Archive for June, 2008
Posted on June 30, 2008 with No Comments
Once upon a time, a young lady prepared for her prom evening. The dress, the shoes, the hair and the make up were considered individually and with great care. But… What about the flowers?!?
Boutonnières were an essential part of the male’s attire. These typically are made up of a single flower or bud which is pushed through the buttonhole of a jacket. These, however are often omitted these days. Why not revive the tradition?
Wrist Corsages were, in earlier years, an unforgettable aspect of a celebration. The young lady would be offered a wrist corsage by her date who would own a matching boutonnière. These would often consist of a small bouquet of flowers worn at the shoulder, waist or even on the wrist. However, just like the boutonnières, the presence of corsages for proms or balls has been neglected, so why not inaugurate a new fashion right back from the past to your celebration?
White freesia harmonises with lavender grape hyacinth to create a fresh look right out of another century!
For a traditional vibe, do consider red roses and white baby’s breath in a beautiful and breathtaking assemble!
For a more contemporary, bright as well as fresh look, why not choose a corsage composed of a simple pink cymbidium orchid?
Posted on June 30, 2008 with No Comments
Hummingbirds are one of the most amazing birds on the planet. They are tiny, beautiful, and quick, and are also really interesting to watch. Hummingbirds are a native bird of North America living from Chile to Alaska.
If you want hummingbirds to visit your garden there are two ways to get them to come.
It is important to find out which part of year they are in your area of the country so that you can plant the kind of flowers they are attracted to, and be sure they are blooming at that time.
Red and orange flowers with a tubular shape are the type of flower that hummingbirds especially enjoy.
Their favorite flowers are usually annuals but they also like shrubs, vines and perennials. They are not the most difficult bird to please. The flowers they are attracted to also depend on the place where you live.
Agastache, azalea, cardinal flower, dahlia, heuchera, hollyhock, and trumpet honeysuckle are some of the flowers you might like to try. It is also important that you don’t use pesticides, because hummingbirds like to feed on insects as well.
If you live in an apartment you can also buy a hummingbird feeder to attract some visitors.
[Via: diggin'it blog]
Posted on June 29, 2008 with No Comments
Writing this blog allows us to have our say about flowers and to try to be informative and helpful. We hope that we open a window onto our world for all tou flower-lovers out there.
However, I sometimes wonder how many of you see these pages. Drop us a comment now and again and we will try to write on topics that you want to hear about.
You coiuld even suggest new categories, although don’t expect our driver Nic to write about flower arranging or our florists about cloning new breeds of rose. I am sure that between us we can manage to be helpful on any flower related subject.
So – please leave a comment on these pages or drop us a line to info@flowers24hours.co.uk – we look forward to hearing from you!
Posted on June 25, 2008 with No Comments
As I was walking to work today I passed a man wearing Dunlop Green Flash shoes. These have been in and out of fashion since the 1930s when the great Fred Perry won the Wimbledon title wearing them.
But what of fashion in flower bouquets and arrangements?
Over the years there have been changes
sixties: multicoloured extravaganza
seventies: modernist
eighties: new romantic
nineties: Movie-set glamour
Now: Anything goes, but tonal arrangements in one colour are popular, as are geometric shapes. If you want multicoloured use several different colours of the same flower. But it is now possible to pick and choose, mix and match from past styles.
Posted on June 21, 2008 with No Comments
The Peony or Paeonia is a beautiful, long-lasting flower and also the state flower of Indiana.
This flower is native to Europe but was brought over to America by the colonists. The peony and the lilac bush were their most prized plants. Today there are many hybrids of the common peony. Originally the peony did not have a very pleasant smell and if the weather was slightly bad, it would fall apart.
The peony is an outstanding flower in terms of perennials and there are several reasons for this. Usually these plants will grow for 50 years or more, sometimes lasting longer than the garden they were planted in. It has large blossoms and the stem of the flower is strong. The modern peony has a lovely fragrance and sometimes so many flowers grow on the plant that a stake is needed to give support.
The one set-back of the peony is that it can get a disease called botrytis blight. The remedy is simple – the foliage needs to be cut right down to ground level after the first frost and thrown out.
The peony likes fertile well drained soil, and lots of sun.
[Via: Indystar.com]
Posted on June 20, 2008 with No Comments
There has been quite a bit of spring rain which means that your garden is probably growing lusciously. This also means that you have a lot of chores to do in the garden.
It is most important to deadhead flowers. Additionally to encourage summer blooms, shrubs need to be pruned, you need to fertilize, pull weeds, get rid of pests, and dead or diseased wood needs to be cut from trees and shrubs.
It is also important to keep an eye on your plants. If you let them go dry for more than a week, your garden can be seriously damaged. Plants should be watered deeply; you should also keep an eye on how your water is draining by checking the moisture of your soil. This can be done by checking with your finger or a screwdriver to see how wet the soil is. It is important that you check with something that sinks easily into the ground and it should still be muddy after two days of watering.
One really good trick to keep your plants happy and healthy is to spread a layer of compost over your flowerbeds. Your soil will become lighter and more fertile with the use of this organic material. Compost also helps the soil retain moisture, aerate, and drain.
[Via: WashingtonPost]
Posted on June 19, 2008 with 1 Comment
In every relationship there are ups and downs, arguments and apologies. One way to ask for forgiveness is by sending flowers and we are glad that so many of you think so, and we really believe that this can work for you. But do remember that the gift should be accompanied by a message saying that you are sorry, and followed up by a more personal apology a little later. The flowers, sadly, cannot work the magic on their own but act to soften their heart towards their errant lover.
Flowers alone can seem somehow a little impersonal unless you can clearly tailor the gift to show it was selected especially for the recipient. Choose a favourite flower, or add a small gift that means something to them.
So whether you have forgotten a birthday, disrespected her mother, been late for dinner or worse you can always express your regrets and ask forgiveness with flowers.
Posted on June 19, 2008 with No Comments
Wild flowers are abloom in the Davis Lake area California. Usually it takes quite a few storms during winter to have such a lush summer but this year Californians have had some luck.
One of the areas with the most spectacular display of flowers is “Juniper Bay.” This area is teeming with patches of purple Lupine and yellow Skunk Cabbage. There are also tiny yellow and white flowers filling the fields spreading in between the great pine trees of the area.
While visiting the Juniper Point area, it is a good idea to take a long walk through the forest. If you take the time to do this, you will find the beautiful Snow Flowers blooming.
The Snow Flower is a rare type of flower that only grows in areas that are forested, where snow has melted. This flower is also illegal to pick so you can only enjoy its beauty in the wilderness…
[Via: Nevada Appeal]
Posted on June 18, 2008 with No Comments
If you only use flowers for the centerpiece of your dinner table then you are missing out on one of the newest trends, eating flowers. One expert Billi Parus is no longer using salt to add flavor to her favorite foods — instead she is using flowers and herbs.
Flowers are now even getting awards for their great flavor. The Herb Society of America declared calendula, a type of edible flower, its Herb of the Year. Billi is the chairman of this society and she says, “Herbs add flavor to everything they are put in.”
“Almost all culinary herb flowers are edible – basil, bee balm, borage, chamomile, chive, cilantro, dill, fennel, garlic, lavender, lemon balm, lemon verbena, marjoram, mint, oregano, pineapple sage, rosemary, saffron, sage, savory, scented pelargonium, sweet woodruff, and thyme.”
It is important to know the non-edible flowers as well – azalea, buttercup, crocus, daffodil, foxglove, hyacinth, iris, oleander, rhododendron, lily-of-the-valley, wisteria and jack-in-the-pulpit.
Billie has a large herb garden, and runs a gift basket business online with her husband. Even her cat loves some of the herbs and flowers she is feeding her. Billi says, “she’ll take tarragon over catnip any day!”
[Via: bnd.com]
Posted on June 17, 2008 with No Comments
The “Summer Snowflake,” otherwise known as the Japanese Viburnum, will brighten up any garden, and at least three medium sized varieties of this flower can fit into any garden. This is a type of shrub which is very versatile – it can function as ground cover, add a bit of winter colour in the summer, and provide lovely scented blooms during the spring.
If you have a low-maintenance garden then this flower will suit you perfectly. If you have a lot of space in your garden then another variety of this flower the viburnum mariesii, can make a wonderful addition. It has flat flowers which grow from horizontal branches.
There are also some other varieties of viburnum that can spice up your summer garden. The “Dawn” viburnum has pink flowers with a lovely fragrance, growing 8 to 10 feet high. The Burkwood viburnum is a new English variety that grows into a shrub, that can also grow about 8 to 10 feet in height, and about the same width. The Korean spice viburnum is better suited for spring, it grows to 4 feet and 4 feet wide with flowers growing in clusters.
[Via: The Vancouver Sun]
