Month: January 2009

Happy Valentine’s Day to all you Romeos and Juliets! Valentine’s may be another excuse for lovers around the world, but let’s face it… it’s a really good one! Why should anyone miss out on the chance to enjoy the most romantic day of the year?

Dress up, pop some bubbly, enjoy a candlelight dinner and of course, bring a gift. Jewelry, stuffed cuddlies and chocolates are always winners but, presentation is the key. And, who can forget the most important ingredient for love… FLOWERS!

Given our passion for flowers and emotions we understand the importance of Valentine’s Day and we have just the thing for you:
A Valentine’s Day contest. Complete the sentence below and leave it in our comments box. THREE contestants with the best answers will receive a FREE Valentines Bouquet each, to send to their special someone.

So dig deep, get creative, and the winners will get a little help from Flora2000 this year.

A Romantic thing I would do for my valentine would be……….

Here is a little inside secret for all of my male readers. We all know that the best way to tell a special girl that you love her is with a Gift of Roses, however not all roses are the same. Today’s popular roses lack the fragrance that makes roses and romance so special. Yes, there is scientific evidence that the fragrance of a rose stimulates romantic interest. Ask your florist for one of the “Old English Garden Rose” varieties now available to floral designers. Yes, they are more expensive and will have to be special ordered. But then, can you place a price on love?

It’s January! It’s cold and wet outside. The trees are bare and the landscape bleak. Fortunately, the flower growers have been very busy in their greenhouses this winter and the florist shops are now filled with an abundance of one of my favorite flowers, Tulips.

Now is the opportunity to fill your home with springtime. Not only are tulips abundant, they are inexpensive and a perfect flower for the amateur floral designer. Tulips continue growing after harvesting and bend both toward the light and against gravity. When arranging your tulips, try to enhance their natural line and emphasize the motion. Tie a bundle with decorative wire and lean them against the edge of a clear glass vase. Or, tie them into a tight decorative bundle and drop them in a vase. Then as the tulips grow each day, you can enjoy their changing design.

Oh My Goodness… Valentine’s Day is just a few weeks away. Now, for many of you (mostly guys) a ‘few weeks’ is forever away. But, now is when for those of us who love romance and flowers (mostly gals) begin thinking about this very special holiday.

Many years ago I learned a trick from a wise florist named Helen who enjoyed a wonderful marriage that lasted over 62 years. Each January she would write notes on small scraps of paper. The message on each note was the same, “Sweetheart, don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is on February 14”. These notes she would place in her husband’s lunch pail, bowling bag, his pants pockets, shoes, and on his car seat. Helen never failed to receive flowers on Valentine’s Day. Guess what? It works for me too!

Flowers are the perfect gift. We all know this and research has proven that flowers have a long-term positive effect on our mood. This is perhaps the reason for the popularity of an emerging floral design trend called “Savories”. This trend embraces brightly colored compact arrangements featuring spectra yellow, jester red, orchid, sun orange, daiquiri and poinsettia with accents of gold and metallic red. In a world filled with stress, time constraints and concerns we could all use a gift of flowers. Send a savory-styled arrangement to a friend today and send one to yourself while you’re at it.

Are you overwhelmed with all the flower choices today? Need help choosing the perfect flower for the birthday gift? Look no further than the flower of the month list. Yes, in addition to a birth stone for each month, there is a birth flower.

January – Carnation

February – Violet

March – Jonquil

April – Sweet Pea

May – Lily of the Valley

June – Rose

July – Larkspur

August – Gladiolus

September – Aster

October – Marigold

November – Chrysanthemum

December – Narcissus

January, the first month of the year is represented by the Beautiful Carnation. Abundantly available in a myriad of colors, these flowers are amazingly long lasting.

The Carnation first came to Europe with the French crusaders and has been considered a French flower ever since. When the Carnation became widely available, it was snubbed by the upper-classes in England as a worker’s flower.

Today, the Carnation is experiencing resurgence in popularity. The long lasting bloom is a great value, many varieties have a heady fragrance (my favorite smells like cloves) and the color choices are amazing. Have you seen the moon shades, mint green, and mocha? You’re going to love today’s Carnations!

Of course, there is variation on the flower of the month theme. In Ireland the January birth flower is the snowdrop, in China it is the plum blossom and in Japan it is pine. In Australia, for which January is the second month of summer, the birth flower is the Hibiscus. Oh, my! It can get complicated.

Check back each month to learn more about birth flowers.

Ask anyone who loves flowers, “What’s your favorite flower?” and you are sure to hear a long sigh. Flower Lover’s have far too many flowers to list, let alone just pick one. And, our favorites change with the season, our mood, the theme or the moment.

Common favorites do not always include a rose. I know, saying that is almost blasphemy with the grand rose holiday just around the corner. Flower lovers tend to choose flowers that are a bit more fragile, “garden-y” and fragrant. My favorites include tender Ranunculas, delicate Anemone, fragrant and vibrant Hyacinth, romantic sweet Peas and yes, the Rose…but only if it is fragrant and reminiscent of grandma’s garden.

Professional Florists can always recognize a Flower Lover and are delighted to seek out special flowers when they know that they are loved and appreciated. The next time you visit your florist, share your favorites with them. They may not have these blossoms in stock, but they will be happy to order them in and make a special arrangement just for you.

A new year has arrived. Now is the perfect time to begin the healthy practice of adding meditation flowers to you life. Meditation flowers are small and simple designs, with a definite focal point. The simplicity of flowers makes them good enough for any place in your house. Could be on your worktable, bedside table, bathroom or kitchen counter.

We know that flowers play an important role in reducing stress and anxiety. Keep meditation flowers nearby. When you feel the stress of the day overwhelming you, stop, focus on the flowers and practice a few simple breathing exercises.

Within minutes you will feel your anxieties melt away. Your florist can create a different design for you each week. You will be amazed at how much better you feel.

Welcome to the winter blues. January often arrives with an after-holiday gift of lethargy and melancholy. With the tree down, the house looks bare. The thank you cards are all sent and there are no plans for the friendly get-togethers so common in the month of December. The kids are back in school and here you sit asking yourself “what next?” Careful now or you will descend even further into the dreaded “winter blues”. Did you know? The winter time blues traditionally peak on January 24th, and continue on into mid to late February. Oh, my goodness! That is far too long to be down in the dumps. It’s time for “Flower Therapy”.

As if you ever needed an excuse to buy flowers, Researchers at Harvard Medical School and Rutgers University are now discovering what “Flower Lovers” have known forever – beautiful fresh flowers really make you feel better. It’s true; scientists have determined that the presence of fresh flowers in your home will improve your mood and energy level. Flowers chase away anxieties and worries as well as provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm. No worries – get happy – let’s get started! It’s time to fill the house with flowers and beat those winter blues.

The market is filled with beautiful and colorful spring flowers. Fabulous tulips, vivid daffodils, fragrant paper whites, forsythia and pussy willow are among the favorites. Mix and match; tulips and daffodils for color, forsythia, pussy willow or other blooming branches for dramatic height and paper whites or hyacinth for fragrance. Don’t save the flowers for a special occasion. Grab a few now and brighten your home. Doctors orders!