Coming up with a colour scheme is a huge part of creation. Working out what colours you want to use, and in what intensity, can sometimes take longer than making the arrangement itself. This is as important as ever of course, when you are creating flowers for a wedding or an event. There are many theories on colour: including what colours should be used together according to where they sit on the colour wheel. Certainly in our training we are guided on how many colours and how many flower varieties should be in one arrangement….but in many ways, in your training, you also learn all the ways that you can break the rules.

Some colours are particularly tricky to work with, (in floristry anyway!) like when a company wants the event themed to match their corporate colours of turquoise, navy and black 😳

At times, you are stumped because the colour a client may want just don’t exist. There are ways to get around that such as dying flowers, or applying floral safe surface sprays.

Just as black or denim is a bit of a staple when it comes to clothing, glitter/silver/gold/metallic is a bit of a neutral when it comes to decorating.

What on earth do I mean by that? Well, adding metallics elements, is sometimes just what you need. It doesn’t add another colour to the mix, but it does add just the right amount of pizzazz. Metallics and glitters are able to make things look a little bit more special, without it all getting a bit too much although you still need to show restraint.

Gold works soooo well with so many colour schemes. If you’d like to incorporate gold, consider some of these colour schemes:

• blush pink and guava tones
• apricot, peach and cream
• rich burgundy and deep purple
• fresh greens and whites
• autumnal tones like burnt oranges and coffee/latte tones

Metallic Grey or Silver is easy to use too, try teaming it with these colour schemes:

• cool, icy blues
• soft mauve and pale pink
• lemon and yellow

Bronze/Copper looks fabulous with warm colour tones like reds, corals, warm pinks, latte, chocolates, apricot, orange and salmon.

Sometimes touches of sparkle or glitter is all you need to take your arrangement to the next level. Rather than choosing a glitter outside of the existing colour scheme, choose a colour you are already using. Repeating a colour (either in a different intensity, or perhaps with a slight shimmer/sparkle 😝) is a great way to make an arrangement appear more cohesive and harmonious.

There are plenty of ways to add touches of metallics throughout your fresh or dried floral arrangements or in other decor. You can spray leaves, sticks, seed pods or pine cones. You can use coloured wires or add brass/gold/silver embellishments. Berries look beautiful when they are sprayed in metallics as they are more delicate, and therefore will not overwhelm an arrangement.

When you want to experiment and think outside the box, the best person to brainstorm with is your florist. They know what is in season and available, and what can be utilised in your custom made arrangement to fulfil your brief. Come in store, or call us today!

Fwf x

Feature Image: RT.com

Read More

While it may be hard to believe, now that we are past the half way mark of the month of May, it is now drawing closer to winter. For some, this marks the starts of a downturn in activity and outdoor activities. For our industry, this means that things will start to quieten down as the more moderate temperatures will come to an end, and this usually coincides with a drop in wedding and event bookings.

In the cooler months, there is LOTS to enjoy in the floral world. Garden roses come to an end now, so the roses you will see in store will either be glasshouse grown or imported. The glasshouse grown roses lack the fragrance of garden roses. While their heads tend to hold the shape well,  they will never truly open….unless of course you choose to reflex your roses. 😉 Winter is also a wonderful time to enjoy many of the wonderfully fragrant bulbs that are available such as hyacinth, and johnquills. Other bulb flowers you can begin to enjoy soon are daffodils, and tulips.

You will also see cymbidium stems start to be available in store frequently from now. The entire stem of flower is cut from the plant to give us these incredibly big, eye catching, beautiful and long lasting blooms. For that reason, they are priced dependant on how many individual flowers are on the spike.

Some spikes of cymbidiums also have a fragrance, which is quite interesting. They are available in a vast array of colours including white, pink, mauve, yellow, lime, burgundy, red, cream, orange, chocolate and many more variations in between.

Tulips are an incredibly elegant cut flower. Throughout winter you can enjoy beautiful single standard tulips, feathery tulips, double tulips, and parrot tulips. One thing that many people do not understand about tulips is that they grow towards sunlight. As you can probably imagine, it is incredibly frustrating for a florist who has arranged them in a mixed bouquet as you will find them standing tall above their flower neighbours overnight. This is even more frustrating for a wedding florist!  Not only  do they grow in length,  but their stems will become all wiggly and wavy in an attempt to be the tallest and the closest to the sun. For this reason alone, it is so important to choose a reputable florist when ordering flowers for a wedding, otherwise you are at risk of receiving a bunch of rather wayward blooms.

 

But probably what most consumers look forward to most when thinking about fresh cut flowers and winter is the longevity of the blooms. It is certainly true that in the cooler months your flowers will last longer. When ordering a flower delivery or buying fresh cut blooms for home you can be confident that  they will look fresh and fabulous for days or even weeks depending on what you choose, and how well you care for them. You will notice that the water does not become as smelly as quickly however it is just as important to change the water and recut the stems regularly to get the best vase life. Talk to our wonderful staff about long lasting choices. The cymbidium stems for example can be pricey per stem, but when you think you can enjoy them for weeks, they are actually very good value. Sometimes you will find some of the blooms may be covered when sitting in a vase with foliage or other flowers. Instead of having them essentially wasted, snip them off the stem and use them in a float bowl.

Read More

With April quickly coming to an end, May, and Mother’s Day are just around the corner. That means that you have just over two weeks to choose how you want to show your appreciation for those special women in your life.

Mother’s Day has more recently become a day of celebration not only for mothers, but significant women who have influenced, mentored, cared for you, inspired you and loved you. There are many influential women surrounding us in addition to our mothers who may also deserve celebration, and appreciation. Have a little think about who you would be lost without….Special aunts, grandmothers, great grandmothers, family friends who were always around, and there for you when you needed them….perhaps even an older sister who always took you under her wing.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that Mother’s Day, like many other special days, is just an annual reminder to appreciate those motherly figures in your life.  Appreciation can be shown any day of the year, but like so many things on our ‘to-do’ lists,  it tends to become something we will do ‘someday’ …which we all know, never quite comes around.

Mothers Day flowers can be as different as the person you are buying for. It’s not an occasion where there is only one kind of bloom on offer. Having said that, there are some traditional choices, that are particularly significant for the older generations.

Traditional ‘mums’, Chrysanthemum flowers, are no longer those daggy bunches of non-descript flowers you could pick up just about anywhere. These days, the colour ranges available are phenomenal, and there are lots of variations in the shape and density of the bloom dependant on the variety of choose. We’ll have plenty of bunches of fresh cut flowers on offer over the Mother’s Day period that you can choose instore.

Annnnnnd, what about gorgeous Disbud Chrysanthemums? If you don’t know them by name, I’m sure you’d know them by description….. Disbuds have enormous, fluffy, rounded blooms, that look somewhere between a dahlia and a peony in my opinion. You will see them in pinks, yellow, white, lime green and mauve naturally, but they are also available in a wide range of dyed colours also which are incredibly popular. Wait, whaaaat? Yep, seriously, somehow, dyed disbuds seem to be popular with florists and customers alike. Not quite sure how they managed it, but they have found their place in the market, and are here to stay.

Recently, I saw these chocolate dyed disbuds, and I seriously thought I was in love. The great thing about buying fresh cut chrysanthemums is they are long lasting. So even after Mother’s Day has been and gone, mum can glance over at the vaseful of flowers and feel all warm inside again 😍😍😍

If you haven’t yet got yourself organised for Mother’s Day, check out our full range here. Local flower delivery throughout Carlingford and surrounding areas will be offered on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, but get in quick- delivery runs will be closed off when they are at capacity.

Fwf x

Feature Image : Visit Lichfield see link

 

 

Read More

When it comes to weddings there are a few traditions that the majority of people still adhere to. One of the most common ones of course is the colour the bride wears. These days it does vary somewhat, with brides choosing one of 1000s of shades between a stark white and a buttery cream or a soft pink etc.

Guests of a wedding can really wear whatever they fancy whether they choose bright colours, pastels or patterns. The older generations wouldn’t dream of wearing black to a wedding, or on the flip side, risk overshadowing the bride by wearing white.

Oh, how things have changed. These days the rule book certainly has been thrown out, and people are making choices based on their own tastes, irrespective of tradition.

25 year old, Melbourne based mummy blogger Sophie Cahcia made headlines for wearing black to her own wedding. Cahcia wore a stunning long sleeved gown with fishtail, lace sleeves and a choker. Her bridesmaids also wore black, and her hubby-to-be chose to wear a red blazer teamed with leather pants. They had chosen to dress for themselves, rather than follow tradition. And why not?

Her bouquet was a wild blend of greenery and berries featuring a rich and dramatic blend of reds and magenta. Her bridesmaids carried bouquets made entirely from greenery, and berries. In that way, it was a little reminiscent of Mortisha Adams, almost as it the rose blooms had been snipped off the bouquet one by one.

Bouquets of greenery can be so interesting because there are so many different foliages out there. We are not talking about a bunch of Camellia leaves tied with a bow, oh no! Gorgeous flat tropical leaves such as philodendrons, and monsteras, heads of cordylines, or dracenas, tendrils of peppercorn berries, or asparagus fern… Add to that the array of bromeliads, or succulents that can add both colour and texture to your bouquet.

And remember, by choosing to have a bouquet of greenery, you are not limited to the colour GREEN!

So, what do you think about a bouquet that uses no ‘traditional’ flowers? Is that something that you would consider for your big day, or do you think it’s too risky to turn up with something that isn’t traditionally ‘pretty’? If you are currently planning a wedding, or know someone who is, get in touch with our friendly staff on 02) 98711666 or browse our wedding gallery.

Love to hear your thoughts on any traditions you would consider compromising, or traditions that are non negotiable for you.

Fwf x

Featured Image: Homegrown.org

Read More

What do YOU do when you want to send flowers to an unfamiliar area? Like most people you probably type something into google and pick the first (relevant) option, right?

Beware! The first few results are paid ads that sit at the top of the page by order gatherers. The problem with that is that these third party businesses are set up with the sole purpose of aggressively promoting the hire/sale of the goods/services you are seeking, with the intention to broker your business to local companies for fulfilment. This all happens for a fixed processing fee and commission….but this is not adequately explained when you make your purchase with them.

This isn’t something confined to our industry, this kind of thing is present in every industry on some level I’m sure- I’ve experienced it myself when hiring a car. The issue for florists however is that when you accept and fulfil orders from these so called ‘order gatherers’ you are never able to present your work in the best light. This is because the customer has paid a commission to the order gatherer, on top of the delivery and handling fee. What is left, (a fraction of the customers total spend) is all the executing florist can create the arrangement with. Can they do a $100 arrangement with $60 worth of flowers? As a customer do you think you would be satisfied with that arrangement considering what you have spent?

The customer often has selected a picture from a catalogue and therefore has expectations that the order will look like that on the other end. These catalogues tend to be fairly generic, and do not take into account each florists unique style, or what stock is available to them. This varies greatly, particularly in remote and rural areas. Often substitutions have to be made based on what they have in store, or what is in season.

Order gatherers are sneaky. They have domain names that sound like a little family business using a person’s name in the title like ‘Joanne’s Juicy Blooms’. This conjures up images of a cute little bricks and mortar corner store style set up. The reality is NO STORE even exists. They use names that include the suburb or city you are searching for…surely that means you have gone directly to a local business right? Wrong. They are savvy, and they rely on people making assumptions and being complacent or confused…

Look, I’m not sure whether we need order gathers…but perhaps the biggest issue is the feeling that these companies seem to be misleading consumers rather than disclosing all relevant information. If the consumer is fully aware of all the costs and commission amounts that will be deducted from their total spend before the arrangement can be made, AND understand that the order will be forwarded to a local business with no guarantee that the order can be fuflfilled as pictured, then I see no issue. At this point though, order gatherers do not make it easy for the consumer to see what value of their order will actually be translated into flowers.

Many businesses have begun distancing themselves from relay services and order gatherers as they feel they are having a detrimental affect of the industry. Instead they are developing their own floral networks throughout the country so that local businesses can execute the work with integrity.

Florist With Flowers is your local Carlingford florist, we deliver locally and to surrounding areas our own, fresh product.

We do offer relay services and can guide you in your choices when sending flowers elsewhere, explaining what costs are involved in that service.

As a local family run business we rely on word of mouth by providing you with quality fresh flowers and great customer service.

Each order that we execute is potentially our first introduction to a new customer. That means of course we want to put our best foot forwards does every small business, so where possible try to order direct. Shop small. Support small.

Fwf x

Read More

Australia Day… for many it is a sad day. Also known as Foundation Day, Survival Day or Invasion Day, it continues to spark debate each year. And while much of the country may be divided on that subject, one thing is for sure, Australia is an amazing place to call home.

Australia Day is a day to reflect on what it means to be Australian. This includes all Australians, whether you are new to the country, from a family that has called Australia home over several generations now, or if you are one of 65,000 Torres Strait Islander, or Aboriginal people.

Today, I have come up with a list of things I love about Australia’. Feel free to add to the list via our Facebook page.

1. We live on the world’s largest Island.

Now technically speaking, as Australia is a continent, Greenland is considered the largest island of the world, but for all intents and purposes, we do live on mass of land entirely surrounded by water….so that’s an island in my mind. Folks travel to islands for holidays, and we live on a spectacular sub tropical island every day of our lives.

2. Our Beaches are Enviable

Anyone who travels to Oz will remark on the beauty of our waterways and our clean sand. Beaches around the world just cannot compare. And whether you are looking for a beach for surfing, simple paddling or fishing, there are plenty on offer. Tourists will come in search of Bondi or Manly Beaches, but locals know that these are not the best on offer…sssshh….let’s keep the best kept secrets, just that 😉

3.  Natural Wonders

Did you know that Australia has 19 World Heritage listed sites? 😳 Add to that over 500 National Parks to explore too. WOW, just wow.

4. Work/life balance.

With consistently low unemployment, Australia is a good place to get a job….apparently. And with a beautiful environment surrounding us, we are known the world over that we work hard, but we play just as hard. Enjoying our environment, and making the most of our down time are key Aussie qualities.

5. Multicultural

People from more than 100 countries have migrated to Australia, making our nation one of the most culturally diverse. Some areas are more culturally diverse than others of course, but generally speaking, Australians are thought to be open and accepting of other ethnicities.With all this diversity comes many bonuses. Acceptance, tolerance, empathy…and amazing foods as well. Australia has a huge range of culturally diverse food and fusion foods on offer. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

6.  We live in a SAFE country

Like any country we have crime, and will hear our fair share of scary stories across our lifetimes. In Mercer’s Quality of Living Index 2018, all Australian cities ranked within the global top 40. Sydney and Melbourne were both in the top 20, at 10 and 16 respectively.

7. Space

While there are many beautiful destinations throughout the world, few can compare with Australia’s great open spaces. While the USA and Australia are not too different in physical size (Australia is 7,5000,000km2), our populations differ greatly. Our current population (as at 9pm January 22, 2018) is 25,230,635.

8. Amazing Fauna and Flora

Koalas, echidnas, kangaroos, and platypus- they really are animals that have to be seen to be believed. With nothing like them anywhere else in the world, they make a trip to Australia all the more memorable.

Australia has phenomenally beautiful native flowers. Native cut flowers are long lasting, and they also are aesthetically unique. They make a great gift deal for travellers, and amazing displays for Australia Day. Contact the store to see what fresh cut flowers and what fresh native flowers are available this weekend.

Enjoy the festivities everyone, and the long weekend. See you on the flip side ✌🏻✌🏼✌🏽✌🏾✌🏿

Fwf x

Feature Image Source 

Read More

So Valentine’s Day has been and gone for another year, but believe it or not, a florists work is still not done.

Some people will have arrived home to a pretty unimpressed partner, angry or disappointed that they were not remembered on the day of love. What does that say, they think? How does that look, they ask.

So in a quest to right any wrongs, February 15th can quickly turn into another busy day. But on February 15th, things tend to return to normal. The flower shop will be stocked with a wide variety of stock, perhaps just not as full to the brim as in the days preceding.

Many florists have perfected their ordering systems, using a combination of examining previous figures and forecasting their needs based on pre-orders as Valentine’s Day approaches. This is great news for everyone as it means there is less wastage and that the stock is fresh post Valentine’s Day too. What it may mean however is that red roses are not as readily available. After all, if you were a rose grower, would you prefer to sell your roses at premium prices leading up to the day of love, or cut prices once the day has been and gone? Growers plant their roses with the hope that they will be perfectly timed with Valentine’s Day. Stock that blooms perfectly the week after could have devastating consequences for our local growers.

If you are one of the people who needs to order flowers for a loved one on February 15, use it as a real opportunity. What do I mean?

Instead of just going ahead and getting the red roses you were supposed to get, choose something totally unique, and something totally beautiful. Given that we are still enjoying the heat of summer and all that comes with it why not consider something that is unique to this time of year?

Garden roses are a rose of course, but rather than being grown for their perfect head, or the length of their stem, garden roses are perfectly imperfect and have a scent that is unforgettable.

Garden roses will truly open up, revealing the gorgeous centre of the bloom, with gorgeous prickly foliage running up and down the stem. They will evoke all 5 senses. Believe it or not, the scent is so intense, you can taste it!

If you are looking for an alternative to roses (and perhaps intentionally avoided buying them on Valentine’s Day) you could consider blooms that will handle the heat with ease. Tropical blooms are made for these conditions as are many native flowers.

Read More