Archive for March, 2009
Posted on March 28, 2009 with 1 Comment
Diana Avolio and Michelle Chilton have recently opened the Candy Bouquet, which is the place to go for people who love flowers and have a nagging sweet tooth.
Avolio said, “I was looking on the Internet for a home-based business and came across the Candy Bouquet. We decided instead of starting it from a home front, we would start it from a store front.”
Customers of the shop can find anything to satisfy their sweet-tooth – loose candy, sugar-free candy, balloons and the ultimate favourite, candy bouquets.
Avolio explains the idea, “You make the bouquet look like a bouquet of flowers. You can take a piece of candy off the bouquet and it still looks like a beautiful bouquet.”
This is truly a unique idea, business was fairly heavy for the shop over the Valentine’s season, but now things have slowed down. Though they are likely to pick up with the arrival of the Easter season.
The slogan of the shop is: “A delicious alternative to flowers.”
When asked about the success of the store Avolio said, “We have a lot of people coming in, and they’re liking it because it’s something different.”
[Via: uticaOD.com]
Posted on March 27, 2009 with 1 Comment
Flowers, buds, branches and leaves, to Elaine Arita, are like paintbrushes and canvas were to Van Gogh and Monet. They are what help her create magnificent works of art.
Arita is a well-known master of ikebana, the Japanese art of arranging flowers. Arita usually places all her materials on a table and the eyes them carefully before beginning to work on her art. “I don’t have any preconceived ideas, I look at all the materials, and certain things will draw my attention. Once I decide where the first material goes, the arrangement usually comes together easily.”
Arita says, “Creating an arrangement begins with thinking, visualizing, researching, sketching, gathering materials and deciding what vessel to use. Putting together the actual arrangement doesn’t take long, perhaps an hour.”
“Like any art, introspection and contemplation is an important part of the process. I find it rewarding to create something beautiful for the enjoyment of others, and doing so I become a better person, more relaxed, patient and aware.”
Though people have been using flowers to decorate their homes and gardens for centuries, the art of ikebana is quite disciplined, and has been fostering an intimate relationship with nature in Japan for nearly 600 years.
[Via: Star Bulletin]
Posted on March 26, 2009 with No Comments
Course designer Olaf Petersen Jr Will be getting lots of flowers from Peter Charles, who won $75,000 at the CSI Grand Prix, of the FTI Winter Equestrian Festival.
His winnings came after something as simple as the removal of some flower boxes. Charles, after having looked at the course the day before the event, asked the course designer to remove just a few flower boxes from the course, so the riders could make a tighter turn for the jump-off. Charles was quite surprised when Petersen complied. With the flower boxes gone Charles had the fastest time as he made good use of this inside turn.
“With the flowers there in the opening round the turn was impossible. It was still a risky, chancy turn with the flowers gone. That for me was a big advantage. I like to turn tight and save time instead of galloping too much. I gained a lot.”
Charles was, of course, thankful to his horse, “I am glad for the horse. He’s jumping like a million dollars, just pinging off the floor. He jumped superb.”
[Via: SunSentinel.com]
Posted on March 25, 2009 with No Comments
This Saturday, the Hagerstown Community College Alumni Association’s 15th annual flower show was held, drawing out a crowd of more than 2,200 people. Most of them were there to escape the cabin fever of winter, browse information booths and to buy seedlings for upcoming spring planting.
According to the coordinator of alumni relations and annual giving, Lisa Stewart, every year people look forward to this event as it is one of the first sure signs of spring.
Stewart says, “The Flower and Garden Show hits a chord with people, people start getting the smell of spring in the air and they are excited to come out to get ideas and pick up tools and seeds and mulch. They start think about, ‘How do I want my yard to look this spring?’”
Beth Bryant visited the show for the first time this year and she says, “There is a lot of variety here, and I am happy to support local people.”
The money raised by the show goes to support local college projects.
[Via: The Herald-Mail]
Posted on March 24, 2009 with No Comments
The Flower Fields have been opened heralding spring and balmy weather. Soon Carlsbad will be full of picnicers, old-fashioned wagon rides and the colours of Easter eggs.
Joni Miringoff, the Flower Fields marketing director says, “For many, it’s an annual pilgrimage, especially this year when people want to stay closer to home. To me it represents rebirth and hope. Even if you arrive in a crabby mood, you leave happy.”
The guests can even take a tractor-driven ride across the fields to soak in the sights. Approximately, 15 to 25 million flowers are expected to bloom with their peak being nearing the end of March.
The sight most likely to draw visitors is the giant ranunculus Tecolote, growing at The Flower Fields. It was created by horticulturist Luther Gage, and is know for its bright and attractive colours, as well as its paper-like petals.
[Via: SignOnSanDiego.com]
Posted on March 23, 2009 with No Comments
The Chelsea Flower Show has gained a quite a reputation all over the world for having an expansive array of flowers and plants each year.
This is one of the ultimate gardening events of the year, displaying the most beautiful variations of just about any flower a person can imagine.
This event is not only a treat for the eye, but a treat for other senses like smell, as well.
All of the newest trends, products, designs and anything to do with gardening makes its debut here. Well-known figures from the industry, green enthusiasts and avid gardeners – all meet here to share their passion. This is a great place to be if you are a gardener who takes pride in the quality of your lawn, shrubs and flowers.
There are also special gardens featured this year like the Great Pavilion, Floral Design Marquee and botanical beauties…
[Via: redcarnationhotels.com]
Posted on March 21, 2009 with No Comments
In the Southern United States, spring is already in full swing and being enjoyed by many. Taking a hike in the hills is a great opportunity to see new and rare flowers.
A group of people from the South County community spent their weekend exactly this way. In the sunny weather they went for a guided walk and were immersed in a world of wildflowers at Lewis Hill Preserve.
The Sequoia Riverlands Trust owns the preserve and it is protected for the rare Adobe Striped Lily bloom. It is among the rare and threatened species in California, and is most often found in the Southern Sierra Nevada foothills.
The people who took part in the hike came equipped with cameras, hiking shoes and were captivated by their guide and botanist Fletcher Linton. They were led through steep grassy fields and were given a mini-geological lesson about the conditions that best suit the Adobe Striped Lily.
Though the hikers were fascinated by the flowers, most of them just seemed to be captivated by the landscape, even though they were taking part in such rigorous hike.
[Via: RecorderOnline.com]
Posted on March 20, 2009 with No Comments
When the budget is tight, most people would not even think of investing in a flower garden, though according to experts there are a number of ways to cultivate a garden on a small amount of cash. Some of these options are quite labor-intensive, like growing flowers straight from the seed instead of buying them in bloom from garden centers.
You can also be kind to your neighbors and start swapping flowers. You don’t even have to trade flowers, it is enough to borrow a cutting of a nice flower.
For those of us who do not have green thumbs there is still no need to worry. You can cut your costs by buying the low maintenance varieties from greenhouses. Annuals are fairly easy to take care of and they are quite cheap if you buy them while they are still in bulb form.
Though it still goes to stay that saving money takes a long time, growing flowers straight from the seed is simply the best way to go.
[Via: The Canadian Press]
Posted on March 19, 2009 with No Comments
There is nothing more difficult than picking the right bouquet of flowers or the right bottle of wine for a special occasion.
Choosing the right bouquet of flowers can take a lot of time and is very intimidating for many people. Buying a pre-bundled bouquet is not much easier than putting a personal touch to flower-shop creation.
Flowers are not just pretty plants, they have an important effect on us with their colour, smell and appearance. They have a much more purpose than just sitting in the middle of our kitchen tables, as they set the tone for a mood or an occasion, and make or break a special moment.
Basically it is imperative that you do your research before picking just any bouquet of flowers, but there are lots of tips on the internet, helping make sure that you never go wrong.
[Via: kristv.com]
Posted on March 18, 2009 with No Comments
The Philadelphia Flower Show is officially closed, but there is no denial that the organizers managed to transport their visitors into the beautiful city of Rome and the foothills of Tuscany.
There were many marvels to see at the show like one particular set of African violets, that were raised by the workers of a Gaither Drive leasing firm, and not a some expert green-thumb.
All were surprised when these flowers grown at the workplace of office desks became the winners.
The supervisor of the winning team and first-time exhibitors said, “We never thought we could go up against anyone at the show. They have garden clubs there!”
These plants began making their way to the top about three years ago, and these African violets were given to the workers as gifts.
Carol Hazell Davis, one of the member of the team says, “This is just a regular office, but the flowers seem to love the light. They don’t like every desk though. And one of them likes to be in the bathroom.”
With the loving care of the workers the flowers began to thrive and really started to look like something. Davis slowly began to see their potential, “I thought they looked so god they could be in the flower show. I thought, let’s enter them!”
Only four of the seven plants made it to the show as a few of them did not meet the show’s standards, but those that made it certainly made the impact that Davis imagined.
[Via: CourierPostOnline.com]
