It’s Christmas Time and That Means Poinsettia Season December 19, 2011

With the holidays quickly approaching, you’ve probably seen an increase in the presence of poinsettias around you. Whether they are in your local coffee shop, office building or church, poinsettias are a sign of the Christmas Season. Poinsettias are native to Mexico and Central America where they are called “Flores de Noche Buena” meaning Flowers of the Holy Night. The star shape of the leaves is said to represent the Star of Bethlehem and they are very popular and in high demand in florist shops come Christmas time. And our shop is no different!

But aren’t poinsettia’s toxic?

There is a very common misconception that poinsettias are toxic. This is absolutely untrue. In 1998 Ohio State University issued the results of a study that showed that poinsettias were not toxic to humans and animals. The study tested all parts of the plant including leaves and sap. In fact, POISINDEX, the national information center for poison control centers, states that a child would need to ingest somewhere around 500-600 leaves before they even exceed the doses that showed NO toxicity in the research. If you live in a household with curious little ones, keeping the poinsettia out of reach is the best precaution you can take.

Large Red Poinsettia

So they aren’t toxic to humans, but what about pets?

Again, poinsettias are not toxic to animals as reported in the Ohio State University study. The ASPCA states on their website that while poinsettia’s may cause mouth and stomach irritation in pets, the actually toxicity is highly overrated. The irritation of the stomach could lead to vomiting but it is not deadly. If your pet does get into a poinsettia it is important to wash the sap off immediately to prevent further ingestion. Pet owners should contact a veterinarian if the sap gets into the eyes or if the symptoms don’t resolve within a few minutes.

White Poinsettia

What if I’m allergic to Latex?

As long as the poinsettia’s leaves are not broken and the plant is not damaged you should be fine. The poinsettia’s circulation system does contain latex which is only accessed when you break the leaves. The American Latex Allergy Association states that a person would have to have significant contact with the latex of poinsettia plant to develop an allergic reaction. A drop of latex from the plant that is easily wiped off would be unlikely to cause an allergic reaction. With that said, if you are allergic to latex, common sense precautions should be observed when handling poinsettias.

Hopefully debunking some of the common myths will put you at ease and even encourage you to place a poinsettia order at your local florist. We have several arrangement options available on our website for you to choose from. What better gift to bring your holiday hostess then a beautiful poinsettia arrangement. Happy Holidays!

Poinsettia Arrangement

Visit our website for more tips and myth-busters about Poinsettias, and other tips! God’s Garden Treasures

Musings on Sympathy Flowers: Flowers speak in the silence where words cannot go December 2, 2011

Jennifer Sparks shares, “Having worked for the floral industry for almost 20 years, I’ve talked with many family, friends, and acquaintances who question the practicality of sympathy flowers or are confused by the ‘in lieu of flowers’ phrase often seen in death notices and obituaries. Having been to my share of funerals I have seen first hand the healing nature of flowers during a time when words cannot express. But a recent correspondence from Bobbie Nelson, a funeral director’s wife, sums it up so beautifully I have to  share her thoughts:

Celebrate a Love of the Warm Tropics at a Memorial Service

I recently received an e-mail saying “How many flowers end up at the funeral home and how many flowers did the dead person enjoy while they were alive?” This got me to think about both industries, florists and funeral homes.  Quiet ambassadors of love, flowers, yes, flowers. As a funeral director’s wife I have had the honor of standing by others in times of loss and grief. When confusion and pain run so deep, words are intrusive and unwelcome. When hearts are too full for anything except flowers. They stand in their place and tell those who are left, we love them. We are thinking about them right at this moment in time. We care deeply.

God’s beautiful bouquets send thoughtfulness, reassurance, strength, filling the air with His special perfume and color. ‘How thoughtful’ the loved ones say as they read the flower cards, kindness of friends and family shining through. ‘Oh, this is from Aunt Jenny. She can’t travel now but she sent flowers.’

Can you see? Can you hear? Ambassadors of a Godly sort sent from hearts of love to hurting people everywhere…even at the end of our journey, letting the living know how much we care. The flowers are in memory, but they are for the living! So send flowers as often as you are able and know they will reflect your love and care, especially to a funeral home. The saddest thing I have ever witnessed is a funeral without so much as a tiny bud vase whispering ‘someone cares.’ “

I agree with Jennifer and Bobbie, and truly believe that the service is a real celebration of the person’s life, love and what they contributed to family and friends. So in addition to offering warmth and support, the flowers can reflect the unique qualities, interests, life work, or hobbies.For example, we have created memorial service arrangements with a golf theme

Celebrate an Asian heritage and a love of spring flowers with a specialty vase and a custom floral design

for an avid golfer on behalf of a friend who cared, and at another time, we inserted the message from family members in the form of a crossword tucked into the flowers for a woman who loved crosswords. And for a sports fan, lovingly created standing sprays styled in a mirror image in therms of the shape, and each one was the color of one of his teams (Phillies and Eagles).  Tributes such as these often really capture who they were and celebrate it! The options are endless.

Jennifer adds, in closing: “And as for ‘in lieu of flowers’ in an obituary? Unfortunately, that buzz phrase is often automatically inserted without much thought when a charity is designated. An alternative phrase could be simply, “The family requests memorial contributions be made to XYZ Organization.” The reality is, it is highly unlikely that the bereaved would want a funeral completely devoid of flowers. So if your heart desires to express your sympathy with flowers, send them. Flowers are a thoughtful way to honor a beautiful life and they provide visible emotional support during a difficult time.”

Another way to express support is to send the flowers to the home in the form of a dining centerpiece or coffee table arrangement that will express your concern as family and friends gather, or once visitors have left, leave a lasting embrace.

Please stay tuned and check back for more tips, ideas and inspirations to come.

Used with permission, SAF member – original post found here.

For discrete, thoughtful and personal assistance with your sympathy flower purchase, please call us!

Tips and Guidelines for Wedding Flower Budgets December 1, 2011

You’re planning for your big day, and you are working on your budget. How much should you set aside for flowers?

Here are tips from our experience and general industry wisdom:

1. Work with a Wedding Planner. They are organized, often have sample budgets you can start from, and not only will help you set the budget, they will also help you stay in the budget. Many vendors provide preferential pricing for clients of wedding planners as well.
2. The national average for wedding flowers is from 8-15% of your total wedding budget, depending on where flowers and decor fall in your priorities.
3. For many years, florists have followed the guideline that a good rule of thumb was to consider that 1/3 of your budget will go to the bridal party and personal flowers, 1/3 for the ceremony decor and 1/3 for reception decor and centerpieces.  A new trend when on a tighter budget and still wanting flowers throughout the wedding is to ask your florist to creatively re-purpose the ceremony decor to the reception, or planning for the centerpieces and then planning out how to decorate the ceremony with them. Some brides choose to not drop the amount they spend on flowers when doing this, instead they are spending a larger amount on fewer arrangements for a larger wow factor. When going with this second option, it is helpful to remember to build in an extra fee to hire the wedding florist to stay through the ceremony and move the flowers to the reception so that your family and friends can really enjoy and celebrate with you, be in the pictures, etc.
4. To know whether you want to adjust the average, be towards the lower percent or higher, consider these factors: How much personalizing does your venue require or do you desire? Do you want to be awash in color and texture, or are you looking for a pop of color here and there? Are you looking for a rich Hollywood look with lavish bouquets? Does your theme lead you to more simple or more lush floral designs? Do your favorite flowers include peonies, hydrangea, calla lilies, stephanotis, or tropical flowers, which tend to fall in the higher price range per stem?

Other blog posts that might interest you:

Seven Questions to Ask before Hiring a Wedding Florist

Three Tips for Maximizing your Wedding Flower Budget

Thank you to

http://www.katinaphotography.com/    http://beautyoflifephotography.com/    justinemillerphotography.com

for the wonderful photography!

4 Things to tell your Floral Designer when ordering your Holiday Flowers November 16, 2011

You are creating your shopping list for the scrumptious foods for the holidays, confirming family and friends who will attend, selecting the look of your table and entertaining area. Next on your list? Ordering the flowers to complete the setting! Flowers make people smile, bring a feeling of satisfaction and enhance creativity and conversation. Here are three things to consider and discuss as you are selecting the flowers for your special gathering:

Elegant Centerpiece for a smaller or narrow table, featuring spray roses and striking Cobra Lilies

1. The overall style and feel of the event – are you going for a trendy/modern look? Or do you want a more home-spun look with whimsical elements? Or an upscale/elegant feel that is still warm and inviting.
2. The context for the flowers: the decor of the room(s) where people will be gathering, the size and shape of the table(s) where the flowers will be displayed (centerpiece or buffet, coffee table or kitchen bar), and the predominant colors in the space. Are you bringing in special decor accents or metallic items that should be considered?
3. Your color scheme for the event – are you wanted more neutral tones, such as taupes, ivories, and soft peaches? Or are more bold colors such as pomegranate, cranberry and pumpkin more your style?
4. Are you giving the flowers away? Or would you like to use your own vase or tureen for the container? Or would you like to select a special hand-blown vase or high-end footed bowl that would be rented for the event and then returned?

For help thinking through your holiday party, and the perfect floral arrangements, post your question for Lisa or Karin on our Facebook Page, or order a custom floral arrangement and we will call and consult with you before creating it. We are Floral Artists offering Concierge-Level services, such as color consultation, full-service delivery and setup, rental vases and containers for events and parties, and customization for an amazing ‘Wow!’ factor.

Check out our blog post giving the inside scoop on how fashion trends can lead you to discover distinctive floral combinations.

Browse our Thanksgiving Flower section of our website.

Holiday Centerpieces: The Right Size for the Perfect Table November 12, 2011

You’ve planned the holiday meal, you’ve confirmed all of the relatives’ arrivals, you’ve coordinated the placesettings and colors… now you just need the perfect centerpiece to tie it all together. But, what proportion is the right choice for your table? You want the guests to be able to see each other, but you don’t want the arrangement(s) to get lost on the table. Here are some guidelines for choosing your centerpiece or table arrangements:

Contemporary Angular Centerpiece featuring Orchids and Spider Mumsthrough the whole table.

1. Size of the table: When using a single centerpiece, order one that is less than 1/3 of the length or diameter of the table. If you have expanded your table to a longer length, you might consider using more than one arrangement to bring color.

2. Shape of the table: The shape of your table can be mirrored in the shape of your arrangement if you prefer a symmetrical feel. If you want a more modern, edgy mood, then bring a different shape – for example, a rectangular arrangement on a round or oblong table, or a square arrangement on a round table.

Tablescape with Fall Orange Orchid and Succulent Florals with Candles

3. Number of place settings: If you are working with a long/oblong table with many place settings, you may need multiple arrangements to balance the proportion of the table, while keeping the height low enough for guests to see over. Keep in mind that odd numbers of items are always more visually pleasing than even, so choose multiples of 3, 5, and 7.

4. Placement of the table vs. viewpoint of the arrangement(s): Is the arrangement going to be visible from all sides, and in most centerpieces? If so, make sure that you let your designer know. Arrangements for use on sideboards or serving tables, or tables pushed against a wall, have a limited vantage point and can be arranged accordingly so your feature flowers are displayed fully and not hidden..

Desert Fall-themed Dramatic Centerpiece with Roses and Pincushions

5. Visual Impact: Would you like to take your guests’ breath away when they walk in the room? Or are you inviting people into a large space where there are many centers of activity for the day? Tall, dramatic centerpieces that feature the florals overhead draw the eye to the table with the visual impact, and yet allow guests to comfortably talk to each other across the table.

Once you understand these simple guidelines, choosing the perfect centerpiece is easy and fun! And of course, your floral designer is your perfect partner, supporting you with their wisdom, insight and knowledge of the styles and trends.

The next question is how to communicate everything to your floral designer so they ‘get’ it and support everything you want to accomplish. Check out our post coming soon: 4 Things to tell your Floral Designer when ordering your Holiday Flowers

Flowers are all about the feel – how do you feel? And they are meant to give you personal expression. Be creative in your color choices! Let your designer know the effect you are going for and let their creativity take you to a new dimension of you. Your guests will feel that the arrangement is really you as you express your preferences.

Check out our blog post about Fall 2011 color Trends and our post to keep your flowers long-lasting.

Fashion Forward: Color Trends for Thanksgiving and Christmas November 8, 2011

Chocolate Dahlias Pair with Ivory Florals and Succulents

Flowers follow Fashion. The colors and feel, even style we see on the runway lead floral designers and the flower world as well as fashion trends. This year’s Fall and Winter clothing lines saw the typical gloomy grays banished. All of the bright jewel tones that we have been seeing are translated over into more subdued versions for the later season.

 The color ranges were filled with neutrals like maroon camel and caramels; mid-tone colors likes purple, orange, and red; and vivid hues like gold teal and turquoise.

Also big this year in both clothing and beauty is midnight blue. 

Metallic highlights compliement Burgundy Roses, Schwarzwalder Calla Lilies and Bright Dianthus

Bright colors, like lemon and orange, are still present in small pops of accessories and highlights. Metallic and shine elements make an appearance to add dimension and texture.

To follow these color trends in your cut flowers and arrangements, try soft, full blossoms like peonies and dahlias, in deep maroons and reds. Pair these blooms with pops of vibrant yellow and metallic hardscape items. Or, incorporate shine with waxy leaves and mirrored containers.

It is less about a key color, and more about the combination. With less attention on the single color or flower, be encouraged to focus on the color harmonies. Mix colors and textures.

Fall Burgundy backdrop for Orange Pincushion with a Modern Pop of Fuchsia Dianthus

Thinking outside the normal color combination will be your best bet. The traditional Autumn colors are still present with yellows, oranges, and taupy browns, but mixing in some less saturated hues of dusty purples and grayed-out pinks will pull your arrangement of out the norm and into the modern.

One color that wasn’t very present in the fashion collections was the hunter green from previous years. Follow this trend by reducing the normal amount of greenery/foliages in your arrangements, opting for neutral twig elements or metallic highlights instead. Even if you don’t pay attention to the seasonal color trends in your wardrobe, most of us automatically assimilate the popular colors into our mind’s idea of what’s in or out.  Keep your arrangements fresh and modern by following color trends and your flowers will convey a sense of style and glamor.

For help thinking through your holiday party, and the perfect floral arrangements, post your question for Lisa or Karin on our Facebook Page, or order a custom floral arrangement and we will call and consult with you before creating it. We are Floral Artists offering Concierge-Level services, such as color consultation, full-service delivery and setup, rental vases and containers for events and parties, and customization for an amazing ‘Wow!’ factor.

Chocolate Flowers! October 31, 2011

So you like chocolate – the velvety, rich dark chocolate, and the milky, creamy chocolate? And you’re planning a birthday or anniversary celebration, or a wedding or event,  and want to incorporate espresso, dark chocolate, latte or mocha colors into the design?

There are chocolate flowers for you!

Chocolate Dahlia with blue hydrangea

Chocolate Cosmos

Chocolate Calla Lilies

White Roses, Chocolate Dahlias, White Stephanotis and Schwarzwalder Calla Lilies

Chocolate Dahlias supported by Green Spider Mums

Fall bouquet with Dark Ti Leaves and Monkey Tail (fern shoot) accent

Chocolate Cosmos, for instance, is a velvety deep-maroon-brown that smells of chocolate, shown above. Karma Chocolate Dahlias are a deep chocolate, almost black, bloom with dark stem and dark foliage, tucked in with blue hydrangea.

Also in the dahlia family, the Chocolate Sundae features deep maroon petals with yellow centers.

Other dark textures: centers of Black-eyed Susans, Echinacea/Cone-flower, and sunflowers; and dark ti leaves; Black Magic roses; dark purple scabiosa buds.

Chocolates look great with fall colors of course, and also are popular with pinks, or with shades of blues, including Tiffany blue, and even the trendy chartreuse green or a sage green. Think of the way the fashion industry has incorporated chocolate into fall outfits or event decor, and make the same color combinations with flowers!

Be bold in your choices of color. Flowers follow fashion, and so the more a color is showing up in the fashion industry, the more that color will be grown for the floral industry.

Click to order a custom flower arrangement in the Phoenix metro area

Eight Tips for Hydrangeas in Bridal Party Bouquets in Arizona July 23, 2011

Hydrangeas are lovely, feminine, and very popular! Did you know they are also Divas in the flower world?

They prefer moister climates than ours, and don’t like the dry heat, which is why you don’t see them planted in people’s yards here. In gardens, you find them all over the Mid-West and East Coast, and in the Northwest, where they grow profusely. That should give us a clue!

And hydrangea here in Arizona are Diva flowers, very temperamental, and like the ‘little girl with the curl’ in the Mother Goose nursery rhymes:

‘There once was a girl, who had a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead, and when she was good, she was very, very good. But when she was bad, she was horrid.’

Here is what a wilted hydrangea looks like – very much not fun during a wedding!

So what’s a girl to do??!

1. Work with a florist if you really want hydrangea – ask if they use a two- or three-step hydration process for hydrangea.  Since hydrangea don’t grow here, they are shipped in boxes through the floral industry by air or overnight shipping, and so the stem end dries out.  Re-hydrating them properly is critical. And also conditioning them and treating them to hold in the moisture is also critical. Ask them if they know about these steps.

2. Keep the hydrangea cool and in clear water as much as possible: ie. have your wedding at a cool time of year and time of day, or if your wedding is in warmer months, have an indoor ceremony, don’t take lots of outdoor pictures, etc.

Blue Hydrangea and Chocolate Dahlia Bride's Bouquet

3. Schedule your photography so that most of the pictures are taken as close to the ceremony as possible, or even after the ceremony, so your walk down the aisle is guaranteed a stress-free, dew-dropped look of the fresh hydrangea.

4. Think through how important hydrangeas are compared to timing of photography, venue, time of year, etc. If the hydrangeas are the most important, be willing to shift some of the other aspects to accommodate them. Remember, they are divas!

5. Ask your florist to create the bouquets with the temperature and your timing of photography in mind. See if they have the bouquet holders with wicks, or select a hand-tied style and keep them in vases of water until the last second, returning them to vases for the reception.

Hydrangea and mixed flower Bride's bouquet

6. Also ask your florist about other flowers that give you the same or similar feel and look that might work better with your circumstances. If it’s more about the timing, and not a hot time of year, stock is a great alternative.

7. For extra security, appoint a ‘Diva Hydrangea rescue person’. Have one of your close friends or family trained in re-hydrating the hydrangea, should something happen between the ceremony and reception, and make sure they know where a sink and a refrigerator are at the venue.

8. Select style where the hydrangea is tucked in among other flowers, and supported by a collar of foliage or other supportive botanical or florals.

With the proper precautions and expectations, hydrangea can be a lovely flower for weddings.  They do wonderfully in centerpieces with a water source at the reception, especially indoors or at cool times of the year. And there are many other flowers that complement them well and a few that can give a similar look. Selecting hydrangea means working a little harder and being strategic, partnering with your florist, and being ready for anything!

I hope these tips have helped. Please feel free to contact us any time at weddings@godsgardentreasures.com or 480-603-7673 with other tips, questions or concerns.

Visit us here to schedule your complimentary event or wedding consultation.

Bentley Projects’ Wedding June 26, 2011

Thank you to Amber and Ethan for taking us to the Bentley Projects for the first time this spring! What a fun venue, and the staff are great. It’s a great blank slate to personalize – urban, rough, modern, with history.

Thank you to Darby Elizabeth Photography for the amazing composition of the pictures. We love working with gifted photographers!

Flowers in the Heat Part 3 – Treat them like your children June 7, 2011

What I mean here is to use common sense with flowers, like you do with your children. For example, when it’s hot out, don’t leave the flowers in your car without the air conditioning.

Keep your flowers in a  temperature comfortable for you. In the rest of the year, we’re not concerned with flowers being in the temperature of our home. Here in Phoenix, most of us have air conditioning and keep our homes a moderate temperature. So when you’re comfortable your flowers will be too.

If you turn the ac to a much hotter temperature when you leave, you may have some issues, of course. Your options are to ask your florist for a shorter arrangement that can easily fit in your refrigerator, to place your bouquet in the coolest room in the house while you are gone, to ask for or purchase flower varieties that handle the heat better (the subject of another blog post), or to keep your house cooler when you have flowers in the house.

Check back for more blog posts – with more tips on flowers in the heat!

… and to watch for our segment on Your Life A to Z  on the topic, Flowers in the shop now, and to tell us YOUR stories about flowers: