Tulips are a spring blooming perennials, although tulips are available throughout the year depending on where they are shipped from.
Tulips are one of the most popular and recognized flower and symbolizes a new beginning and perfect love.
Red tulips represents true love
Purple tulips represents royalty
Yellow tulips represents cheerful, sunshine and friendship
White tulips represents forgiveness, purity and innocence
The tulip is the 11th wedding anniversary flower and unofficially the emblem of Holland and the national flower of Iran and Turkey.
Originally the tulip was a wild flower growing in Central Asia before the Turks of the Ottoman Empire in the first century cultivated them. Today there is over 3000 variety of tulips.
Tulips have either smooth or ruffled petals and may be cupped shaped, bowl shaped or goblet shaped and each bloom has only 6 petals.

One day a nice looking young man walked into the store and asked to see our ‘I Love You’ mylar balloons.  Upon showing him the different styles and sizes, he announced he would like to purchase one of the 3 foot I Love You balloons.  He was told what a great choice he made, because this balloon could last up to a year!  With that, he asked how long the 18 inch balloon would last.   Being told it would last 1 to 3 weeks, he announced maybe he should take that one, because he might not love her in a year! 

Check out our wonderful balloon selection at Jackie Lynn’s Flowers and Balloon Specialties shop.

The symbolism of the flower is probably one of the most well-known. Legend says the flower is named for the gorgeous Greek youth, Narcissus. Upon discovering his reflection in a pool of water, he was so entranced by his handsome visage that he couldn’t drag himself away from the view. He wasted away to his death, and thus was borne the term narcissism.

In the wild, you’ll find daffodils growing naturally across Europe, Asia and northern Africa.

A Recognizable Variety

March’s Flower of the Month comes in a wide range of blooms, but each is very similar in appearance, making the species easy to identify. The blooms grow atop slender, holly stems with no leaves. Some have single blooms (with six petals). Others have double blooms (with 12 or more petals). Larger-size blooms grow individually, while miniature versions grow in clusters.

The most common color is yellow, but the flowers also are available in pink, yellow, peach, orange, cream and white, plus bicolors of these hues.

Because daffodils contain crystalline alkaloids in the leaves (and the bulbs of potted plants), if they are eaten, they can cause digestive, nervous system and even cardiac disorders. A few species cause mild to severe contact dermatitis in some people.

So if you have small children or pets who may be tempted to taste our Flower of the Month for March, put them out of reach and use gloves to handle them if you are prone to allergic reactions. (You’ll sometimes hear this referred to as “daffodil itch.”)

Daffodil Vase Care
To get the longest vase life from your flowers, follow these easy-care steps:

1) Remove the stems from the vase every two to three days (or when the water becomes discolored or cloudy — a sign of bacteria growth, which inhibits water uptake). If your arrangement includes flowers in addition to daffodils, you may need to change the water even more frequently. Daffodils release a sap that can clog the stems of other flowers and cause them to wilt prematurely.

2) Dump the vase water, wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinse thoroughly.

3) If your arrangement is only daffodils, fill the vase only partway with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food. This Flower of the Month prefers shallow water.

4) Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut about 1 inch from each stem at an angle. Always remove any foliage that may be underwater when you replace the stems into the vase.

5) Make sure to display your bouquet in a cool location. Keep it out of direct sunlight and out of the draft from heating and air-conditioning vents.

6) Keep the flowers away from fruits and vegetables, too. As produce decays, it omits an odorless, colorless and harmless gas called ethylene — at least it’s harmless to humans.

To daffodils, however, ethylene will cause the plants to wither and die.

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Do you remember inhaling helium and suddenly your voice sounded very funny?   When helium is inhaled there is a corresponding increase in the pitches of the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract.  This causes a reedy, duck-like vocal quality.  Inhaling helium can be dangerous if done to excess, since helium is a simple asphyxiant and displaces oxygen needed for normal respiration.

Currently, helium is in short supply throughout the world.  This has caused great concern for the floral and balloon business.  Our business here at Jackie Lynn’s Florist and Balloon Specialties has been greatly impact by this shortage as many of our balloons require helium to inflate. The cost has tripled in the last 3 years and looks as though it is going to take another increase in the next 2 months. 

The Bureau of Land Management, which operates the U.S. government’s helium storage reservoir, suggests that supplies will begin to stabilize during the first 6 months of next year.  The U.S. government was the largest helium supplier and had the largest reserve in the world. In 1996, congress voted to sell off the reserve and in doing so depleted the reserve, and the suppliers did not keep up with producing enough helium for supply and demand.

Let’s hope for an end to this shortage so once again we can enjoy those helium balloons that are so popular.  In the meantime, we’ll just have to enjoy those air-filled balloons, or perhaps you prefer the water balloons.

 Alstroemeria is the January featured flower of the month at Jackie Lynn’s Flowers and Balloon Specialities. The flower is assumed to symbolize the ever-lasting beauty of commitment, care, friendship and devotion. There are others however, who claim that this flower symbolizes fortune, prosperity and wealth.

Alstroemeria, also known as the Peruvian lily and Inca lily, is named after the person who discovered it, Baron Claus von Altromer, a baron from Sweden who gathered the seeds while visiting Spain in the year 1753.

Alstroemeria is best known for cut flowers with the rich colors in almost all shades of the rainbow, except blue. They are beautiful standing alone in an arrangement or mixed with other flowers.  Stem length is two to three feet and branch into four to six short pedicels, each holding two to four flower buds that resemble miniature lilies.  They are devoid of any fragrance.

While alstroemeria’s flowers attract all the attention, it’s their leaves that give them meaning. Alstroemeria’s spiral growth pattern turns the leaves upside down to face the sun.  These unusual leaves have come to symbolize the twists, turns, and growth of friendship.  They’re often added to bridal bouquets to symbolize the strong bond and future growth of the relationship or sent to friends to show appreciation.  They are also the 30th wedding anniversary flower, symbolizing devotion

Carnations — also known in the floral trade as dianthus — come in two types:

Standard:
Standard carnations have single, large heads, usually about 3 inches in diameter. Growers create these by disbudding—that is, they remove the smaller buds that grow on the stems so that all of the plant’s energy goes into creating one primary blossom.

Spray:
Spray carnations are smaller versions of their standard cousins. They feature branched stems with multiple blossoms of about 1 inch in diameter.

You’ll find our Flower of the Month available in a wide range of colors—nearly any hue except blue. Bicolored varieties feature two colors. For example, the main color may be pale pink but the outside, ruffly edge of the flower is a darker hot pink.

Designing a Massed Carnation Bouquet

Massing these frilly flowers together creates the look of one giant flower, make them popular for centerpieces or contemporary bridal bouquets. These design technique also makes it very easy for you to create your own designs if you want to indulge your crafty side.

Thus, while we love to create floral designs for you using carnations and any other flowers of your choice, we’re happy to help you pick out and buy loose stems (that’s florist-speak for flowers taken directly from our floral cooler, wrapped in tissue and sent with you outside of a vase).

Here are four easy steps to creating your own design using our Flower of the Month:

1) Once you get them home, you’ll need to prepare your container. Choose one that has a large enough
opening to be able to hold at least a handful of blossoms. Make sure the vase is clean and then fill it with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet we gave you when you bought
your flowers.

2) To begin creating your design, choose one stem and hold it just below the head between your forefinger
or middle finger and thumb. Begin adding stems individually, adding each in a circular fashion around that
original stem. Place each one slightly below the one above it to begin creating a mounded shape. The
stems may begin to form a sort of teepee shape, which will help keep them in place when you place them
inside your vase.

3) Once you have the size you desire, hold the bouquet of this Flower of the Month up next to your
container. Place it so that the flowers will be just above the rim of the vase. Note that height and then
trim the stems off to that length.

4) Remove any foliage that may fall below the water line and place the arrangement into your vase.

Caring for your carnations—also known in the floral trade as dianthus—is similar to other flowers. The main variance is that carnations are more prone to ethylene exposure than other blossoms. Ethylene is the safe, yet odorless, gas emitted by ripening produce. So keep your flowers away from fruits and veggies.

To ensure the longest vase life for your flowers, follow these steps:

1) Keep your arrangement of January’s Flower of the Month out of direct sunlight. Also, place it away from
heat or cold drafts.

2) Ever two to three days, remove the flowers from the vase. Trim about ½ inch off the bottoms of each stem. Strip off any excess foliage on the stems that will fall below the water level.

3) Pour out the water and wash the vase with warm, sudsy water. Rinse well. Fill with new water add the
appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that arrived with your arrangement.

4) Repeat these steps as noted or sooner if the water begins to turn cloudy or change colors (an indication that bacteria is growing in the water, which will impede the stems’ ability to uptake water and causing flowers to wilt).

5) Remove dead or drooping leaves and blossoms regularly to keep your arrangement looking fresh.

Among the many varieties of carnations grown (about 90 percent of which come from Colombia), you may notice the sweet aroma of cloves. This feature of our Flower of the Month is a main reason the perfume industry in France grows acres of the flower to create the base essence for many fragrances.

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Our December featured flower at Jackie Lynn’s is the Bell of Ireland

These long green spikes give a nice vertical look to a flower arrangement. The foliage on the bells conceals a series of tiny white spikes to protect them, so be careful when you handle them. The bells may also be dried for permanent arrangements just by hanging them upside down and air drying them in a cool, dark, airy location.
Bells of Ireland are a symbol of good luck and are associated to the Luck of the Irish. However they did not originate in Ireland, but from the Mediterranean, Syria, and Turkey. Want to wish someone some good luck for the holidays? Visit our website and check our flower arrangements with the Bells of Ireland.
Care and handling of Bells of Ireland
1) Remove any foliage that will be submerged under water in the vase. The excess foliage in the water breeds more bacteria.
2) Cut stems one at a time at an angle underwater. Cutting them underwater helps to prevent any air locks that could be formed so the stem could not absorb the water.
3) Place cut stems in a clean sanitized vase filled with temped water with one packet of flower food dissolved in it.
4) When water begins to get cloudy and murky looking or by day 3 you should follow steps one, two and three. This keeps the bacteria down so your flowers will last longer.
5) Keep in a cool place out of direct sunlight, heat and drafts.
6) Remove any spent leaves or dried blossoms to keep your bouquet looking fresh longer

Narcissus:

The most common—and popular—species of potted narcissus during winter months is the paper white. These plants feature clusters of small, white, multiflowered blossoms on long, slender, hollow stems. You’ll usually find our shop selling them from about November through April. (Peak supplies are typically available in January, February and March—helping give all of us hope during those dreary months that spring will soon arrive!)

Potted Narcissus Care:

1) Watering: In your home, frequently check the pot or container in which your narcissus is growing to ensure the soil of your Flower of the Month is moist at all times. Winter air is particularly dry, so pay attention that your flowers don’t lose too much water or they will wither and die.

2) Light: Place your plants near sunny windows—but not directly in the sunlight or they can get burned.
(Similarly, keep the flowers away from heat sources, such as in the draft from heating vents.) Bright, indirect light is best. If they fail to receive enough light, their stems will weaken, becoming yellowed, elongated and droopy.

3) Fertilizer: Don’t use fertilizer on narcissus. All of the food the flowers need is stored in their bulbs.

4) Disease: While the soil or roots of narcissus must be kept damp, do not let them sit in water or they can develop Botrytis, which will kill them.

5) Plant stakes: While the blossoms on narcissus are lovely, they can also become heavy for the slender stems on which they grow. That can lead to the stems leaning or flopping over. Add plant stakes and string or ribbon to help them remain upright if this begins to happen.

Orchid:

Unlike narcissus, the other December Flower of the Month, the potted orchid, is available in a wide variety in December and year-round. Not only that, but the individual blooms can last for weeks, and the plants can last for years, even reblooming if the conditions are right.

The lovely blossoms—known by many as the diamond of the flower world—have what appear to be six petals. They are actually three sepals, two petals and a modified petal that creates a “lip.”

A rainbow of colors are available, from cream, white, green, pink and lavender to red, peach, orange, yellow, green and bicolors—a combination of colors. The only color you won’t find in an orchid is blue.

Potted Orchid Care:

1) Watering: It’s tempting to overwater orchids due to the fact that this Flower of the Month requires an evenly moist soil (actually not soil but a growing medium made of a combination of fir, pine, redwook bark, coconut husks or coir fiber, sphagnum moss or peat moss, perlite, vermiculate, gravel, sand and charcoal). So keep a close eye on your plant and water regularly (but not too regularly). The best method: Soak the potting medium and allow the water to drain completely (which should happen naturally due to the materials from which the medium is comprised). Most experts recommend watering in the morning.

2) Light: Keep your orchid out of direct sunlight. Bright indirect light is best. Direct sunlight can burn your plant’s leaves.

3) Fertilizer: In the winter, about every two or three times that you water your plant, follow the drenching with a dose of fertilizer. During the rest of the year, fertilize after each watering. To ensure fertilizer salts don’t build up on the roots of your Flower of the Month, flush the potting medium with water at least monthly. Discontinue fertilization once flowers have dropped off.

Humidity:

Orchids are a tropical plant and require humidity similar to being in their native rain forests. Thus, to provide a proper amount, place the plant’s pot on a tray of pebbles filled with water. Other alternatives are to sit the plant near an open bowl of water. If you mist them, use distilled water to prevent spots and only mist the leaves.

If you have patience, you can likely enjoy future flowers when your plant reblooms. But you’ll need to find out some details of your Flower of the Month’s particular genus to know what triggers will allow that to happen. For example, Phalaenopsis rebloom based on temperature.

After a period of time, you’ll begin to see new bloom spikes once nights begin to cool off as long as the plant continues to get enough light. With the Cattleya genus, however, light is the trigger. Keep these plants out of artificial light after daylight hours to encourage new blooms.

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What are the differences?

Stem type:
Chrysanthemums come in two stem types: single-flowered stems (which we florists call “standards”) and multiple-flowered stems (which we refer to as “sprays”).

Flower forms:
Chrysanthemums are available in a variety of flower forms. The various names of the forms include daisy, cushion, spider, Fuji, spoon, quill, football and button.

Petal formations:
The blossom on a chrysanthemum is a bit deceiving. While each bloom on November’s Flower of the Month looks like one flower, it is actually what is called a composite head made up of ray and disk flowers in various forms and sizes. What appear to be petals are actually small flowers (known to florists as florets), thus the reference to chrysanthemums being a composite of many individual flowers on one head.

Colors:
The variety of colors makes chrysanthemums especially popular. You’ll find them in hues of lavender, bronze, red, yellow, pink, purple, green, orange and white. Others are available as bicolors — a combination of two colors.

A Thanksgiving Advantage:

One of the greatest advantages of chrysanthemums is that they are not sensitive to ethylene (an odorless, colorless and totally harmless gas that is emitted by ripening fruits and vegetables as they mature).

That means you can combine our Flower of the Month with these natural options to create some unique and colorful options and still have a long vase life. For Thanksgiving decoration, then, you can create arrangements that include apples, broccoli, kale and other organic products for gorgeous and unique arrangements.

Consider designing a bouquet of autumnal-colored chrysanthemums and then inserting apples on picks (long wooden skewers) into the design. Or create a centerpiece with sprigs of kale and broccoli nestled among the blooms for ruffly texture and contrasting, verdant color.

Heat Is the Enemy:

Like all flowers, the one thing you must ensure is that you keep your chrysanthemums away from any sort of heat source. Heat will cause November’s Flower of the Month to wilt and also increase the likelihood of bacteria growing in the vase water. Bacteria are a major source of early death for blooms because they clog flower stems, restricting the flowers’ ability to uptake water. Without water, the blossoms wither and fade.

Don’t place arrangements near or on top of console TVs and computers or laptops, which can produce a lot of heat. Also keep them off the top of refrigerators and out of the flow of air from heating vents.

Chrysanthemum Care:

The foliage on chrysanthemums will deteriorate far more quickly than the blooms themselves. Thus, as leaves yellow and droop, simply snip them off to keep your arrangement looking fresh.

Also, follow the same vase-care recommendations of other Flowers of the Month to ensure the longest vase life. When you do, you’ll benefit from being able to enjoy your flowers for up to seven to 14 days on average.

Proper vase-care steps are:

1) Remove the stems from the vase every two to three days (or when the water becomes discolored or cloudy — a sign of bacteria growth, which inhibits water uptake).

2) Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut off one-half to 1 inch from each stem. Always remove any foliage that may be underwater when you replace the stems into the vase.

3) Dump the vase water, wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinse thoroughly.

4) Refill the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that came with your flowers.

Another tip for keeping your Flower of the Month looking lovely: Avoid pairing them with carnations.
Carnations have certain microorganisms associated with them that can be harmful to chrysanthemums. As a result, when the two flowers are combined in the same vase, the tiny creatures can shorten the life of the chrysanthemums.

A Unique Fact About Chrysanthemums:

In the United States, floral designers take advantage of the gorgeous variety of chrysanthemum options to include them in bridal bouquets, corsages, table centerpieces, birthday and anniversary arrangements — you name it! But in Europe, many consider the beautiful blossoms to be “death flowers.” As a result, they don’t use the flowers in any arrangements except for funeral flowers or memorial flowers on graves (Silly Europeans!).

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Since then, many brides have wanted to include the blossom in their bouquets, though the flower has been common in royal weddings for centuries.

In fact, the bell-shaped flowers—which grow in clusters and are available not only in white but in pink – grow wild in England and are abundant in many areas. Growers there first cultivated the plant as far back as 1420. Legend says that the flowers grew where Mary’s tears fell at the base of the cross when
Christ was crucified.

The fragrance of the delicate blossoms of the May Flower of the Month is another reason many love them. While many flowers’ perfume has disappeared as growers work on developing varieties with longer vase lives, the lily of the valley continues to offer a sweet aroma that many cherish.

Fun Facts About Lily of the Valley (and One Caution)

The plant’s botanical name is convallaria majalis. The term majalis refers to May, when the plants commonly come into bloom. Its genus name, convallaria, is Latin for valley.

As you would guess, lily of the valley is a member of the Liliaceae family, and common relatives include lilies, fritallarias, tulips, muscaris, eremuruses and ornighogalums. Being a part of the lily family means that the berries of this flower can be toxic. So take care to keep this Flower of the Month away from anyone, such as toddlers and pets, who might be tempted by them.

Lily of the Valley Availability

While this flower is available year-round, you can find them most easily from October through May.
That means that brides who are getting married at other times of the year but want this flower in their bouquet need to let us know early so that we can order the blooms in advance. They can be more expensive in the off season, but for the bride with her heart set on including this romantic flower in her wedding, the price is well worth it.

Purchasing Tip for Lilies

When buying lily of the valley, look for stems with three to four open flower bells near the base. Choose those with puffy buds just showing color. You’ll get the longest vase life out of the younger blossoms of this Flower of the Month. Check their fragrance, too. The fresher they are, the more fragrant they will smell.

Lily of the Valley Vase Care

Lily of the valley has a shorter vase life compared to many flowers—only three to six days. Thus, you should take special care with them to get the longest vase life possible.

Because these flowers are susceptible to ethylene—a colorless, odorless gas that is harmless to humans but devastating to many flowers—keep them away from fruits and vegetables, which emit the gas as they mature.

Daily care of the flowers include the following steps:

1) Remove the stems from the vase every two to three days. Take care in handling the flowers because the tips of the blossoms damage easily.

2) Dump the vase water, wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinse thoroughly.

3) Fill the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food.

4) Remove any damaged or dying foliage or flowers from your Flower of the Month bouquet. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut at least one-half inch from each stem at an angle.

5) Make sure to display your lily of the valley arrangement in a cool location. Keep it out of direct sunlight and out of the draft from heating and air-conditioning vents.

6) Check the water level daily and add more—mixed with flower food, as indicated on the packet directions—as needed between vase cleanings.

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Keep this in mind if you send someone bouquet of these beauties. Many say you’ll be telling your recipient that your heart is “pierced” with passion for that person.

A perfect bloom for lovers’ celebrating August birthdays, the flower also is the 40th wedding anniversary flower.

Towering Stalks of Variety and Color

Gladioli—the plural form of the word—grow in several sizes. The traditional stalks of flowers have large, funnel-shaped, ruffly-edged blooms. Typically, 10 to 16 flowers grow up stems ranging from 3 to 4 feet in length and mostly on one side.

A miniature version of the August Flower of the Month has a stem of only 24 inches and only seven blossoms. This cultivar of the flower tends to be blotchy—but still quite beautiful—in coloring.

The flower follows the hues of the rainbow in its availability, except for blue. Otherwise, you can find the blossoms in yellows, oranges, reds, violets and greens, along with bicolor options.

Unusual Facts About Gladiolus

Glads—as florists often refer to the flowers—are one of a handful of flowers that are known as geotropic. That means that if the flowers are placed into an arrangement horizontally or at an angle, the tips will begin to curve upward. Often florists will do this for effect to add interest to a design.

Another odd fact about the flower: While on most plants, removing faded blossoms is encouraged to help buds open, scientific research has proven the opposite to be true with gladioli. Removing lower blossoms from August’s Flower of the Month actually reduces the ability for buds on the upper half of the stem to fully mature and open.

On the flip side, some think that removing immature buds at the tips of the spikes may help lower buds to open. While doing so won’t negatively impact the stems, it also has no positive effect.

Vase Care of Glads

Gladioli have long vase life, as long as 10 days depending on the maturity of the blossoms and how well you care for them. To squeeze every day possible out of the life of your flowers, follow these steps:

1) Remove the stems from the vase every two to three days. If water becomes cloudy or has a strong odor, change the water more often. Both are indicators of bacteria growing in the water, which will impede the stems from taking in liquid.
2) Dump the vase water, wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinse thoroughly.
3) Fill the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food.
4) Remove any damaged or dying foliage from your Flower of the Month but leave faded blooms. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut at least one-half inch from each stem at an angle.
5) Keep your bouquet in a cool location out of direct sunlight and drafts from heating and air-conditioning vents.
6) Check the water level daily. Glads drink a lot, so add more as needed. Make sure to correctly mix the appropriate quantity of flower food with the water when adding it to the vase.
If your city adds fluoride to your tap water, avoid using that for your gladioli. The plants are sensitive to this chemical, and it will cause petal edges to deteriorate and blossoms to fail to open. Instead, substitute bottled or distilled water to ensure the longest vase life.

Fun Fact About Gladiolus
Also known as a sword lily or corn flag, some individuals mistakenly refer to the singular form of the Flower of the Month for August as gladiola. Doing so can lead one to think that the plural is gladiolas—which sounds very similar to gladiolus, the true verbiage for a single stem. But neither gladiola nor gladiolas is correct. Gladiolus is always the singular form, while gladioli is the term for multiple stems.

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Calendula, also known as pot marigold, means “grief” or “jealousy” in some references. But in others, you’ll find the meanings “admiration,” “good luck,” “winning grace” and “throughout the months.” It’s not unusual for flowers to have varying symbolism, so if your loved one enjoys the old-fashioned notion of flowers being symbolic, make sure you explain which one you are referencing in your gift of the blossoms.

Snapdragon, similarly, has different meanings: “graciousness” and “strength,” according to some references, but “deception” and “presumption,” according to others. But with their long, graceful stalks, we think the first meaning is much more appropriate.

Whichever meaning you attribute to either October Flower of the Month, few will argue that they are both lovely with their bright, cheerful colors and long-lasting vase lives.

Calendula

Calendula Facts
Calendula is a member of a genus of about 12 to 20 annual and perennial herbaceous plants in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The flower’s name comes from the Latin word kalendae, which means “first day of the month.” According to legend, this refers to the fact that the flowers are in bloom at the start of most months of the year.

Calendula Uses
Scientific research, as well as historical use of the plant, focuses on its qualities of being a potent anti-inflammatory agent. In ancient times, people mixed the blossoms in wine to ease indigestion. In Roman times, cooks mixed the petals with vinegar to use as a seasoning. Even chefs today appreciate the blossom, adding the petals to salads.

Calendula Vase Care
With proper care, calendula offer long vase life—from six to 12 days. Proper care means:
1) Removing the stems from the vase every two to three days (or when the water becomes discolored or cloudy—a sign of bacteria growth, which inhibits water uptake).

2) Cutting off one-half to 1 inch from each stem and removing any foliage that may be underwater when you replace the stems into the vase.

3) Dumping the vase water, washing the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinsing thoroughly.

4) Refilling the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that came with your flowers.

Snapdragon

Snapdragon Facts
Florists refer to snapdragons as snaps. They are second only to carnations in their popularity and use in floral arrangements. The blossoms originally came from the Mediterranean area. Their Latin name means “like a nose or snout”—a reference to the fact that their blooms resemble a dragon’s snout. Ancient legend says the flowers will reveal secrets of the future if you squeeze the blossom and allow its “mouth” to open (while listening very closely, of course).

Snapdragon Uses
Snapdragons have been used as a natural source for dying clothing, while other uses include cultivating its seeds in Mediterranean areas for uses similar to olive oil. Florists rely on the spiky flowers in arrangements because their strong form—referred to as a line flower—adds texture and color to floral arrangements. They also offer a wide versatility of colors, along with the unique ability to curve upward if the stems are placed into an arrangement at a horizontal angle.

Snapdragon Vase Care
Snapdragons are very susceptible to ethylene gas—an odorless, colorless gas released by ripening fruit and vegetables. So keep the blossoms away from them or they will wilt rather quickly. Otherwise, snapdragons offer long vase life with proper care—up to 16 days. That means you need to follow these steps to keep your snapdragons looking fresh and healthy:

1) Remove the stems from the vase every three days (or when the water becomes discolored or cloudy—a sign of bacteria growth, which inhibits water uptake).

2 Using a sharp knife (not scissors), cut off one-half to 1 inch from each stem at a 45-degree angle while holding it under water. Remove any foliage that may be underwater when you replace the stems into the vase.

3) Dump the vase water, wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and then rinse thoroughly.

4) Refill the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that came with your flowers.

Others, however, attribute the flower’s name to the Latin word meaning star in reference to the flower’s starlike head.

Either way, the flower for September—which also is the floral symbol for 20th wedding anniversaries—deserves the spotlight due to its long-lasting blossoms and wide variety of colors and petal shapes and sizes.

The flower originally grew as an herbaceous perennial, indigenous to all continents except Antarctica and Australia. But floral breeders have cultivated the stems to produce plants with differing heights, growth habits, sizes and shapes, including single, semidouble and double blossoms.

If you receive a bouquet of asters, you might be inclined to blush a little. After all, the symbolism behind the blossoms is of love, fidelity, daintiness and afterthought. (Who wouldn’t want to be associated with those positive traits?)

Lovely variety
These ancient wildflowers belong to the huge Compositae, or Asteraceae, family. Huge might even be an understatement. After all, with more than 20,000 species, asters are one of the largest commercially cultivated families of flowers (though just a few of these enjoy popularity as a cut flower—that is a flower grown to be cut and displayed in a vase).

Asters come in nearly every color except clear yellow, orange and true blue. And you aren’t limited to only solid colors. The flowers are also offered with blossoms of bicolored or multicolored heads.
The flowers are most readily available in the summer, though California and other domestic growers offer them year-round. From May through September, many of the blossoms are shipped in from fields in the Netherlands.

Caring for your flowers
One of the greatest advantages of asters is that they are less affected by ethylene, a colorless, odorless gas emitted by fruits and veggies that can cause flowers to wilt. That makes them a hardy, long-lasting blossom for home decoration. But you can still take steps to ensure the longest vase life for your blossoms.

Caring for Vase Arrangements:
If you receive an arrangement of asters (or an arrangement that includes asters) in a vase, follow these steps:

1) Keep your flower arrangement out of direct sunlight. Also, place it away from heat or cold drafts.

2) Ever two to three days, remove the flowers from the vase. Trim about ½ inch off the bottoms of each stem. Strip off any excess foliage on the stems that will fall below the water level. (This is especially important with asters because bacteria can grow quickly on leaves under water. This bacterial will contaminate the vase water and lead to early wilting of the blossoms.)

3) Pour out the water and wash the vase with warm, sudsy water. Rinse well. Fill with new water add the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that arrived with your arrangement.

4) Repeat these steps as noted or sooner if the water begins to turn cloudy or change colors (an indication that bacteria is growing in the water, which will impede the stems’ ability to uptake water and causing flowers to wilt).

5) Remove dead or drooping leaves and blossoms regularly to keep your arrangement looking fresh.

Caring for foam-based arrangements:
If you receive an arrangement of asters (or an arrangement that includes asters) that are designed with their stems inserted into green floral foam, follow these steps:

1) Keep your flower arrangement out of direct sunlight. Also, place it away from heat or cold drafts.

2) Check the water or moisture level of the floral foam. If water is low or the foam feels dry, add fresh water mixed with the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that arrived with your arrangement.

3) Remove dead or drooping leaves and blossoms regularly to keep your arrangement looking fresh.

With proper care, you can expect a long vase life for asters—up to 10 days.

What flowers have you given recently that have a meaning of love? Let us know in the comments below!

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For July, we wanted to take a different direction and provide random floral trivia about Larkspur  you may be able to use at the rose wine dinner party you through!  So…here are 16 Random Larkspur Trivia Facts.

Random Larkspur Trivia #1:
Larkspur are part of the buttercup family

Random Larkspur Trivia #2:
Some species can grow to over 6 feet…or 2 meters if you want to show off your metric conversion skills

Random Larkspur Trivia #3:
They are pollinated by butterflies and bumblebees

Random Larkspur Trivia #4:
They aren’t all purple, there is a wide variety of colors…blue, reds, pinks…

Random Larkspur Trivia #5:
The original genus Delphinium are very poisonous in the wild…however the hybrid Delphinium for gardens aren’t

Random Larkspur Trivia #6:
The majority of the hybrid Delphinium we use in gardens and arrangements have origins in the Alps

Random Larkspur Trivia #7:
Drinking the seeds of the larkspur was thought to help against the stings of scorpions…we aren’t suggesting you go get a scorpion sting then drink some larkspur seed herbal tea

Random Larkspur Trivia #8:
Seeds can be used to ward off parasites, especially lice and their nits in the hair

Random Larkspur Trivia #9:
Mixing the flowers with alum can produce a blue ink

Random Larkspur Trivia #10:
Larkspur is more common in high-elevation areas in the US…should make sense since they come from the Alps

Random Larkspur Trivia #11:
Larkspur are almost as complex as Orchids

Random Larkspur Trivia #12:
Larkspur are toxic to cattle…ranchers have been known to wait to move their cattle until their growing season is done

Random Larkspur Trivia #13:
Domestic sheep aren’t affected by the toxins in Larkspur…ranchers have been known to send out sheep first to “mow” them down

Random Larkspur Trivia #14:
Larkspurs are best started by seed in the spring or the fall in your garden

Random Larkspur Trivia #15:
The name comes from the spur that looks like the hind toe of a lark…that should piece of trivia should make you seem super smart

Random Larkspur Trivia #16:
Show off your depth of knowledge with these other names; Lark’s Claw, Knight’s Spur and Lark’s Heel

We hope you found at least a few of these tips useful!  As always, if you have anything to add or have a question…please leave a comment.

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Nothing says “I care and wish you well” like flowers!  And if you manage to pull that message off with flowers, why not wow them by giving them their Birth Month Flower!  Yep…just like Birthstones, we all have a Birth Flowers!!!

But I’m going to make it even easier for you…not only am I going to give you 2 official choices for a Birth Flower, I’m also going to give you meaning and what color to give!

So in order from January to December, here is the lineup.

Birth Month:  January
Flower:  Carnation or Snowdrop
Color:  Black, Dark Blue or Red
Deeper Meaning:  Fascination; devoted love/consolation; A friend in adversity

Birth Month:  February
Flower:  Violet or Primrose
Color:  Violet, Sky Blue or Yellow
Deeper Meaning:  Modesty; Faithfulness; Sympathy

Birth Month:  March
Flower:  Daffodil or Jonquil
Color:  white or light blue
Deeper Meaning:  Regards; Devotion/Affection Return; Sympathy

Birth Month:  April
Flower:  Daisies or Sweet Pea
Color:  Yellow, Red and Colorless
Deeper Meaning:  Innocent; Youth; Purity/Goodbye; Blissful Pleasure; Departure

Birth Month:  May
Flower:  Lily of the Valley or Hawthorn
Color:  Yellow, Red and Green
Deeper Meaning:  Sweetness; Humility; Return or Happiness/Fertility; Hope

Birth Month:  June
Flower:  Rose or Honeysuckle
Color:  Blue White, White and Cream
Deeper Meaning:  Love, Devoted Affection

Birth Month:  July
Flower:  Larkspur or Water Lily
Color:  Green, Russet and Red
Deeper Meaning:  Laughter/Purity of Heart

Birth Month:  August
Flower:  Gladiolas or Poppy
Color:  Orange, Red and Light Green
Deeper Meaning:  Strength of Character; Sincerity; Generosity; Natural Grace/Eternal Sleep; Imagination; Oblivion

Birth Month:  September
Flower:  Aster or Morning Glory
Color:  Brown, Deep Blue
Deeper Meaning:  Symbol of Love; Daintiness/Talisman of Love; Affection

Birth Month:  October
Flower:  Calendula or Cosmos
Color:  White, Yellow and Varied
Deeper Meaning:  Joy/Modesty

Birth Month:  November
Flower:  Chrysanthemum
Color:  Dark Blue, Red and Yellow
Deeper Meaning:  Cheerfulness; You’re a Wonderful Friend; Rest; Loveliness; Abundance; Wealth

Birth Month:  December
Flower:  Narcissus or Holly
Color:  Indigo, Green, Greenish-Blue
Deeper Meaning:  Stay as Sweet as You Are; Egotism; Formality/Foresight; Good Wishes

There you have it…a complete list of flowers by birth month!

If there is a flower I missed please let me know in the comments below.  If there is a flower you’d like to order and send to someone in the Spokane area, please feel free to give us a call!

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In the pursuit to deliver what is appealing to the eyes, commercial rose growers have had to sacrifice some other floral attributes.  Fragrance being one of these…that is until roses like “Vitality” offered by OrganicBouquet.com!

We’d venture to guess that most don’t care as much about the fragrance of their roses more than brides-to-be! The iconic romantic fragrance of rose petals is often the primary reason brides choose roses as their wedding floral decor.

With new and more fragment breeds of roses coming to the market recently, it should be noted that these may not last as long as their less fragrant cousins.  While just as beautiful (if not more so with their added fragrance), these newer more fragrant roses will have a shorter vase-life.

And now you know a bit more than before!  If you have anything to add….please leave a comment for all those brides-to-be that may read this!  Feel free give us a call or stop by to see how we can help with your wedding or flower order.

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Roses = People Food…really?
The answer is yes! But before you raid your rose beds and serve up the perfect gourmet rose dinner, let’s look at your newly found food group…

Since roses are a member of the apple family, it would make sense that you ‘might’ be able to eat them. In fact, if you look at a Rose Hip you can see a close resemblance to apples.

Rose Hips are the large seed pods that form on a rose cane after it blossoms. The Rosa Rugosa even grow Rose Hips the size of Crab Apples. In the fall, these roses display vibrant reds, oranges and purples.

But are roses good for me?
Would you be surprised to find out they are jam-packed with vitamin C? Well, Rose Hips are a primary source for vitamin C commercial vitamins. Rose hips also contain vitamins A, B, E and K pectin and organic acids.

From jams to purees, teas to wines, roses are a health source of vitamin C and happiness! Whether you prefer to give them as a fragrant gift or an edible one, there recipes should give you some new ideas.

Whole Rose Hips ready for puree

Rose Hip Jam
Tried and true, this recipe has been around since at least the 1700’s.

Ingredients

• 1 cup trimmed and seeded rose hips (about 4 quarts)
• 3/4 cup water
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 (1.75 ounce) package powdered fruit pectin
• 3/4 cup water

Directions

1. Put the prepared rose hips, water, and lemon juice in a blender; blend until smooth, about 15 seconds. Small bits of rose hips skin are okay. Gradually add the sugar while blender is running. Blend until sugar is dissolved, about 30 seconds or so.
2. Stir the pectin into 3/4 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil; boil for about 1 minute. Slowly pour into the rose hip mixture; blend for about 30 seconds.
3. Pour into small containers with lids. Store in the refrigerator. Jam not used within a few weeks can be stored in the freezer for up to a year.

Recipe courtesy www.AllRecipes.com…if you’re at all interested, there are jam recipes for rose petals as well.

Rose Hip Puree in a white bowl with 3 whole rose hips on the side

Rose Hip Puree
Use this puree for tarts, ice cream toppings or to eat as a sauce!

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cup trimmed and seeded rose hips (about 4 quarts)
• ¾ cup water
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon ginger
• 1 tablespoons lemon juice

Directions

1. Simmer the prepared rose hips in water for 10-15 minutes or until soft
2. Stir in sugar, spices and lemon juice then simmer for another 5 minutes

Rose Hip Tea

Rose Hip Tea
This last recipe can strengthen the body’s resistance to infection, reinforce your digestive function, combat all kinds of illnesses with fever, flush out the kidneys and urinary tract and relieve mild rheumatic pain!

Ingredients

• 2 heaping teaspoons of either dried or chopped rose hips
• 1 cup boiling hot water

Directions

• Poor boiling water over rose hips
• Allow to steep for 5-15 minutes depending on your taste preference
• Strain rose hips
• Best drank lukewarm before bedtime

You can find other rose hip drink recipes at www.Grandmas-Wisdom.com

Share…let everyone know!
Have you tried these recipes? Do you have any tips and tricks to add? What about other rose recipes you’ve tried?

Please leave a comment for everyone else to read and let’s start enjoying roses in a new way!

History of the Iris

This delicate blossom has many meanings — all of which send a positive message to anyone who receives a bouquet of the stems: faith, hope, wisdom, courage and admiration. And while we admit to loving the purple blooms the best, the word iris comes from the Greek word for rainbow because the flower grows in a wide spectrum of colors. Among the colors that the floral industry has domesticated of this Flower of the Month, the standards are purple, blue, white and yellow.

In Greek mythology, the iris was the link between heaven and earth. As a result, ancient believers planted the flowers on the graves of women to summon the goddess Iris to guide the departed through their journey to the afterlife.

Egyptian kings also had high regard for the flower, depicting them in many places in their palaces — evidence of which still exists today.

Later, during the Middle Ages, the French monarchy adopted the flower, and its stylized image — the fleur-de-lis — as the country’s national symbol.

Care of Iris Bouquets

The iris is one of the most graceful and elegant flowers that grows, but that beauty is short-lived compared to other blossoms. To ensure the longest vase life for your Flower of the Month, then, follow these care tips:

1. Remove the stems from the vase every two to three days (or when the water becomes discolored or cloudy — a sign of bacterial growth, which inhibits water uptake).

2. Set the stems aside, and dump the vase water. Wash the vase with warm, sudsy water and rinse thoroughly.

3. Refill the vase with fresh water and the appropriate amount of flower food from the packet that came with your flowers. (If your home tap water has a softener, use bottled water. Softened water will diminish the blooms’ vase life.)

4. Using a sharp knife or scissors, hold the stems underwater in a sink or under a running faucet and cut off about 1 inch from the bottom at an angle. Take care not to crush or bend the stem as you cut it. Damaging the stem will lessen its ability to take in water. As soon as you’ve cut the stem, place it into the vase of water. Don’t let the newly trimmed stem become dry.

5. Place your arrangement out of direct sunlight and away from drafts for the longest vase life.

African Violet:

If you’ve ever longed for a flower that never dies, our second Flower of the Month, the African violet, is your plant. Its violet-like flowers are particularly long-lasting; the plant will flower almost continuously, year-round, when given proper care. And if purple isn’t your passion, you can find cultivars in pink, white, lavender and fuchsia, too. Not only that, but you can find bi-colored blossoms, some with semi-double or double rows of petals, trailing cultivars and even miniature varieties.

The plants are especially popular because they can flourish in most homes, and their compact size allows nearly anyone to grow the plants, even someone limited to the space of only a windowsill.

African Violet Care:

Light:
Avoid direct sunlight, which can damage the plants. North- or east-facing windows are best. If natural light isn’t available, try fluorescent lighting, which many violet lovers discover can allow your
Flower of the Month to truly flourish.

Temperature:
African violets grow well in air-conditioned spaces, but dislike extremes. So don’t allow them to chill when night-time temperatures drop or get too hot during summer months. If you have them in a window, and conditions will expose them to temperatures lower than 65 degrees Fahrenheit, place a piece of paper between the plants and the glass when the sun goes down.

Humidity:
Place pots on a container filled with pebbles, gravel, sand or perlite. Add water to allow evaporation to provide extra humidity to the plant. Don’t allow the pot itself to sit in water or the roots can rot.

Potting:
As your African violet grows, move it to a larger pot. African violets require loose, well-drained soil, so either buy potting mix especially made for this perky Flower of the Month or mix your own from
equal amounts of soil, sphagnum peat moss and perlite.

Watering:
Over- or under watering can damage your plant. The main goal is to keep soil continuously moist, but not soaked. When you water, keep the crown of the plant dry and don’t allow cold water to pour over the leaves. Room temperature water is best. Wait until the top inch of soil is dry before watering again. Then water until you see liquid seeping from the pot’s drainage hole.

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This delicate bloom is known for a sweet perfume and bright a white or a soft pink color. The Lily of the Valley begins to bloom in early spring.

According to legend, the Lily of the Valley sprang from the tears of Eve after she was ejected out of the Garden of Eden. This early spring bloom is also known as th

A native flower to Europe, the Lily of the Valley is used to celebrate May Day, especially in France. This wonderful bloom of spring is used in many celebrations.

It is well known for bridal arrangements and the Lily of the Valley is often used for a bride’s bouquet. Some of the world’s elite and famous including Britain’s royal family has chosen the Lily of the Valley as a wedding bloom