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Archives for July 2009

Transplanting A Healthly Anthurium

Ask the Expert: Transplanting a healthy anthurium
I was given what appears to be a healthy anthurium plant. It has 6 healthy leaves and is growing another. However, the literature I have read implies that the best growing medium should be more course than the medium in which it is presently growing. The medium appears to be very fine, almost a fine muck. Would it be wise to remove the medium and repot it into a more aereated medium with larger bark particles and less fine peat moss? Thank you for any assistance in this matter. NicNat

Plant Expert Reply:
I’m a live and let live kind of person. If someone or something is happy and healthy with its living conditions, I usually leave it alone. If you decide to transplant plant the Anthurium, you will want to use a humus-rich soil. So what constitutes a humus-rich soil? Soil that has a strong base of organic material (partially decayed plants and animals) and particles that allow for good drainage (course sand, perlite, vermiculite etc) makes for a suitable humus-rich soil. This soil does not have to be extremely course in texture. Your “fine muck”, as long as it drains well, could be a humus-rich soil and the reason the plant is thriving.

When transplanting the Anthurium don’t try to remove the existing soil from the roots. Simply shaking any loose soil from the plants and place in the new pot with humus-rich soil. Be sure to keep the plant level the same as it was in the old pot.

Good luck with your Anthurium and keep me posted.

Imagination Thrives At Oak Hill Florist In Scarborough ME

Creative Wedding Flowers from Oak Hill Florist

Creative Wedding Flowers Aplenty!

I love Oak Hill Florist! I’ll admit it. I’ve been a huge fan of their prom flowers, wedding flowers and blog since first learning about this Scarborough Maine flower shop a few years ago.

Working with florists is a large part of my job as is sifting through thousands of photos of flower arrangements every year. Even as jaded as I often become, my mouth still drops every time I see an arrangement from Oak Hill Florist. The creativity and sheer beauty that fills their flower arrangements is amazing! Every. Single. Time.

I was going through some prom flower photos recently and came across one from Oak Hill Florist in which a young man is displaying his “prom pocket square.” In lieu of a traditional boutonniere, this young man planned to grace his Scarborough prom by wearing a photo of his date on his tuxedo jacket where a pocket would be instead. The prom pocket square is accented at the top with flowers that add beauty while masking the mechanics. Having never seen this before, I was floored to say the least. It’s a great idea!

Prom Pocket Squares from Oak Hill Florist

Prom Pocket Squares from Oak Hill Florist

That’s the kind of creativity that you’ll see in every arrangement for every occasion when you use Oak Hill Florist. The florists here want to make sure that your occasion quickly becomes the most special night possible and that their flowers contribute to that magical evening in a huge way.

Whether going simple with a traditional flower arrangement or going to the hilt with something more extravagant, Oak Hill Florist is the place to go. It’s that simple. I’m sure I could go on for hours about their incredible wedding flowers, prom flowers, special occasion arrangements, gifts and all the rest but I’ll leave it with one quick statement.

Your heart deserves the happy reaction it’ll have when you visit Oak Hill Florist in Scarborough Maine!

The Patriotic Meaning of Red & White Roses Rages On

Celebrate Unity With Red & White Roses

 

Red & White Roses Represent UnityRed and white roses are gorgeous. They are beautiful whether variegated in these colors or bunched together. Why not celebrate independence and unity at the same time with a red and white bouquet of roses?

The flower meaning of red and white roses is what drew me to them. With a patriotic spirit, I came across “unity” and knew that this flower meaning would be one of the most important yet. Political views aside, we can all agree that a very critical need in this country is the sense of unity.

Many of our forefathers declared “united we stand, divided we fall” and knew exactly what it meant. Having separated from a country once loved, the spirit of patriotism began with those brave people who knew that to be free we must be one force with one mind, one common goal, and one heart.

White Roses Help Express Unity

Patriotism will never be out of fashion. Unity will never go out of style. Celebrate patriotism, not just with fireworks and funnel cakes, but also with red and white roses. Let it be a symbol of the unity that keeps this country great and not the petty differences that divide people. Have a loved one in the military who is serving overseas? This Independence Day is especially important to them because they are fighting for our right to be unified and independent.

There are many ways to show appreciation for the troops. Wear a white rose next to a red rose on your shoulder or a rose corsage. Send a red rose to your loved one away from home. Even if it’s a picture sent via email, you can still celebrate with them by wearing the same or complementing color on your shoulder. Later, send them a picture of  you with wearing your rose. What an excellent way to share a meaningful moment.

Have an idea for how to wear a red or white rose? Let us know how you plan to celebrate the holiday by commenting below!

Eating Wild Onions Good Idea Or Not?

Ask the Expert: fake wild onion?
During an overnight trip on the Smith River, one of our guides picked a wild onion to show us.  However, he said that there was another plant that was very similar but could kill you in 4 hours if ingested. He said it was called “death canis” (I”m not sure of the spelling).  Can you tell me if this is true?

I have all these great wild onions but I’m afraid to eat them. Patricia

Plant Expert Reply:

Meadow Death Camas

Meadow Death Camas

I’m not sure what plant the guide was referring to – Montana has a poisonous plant called Mountain Death-camas (Zigadenus venenosus). The leaves might look like onion leaves but it would really be a stretch. See how flat the leaves are? They look more like a lily leaf than an onion leaf even through they are in the same family. Onion leaves tend look more cylindrical.

Wild Onion

Wild Onion

As for eating the wild onions in your yard, I probably wouldn’t. Not because the plant is poisonous, more because of the taste. The onion genus – Allium has many members. However, not all have a pleasing taste. The wild onion and garlic species tend to be more pungent than the cultivated species.

If your wild onions are in your lawn, you need to be aware of their exposure to chemicals. I am always cautious when it comes to eating wild vegetation. However, all Allium bulbs are edible even if not palatable.

The Meadow Death-camas picture comes from the poisonous plant section of the Montana Plant Life site.

The Wild onion photo came from the Pacific Bulb Society Allium page.

Flowers From Generation To Generation

When it comes to flowers it doesn’t really matter how old you are or where you’re from because people enjoy receiving flowers as well as sending them. Did you know that flowers can have a true emotional meaning behind them? They’re just not a pretty flower or simple gift; with the right flower you can send feeling and emotions to your loved ones. From a simple “I love you” to a very special “happy birthday”, flowers are an overall perfect gift which is the number one reason thousands of flowers are sent every day around the world.

As a 17 year old, my generation thinks about flowers differently than older generations. To us, flowers signify an easy way to make someone else smile. For example, on Valentine’s Day, every teenage boy knows to send their girlfriends flowers. Not only because its an easy gift to get, but they know flowers are the ideal Valentine’s Day gift. Most guys know that flowers make any girl happy and cheerful, especially roses on this specific day. They also realize that roses are a flower that symbolize an ”I love you”. So whether you’re from the younger or older generation, everyone knows that the meaning behind a rose is ”I love you”.

On the other hand an older generation, like our parents, thinks about flowers in a more passionate and sentimental way. A man from this older generation puts a great deal of thought into the flowers he sends his wife. He thinks about the emotion he wants to convey with the flowers he is sending. For the older generations the message you convey with flowers is a significant part of sending flowers. To my generation a gift of flowers might be remembered for about a couple of weeks. To the older generations it’s something they will remember for the rest of their life; making them smile every time they think about the special gift they received.

My generation focuses on flowers more around April or May, which is prom season. An outfit wouldn’t be complete without a dazzling corsage. On the other hand, for the older generation any day of the year is the right time to think about and send flowers. When they’re trying to send a sympathetic message or just make someone smile, waiting for a holiday to come around isn’t the only option when it comes to sending flowers. In retrospect, flowers are sent by all generations all throughout the year. They are just sent with a different meaning an in a different approach each time. Maybe my generation should start sending flowers a little more often.

Happy Birthday Jamie!

That’s right! Today is Jamie Jamison Adams’ birthday. Our plant and flower expert is another year older but doesn’t look it at all! Everyone at Flower Shop Network is spending the day wishing her a happy birthday so we thought we’d give her one giant blog birthday card that says…

Happy Birthday Jamie!

Jamie's Flower Shaped Cupcake Birthday Cakes

Jamie's Flower Shaped Cupcake Birthday Cakes

Flore, Flowers As Medicine Deserves Recognition

Flower Shop Network knows Lori Friedlander is not one to toot her own horn, so we thought we would do it for her.  Lori is the owner of Flore, Flowers as Medicine and is nominated for an award at the 58th Annual Retailer Excellence Awards Gala in New York City. What an honor!

Although a “youngster” in the floral industry, Flore (opened April 2008) has achieved the reputation as a quality Southbury CT florist with an eco-friendly heart. In fact, Lori and co-designer Christopher Issacson have transformed Flore into a flower shop with a European flower market atmosphere specializing in eco-friendly products. With a growing desire to “go green”, Flore’s unique atmosphere and trendy eco-friendly products help keep Flore a special part of what Southbury has to offer.

With their fresh flowers, a signature line of flower and plant-based products for aromatherapy, as well as beauty and medicinal botanical products, Flore is clearly taking care of their customers and the environment at the same time. In a culture where “going green” is encouraged and celebrated, the shop has quickly gained the respect of its customers and fellow florists. Flore is already tops to their health-conscious customers who are both socially aware and have a preference for items that are environmentally friendly.

Whether Lori brings the trophy home or not, we know that Flore, Flowers as Medicine is a winner. That’s why Flower Shop Network salutes Flore for a job well done. Lori, you’re a winner to us!

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

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.

Sending Flowers? Don’t Forget To List Your Second Choice

This is one flower sending tip that you won’t want to be without. Florists run across an issue often when they are asked to create an arrangement based on something seen in a magazine, on a floral website, or a wire service design gallery. Because availability varies by region and other factors, it is important to have your second choice in mind when ordering flowers.

Small Changes, Not A Different Flower Arrangement

Having a second choice is not what it seems to be. This does not mean giving up what you want in favor of a completely different arrangement. This can be something as simple as selecting pink roses if red roses are not available. It could also mean selecting a different type of flower that closely resembles one used in the bouquet.

Keep Color Options In Mind

Most flowers come in a variety of colors. Each variegated species has its own unique appearance. Though you do not have to know the species name of each flower, keep in mind which colors you would like to see in the arrangement. Note this when sending flowers through a local florist. Knowing that green and yellow are preferred (or whichever) is very helpful information when floral designers need to make substitutes.

Keep Flower Substitutes In Mind

Is your wife highly allergic to a particular flower? Does your husband love a certain flower? Let your florist know! He or she will better able to tailor your arrangement to your specific needs if s/he knows which flowers are preferred/off limits/acceptable. Also, note whether substitutions will be acceptable if the flowers are not available. It may be something as simple as filler flower changes, but it will get your flowers out the door faster and spare a lot of people the hassle of multiple phone calls.

Bice’s Florist Provides An Education In Giving Back

People often say that what goes around comes around, and at Flower Shop Network we certainly believe that to be true! That means Bice’s Florist, a Fort Worth Texas flower shop, can certainly be expecting good things in their future. Why? Because Bice’s Florist recently “gave back” by presenting two local high school students with $500 grants for college costs. Any college student or graduate can easily recognize the generosity behind this pay-it-forward investment into the future of Fort Worth’s deserving students.

Janice Kane, executive director of the Grapevine Colleyville Education Foundation said, “We are blessed and appreciative to have community businesses, such as Bice’s, that see the importance of stepping up in support of our young people.” All of us at Flower Shop Network couldn’t agree more and are happy to report that Bice’s Florist gets an A+ for doing just that!

Thankfully for future students in Fort Worth, Bice’s Florist will continue to grant scholarships each year to local graduating seniors who have displayed outstanding academic performance and commitment to community service–something Bice’s Florist knows all about. That’s why we are so eager to recognize and applaud Bice’s Florist for their investment in the future of their city. Thank you Bice’s!