Her taste in flowers probably is just as fashionable. She wants a floral arrangement that—when delivered—will make friends and coworkers “Ooooh!” and “Ahhhh!” with heart-felt envy rather than merely polite admiration.

Mothers Day Flower Ideas

Stylish Ideas for Mother’s Day Flowers

What do the most fashionable flowers for Mother’s Day look like that will make mom the envy of her office? Check out this review of some of the trendiest styles that you can request from your local florist:

Mother’s Day Flowers With Pavé Passion

The pavé look is an especially high-style option. Pave designs feature short-stemmed blossoms, all arranged at the same height in a tightly packed design. Usually, you’ll see them in a short container, often square or rectangular in shape. Some florists get even more creative and place them into unique containers such as hinged-lid boxes. If the mom in your life has a favorite flower, ask whether it would be appropriate for a pavé design. Request colors that will complement her home’s décor, including a base or vase that reflects her style.

Sweetheart Rose Pave Flower Arrangement | Credit to ShannonsShanonigins

A Worthy Mother’s Day Wreath

Wreaths are not just for hanging on doors, and they don’t have to come only in round shapes. Florists can create them in squares, triangles, ovals or any silhouette you desire. Wreaths are especially beautiful set flat on a tabletop with tapered or votive candles nestled in the center.

Give your florist some design free will, and you’ll be more likely to present mom with something especially memorable this Mothers Day. For example, tell your florist whether the recipient loves a cottage-garden style or sleek, modern look. Using varying heights of flowers and textures, your floral designer can create a one-of-a-kind wreath that will leave your mom speechless.

Contemporary Wreath | Credit to Herta Vasiloudis

Mother’s Day Flowers With Ikebana Accents

Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging cut flowers in rhythmic, decorative designs. But even if your loved one isn’t an Asian enthusiast, she will still appreciate the delicate shapes and textures that Ikebana designs evoke. Again, tell the florist of the recipient’s favorite flower so that the floral designer can incorporate that blossom into the arrangement. And request a container in which the flowers can be designed that will work well in the mother’s home décor.

Fabulous Underwater Flowers for Mother’s Day

One of the most elegant and chic designs you can request for a Mother’s Day recipient is the tall cylindrical or square vase in which flowers are “suspended” underwater. These designs can last an especially long time, depending on the type of flowers chosen for display. Orchids and callas are especially elegant, and the florist can incorporate twisted and spiraling wire as a sculptural element, along with other bling, such as colored or natural stones or glass pebbles.

Submerged Orchids | Credit to Elaine25

While mom will appreciate any flower arrangement you choose for her, taking the time to order something that reflects her personal style is a route destined to bring back fond memories of your thoughtfulness for a long time — or at least until next year.

For more creative ideas for Mother’s Day, take a look at our Mothers Day Gift Ideas: 10 Great Ways to Spoil Her.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

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Related posts:

1. Mothers Day Gift Ideas: 10 Great Ways to Spoil Her
2. Send Flowers for Mothers Day — Without the Hidden Fees
3. Valentine’s Day: Just One More Reason to Give Flowers

Traditional Red Rose Valentine’s Bouquet

Unfortunately, many givers this past Valentine’s Day (as in holidays past) didn’t understand the importance of buying flowers from a local florist. Instead, they saw and heard ads on TV and the radio. They noticed banner advertisements alongside their Facebook profiles. And they called or clicked and ordered.

Flowers for Sale From Faraway

Most of the ads in the national media were for companies known in the florist industry as “order-gatherers” or “wire services”. In other words, they are not florists. They are simply companies that take orders. These companies hire thousands of individuals sitting in cubicles all over the globe to accept and handle these orders.

Once they process your credit-card number, these companies begin contacting florists near the recipient’s home to try and fulfill the order. In handling the transaction, these businesses either add a fee to the cost of the original bouquet, increasing the price substantially over what a local florist probably would have charged for the same arrangement. Or the company offers to pay the florist a low-ball fee to create and deliver the bouquet — often at such a reduced rate that the florist makes little to no profit if he or she accepts the order. As a result, many reputable florists simply say no to such requests. However, some florists do accept these orders, and because those florists receive such a decreased reimbursement for the bouquet, they may include fewer and less expensive flowers than the giver originally ordered.

The resulting floral arrangement often looks nothing like the original design ordered.

Flower Blossoms in a Box

Then there are the companies who advertise prolifically with images of gorgeous, bountiful bouquets in stylish vases overflowing with massive blooms. It’s only in the fine print that the purchaser may discover that these bouquets are sent in a box, without a vase, without water, without cold packs and without any of the other tools that a reputable firm uses to prolong the life of fresh-cut flowers. Recipients simply receive a box of flowers — often drooping, wilted, broken and faded.

Pink Rose

Flowers, Failure and Facebook

This Valentine’s Day was no different. Well, actually, it was different in that it was worse. It turns out that at least one of the major order-gathering firms, ProFlowers, was accused of allegedly sabotaging small local floral shops by placing ads on Google that proclaimed the retailers were “sold out for Valentine’s Day” when online shoppers went searching for local florists. Thus, consumers who might have used local brick-and-mortar stores ended up turning to the online order gatherers because they believed they had no other option for their last-minute orders.

Rose and Ribbon Heart

On Valentine’s Day and the days after, the Facebook pages of some of the biggest floral advertisers in the world blew up with messages of disgust, regret and disappointment. Many of the people posting comments vowed they would never buy from those companies ever, ever again.

Unfortunately, many of them may also decide never to buy flowers ever again — from that company or any other. And that’s a crying shame. Because respectable, trustworthy, honest and talented florists all over the world will never be able to prove to those people that sending flowers doesn’t have to end with a recipient embarrassed to show off the otherwise thoughtful gift their loved ones went to the time and expense to send them. And those people will never experience the long-lasting value of buying quality flowers from a florist who doesn’t lower his or her standards to deliver a subpar product.

The Ease of Becoming a Floral Connoisseur

It’s a lesson you don’t have to learn if you buy your flowers from a florist with whom you’ve developed a trusting relationship. Even if you want to send flowers to some other city, you can find reliable, responsible florists you can call to create your bouquet. One of the easiest ways is via www.Yelp.com or a similar site that offers consumer reviews. Simply search for a florist in the city in which you want flowers delivered. Another option, especially if you need to send sympathy flowers, is to find the name of a nearby funeral company and ask its director what florist he or she can recommend.

Stacked Red Roses

Reputable florists are in abundance, but most are independent businesses without the high-dollar marketing budgets to advertise on TV, radio or the web. So, the next time you see those expensive, ubiquitous ads, see them as a reminder that flowers are a lovely, thoughtful and appreciated gift. Then call or visit a local florist to discuss a custom-prepared bouquet that will perfectly fit your budget and reflect the recipient’s personality.

Whether it’s Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, an anniversary, birthday or “just because,” the result will be a loved one with a smile of absolute adoration and pure, unadulterated delight.

Update: Here are some tips for ordering flowers for Valentine’s Day.

How about you? Have you had a good or bad experience with a wire service or local florist? Tell us all about it or share your own view point on the florist industry in the comments below…

Written by

Gina Kellogg

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Related posts:

1. Valentine’s Day: Just One More Reason to Give Flowers
2. Create Your Own Unique Valentine’s Day Flower Arrangement
3. Send Flowers for Mothers Day — Without the Hidden Fees

Specifically, 81 percent of seniors who participated in a study by Rutgers University (Newark, N.J., U.S.A.) reported a reduction in depression following the receipt of flowers. Forty percent of seniors reported broadening their social contacts beyond their normal social circle of family and close friends. And 72 percent of the seniors who received flowers scored very high on memory tests in comparison with seniors who did not receive flowers.

Did you need any better reasons to send flowers than that?

Save money when you send a loved one flowers.

Sending Flowers with Wire Services

If your Grandma lives across the country from you, you may immediately turn to a wire service to handle the task. When you use these services, you typically visit the company’s website, scroll among images of various flower arrangements, make your selection and pay online. From there, the service sends the order to a florist affiliated with that wire service in the city where you want the flowers delivered. (If you call your local florist to request a long-distance flower order, that shop will usually rely on a wire service to do the same thing.)

Because florists can’t maintain a full inventory of every available flower, they will often have to substitute varieties within an arrangement when fulfilling an order they receive via a wire service. Most websites include a disclaimer that informs the customer that substitutions are a possibility, including variances in containers. As a result, the final arrangement delivered to a loved one may not look exactly like the one shown on the website image.

Another aspect of using a wire service is the possibility that you may pay extra fees—not so in all parts of the world but prevalent in certain countries. To make a profit, these wire services charge fees to cover the costs affiliated with maintaining the network, creating the website, marketing flowers in ad campaigns and other related costs of business. Typically, those fees get added to the price of the flower arrangement. In some cases, these fees can be substantial.

Finding a Local Florist

Ten or 15 years ago, that process made sense. After all, trying to locate the name of a florist near Grandma’s home wasn’t an easy task. But today, the Internet has simplified that undertaking. Using Google maps or another search engine, you can now type in Grandma’s address and then simply search for florists nearby. Voila! The search engine provides a map showing local florists, including phone numbers and, often, even direct links to the retailers’ websites. You can then contact the florist directly. You’ll benefit in multiple ways. For one, you can talk to the florist and describe the type of arrangement you want to send, and the florist can verify what flowers and containers are available to meet your desires. In addition, you’ll save on the fees you would have otherwise paid for the convenience of using a wire service.

Finding a Local Florist with Google Maps

How to Find a Reliable Florist

Concerned that choosing a “random” florist will result in an arrangement that doesn’t meet your standards? Here’s another tip: Search for a funeral business near Grandma’s home. Then call that number and ask the funeral director to recommend a nearby florist. Funeral homes develop close relationships with florists and are familiar with who provides the best service and quality. You can rest assured you’ll be referred to someone who will deliver a flower arrangement that will bring a smile to Grandma’s face—and keep her smiling for days afterward.

You can also use a reliable online florist directory that lists recommended florists in your area. We’ve started building a directory of recommended florists in South Africa, and may extend this service to other countries in the near future.

For more information on finding a florist online and ordering flowers safely, read this article.

Make a Personal Delivery

Live close enough to take flowers to Grandma personally? Consider creating an arrangement in a fun, cheerful and reusable cupcake vase. You simply place individual stems of flowers in holes located on the top of the cupcake-shaped holder to create the floral frosting. Available on Amazon, the vases are available in a variety of colors—pink, yellow, white, turquoise and chocolate brown.

A reusable cupcake vase makes it easy to create a portable gift – Photo courtesy of Joster International

More Information:

Get the Research. Want details on the research proving flowers’ effects on seniors? Check out information published by the Society of American Florists: “Flowers & Seniors Study”

As always, we would love to hear you. What has your experience with using wire services been, or do you prefer searching for a local florist. Let us know in the comments below.

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Related posts:

1. Send Flowers for Mothers Day — Without the Hidden Fees
2. Is Your Florist Selling Fresh Flowers?
3. Valentine’s Day Aftermath: Don’t Give Up After a Bad Bouquet

Don’t wait until your sweetheart appears with a bouquet of blooms to give your home some floral flair. The health benefits of adorning your abode with flowers are worth splurging on the blossoms for yourself. Science proves it.

Emotional Benefits in a Vase

A behavioral research study conducted by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School (Boston), reveals that people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety, and feel less depressed when fresh-cut flowers are present in the home.

“Other research has proven that flowers make people happy when they receive them,” Etcoff says. “What we didn’t know is that spending a few days with flowers in the home can affect a wide variety of feelings.”

The Home Ecology of Flowers Study at Harvard uncovered three main findings:

Flowers feed compassion

Study participants who lived with fresh-cut flowers for less than a week felt an increase in feelings of compassion and kindness for others.

Flowers chase away anxieties, worries and the blues

Overall, people in the study simply felt less negative after being around flowers at home for just a few days. Participants most frequently placed flowers in their kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms – those areas of the home where they spend a lot of time. They reported wanting to see the blooms first thing in the morning. Etcoff explains, “The morning blahs, it turns out, is a real phenomenon, with positive moods – happiness, friendliness and warmth, for example – manifesting much later in the day.” She adds, “Interestingly, when we placed a small bouquet of flowers into their morning routines, people perked up.”

Living with flowers can provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm at work

Having flowers at home can have a positive carryover impact on your mood at work, too. The study found that people were more likely to feel happier and have more enthusiasm and energy at work when flowers were in their home living environments.

Flowers Make People Happy

“As a psychologist, I’m particularly intrigued to find that people who live with flowers report fewer episodes of anxiety and depressed feelings,” Etcoff says. “Our results suggest that flowers have a positive impact on our well-being.”

Etcoff was also surprised at the long-lasting effects flowers had on people’s moods. “What I find interesting is that, by starting the day in a more positive mood, you are likely to transfer those happier feelings to others – it’s what is called mood contagion,” Etcoff explains. “And, the kitchen is the place where families tend to gather in the morning. Imagine how big a difference a better morning mood can make?”

For more on the positive benefits of flowers to your emotional and mental health, read this article by InLieuOfFlowers.info.

Written by

Gina Kellogg

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Related posts:

1. Is Your Florist Selling Fresh Flowers?
2. Valentine’s Day: Just One More Reason to Give Flowers
3. Secrets of Flowers Revealed

The care your florist gives to the blossoms in his or her store can have a significant impact on how long those flowers last once you get them home. No matter how well you care for your flowers, if the florist didn’t provide proper handling of the blossoms while they were in his care, they won’t last more than a few days for you.

Get the Longest Vase Life

How do you recognize whether your florist is caring for his offerings in a way that ensures that you get the longest vase life (florist speak for how long your flowers last in a vase)? First look at the flowers themselves. They are the first indicator of freshness. Do the heads of roses feel firm and not mushy? Are leaves shiny and not shriveled? Are the middles of chrysanthemums still green or beginning to brown? Are lilies just cracking open or fully blown open? Are petals firmly attached or falling off gerberas? Are stems green and straight or yellowish and slimy?

Next, look for the following signs:

Refrigeration

Flowers kept in a cooler—whether it is the walk-in type or one in which you can easily reach in to the rows of buckets—last longer than those kept at room temperature. Want even more proof of your florists’ attention to proper care and handling? Look for a thermometer in the cooler and check its temperature. Most flowers prefer temperatures of 1 to 2 Celsius (33 to 35 Fahrenheit), except for tropical blossoms, which thrive in temperatures of 10 to 13 Celsius (50 to 55 Fahrenheit). Florists who maintain proper temperatures are paying attention to one of the most critical aspects of stem longevity.

Florists Tools Need to be Clean

Cleanliness

Just like your kitchen at home, your florist’s shop should be scrubbed and sanitized. The tools used to cut the bottoms off stems, the counters, the buckets in which the flowers are stored—all should be fresh-smelling and germ-free. Similarly, the water in the buckets should be clean and fresh. If you wouldn’t want to drink it, neither will the flowers. Water should be free of foliage and debris that can clog stems and cause them to wither too quickly.

Flower Food / Preservative

Your florist should not only be adding flower food/preservative to the buckets in which he stores his blossoms but he should be giving you packets of the powder to use in your vases at home. These little packets, which you mix with fresh water, provide nutrients to keep blooms upright and colorful while also inhibiting the growth of bacteria that can reduce the longevity of your flowers.

If your florist is neglecting any of these steps, consider buying your flowers elsewhere – no matter how low the price. Even the lowest price is too high for fleeting beauty.

Written by

Gina B. Kellogg

PS: If you enjoyed this article, help spread the word by clicking the “Like”, “Tweet”, “+1” buttons or sharing it using the share icons below. Want to read more articles like this? Then Subscribe to our Updates, and get our articles directly to your inbox or RSS reader.

Related posts:

1. How to Find a Florist & Save Money Sending Flowers
2. Flower Power: Emotional Benefits of Fresh Flowers
3. Flower Care Tips and Tricks

There are few things in this world more delightful and pleasing to the soul than a beautiful bouquet of fresh cut flowers. Their vibrant colours and often unique character will brighten up any room or office space. So it goes without saying that you would want your lovely flowers to last as long as possible, which is why we’ve put this easy to follow list of flower care tips together for you to get your flowers off to a running start and keep them blooming for longer.

What to Look for When Selecting Fresh Cut Flowers

Make sure the flowers look clean and healthy.

When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.

Avoid flowers with broken stems or drooping buds.

The flower stems should be green and smooth, and not slimy.

The water should smell fresh.

More tips for choosing fresh flowers…

Putting them into the Vase

Keep your cut flowers cool, until you can get them into water.

Cut the stems about two to three centimetres from the end while they are under water (this is to avoid air getting into the water-conducting tissues, which blocks the cells).

Make sure your vase and cutting tools are clean.

Remove any leaves that will be below the water surface.

Use the packet of flower food or preservative that came with your flowers (if you don’t have any, we will show you how to make your own at the end of this article).

Bonus Tip
Place your freshly cut flower stems in warm water (roughly 40 degrees Celsius) and the preservative to ensure maximum water uptake. This process is called hardening.

Caring for Your Cut Flowers

Keep your cut flowers out of direct sunlight and drafts.

Keep them away from fresh produce. Fruit such as apples produce ethylene gas, a hormone that causes senescence, or aging in Cut Flowers.

Change the water frequently (Every other day).

Cut the stems as described above, each time you change the water.

Good Choices for Long Lasting Cut Flowers

Alstroemerias (6-14 days)
A very popular flower, even though most people don’t know them by name. However they are sensitive to fluoride in water and ethylene gas. Keep them away from fresh produce.

Lilies (7-14 days)
Choose bunches with a few slightly opened lower buds. Remove the anthers to prevent allergies and pollen from coming in contact with your clothing and staining them.

Delphiniums (7-14 days)
You can’t beat Delphiniums for shades of blue and purple. Like Alstroemeria, these are sensitive to ethylene gas.

Carnations (7-14 days)
Carnations are extremely dependable and come in many varieties and colours.

Roses (6-12 days)
A classic, and with over 20,000 varieties, they never get boring.

Sunflowers (6-12 days)
Generally available in late summer. Sunflowers can be top heavy, so use a sturdy vase that can support them.

Make your own Flower Preservative

If you don’t have a commercial flower preservative, making your own mix at home can be as effective as the commercial preservatives and it’s easy to make.

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon household bleach
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1 litre of lukewarm water
OR
3 pinches (0.3g) of citric acid

Well, we hope these tips have been helpful and that you will now be able to enjoy the beauty of your flowers for that much longer…

If you have questions about caring for your flowers, or you have some tricks of your own that have worked for you, please share them with us in the comments section below.

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