Seasonal Flowers - Bloomin' Blog

Jazz Up your Christmas Decor With A Little “Holidazzle” From Your Florist

December 19, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

By now you’ve probably got all of your Christmas decor up, shopping mostly done, and are looking forward to the last of the holiday parties. Have you gotten a hostess gift yet? If not, your florist has you covered! Skip the busy mall and visit your local flower shop for the best selection of holiday flowers and gifts.Think flowers are a bit old fashioned? Think again!! Contemporary Christmas floral styles are incredible and will have your hostess’ jaw on the floor!

From traditional red and green, to bright and colorful, your florist can do it all! Going to a themed Christmas party, or know the specifics of your hostess’s decor? It’s not to late to order something completely custom! (But you better hurry)

Need a last-minute gift for the person who has everything? Flowers of course! Order now and your florist will take care of all the hard work for you! Your beautiful Christmas arrangement will be delivered right to their door. No wrapping, on time and hassle free — what could be better than that!?

Just check out these DAZZLING styles:

Flower Shop Network is dedicated to helping you connect with your local florist. When you select any arrangement on our website, you instantly are connected with the closest florist in your area. You can also use our handy florist finder to find your florist directly! Either way, we encourage you to use a real florist; it’s the best deal for you and your community!

The Holiday HotSpot: Your Local Flower Shop

December 16, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

If you haven’t taken the time to stop by your florist this season, what are you waiting for?? In addition to great holiday flowers and centerpieces, your local flower shop will also have unique holiday decor, the best poinsettias, gifts and most importantly, TONS of holiday inspiration!

The photo above is the inside of Trig’s Floral & Home in Minocqua, WI. You could walk around this store for days and still not see everything worth seeing! Here you can find the best in holiday gifts and decor, why would you need to go anywhere else?? This florist is a one-stop-shop for the season!

Need gift ideas? Check out this florist’s shop in McFarland, WI. The Petal Patch truly has something for everyone! Whether you need something for your niece, brother, or that friend who has everything, they’ve got your covered!

Kwanzaa: Family – Community – Culture

December 14, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

While it’s not the biggest holiday on our radar this season, the African holiday, Kwanzaa, is celebrated by millions all across the nation. It’s a perfect holiday for this season with it’s focuses on family, community and culture.

Like the winter solstice, the celebration of “first fruits” is ancient and dates back to Egypt and Nubia in Africa. Kwanzaa’s name comes from, “Matunda ya Kwanzaa” meaning “first fruits” in Swahili. Kwanzaa celebrations last 7 days; observed from December 26 to January 1 each year.

The principles of Kwanzaa are incredibly powerful and meaningful. They focus on not only building ones self, but also family and community. Each of the 7 days of Kwanzaa is dedicated to a specific principle.

The Principles of Kwanzaa (Nguzo Saba):

Umoja (Unity): Re-affirming unity of family and community, as well as nation, and race.
Kujichagulia (Self-Determination): To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves, and speak for ourselves stand up.
Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together.
Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics): To build and maintain our stores, shops, and other businesses and to profit from them together.
Nia (Purpose): To make our collective vocation the building and developing of our community in order to restore people to traditional greatness.
Kuumba (Creativity): To always do as much as we can, in the way we can, in order to leave our community more beautiful and beneficial than we inherited it.
Imani (Faith): To believe with all our heart in people, our parents, our teachers, our leaders, and the righteousness and victory of our struggle.

No matter what your race, religion or background, the principles of Kwanzaa are values we can all support. They not only are building blocks for ourselves, our family and community, but serve to reinforce and enhance them. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Holiday Info, Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: Holiday Flowers, Holiday Gift Ideas, Holiday Info, Kwanzaa

Creative Flower Shops And Their Latest Christmas Floral Designs

December 13, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

I have to admit, probably my favorite part of this job is looking at all of the beautiful pictures of flower arrangements posted on our Facebook wall every day. I am always astounded at the creative and out-of-the-box methods florists use to create incredibly unique holiday arrangements every year. No two are ever alike! The way florists keep it fresh every year stems from their creative abilities. I love these beautiful holiday flowers, and I know you will too…

The three pictures above are all from the talented Tom of Crossroads Florist in Mahwah, NJ. Tom decorates the lobby of the same hotel every week, and it always looks outstanding! These three are the holiday designs he’s created this year, and we LOVE how creative and unique they are! Instead of going with the traditional red and green, Tom has chosen small details of the season to highlight. The white and silver for winter; the cranberry and popcorn as hints of Christmas tree garland traditions, and the green tree ornaments mixed with mesh and star-like orchids. Fabulous work, Crossroads!

We can’t leave off this beautiful BLUE Christmas tree also shared with us by Tom at Crossroads Florist. Done for a large corporate lobby, this uniquely hued tree is sure to catch everyone’s attention! The blue used is so vibrant and vivid; we love it!

We love these festive, holiday centerpieces created by the talented designers at The Enchanted Florist in Asheville, NC. These designs feature the elegance of sleek, curved Calla lilies, mixed with the traditional Christmas cedar and a various of red ornaments. Janet, owner of The Enchanted Florist says, “Christmas Centerpiece doesn’t always have to be the same ole thing.” And she’s definitely right! These were for a corporate Christmas party in her city.

Cold Lips? – Send Tulips and Feel the Heat!

December 12, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Burrrrr!! It’s pretty shivery outside. Everyone is bundled up in thick, winter coats, layers upon layers of heavy clothes and all thoughts set on shopping; it’s easy to let romance slip our minds.

While holiday distractions abound, send your sweetie a special surprise of tulips that radiates romance! The delicately beautiful blooms of tulips will make her heart melt. Going the extra mile to send surprise winter flowers just because is one of the most romantic gestures you could do. Most of us are busy bees, planning, wrapping and decorating; it’s important to take a time out and rekindle the flames of love.

Pucker Up For Tulips:

These are just a couple of tulip options, your local florist will have even more romantic flower ideas!
Tulips aren’t the only flower to get her fired up, send her favorite flowers for optimal potential!

Remember to always send from your local florist!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers, Seasonal Ideas Tagged With: Holiday Gift Ideas, Tulip, Winter Flowers, Winter Romance

December’s Favorite Arrangement

December 1, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Can you believe it’s the first of December already? The holiday season is in full force. With the big sales after Thanksgiving and everyone getting their Christmas shopping done early, it’s no wonder most people are taking time in early December to relax. What better way to de-stress than by ordering beautiful flowers for your home?

This December, our favorite flower arrangement is Winter Wishes. This non-traditional design is perfect for those wanting a little fun in their holiday decor. It features everyone’s favorite flowers, red Gerbera daisies along with shimmery silver ornaments that ring in the Christmas Spirit! With it’s bright red carnations and playful white snapdragons, this flower arrangement is perfect for all ages. Move over poinsettia, this fun holiday design is coming through!

Remember, always shop local when buying flowers. Flower Shop Network is here to help you connect to a real local florist.

Mumkin Pumpkin – Fall Decor

October 26, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

Mumpkin Pumpkin Photo

During Halloween, jack-o-lanterns are on doorsteps everywhere! While pumpkins are typically used for Halloween, they are also great for fall and Thanksgiving decor! (Just without the faces.)

We spotted this adorable pumpkin decor idea and had to share: Mumkins! You know we love it because it mixes chrysanthemums with this iconic Halloween/Fall/Thanksgiving symbol.

Creating a mumkin is easy!

Step 1: Use an awl or ice pick to poke holes, approximately 1/2″ apart, around the entire pumpkin.

Step 2: Cut blooms with 2″ to 3″ stems off the plants. Strip leaves from the stems. (Larger pumpkins will need around 120 blooms to completely cover them; smaller pumpkins need about 100 blooms.)

Step 3: Stick blooms in the holes. The moisture from the pumpkin flesh will keep your “mumkin” looking good for 3 to 4 days.

Create mumkins out of several sized pumpkins for great table decor.

Fall–The Garden’s Grand Finale

October 19, 2011 by Cindy Dyer 2 Comments

Fall is my garden’s grand finale, the last big hurrah of color before the long hibernation of winter. As the multitude of green hues of spring and summer fade, leaves begin to change color with the crisp cool air and sunny shortened days.

The fall season showcases plants in a rich palette of jewel tones—deep regal purples, pale lavenders, rich russet reds, the punch of orange, velvety maroons, sunny yellows and amber-like golds.

Fall blooms tend to last the longer, too, in both the garden and in bouquets—an added bonus to late season gardening! Try adding some of these plants below to bring jewel tones to your own garden. Many work beautifully as cut flowers for stunning bouquets that can bring the season indoors.

Strawflowers (Helichrysum Bracteatum)

Strawflowers

Strawflowers (Helichrysum Bracteatum) are “everlasting” annual flowers that can also be dried for winter bouquets. Hardy up to frost, they prefer sun to partial shade and are drought-tolerant. Native to Australia, where they grow as wildflowers, they come in a wide range of hues: yellow, orange, red, rose, white and pink, as well as this two-tone variety.

Spiderwort

One of my favorite flowers to grow and photograph is the perennial Spiderwort (Tradescantia x Andersoniana). These unusual three-petaled flowers grow in clusters and work as excellent filler flowers in arrangements. Other varieties include ‘Snow Cap’ (pure white), ‘Valor’ (deep purple-red), and ‘Concorde Grape’ (deep violet).

The original Spiderwort species, an easy-care favorite in country gardens, is Virginia Spiderwort (Tradescantia virginiana). It is one of the longest bloomers in my garden—putting on a show from June until fall. Spiderwort prefers full sun or very light shade for the most prolific blooming. It can be also grown indoors as a houseplant.

Spiderwort (Tradescantia x Andersoniana)

Garden Reminder: It’s Spring Bulb Planting Time

September 23, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

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: Garden Flowers, Garden Plants, Gardening, Home Gardening, Plant & Flower Bulbs, Spring Bulbs

Spotlight on Solidago AKA Golden Rod

September 21, 2011 by Mandy Maxwell Leave a Comment

On 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:

Filed Under: Seasonal Flowers Tagged With: Flower Suggestions, Goldenrod, Seasonal Flowers, Solidago