Happy St Patrick's Day, March 17th 2015

Take Over of the Clover!

Got a favourite colour?  Mine is unreservedly GREEN: anything from sage to avocado, khaki to lime. So with St Patrick’s Day approaching, what better way to celebrate than taking some inspiration from the Emerald Isle, from the clover and the leprechaun…

St Patrick’s day, a cultural and religious celebration on March 17th,  commemorates the passing of Ireland’s patron Saint (A.D385-461), the arrival of Christianity in Ireland as well as the heritage and culture of the Irish in general.  Celebrations include public parades and dressing in green attire or adorning yourself with Shamrocks, the symbol Saint Patrick is said to illustrate the Holy Trinity. The Lenton restrictions on eating and drinking are lifted for the day, which has in turn propagated the tradition of consuming alcohol on the holiday (not that the Irish needed an excuse! Ha!)

Kilbennan St. Benin's Church Window St. Patrick Detail 2010 09 16.jpg
St Patrick Image: Wikipedia

 

Green is a wonderfully calming and neutral colour but it is often underrated, and people tend not to see the true value of adding foliages to an arrangement, or using green berries or blooms to ‘lift’ a colour scheme. As a florist on countless occasions I have had a hard time convincing a customer that what we really need is more green rather than more flowers or more colour. And so this week my mission is to turn that around!

With so many lush foliages available in green it is easy to create long lasting arrangements that are low maintenance and are stunning in their simplicity. Alternatively a variety of fresh flowers are available in everything from soft pistachios tones to rich, olives, ideal for creating textured, versatile arrangements that complement almost any colour scheme or decor.

Song of India:

Gorgeous Song of India Image: Cainta plant nursery

Succulents:

Gorgeous Succulent Image: Commons Wikimedia

There are hundreds of varieties of succulent plants. Succulents are supple, long lasting plants, that can be utilised as ‘cut flowers’ (with no stem), with bamboo skewers used to create an artificial stem. They do not require alot of water and create a great ‘focal’ with their flower petal-like formation.

Molluca Balm (Bells of Ireland):

Molluca Balm Image: Aliexpress

Molluca Balm is bright lime green in colour, long and elongated, with flower pods along the length of the stem. In the language of flowers, it represents luck- no wonder it is known as the ‘Bells of Ireland’.

Orchids:

Gorgeous Cymbidium Orchids Image: Flowers Pictures

The Orchidacae family is widespread and diverse. Cymbidium orchids are available in various green tones (among other colours). Cymbidium orchids are generally available throughout May-October within Australia.. They are long lasting and ideal to use enclosed within a tall vase, or as an eye catching centrepiece in a more varied arrangement.

Simply divine green Slipper Orchids Image:Fun Flower Facts

The exotic Slipper Orchid is also available in stunning greens however are far less accessible, more expensive and rarer to find. Certainly well worth it, if you can mange to get you hot little hands on them! For this reason they are often reserved for use within weddings or special events.

Dendrobium orchids are often known as Singapore Orchids Image: Pix Good

Soft green and bright lime green varieties of Dendrobiums-the common Singapore orchid are also available. This orchid is more affordable and available all year round through international suppliers. They are not cultivated locally. The flowers take water through both the stems and the flowers so you can immerse flowers in a basin full of water to rejuvenate there appearance every couple of days.

Chryssanthemums:

Green Buttonn Chryssies Image: Flicker

Chrysanthemums are available throughout the year in different varieties. The flower heads occur in various forms, and can be daisy-like or decorative, like the buttons (above), disbuds, spiders or pompoms. They are available in a vibrant, fresh, lime green tone. Chrysanthemums are extremely long lasting. The disbuds are an ideal focal flower whilst the spray forms (spiders or buttons) are great to use as a ‘filler’ flower.

Anthurium:

Supple and Shiny green Anthuriums are often mistaken as artificial. Image: Fine Art America

Tropical Anthuriums are plastic like in appearance and are often mistaken as artificial. With approximately 1000 species within the genus, the Anthuriums form the largest genus of the arum family. The bloom contains both male and female structures and is often seen to be rather phallic. They are ideal teamed with fresh cut foliages or other tropical blooms.

 

The possibilities to explore are limitless! Don’t forget there are several other varieties of fresh flowers commonly available in green, like Jade green roses, heleborus (winter rose) or hydrangeas which are popular for weddings, and carnations which continue to make the comeback of the century! Poppy pods, lotus pods, artichokes, berries and much more are also available in gorgeous shades of green so rather than just getting those cold ales flowing, get those creative juices going too and create an arrangement that will make your friends #greenwithenvy!

Til next time remember,

“Green is the prime colour of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises”  Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Fwf x

 

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The Colour of My Love- Unique fresh flower gifts for Valentines Day

The Colour of Your Love- How To Say It With Flowers

“A single rose can be my garden…. a single friend, my world”

Want to learn how to turn a simple bunch of flowers into an intricate love letter you have written without picking up a pen?!?! Whether you are admiring someone from afar, (living and) loving

 long distance or shacked up, playing house with the one of your dreams, by carefully choosing the colours of your roses you can send a unique personalised message of love this Valentine’s Day.

Here, we take you through the unique meanings of each of the colours of roses so that this year for Valentines Day, or any other special occasion for that matter, you can surprise that special someone.

DIY a thoughtful bouquet of roses! Learn the meaning of your favorite rose colors with this infographic.
Image via Pinterest

 

Red: Love, Passion

Image: Nature PIctures

 

Red roses are the most universal of all symbols of true love and passion, that is certainly no secret. Valentine’s Day would cease to exist without this boldly beautiful bloom.

Yellow: Friendship, Joy

Image: Virgin Farms

With its bright, sunny colour, Yellow roses are associated with cheering people up. The Yellow rose is also a message of appreciation and platonic love. In Victorian times, the yellow rose was thought to represent jealousy, however today, it is used as a symbol of friendship and caring. The color represents feelings of joy and delight aswell as warmth and affection.

Lavender: Enchantment, Majesty, Love at First Sight

Image: Whole Blossoms

Traditionally any tone of purple is associated with royalty, and in this case also, shades of Lavender roses suggest an air of regal majesty. Lavender roses are seen to be almost mystical in nature, and thus are associated with enchantment, desire, and love at first sight. Certainly the Lavender rose could be the perfect Valentine flower given it’s unique representations.

Pink: Love, Gratitude, Appreciation

Image: Fun Mozar

Pink roses vary in meaning depending on the shade. Generally pink roses represent grace and elegance, as well as sweetness and poetic romance. Dark pink roses are symbolic of gratitude and appreciation, but are also a traditional way to say thanks. Light pink roses are associated with gentleness and admiration, and can also be used as an expression of sympathy.

Pink tones are often used to symbolise gentility, femininity, elegance and refinement.

White: Purity, Innocence, Sympathy, Spirituality

Image: Southern Mosaic

Traditionally, white roses are known as the bridal rose, with them featuring heavily as a traditional wedding flower. They are often associated with young love, innocence, humility and purity. The white rose represents unity, virtue, and the pureness of a new love. White roses are also associated with honor and reverence, which makes them an ideal funereal flower.

Orange: Desire, Enthusiasm and Passion

Image: Fun Mozar

 

Red +Yellow = Orange.

A literal mixture of yellow and red, orange roses were seen as a bridge between friendship (yellow roses) and love (red roses). With their warm, vibrant tones, they also symbolise enthusiasm and desire.Looking for a unique way to express admiration and attraction – (whilst showing passion your and excitement) – then send a bouquet filled with orange roses.

Want more Unique ways to express how you feel?

Did you know-

* Full blooms express deep gratitude?

* Single roses say “I still love you”

* Rosebuds represent innocent love and say “you are forever young and beautiful.”

*A thornless rose represents love at first sight

* A tea roses says “I will remember you always”

The talented team at Florist with Flowers is waiting to guide you in your quest for love whether it be love at first sight, young love, lusty love or true, lasting love….now, it’s just up to you to decide what you are after.

Til next time, say what you mean and mean what you say,

Fwf x

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australian native flowers, native flower delivery, native flower bouquet, native bouquet, native arrangement, native flower arrangement, natives carlingford

Celebrate Whats Great- Australia Day 2015- Native flowers

Now that January is well under way, it is time to think ahead to Australia Day, our next big celebration. For Australia Day this year we are told to “celebrate what’s great”: an invitation, hell, a suggestion to focus not on our differences and our troubles, but instead on what unites us; what we LOVE about this country.

To paraphrase our national anthem, Australia is a land which abounds in natures gifts, of beauty which is rich and rare. In this weeks blog we look at some of our phenomenal native flowers.

Our environment is enviable; a gorgeous faraway island with a subtropical climate, plenty of land for a growing population and unique landscapes to suit all walks of life. Sea change? Tree change? Country Life?  City Life? Surf? Yep, we have it all. And because we have all these varying climates Australia is suitable to grow a variety of plants throughout the year.

Flowering Eucalyptus

flowering gum, australian native flowers
Flowering Eucalyptus. Image: Dewdrops and Dragonflies

The red flowering gum is one of the most commonly planted ornamental trees in the Eucalyptus family. It is available throughout the warmer summer months, and is often utilised as an alternative to Christmas bush over the festive season because of its vibrant red and green tones. It is native to WA and prefers sandy infertile soil however can tolerate moderate environments provided they are not damp or exposed to periods of frost. The flowering gum is available in a variety of other colour tones including: pink, orange, crimson and white.

Flowering gum has a fairly short vase life (3-6 days) as the blossoms open quickly in the warm weather and then drop. It can make them a messy addition to your home, but they are an extraordinary explosion of colour and well worth the effort and extra cleaning 😉 The stems must be re-cut so that you ensure they can take up water, otherwise you will find the buds wither/shrivel rather than maturing and opening.

Banksia

A dwarf Southern Plains Banksia. Image: Wikipedia

There is approx 170 species of banksia, but they are easily recognised usually by their spiky inflorescence (flower). Some varieties, like the dryandra are characterised by a short rounded head so there are variations. All but one species is endemic to Australia. The exception, the Tropical banksia, can be found in northern Australia as well as on some of the tropical islands to the north including New Guinea and the Aru islands Banksias grow as trees or woody shrubs and are popular in gardens because of their showy blooms.

Banksias have an amazing vase life. You can easily get a week out of them and certainly longer depending on the variety. Stems should be re-cut so they can take up water. With so many varieties of Banksias available, it is possible to get Banksias (in some form) throughout the whole year. Banksias are a terrific dried flower: although it is important to note that drying flowers tends to make the colours of the blooms less vivid and intense.

Waratah

waratah, australia native flowers
Gorgeous Waratah. Image: http://linksservice.com/australian-native-flowers/

There are five species of Waratah that are endemic to Australia. The key distinguishing feature of the Waratah is the inflorescence, which is very large, brightly coloured and showy, and consists of many small flowers densely packed into a compact head. The bloom ranges from 6–15 cm in diameter. The name waratah comes from the Eora Aboriginal people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area. The Waratahs are naturally confined to east coast regions from northern New South Wales to Tasmania. Generally Waratahs are available throughout late September- early November.

Waratahs are most commonly known and recognised in the red variety however you can also find pink and white blooms available. Expected vase life for Waratahs is 5-7 days.

Grevillea

There are about 360 different species of the Grevillea genus, a native plant to rainforest environments and more open habitats in Australia but they can also be found in New Guinea, New Caledonia, Indonesia and Sulawesi. It is an attractive evergreen, flowering plant that grows anywhere between a shrub (approx 50cm tall) to 35m tall trees. The flower is petal- less, but instead consists of a calyx tube which splits into 4 lobes with long styles. Grevillea are brightly coloured, and are quite delicate in appearance in comparison to other native flowers.

Grevillea has a great vase life when the cut flower has been chemically treated. If not, Grevillea is expected to last 3-6 days and will drop the long styles as the bloom deteriorates.

 

Well that’s a look at some of nature’s finest Australian natives. Did we cover all your favourites? If not, leave us a comment and we will make sure to update the post with some of your requests. Why not choose some Australian native flowers this Australia Day for your home or for a gift. What a perfect way to celebrate what is great….. :0)

Til next time,

Fwf x

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New Beginnings- Bringing health, wealth and properity to your life in 2015 with Fresh Flowers

So last week as we rung in the New Year we looked at the positive influence a living plant can have on your living space. This week we turn our attention to fresh cut flowers. Maybe last year wasn’t all that you had hoped it would be. Well, some believe that Feng Shui is the way to encourage what life is lacking and fresh flowers can play a vital role.

Fresh flowers are of course the best way to bring a strong healing energy to your home, but with our ever changing environment and wayward seasons, sourcing certain fresh flowers just isn’t possible all year round. By choosing floral images, fabrics or even high quality silks you can still work within Feng Shui also. It comes as no surprise that the flowers used most widely through Chinese art: Peonies, Lotus, Chrysanthemums, Cherry Blossoms, and Orchids, are also flowers that feature most prominently throughout Feng Shui as the Philosophy originates in China. The Philosophy was originally used to orientate buildings in an auspiscious manner by building or creating in an area with good Qi (ch’i), but is also used a way of harmonising everyone within their environment. When thinking about this in your immediate environment (your home), it is important to think about what it is you want (or need) to encourage to flourish there. Is it health? Love/Romance? Job opportunities or career growth? Spiritual growth?

Here are a brief list of some flowers are their Feng Shui applications:

Cherry Blossom;

Cherry Blossoms all over my backyard!!
Image: Auntie Dogma’s Garden Spot

All of the blossoming fruit trees (Cherry, peach, apple, etc) have been known to have the energy of new beginnings, flourishing before the fruit season and with just a hint of what is yet to come. They bring with it a sense of freshness and innocence, and thus the cherry blossom is often used as a symbol of love and marriage.

Peonies:

Mint julep cups make elegant vases (and a nice foil for holding pens and scissors on your desk, too) via Julie Blanner's blog Coordinately Yours
Image: Julie Blanner

Peonies are one of the most sought after flowers for weddings in the Western word and with their awesome appearance and delicious scent, the peony has long been used in feng shui as a cure for love & romance. This especially applies to pink peonies over any other shade. Peonies are available for such a short season in Australia’s late Spring/Early summer, so this is one case where a picture, or silk arrangement may be required.

Lotus:

Lotus Beautiful gorgeous pretty flowers. Everything about this sacred plant is beautiful, leaves, pods, flowers, stems.
Image: Flowers. Garden. Love via Tumbler

The lotus flower symbolises the ultimate perfection as its purity is untouched by its muddy origins. Every part of the lotus is used within Chinese medicine from its roots to petals and for this reason, the lotus is the symbol for a healthy and harmonious home.

Narcissus:

Narcissus perennials,  common names include daffodil & jonquil white yellow
Image: via Flickr

In Chinese culture the narcissus flower is believed to encourage one’s career to flourish. It is often used as a feng shui career cure, believed to help one get properly recognised for his/her hard work- Phew! Interestingly the white Narcissus is used more frequently than the yellow in Feng Shui applications.

Orchids:

Ruby Leopard Slipper Orchid. I hope this is real and not photoshopped.
Image: Sussle- Knowledge worth Sharing

The orchid is a classic feng shui symbol of fertility. With its natural symmetry, it has also become a symbol for our quest for perfection in any areas of one’s life.

Feeling inspired by all that Mother Nature has provided? Florist with Flowers sources a vast array of seasonal blooms from local, interstate and overseas suppliers giving you a great choice of quality blooms throughout the year. In store now we have fresh: orchids, roses, chryssies, hydrangea, dahlias, bouvardia, lilies and much, much more! Come check out our fresh flower display and our gorgeous indoor plants and start the change you want to see in your life NOW!

Til next time,

Fwf x

 

 

 

 

 

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