Care Tips for your Poinsettias

The Health Benefits of Flowers

Most people enjoy flowers in any way, shape, or form they can get them. Aside from being pretty, plants have many benefits for a person’s overall health and well-being. Here are just a few health benefits of having fresh-cut flowers part of your everyday life:

Emotional Health Improvement
Receiving flowers, whether they are sent from another person or you bought them for yourself, can give you an immediate mood boost. A bouquet of flowers is a sign that someone cares for you, and being well-thought of can do a lot for a person’s well-being. A pretty flower bouquet with bright colors and a soothing scent can brighten a room and your mood at the same time.

Aid in Memory and Concentration
Many people have a moment where they completely lose their train of thought. Keeping plants in indoor spaces may help with concentration and memory; plants oxygenate the air, boosting your brain cells and making you feel more like your best self. You can opt for a bouquet, or go for a longer-lasting plant.

Aid in Relaxation
There is a reason so many stressed-out people turn to gardening to combat the blues; not only is the experience of growing things cathartic, but floral scents can do a lot to lower stress. Bring home a sachet of something soothing like lavender or chamomile and feel your troubles melt away. Even a fresh sprig of rosemary may help with headaches and tension. Before you know it, you will find yourself feeling like your best self.

Feel Better Faster
There is a reason people give flowers as gifts to patients in the hospital; yes, it’s a nice thing to do, but it may also help a patient heal faster. Frequently, hospitals include access to green space for recovering patients because simply looking at plants every day helps stressed people feel more relaxed. A relaxed person in the hospital typically heals faster than someone who is stressed out. Give a sick friend a major boost with a bouquet of a combination of multi-colored daisies, purple asters and red and orange carnations. They will feel better in more ways than one. 

Make Your Own Potpourri at Home

Many people believe that you’re able to enjoy the bouquets you receive as a present is for a limited time – while they’re alive on your dining room table. Even changing the water, placing your blooms in the refrigerator or using old wives’ tricks to prolong the life of the flowers can only keep them alive for so long. However, even after your flowers have begun to die, you can preserve them for a variety of projects. Try taking your fall flowers and turning them into potpourri to keep for yourself or give as a gift this holiday season!

How to Dry Flowers for Potpourri

Making potpourri isn’t as simple as letting your flowers die and spraying them with perfume. There’s an art to making a perfect creation. If you’re making it out of flowers that you’re enjoying for their aesthetic value, wait for the flowers to droop slightly to snip them off of the stems. Don’t let them to get too droopy though. Bruised or damaged flowers may not be able to absorb enough essential oil. There are a few methods for drying these petals:
On a tray: If you live in a warm climate, you can dry your flowers on a windowsill in the sun. Place them on a tray and cover them with a paper towel. Each day, flip the petals over. Do this until the petals feel slightly brittle, but not crumbly. It will likely take a couple of weeks.
In the oven: If you want to expedite the process of drying your flowers, simply place them on a baking sheet and put them in the oven at 200 degrees for about 2 hours.
Hang them: Hanging your flowers is a classic way to dry them. However, this process takes quite a bit longer. To do this, leave your blooms on the stems, and hang them upside down in a warm place. Once the flowers are dry, you can remove them from the stems.

Ingredients for Homemade Potpourri

While dried flowers are absolutely essential to your potpourri, they’re not the only option when it comes to making your creation beautiful. Try adding some savory herbs, if you don’t want your potpourri to smell to sweet or floral, and spices. If you decide to dry your flowers by baking the blooms in the oven, you can even dry some slices of citrus or cinnamon sticks along with it.

You’ll want to decide what kind of scent you’d like your potpourri to take on. This is how you determine which essential oils you use. If you’d like something sweet, for an autumnal potpourri, try a warm vanilla essential oil and cinnamon or clove. If you want something for the holidays, a good option is mint. For all-year use, lavender is always a good choice. Rather than saturating your potpourri with oil, add the oil to a spray bottle filled with water, and mist the potpourri. Don’t add too much at first – it’s easier to add more scent later than to take the smell away.

Gift Flowers for Thanksgiving

Any host will appreciate a gorgeous bouquet or centerpiece for his or her efforts. Many times, your host will be so inundated with cooking and baking duties that any sort of aesthetic aspect is the last thing on his or her to-do list. Taking the initiative to supply him or her with decor will be much appreciated.

If you’re traveling, you may be concerned about making sure your flowers are still in tip-top shape when you arrive. A great way to avoid this problem is to have your flowers delivered right to your host’s home, or to the hotel you’re staying at in town. Your host will place it on the table or windowsill and be able to get right back to work!

Fresh Flower Care Tips

So, you just had flowers delivered to you, now what?
Keep fresh flowers away from drafts and extreme temperatures, which can quickly dry out the flowers and cause wilting. If your flowers came in plastic, remove this as soon as possible.
Do not place your arrangement near fruit or in the path of cigarette smoke. The ethylene gas is detrimental to many flower types. Avoid placing flower arrangements in windowsills and other areas with full sun where flowers can wilt due to overheating. Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions. Keep your vase filled with water! All flower and foliage stems should be submerged. Flowers stay fresher, longer when they can get a drink! If your flowers came in a basket or other container with foam, add fresh water every day. Immediately remove dead or wilting leaves and stems from fresh flower arrangements. Watch your water. When it gets cloudy it’s time to change it.

Giving Flowers a Second Life

Flowers are a wonderful thing.  They add beauty to any situation and are an integral part of weddings and many other occasions.  But what happens after the “I do’s” and events?  

Flower donation is a growing phenomenon.  There are several organizations now who “recycle” gently used flowers from weddings and large events.  They use every part of the designs including the ribbons and vases.  New arrangements are crafted from deconstructing the bouquets and centerpieces. These new arrangements are then delivered to hospitals, assisted living facilities, hospice houses, and nursing homes.  Many times they are also tax deductible depending on what organization you work with.

Random Acts of Flowers is a privately-funded organization that has a vision to improve the emotional health of the community with flowers.

Winter Wedding Flower Inspiration

 

From crisp white roses to dark burgundy ranunculus there are plenty of romantic flower options for your winter wedding. Find the perfect flowers for your magical day with these inspirational photos. Remember to save the pictures you like so your florist can make your vision come to life!

Flowers in Season

Here are some flowers in season during the winter. If you have a particular flower in mind for your wedding and it isn’t in season, talk to your florist. Usually they can still manage to get the flowers you are looking for, but they might be more expensive.

– Ranunculus
– Delphinium
– Lisianthus
– Rose
– Dahila
– Lilies
– Dusy Miller
– Carnation
– Evergreens
– Alstromeria

Decorate for Halloween with Flowers!

Decorating for the holidays is always a fun idea but it requires so much time and energy. First, numerous hours (and dollars) are spent at the store searching for the right decorations. Then more time is used figuring out where to display the new finds and getting everything set up. Then as soon as the holiday is over, everything gets put away into boxes and stored until next year.

Of course you want your home to look festive, but surely there is an easier way.

That’s why more people are choosing to order fun flower arrangements instead. Ordering a few festive arrangements takes two minutes and they are delivered right to your house!

You can choose fall themed arrangements, Halloween themed arrangements, or go with colors that match your current home decor. A festive arrangement makes the perfect centerpiece for a kitchen or dining room table. Order multiple arrangements and display them on your mantle, coffee table, decorative shelves and kitchen counters.