Archive for February, 2009
Posted on February 28, 2009 with No Comments
Who would think that flowers could lead to broken hearts? One gentleman had a close call recently, when his girlfriend nearly broke up with him after he brought her a bouquet of white flowers.
Though this is a thoughtful gift, in some cultures white flowers are used to worship the dead.
Local industry and commerce personnel intervened by refunding the man’s money. The man named Jiang made the mistake of taking these flowers to his in-laws in Wuhan, the capital of the province of Hubei. Jiang simply went to this shop and bought the bouquet of flowers, which was made up of nine roses and one white one.
Upon his arrival, his girlfriend’s parents would not let him in the house, while she became very angry. The girl even threatened to end their relationship.
Jiang only later realised the mistake he had made, and with the help of friends he managed to smooth things over with his girlfriend. Of course, he sought compensation for his troubles…
[Via: China Daily]
Posted on February 27, 2009 with No Comments
Recently, flowers awed the masses at the Colorado Garden and Home Show. They are seeing a second life in the nursing homes of Denver.
According to the spokesperson for the Garden and Home Show, Amy Moynihan, after the visitors have left the show the thousands of flower featured are packed up and sent in trucks to Coors Field, where 200 Rotarians wait to carry out the rest of the task.
About 60 Front Range nursing homes will be receiving the beautiful blooms.
Moynihan said, “The word gets around quickly in these nursing homes. They all want to come out and pick their favourite flowers. It really makes their day. The Rotary Club has been delivering Garden and Home Show flowers to nursing homes for more than 25 years.”
Volunteer, Molly Perriman says, “My dad’s in Rotary. I’ve been coming with him to deliver flowers since I was 5 years old. Sometimes these are the only flowers the nursing home patients get. Their faces light up. You can’t even describe how happy they are.”
[Via: 9NEWS.com]
Posted on February 26, 2009 with No Comments
After 137 years of shows, the New England Spring Flower show was canceled due to lack of funding. So, New Englanders are having to go elsewhere to warm up a bit before spring truly hits.
Flower shows are usually best way to bring sum cheer into gloomy winter days. The Rhode Island Spring and Flower Garden show is to open its doors next week, with the main theme – “Gardens of the World.”
There are also other way to warm the body for those who are a bit more experimental. For example, the Massachusetts Horticultural Society is hoping to put on a free event called Blooms in March at the InterContinental Boston. Along with the usual exhibits of floral design displays, there will also be a series of lectures by horticultural experts like Roger Swain. Exhibits will show orchids, bonsai trees and there’s also a gala party included in the show.
The internet is the best place to look for such upcoming shows, and blooms can warm just about any heart.
[Via: boston.com]
Posted on February 25, 2009 with No Comments
There is quite a fuss around orchids, which is strange as they are elegant but they are hard to grow and not all of them have the sweetest scent among flowers.
According to Don Goss, publicist and photographer for the South Bay Orchid Society, it is the fact that they have been with us for ages, and they are ever-resilient.
He says, “If you look at the age of orchids, they go all the way back to the age of dinosaurs.”
It is not only the fact that they have been with us through the ages, it is that they can still grab our attention and admiration.
Gross explained, “Orchids don’t have a lifespan. If they get the right type of climate and treatment, they will bloom every year (or sometimes twice a year, or some for months at a time) and outlive us.”
There is also such a large variety, some are as sweet smelling as we could possibly imagine, while others smell like rotting meat. There are thousands of styles and forms — Goss feels that there is an orchid out there for everyone.
[Via: Los Angeles Times]
Posted on February 24, 2009 with No Comments
Daffodil Days is one of the American Cancer Society’s favourite and oldest fund raising programs. Though there is not much time left for supporters to place their orders for life-saving daffodils, the flowers themselves will be delivered in mid-March.
Yvette Livers, regional vice president for the Ohio division of the American Cancer Society’s central region says, “The daffodil represents the hope we have for a brighter tomorrow. Proceeds from Daffodil Days help the society continue its mission to prevent cancer, save lives and diminish suffering.”
Since the spring of 1973 volunteers have been distributing daffodils to homes, offices, hospitals, synagogues and churches, raising thousands of dollars to help cure cancer.
“I’ve personally delivered these daffodils, and it’s amazing to see the joy these flowers can put on people’s faces,” says Cathy Blackstone, society volunteer.
[Via: Chillicothe Gazette]
Posted on February 24, 2009 with No Comments
Inspectors in charge of testing cut flowers arriving to Australia are afraid that the bio-security of the country is being compromised. It seems that Third World exporters are ignoring the strict Australian quarantine laws.
A large number of flowers have been confiscated due breaking of these laws, according to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. And now all cut flowers consignments are being tested before they enter the country.
In most cases, cut flowers need to be “devitalised” before they enter the country. This means that they are sprayed with a herbicide that prevents them from reproducing. This prevents disease and pests from spreading.
These quarantine procedures have been implemented because of risks like Sudden Oak Death syndrome, which was responsible for wiping out numerous species of trees in California in 2002.
The greatest concern is that quarantine protocol is not being followed, especially since shipments of cut flowers are not paid close attention.
[Via: smh.com.au]
Posted on February 21, 2009 with No Comments
In South America one of the major sources of income comes from the flower industry. Though the economy was not looking all that great for this Valentine’s day, hopes are high for love conquering the economy.
Almost 75% of the flowers imported to the United States come from farms like The Elite Flower, found in the Andean plains, near Columbia’s capital, Bogotá. Ecuador is also a major source of the red roses found on the market.
Though growers are predicting fewer sales this year, they are hopeful that the gift of flowers will not be too much of a luxury for many.
“When things were going well in the United States you had jewelry, restaurants… or people would take a three-day weekend and wind up spending a couple thousand dollars. That’s not going to happen this year, but husbands are still going to buy their wives something,” says The Elite Flower’s Randy Schenauer.
Schenauer is expecting sales to fall by about 20% this year. But so far there are only 4% fewer orders this year.
[Via: Reuters]
Posted on February 20, 2009 with No Comments
The Ontario Flower Growers auction is in full swing in Mississauga. Buyers opening up their wallets to get the best roses, gardenias, chrysanthemums and more.
This auction works along the lines of something called a Dutch auction, where five days of the week the prices of flowers are set.
There are two huge clocks in a tiered auction room, the babble of an auctioneer is absent, buyers set their bids via computerized keypads, with the clocks counting down their time.
Waiting long enough gets you great prices, but being to anxious or too cautious means you might miss out.
Anne Cao from Courtice, has been attending the auction for 20 years, she says, “It’s like a big game of chicken, you wait until the price drops as far as you think you can wait without somebody else buying what you want. It’s a rush.”
[Via: TheStar]
Posted on February 19, 2009 with No Comments
One of the simplest gifts for anyone’s special lady is the red rose, but now a new and patented innovation is bringing a fresh twist to this classic.
It is also bringing new business opportunities to Jeff Bell of Ann Arbor, who was the brains behind this idea. He is to face his first sales this year.
Messages and images are embossed directly onto flowers, with the use of a new patented technology.
Bell said, “It kind of combines greeting cards and flowers into one. It’s something that’s new, refreshing and unique.”
The embossing is done with the help of computer software, a laser plate and an embossing machine. So far, roses and rose petals have been the most popular choice for embossing. There are about 50 sayings to choose from and about 10 images. Custom logos, phrases and photos can also be embossed with “Message in a Flower.”
The prices for this service vary depending on the flower wholesaler, but according to Bell’s predictions, they should cost about $10 more than a typical flower delivery.
[Via: mlive.com]
Posted on February 18, 2009 with No Comments
There are some things you need to know if you want to get flowers quick and cheap. It is quite easy to please those you love without having to break the bank.
Buying flowers online is the quickest and simplest way to get flowers, but you may have to take some extra steps to get your the flowers you want by the time you want.
It is important to remember that a bouquet of rose that costs less than $50 probably won’t look as freshly pick as you would imagine. The prettier the roses the more they cost. Reliability on the Web is something that can never be accounted for. It is best to pick a service you have had good experiences with, or one that a friend has recommended.
[Via: thisismoney.co.uk]
