No end in sight for heartbroken florist
Feeding and repotting Orchids
Most orchids benefit from a specialist orchid fertilizer that is fed as a weak solution and applied once a week. To do this, use only half the amount mentioned on the packet. The type of fertilizer will depend on what your orchid is growing in, so it is wise to check that first.
Sooner or later, unfortunately, the orchid is going to need repotting. Remove the old mix from the pot, being careful not to damage the roots. Rinse the roots and trim off any hollow or mushy ones, as they are considered dead. Place the plant into a new pot, orchids apparently like being root-bound, so there should only be about 1′ between the roots and the edge of the pot. Add the new mix/medium to the pot, tapping the sides to make sure it settles properly. Press gently to settle the plant but don’t use too much force or the roots may break. Use a stick to support the plant in the pot so it is secure. If your plant is growing in sphagnum moss, make sure it is damp before wrapping it round the roots and repotting, that way you don’t have to worry about pockets of air. After repotting, the plant should not be watered for 3 - 5 days to allow it to recover. A flower delivery East Victoria Park from your local florist should have some instructions on how to do this correctly.
Transporting and Looking after your Flowers
Many Tawa florists now deliver bouquets already arranged in a strong bag of water which can be kept for a while as they are - this kind of arrangement should be left undisturbed until you get it home. If the bouquet you receive hasn’t been supplied like this then keep in mind these simple instructions…
The hours until you leave for home can cause your flowers to wilt and drop their petals, and shorten their vase life considerably. So firstly, find a sink, put in the plug, and stand up your bouquet in water until you leave for home. If this isn’t possible, a bucket or washing up bowl will do. Whatever your method, your flowers need a drink of water, and fast. Remember to wrap something wet around the bottom of your flowers if the journey home is going to be a long one - a towel is good for this. Then place the wrapped end in a plastic bag so you don’t spoil your clothes.
White rose buds
White rosebuds, though they are essentially white roses that have yet to blossom, carry a different meaning to full-bloomed white roses.
White rosebuds are in fact a traditional symbol of girlhood and innocence. They represent young girls who have yet to reach adolescence. These rosebuds are an underlying symbol of one being too young for love or to be loved.
Such is the interesting significance and symbolism of white roses. Interesting isn’t it, how something simple yet demurely beautiful like the white rose has such a rich and fascinating background? You would do well to remember these fascinating points the next time you have to organise a flower delivery Stafford.
Focal point and line
Area of dominance, accent point, centre of interest — these are just some of the design terms used to describe areas of emphasis and interest. The focal point and line exist for the following reasons:
- To attract and stimulate interest, the main focal point catching the eye and leading it into and through the design;
- To give emphasis and provide a strong visual line;
- To provide a sense of order and coordinate all materials within the completed design, as all lines and groupings should radiate from this;
- To avoid monotony, through its bold form, colour and large size.
Achieving a focal area
There are several methods used by Longsight florists to achieve a focal area.
- Form — select materials, such as lilies or gerberas, which are either round or have an interesting form, as this will attract and stimulate the eye.
- Lines — the main focal point is the most dominant line, formed by using 3, 5, 7 or more flowers (even numbers may also be used) to form a direct line. A graded line of flowers avoids the obvious ‘bull’s eye’ focal point. All secondary lines must appear to radiate from or converge at this point.
- Repetition — use the same form and colour of one type of flower, in varying sizes, to create the main line.
- Gradation — buds are placed at the outer edge, then come the semi-open flowers, and larger materials are placed at the centre.
- Colour — full hues are used at the centre to attract the eye; paler colours are placed to the outside, where the design must appear lighter and have less visual attraction.
- Grouping and recession — a grouping of flowers or leaves, recessed at the focal area, will strengthen the visual depth of the design.
- Contrast — greater emphasis can be achieved by contrasting the forms, colours and texture at the main focal area.
Seasonal Flowers
Flowers most often requested by season:
Summer
Foxgloves, sweet peas, roses, snapdragons, lilies and liatris are among the flowers that are associated with this time of year. Cool blues and white are appealing during summer, when the weather is hot and sultry.
Autumn
Russets, warm reds and oranges are the colours that we associate with the cooler temperatures of autumn, chrysanthemums, dahlias, asters and nerines being among the seasonal flowers delivered Toluca Lake regularly at this time.
Winter
Snowdrops, winter-flowering jasmine and viburnums are associated with this bleak time of year, along with evergreens.
My dearest flower series - Muscari
Few spring-flowering bulbs grow as well with as little care as grape hyacinths, and few garner the reaction that people expect when you send flowers Laurieston to someone you love, for the grape hyacinths’ many bright flowers make a remarkable impression. Their tiny, sweetly scented blossoms appear on spikes that generally grow 6 to 9 inches tall; the grass like leaves appear in the fall and lie on the surface of the soil uninjured by winter cold, then wither away in early summer. The plants are attractive in rock gardens and borders, among shrubs and under trees or naturalized in short grass. When cut, they make appealing miniature indoor arrangements, and they can also be grown as house plants. Outstanding selections are the Armenian grape hyacinth, including its variety Heavenly Blue, and the common grape hyacinth, all with sky-blue flowers; a variety of the common grape hyacinth, M. botryoides album, with white flowers; the taller-growing (8 to 12 inches) tassel grape hyacinth, with purplish green flowers, and its variety M. comosum monstrosum; the plume grape hyacinth, with fuzzy mauve-blue flowers; the golden musk grape hyacinth, with bright yellow flowers on the lower parts of its spikes that blend to purple at the top; the musk grape hyacinth, with purple flowers; and the Tubergen grape hyacinth, with two-toned blue flowers which are pale at the bottom of its spikes and darker at the top.
Pods and Cones
Dried pods and sponge mushrooms are easily found in many varieties, sizes, colors and textures to be used in arrangements. Mushrooms and pods can be found with long wire stems or 4”-6” wood picks, making them easy to attach or insert.
Also available from Mossley Hill florists are many different types of cones, some with heavy stems attached. Or you can collect your own cones. Always use fresh cones; if they crumble in your hands, they are too old and will not provide satisfactory results. If they’ve been collected from under trees, make sure they’re dried. Rinse the cones under running water to remove dust and debris, then bake them on a cookie sheet at 225 degrees for one hour to open the petals.
Contrast in flower arranging
Try putting three golden-leaved hosta together with three green-leaved ones, with dark-leaved bergenia or tellima next to the gold hosta, then maybe a russet leucothöe or two, and behind them a clump of grey artichoke and grey onopordum thistle together with a greyish-leaved eucalyptus. To contrast with the grey mass, you can have a pink or yellow-flowering rhododendron, then two clumps of euphorbia as another contrast in leaf form but with a colour to blend with the hosta in front of it. Try to group plants that set each other off and look well together even when not in flower. My favourite green hellebores, for example, look so well in the early spring against an evergreen hedge or under the bare twigs of Cornus mas. This foliage can easily be bought from your local Tremorfa florist if you haven’t any in your garden. The lime green of Aichemilla mollis can be used to set off Aistroemeria ligtu hybrids both in vase and in border.
Stem structures
Flowers and foliage display a variety of stem types. Florists divide these into different categories
— soft stems, firm stems, woody stems, hollow stems and latex-producing stems.
Various methods can be used to encourage the uptake of water, the choice depending on the type of stem. The warm water method is particularly useful for soft and firm stems, for dry-packed materials, for tropical flowers, and for flowers in tight bud. The procedure is the same as that already mentioned, except that the container is filled with warm (35-40°C/95-104°F) water, rather than tepid, along with the correct amount of plant food.
Firm-stemmed flowers benefit from the warm water method of treatment. Warm water contains fewer air bubbles and is taken up the stem faster which is a little trick used by Midtown West florists.
How about this?
Whilst we aim to provide you with a never ending supply of flower facts, you may like to check out Flower Baron’s Blog if you want even more! You can never have too many tips and facts when you love flowers, or wish to have a career in the floral industry.