More bang for your florists buck

Florist background

Ever wondered how your local Queenslie Florist is able to send out such wonderful blooms on your behalf? Well before they actually get to the florist, there is a whole wide range of steps taken in the cut flower market. By harvesting and handling a cut flower crop in the best way, the quality of the marketable product is greatly improved, and with better quality comes longer shelf life.

A pretty flower - Xeranthemum (everlasting flower, immortelle)

Characteristics: Everlasting flowers, which may be single or double, range in color from white to deep rose. Their stems are sturdy and have pale green leaves with a downy texture. Having everlasting flowers delivered Mammoth Lakes is always a great idea, as they are very useful in dried arrangements, wreaths and swags. They hold their color and shape for a long time.

Cultural Information: Xeranthemum likes full sun and will grow in most well-drained garden soils. Sow the seed where they are to bloom in late spring. Be sure to wait for the soil to warm to about 60° F. Germination should take approximately 20 days.

Harvesting/Drying: Flowers will retain their color in the garden for a long time. Harvest the flowers at various stages of development from half open to fully opened. Be sure to pick them before their colors begin to fade or become damaged by dampness. Xeranthemum is in the category of everlasting flowers, which means that it is naturally dry and free of moisture in its petals. After you harvest the flowers, hang them to dry.

Loop stitch method for corsage making

Remove most of the stem, leaving 6mm (bin). Insert a fine silver wire in the back of the leaf, about one third from the tip and across the central vein. Make a small stitch. Pull both wires down at the base of the leaf; wind one wire around the stem and the other wire. Now tape to form a stem.

Method

Wire and tape all materials. Make two units of two leaves. Tape two roses together. Now place the leaf unit behind the roses. Next, bind in the main rose, gently easing it into a vertical position. Add two single leaves to each side of the main rose. Bind in single pieces of wax flower. To make the returned end, add the unit of two leaves and a piece of wax flower below the main flower. Add a bow. Trim out the excess wires and cut to the required length. Tape to form a stem and finish with the pin. All good florists Richards Bay will be comfortable using this method to create a corsage.

Which Colour?

When choosing flowers to include in a flower delivery West Sharyland, customers often ask for the recipient’s favourite colour, but if they do not know this they may ask the florist for advice. If the flowers are to celebrate the birth of a boy or girl, this is easy, as it is normal to send pink for a girl and either blue or yellow for a boy. Blue flowers are sometimes difficult to acquire, and blue ribbon is used as a substitute. Yellow and orange flowers always look bright and cheerful, while red makes the room look warm. White, cream and blue flowers are restful, and a good choice for someone who is very ill. It is also helpful to find out for whom the flowers are being bought; men seem to prefer bright strong colours, such as reds, burgundy and rusts, whereas older ladies like mauves, lilacs and pastel colours. Children seem to prefer bright colours.

Making your flowers last longer than the pyramids

Loving tips to longer lasting flowers - These tips should keep your flowers looking fresh for as long as possible.

Make sure the flowers are put into a clean vase as soon as the delivery from a Brentford Florist reaches you. Clean the vase with some bleach to get rid of any bacteria beforehand though.

Cut a couple of centimetres or so diagonally off the end of the stems under water before putting the flowers in water. They should be recut every three to four days. A fresh cut removes the bacteria, opens a new part of the stem to take up water, and prevents air pockets from forming inside the stem.

Christmas Display

Christmas is a magical time, and as florists we must capture that magic in our displays. Garlands, swags and door wreaths are still top of the Christmas shopping list. Why not update garlands with tartan bows, and swags with paper ribbons? Add fruit, nuts and gourds to door wreaths. Use exciting golds, greens, silver and blues as well as the traditional red.

Shop displays are often disappointing, reflecting an unplanned presentation of goods. Time is given to more demanding areas of work, resulting in what should be an advertisement, working 24 hours a day for the business, doing exactly the opposite. Display is an art form in three dimensions, with ideas used to attract customers to enter and buy or place a flower delivery Brentwood order. Window displays have to be composed like a picture and, it is advisable to confine the objects displayed within a narrower space than the window frame itself. Novelty always stops people in their tracks, so why not use an accessory, such as a fireplace to attract attention?

The majority of goods need to be at eye level or below, as it is easier to look down than up. Good lighting is also important but it has to be discreet as the public should see the well-lit display not the lights.