Archive for the Flowers24Hours Tips Category
Posted on March 11, 2010 with 2 Comments
I ask myself, like I am sure many others do, what makes a flower green? I am somewhat environmentally conscious, I know anything from dish detergent to cars can be green. But I have always looked at flowers as being part of nature and just obviously green. But this is not the case…
With Mother’s Day coming up, it would be a nice idea to make sure that you and your mother’s conscience is clear. Buying locally grown flowers is the first step toward making smart choice.
By buying flowers locally, you ensure that the money you spend is spent well and that your gift is even better thought out. This way a difference can be made with every penny you spend. Flowers24hours.co.uk, works with local flower wholesalers, meaning your flowers travel a lesser distance and pollution from fossil fuels is minimized.
Eco-conscious consumers are already making carefully thought out choices when they purchase paints, cabinets, floors and other cleaning products. Now, flowers are also being added to the list of things to buy green.
Many factors go into making a flower green, primarily; the use of pesticide, sustainable crop production, ecosystem protection and fair labour prices. But the point of agreement for most the most important aspect is that flowers are bought locally.
This movement for greener investments in flowers began in Europe and was not taking all that seriously by the rest of the world. But now many countries are following suite. People are not just looking at how much money is being spent but where.
There is only one drawback, to buying flowers green; the fact that some flowers are only available during certain seasons. But most of us can live with that, as almost every season has something beautiful to offer!
You can be sure you are making an environmentally conscious decision, when you order from Flowers24hours.co.uk! Especially, now that among several other awards, we received a ‘Highly Commended’ award for Best Green Business at the Lambeth Business Awards. Let your mum know that you care about her and the environment you live in!
Posted on March 8, 2010 with No Comments
Valentine’s Day arrived as quickly as it passed by. Few of us can say that this special day was not refreshing, especially at this time of year, when the days are just short of drab. So you have eaten all the chocolates and your flowers have wilted, what to do now?
This is not the time to give up on flowers, keep bringing the blooms indoors! There is nothing more pleasant than having flowers bloom indoors. The amaryllis is a dependable flower and it produces the best flowers at this time of year, even if they do not last all that long.
Orchids do fairly well in the winter, this is another flower that does not bloom all that often. When they do spread their petals the flowers are nothing short of a piece of art. If you are looking for something that will bloom for a longer period of time then this is the flowers to choose.
Of course, not all of us have the green thumb or time to have these flowers blooming in the next couple of weeks. Buying flowers is a great mood-boosting investment. It is best to have your flowers purchased on a warm day, Flowers24hours.co.uk, can have the flowers delivered to your front step on the day you wish. So when the weather is a bit milder, you can make your decision on exactly which blooms you would like to have brightening up your dining table!
Posted on February 17, 2010 with No Comments
Spring is just around the corner and so are spring shopping trips. We are soon going to be searching the shops for dresses, necklaces, cardigans and other light apparel. In addition to these regular spring purchases, it will be important this spring to keep flowers in mind.
This spring flowers will not only be delivered to your front door, but will become a crucial part of staying trendy for spring.
This years trends are proving to be quite decadent, and flower pins and accessories are a part of the ruffles, feathers and shine that will be adorning our spring wardrobe.
Along with flowers, romance is also a hit this season with soft fabrics, blouses, floral prints, pearls and gentle colours filling the stores.
Most of have met with flower pins, especially fans of the hit series “Sex and the City.“ Sarah Jessica Parker brought this trend to life about 10 years ago, and it looks they are seeing another run in the store isles.
This is a fairly flexible accessory, as it can be worn in your hair, on handbags, jackets and they can even attached to necklaces. They can also be worn with just about anything.
Not only are flowers appearing separately as pins, but they have been incorporated into many pieces of clothing for this upcoming season. They can be found anywhere from shoes to the neckline of a dress.
Floral prints are also very popular, and there is no need for minimalism this year. Flower prints are big and bold.
Spring fashion trends can also become a deciding factor in the gifts we choose for this spring events. If you are stuck on what kind of gift to get for an important occasion, make your decisions based on fashion trends.
This basically means that you can go for either bouquets that are refined and romantic, choosing pearly colours and small details. Or if you are looking for something bold then go all out choosing bright colours and big flowers. Flowers24hours.co.uk., can help your gift even more smashing by having it delivered for you at the time and place you wanted.
Posted on February 13, 2010 with 2 Comments
Lambeth Business Awards Nominees
Left – Right: Carol, Todd, Lesley and Kalina
We’ve been nominated for three awards in the Lambeth Business Awards 2010. After a long, gruelling application process, we finally heard the good news! We’ve were also featured in yesterday’s South London Press. For a full size image, please click on the image link above!
We’re incredibly excited- the awards ceremony is on the 23rd of February at the Brixton Oval.
The nominations are in the categories for:
1) Best Independent Retailer: we’re incredibly honoured to be placed into this category, especially after all the years we’ve worked for it!
2) Best Green Business: we’re glad to be one of the eco-florists of Britain. Our entire industry depends on this Earth and it’s important for florists to give back to the earth.
3) Best Innovation: as the original online florist delivering same day in London, we’re incredibly glad to get recognition in this category! Our entire process is built around supporting our local community and environmentally friendly initiatives.
We’re up against some great competition, including: Firebox.com, Eden Caterers, Lowie, Dust Boutique, JZA and more. Take a full look at the shortlisted companies here. Best of luck to all nominated companies and see you all on Tuesday the 23rd!
Posted on February 4, 2010 with No Comments
The drab and cool days of winter are just begging for a bit of colour. One great solution for brightening up your home is the lovely amaryllis.
This flowering plant comes from the tropical Americas. The bulb that it grows from is quite large, it is often the size of a mango. The stalk and the flower of the plant are quite formidable as well.
The beautiful flower of this plant comes in a variety of colours, red, pink, orange and white. There are also some varieties that come in a combination of these colours. Most importantly the shades of this bloom are warm, in contrast to the weather outside!
If you order this flower or send it to someone special. Make sure that it is placed in a warm spot where it will get an optimal amount of light. If you get the potted plant, then it is important to remember to keep the soil moist. The rule of thumb is to feel the soil daily, and as soon as it is not moist to the touch, water it.
As soon as the amaryllis plant stops growing, you can cut back the stalks, and it will be just as beautiful as a houseplant.
If you are thinking of getting this plant as a gift for someone special there are many options out there. It is hard to decide, which option is more heart warming, potted amaryllis for delivery, or a beautiful arrangement. Regardless of what you choose you can be sure that this will, take the recipients mind off the monotonous days of winter!
Posted on November 27, 2009 with 1 Comment
As we all know fuel prices are up, along with concern for the environment. Just about any company doing deliveries with motor-vehicles, is having to look for solutions in terms of efficiency and reduced fuel emissions, in kind of bid to kill two birds with one stone.
Postcode Anywhere, recently revealed a new product, the Route Optimiser. This is a service that can be found on the internet, which through algorithms allows businesses to plan the best possible route for their vehicles. This program provides digital maps, dynamic navigation content and solutions for specific locations. The information is delivered from Postcode Anywhere to customers.
You might ask, what exactly does this have to do with flowers, plants and gifts? Well, it has taken a fair amount of innovation on behalf of this company to allow for the efficient delivery provided.
The process started about four years ago, when the mastermind behind Flower24Hours, Todd Todic, made a call, with his idea to Postcode Anywhere. He was looking for someone to help him develop a solution for optimizing delivery routes.
Postcode Anywhere did not show any interest at the time and sent him on his way. As a result, Todd had to work out something on his own. In only three months he was successful in putting together his own routemaking technology, which is still used by the company today!
Not long after Todd had put together his software, he was on the receiving end of a phone call from Postcode Anywhere. They let him know that after his bid for developing a partnership with them, five other companies called with the same idea.
It took them a little while to catch up with us, but three years after our début, they have finally launched their in collaboration with AA. All in all, things have turned out well, our company has been able to provide the most efficient flower delivery possible for a few years now, and it is becoming apparent that businesses all over the country are becoming more environmentally conscious.
Posted on November 9, 2009 with No Comments
According to the Flowers and Plants Association, the phalaenopsis orchid has found its way into the hearts of the British as it has been the favourite plant in the nation for the second year in a row.
Thirty years ago, the spider plant was a hit, twenty years ago the parlour palm was a favourite and the chrysanthemum held first place in the previous decade. Now, a majority of homes in the UK decorate their window sills with this popular plant.
This flower is more commonly known as the moth orchid, supermarkets and high street stores are reflecting this trend showing a considerable increase in sales.
“The reason for the increase is because of changes in growing techniques and breeding, which mean commercially grown phalaenopsis have not been difficult to grow in the UK, and so in turn are now less expensive to buy and more readily available in retailers. Previously orchids were only available through more specialist suppliers or retailers, but they are now far more available,“ said the spokeswoman for FPA, Sarah Holland.
This flower first made its way to the British Isles about 300 years ago, among the cargo of church missionaries and explorers. Collectors and the rich were the first to own and care for this plant. South America, the West Indies and Japan are the natural habitat of this flower, where they grow in trees.
Whether or not you are keen to follow trends, this is a beautiful flower but it is meant for the patient caretaker only as it does require special attention.
Posted on September 21, 2009 with No Comments
The BBC News website recently wrote an article on flower gangs in Cornwall. Workers were being paid £50 a week to pick flowers such as daffodils from fields and roadsides. These workers, mainly from Poland and Lithuania, would spend half the year in Cornwall and the other half in Scotland. (Read it here)
Expolitation is not rare in the flower industry. While this was a tragic occurance, we also know that in Britain, ploys such as this one are often quickly discovered by the authorities and a ban put on the offenders. We know that on the whole, 99.5% of the flowers sourced in Britain are indeed ethically sourced, with fair wages being paid for all workers along the supply chain.
These aren’t the only ethically sourced flowers we can get here in Britain though. Fair Flowers Fair Plants (FFP) provide ethically sourced flowers from around the world. These flowers are taken to Holland and distributed at auction to buyers from the UK, Europe and even parts of North America.
FFP accredited flowers are grown under strict regulations. Each stem comes with an individual tag with a unique serial number that can be traced straight back through the supply chain to the grower.
We love FFP flowers; these provide solid documentational proof that the flowers we are holding are not the result of hard working, exploited farmers. The only problem we have is the carbon footprint that is involved with importing these flowers. These flowers are taken from places such as Kenya and Costa Rica, flown to Holland and then driven/flown to their final destination. This puts a huge toll on our environment.
When weighing the two against each other, we find that British flowers are the clear winner- due to the reduced carbon emissions involved in transportation. British law is strict and clearly states and enforces many of the same requirements FFP growers must adhere to. British law also is strict on the use of pesticides and only certain, tested pesticides are allowed to be used on cut flowers. While as we can see, exploitation does still exist in Britain, it is clear the amount of exploitation is minimal when compared to many other countries.
Someone somewhere is always trying to cut their costs to gain more- and exploitation is rife where it is allowed to appear invisible- but what is important is that Britain has the strength of the media and government funded, effective policing (such as the Gangmasters Licencing Authority) to readily combat and make visible any horticultural and agricultural injustice that may occur within Britain.
Posted on September 2, 2009 with No Comments
Feng Shui
Feng Shui is directly translated from Chinese to “Wind Water”. It represents the elements that surround us in our daily lives that contributes to our ‘Qi’ or ‘Chi’.
Qi is an ancient Chinese concept that positive energy is flowing all around us. What Feng Shui does is manage the (mostly) inanimate objects of our daily lives and position them to allow Qi to flow freely around your environment. Once you’ve ‘Feng Shui’d’ your house, the theory is that it can fully allow this positive energy to surround you, filling your life with positive activities.
While it’s often fine to Feng Shui your house yourself, in Chinese speaking countries, many people opt for a Feng Shui expert to evaluate their house, their Chinese astrological sign and their status in life to decide where things are best positioned. Traditionally, a Chinese compass is used to decide the positioning of many objects in the house. There are however, some easy to implement rules that apply to most houses.
1) Your feet should never face the door of your bedroom as you sleep. Feng Shui experts suggest that this mimics a coffin, which is lifted feet first. Literally meaning all of your energy goes straight out the door. This may result in you waking up feeling exhausted and energy drained.
2) Toilet lids should always be shut when it’s not in use. This is because wealth can be literally ‘flushed straight down the toilet’. This is probably one of the most easy things to do with Feng Shui as it doesn’t require moving or painting objects of your house.
3) To salvage all the Qi that may go out of the toilet, you can place fresh flowers or pebbles above the toilet to capture all the escaping positive energy
4) A glass of water in the North of your house promotes a good career. If you don’t have a compass, google maps is an easy way to find out which side is North if you don’t already know.
5) Well placed plants. Most plants bring luck to your environment. Placed in the East, South East and South corners of your office, a plant can bring a positive change to your career (as well as your mood!). Plants with thorns should be avoided at all costs. While the thorns are supposed to have a protective shield, these are best placed just outside your home.
6) Fresh flowers. Fresh flowers provide luck and fortune to your house and most often advised to be kept in the living room. Make sure you throw them out as soon as they die however, as they can bring misfortune, much like dried flowers. If you don’t want to get fresh flowers weekly, a more cost effective and less time consuming alternative is silk flowers. (We can also deliver fresh flowers weekly to your home to make the process easier!)
7) Trim the plants and trees around your house regularly. Overgrown plants provide an ideal place for negative energy to gather, but once the plants are trimmed and tidy, the positive energy is free to flow through the house again.
Posted on August 5, 2009 with 2 Comments
One of the most common questions we get is, “Is it a good idea to bring flowers on my date?”.
It’s a difficult question to answer because all women are different- some will love the idea, some will hate it and some will like it but dislike the fact they’ve got to carry this bouquet around with them awkwardly for the rest of the evening.
We’ve come to the conclusion that “No,” is the simplest and best answer we can give. Here’s why:
- They are awkward to carry
- Awkward to place down anywhere
- Huge possibility of getting flowers in the face when going in for a kiss!
- Can make the recipient feel like they are a burden more than a gift.
The best idea is to send these flowers the following day. If you have a good feeling about the date, you can even order in advance. Send the flowers, along with a thank you card and a box of chocolates to her workplace the following day. This will not only please her immensely, but invoke a sense of jealousy in her colleagues as well!
Being in a very emotionally led industry, we’ve seen a lot of romantic gestures- some good and some… well, terrible! Our favourites are messages that say something like, “Last night was wonderful… Same time next week?”.
These types of messages also tend to be the ones that lead on for stronger relationships, so I’ve been told by our customer services department, who continue processing orders for the same couple for days, weeks, months and even years on! We know for sure that at least one that started this way has also become a marriage!
If there’s any other questions you’d like answering, email us or post a comment and we’ll be glad to help!
