Here are some easy methods to assist you to get the most longevity out of your blooms if you’ve received flowers from a reputable florist.

Prepare a vase with fresh, tepid water and add the provided flower food. If you haven’t received flower food, it means that your particular blooms don’t need any. To ensure that every stem in your bouquet will be able to receive water, take away all of the wrappings and recut each stem at a 45-degree angle with a pair of sharp scissors. Keep your flowers away from heat sources and direct sunlight.

Please trim your stems again and replace the water in your vase every two to three days for the best vase life.

The flower foods that come with your bouquet are energy packets that release energy slowly and are designed for a variety of flowers. Additionally, they will aid in slowing the growth of bacteria in the water.

Flowers were undoubtedly affected by the major transition that 2020 and Covid pushed on businesses. Growers made modifications as demand decreased so they wouldn’t have to discard crops. This makes it more crucial than ever to consult with your florist to select the perfect fit for your special day. They are knowledgeable about what flowers are in season, how much they cost, and which ones go best with your setting. 

What trends can we expect for 2022?

Bright and Bold
Even though pastel colours will never go out of style, the epidemic has given many women more time to browse the internet and social media for ideas. Weddings will have a lot more colour than they did in the past, from citrus to subdued autumnal tones.

Floral Aisles
A novel idea that is gaining acceptance. Adding flowers to each or every other row will create a runway for your entrance that is worthy of social media.

There are so many benefits to gardening. It can be a therapeutic hobby. It can help you relax and get your mind off of the stresses of daily life. It also can provide you with some healthy food, and it gives a beautiful landscape that is just perfect for spending time in.

Flowers for the home are trendy for gardeners, and they love to grow them. They can be grown in small pots and placed on windowsills or inside rooms to brighten things up, or they can be grown outside.

Some flowers require a little more TLC than others. If you are looking for a low maintenance plant, look at succulents and cacti as these need little care as they are very self-sufficient (apart from a drop of water once in a while).

There are flowers available that need more care. If you are looking at making this a hobby,  Bonsi trees are ideal as they require regular pruning to grow.

The Narcissus is a flower we all know and love in the Spring, but most people know it as the Daffodil. Here are a few facts about the wonderful Narcissus.

The Narcissus is the first flower to bloom in the Spring, indicating that Winter is finally ending. Because of this, Narcissus was seen to represent rebirth and new beginnings.

The Narcissus is given to celebrate ten years of marriage because it symbolises joy and happiness.

Narcissus is also known as ‘lent lilies’ as they bloom between Ash Wednesday and Easter. 

In China, they believe if a Narcissus blooms in your garden on New Years Day, your house will have good fortune for the rest of the year. 

Most cultures see the Narcissus as a symbol of hope and joy, but in Medieval times, a wilting Narcissus was seen as an omen of death. 

And finally, the Narcissus was not native to England. The Romans introduced it in 300bc.

With online shopping becoming much more normal, it’s only natural that people will want to purchase flower gifts for people online as well.  Here are some tips to help you choose the best florist to ensure that the recipient receives the best bouquet possible. Check reviews of the florist. Do they have a good customer service record? Do they charge reasonable prices? Have people been happy with the flowers they have received?

• Find out as much about the florist as you can. If you can, look at photos of their work including on social media including pictures they have been tagged in.
• Be completely clear about what you want. If you love Gerberas but hate roses, make sure they know this.
• Tell the florist what the flowers are for as certain flowers are associated with certain events For example, tulips and roses are often associated with love, whereas lilies are often used for funeral services.

Follow these tips to make sure you get beautiful flowers from online florists. You will be the recipient of a beautiful bouquet in no time at all.

Most floral arrangements go inside vases, but consider looking for alternative containers if you want to do something more unique like a vintage watering can or mason jar. Be sure to choose a variety of flowers so you can use different colours, sizes, shapes and textures.

Prepare the flowers by cutting the bottom of the stem at a 45-degree angle and removing all the leaves under the waterline.

Arranging the flowers is part of the process to use your creativity to build a stunning, unique floral arrangement. If you are using more than one type of flower in your arrangement, add odd numbers. The perfect floral arrangement will be about one and a half times the height of the container that holds it.

To make the arrangement look full and dense, secure them together with a rubber band. If you plan on placing the flowers inside a clear vase, you may want to find a clear rubber band.

Often when choosing a bouquet for either a special event or a special person, people stop to consider what the meaning is behind that particular flower or colour. With roses being one of the most popular flowers to use, here is how to know what each colour means:

Red- the most commonly used rose, is widely known to stand for love and beauty

Pink- are typically used to show admiration and appreciation

White- stands for innocence, new beginnings and purity

Yellow- is most often used to symbolize friendship

Lavender- stands for love at first sight

Orange- is representative of passion, desire or enthusiasm

There are of course, many other variations and there are also roses that are dyed different colours and they have their own meanings but these six are the most common. You can also use a mixture of the different coloured roses to symbolise more than one feeling. Roses are a great way to make someone feel loved and appreciated.

If you haven’t heard of companion planting before, it is a handy technique for protecting your vegetables from pests by repelling them, attracting pollinators to help your vegetable flourish and also improving the soil with valuable nutrients.

Five Excellent Plants for Improving Your Vegetable Patch

1. Borage – a pollinator attracting herb that has edible flowers and leaves (good for salads, or iced beverages) and is best used for tomatoes, strawberries and squash.

2. Marigolds- an excellent pest deterrent (above and below ground) which are also edible, typically used in salads and dressings.

3. Nasturtium- deters pests, are an edible garnish or salad addition with a peppery flavour and best when paired with cucumbers, squash, tomatoes, carrots, radishes, potatoes, and brassicas.

4. Calendula- has edible flower petals and attracts pollinators and “good” bugs like green lacewings and ladybugs. Its sticky sap can trap unwanted pests like white flies, thrips and aphids.

5. Lavender- an excellent culinary herb which repels deer and cabbage moths but very attractive to pollinators.

Sometimes when you buy cut flowers, they do not come with a packet of flower food or maybe you like to cut flowers from your own garden to bring in the house. For either of these instances, your cut flowers will last much longer if they are given some flower food and you can easily make some yourself. Normal tap water typically has too high of a ph level for flowers to tolerate for very long.

DIY Flower Food

1. Citrus Fruits- squeezed from a lemon, orange or lime, are great for feeding flowers but should be used if the vase is coloured or tinted as the citrus could stain.

2. Lemonade- for a clear vase you can use a clear lemonade. Don’t use diet lemonade as the flowers need sugar or you could always stir in a teaspoon of sugar into diet lemonade before adding flowers.

3. Vinegar and Sugar- mixing two tablespoons of sugar with two tablespoons of vinegar in one litre of lukewarm water is another useful homemade flower food.

Flower water should be changed every two-three days to keep flowers at their freshest.

It is lovely to receive a beautiful bouquet, but don’t you wish they stay fragrant and beautiful longer? There are a few steps you can take to help keep that bright, mood-lifting floral arrangement last longer.

1. Upon receiving, or first bringing home a bunch of cut flowers, you should trim them stems by using a sharp knife instead of scissors and cutting the stem at an angle.

2. Next, remove any unnecessary leaves. Any leaves that will be in the water upon filling the vase or container need to be removed.

3. Do not remove the thorns on roses. This creates scars on the stems and shortens the life of the flowers.

4. Keep the bouquet cool by ensuring it is kept away from direct sunlight or heat sources. You may even cool in a fridge a few hours before displaying in your home.

5. If you intend to cut flowers from your garden, collect them in the early evening after they have had all day to store water and food.

6. Be sure to use a very clean vase. It is best if the vase has been rinsed in water with a little bleach added to it.

7. If you have a flower food packet, try using half the first time you fill the vase, then when the water needs changing out, use the other half of the packet.