every time she sees a daffodil it reminds her of her mother and grandmother. Recently, I had the task of writing a newsletter for Flower Shop Network. I thought long and hard about the special memories I had and most of them involved flowers. So I wrote a newsletter called Flower Memories which caused me to wonder what kind of flower memories others had. So here I am wondering and there you are with some great memories. Lets share! You can read my Flower Memories in the newsletter and I invite you to put your flower memories on this blog.

Filed Under: Flower Memories Tagged With: Flower Memories