"Take Time to Catch the Falling Leaves"

 

Autumn is a season for rich, vibrant colors, raking leaves, and that cool, crisp autumn smell in the air. It’s a time for some of us to head back to school and for sports fans to gear up for the World Series and pro football. The autumn season has its own style of flowers, too, with classic fall colors and autumn arrangements. Are you thinking about sending flowers, or buying some for yourself this fall? Whether you’re looking for a centerpiece, home decor accents or the perfect gift for someone special, consider these fall flower ideas:

 

Sunflowers            

With its golden petals and earth-toned center, the sunflower exudes autumn warmth. Its sheer size always makes a statement, bringing good cheer to all who see it. Consider giving a bouquet of sunflowers or an arrangement that combines them with other blooms such as A Perfect Day. Floral Embrace is a symphony of sunflowers, roses, lilies and alstroemeria in a classic clear glass cylindrical vase. Any one of these sunflower-inspired arrangements is sure to impress family or friends and dress up any room in your home.

 Daisies

Daisies are another versatile flower choice that brings a breath of fresh air in autumn. Daisies and their cousin the aster feature radiating bright petals and can bloom in a variety of sizes and colors. A Delightful Daisy arrangement combines white and yellow daisies in an attractive glass cube; Fall for Daisies blends gold and burgundy blooms. You might also consider an impactful Autumn Gerbera Daisies bouquet to celebrate the season, or the Because You’re Special bouquet with orange daisies, pink mini carnations and yellow and green poms.

Lilies

While lilies can be associated with springtime and the Easter season, they are also a great choice for an autumn arrangement. Lilies come in a wide variety of colors and markings and are a delight to behold; they also look great blended with other autumn flowers. A Golden Crown design blends bright yellow lilies with purple dendrobium orchids and white hydrangea. The Perfect Day bouquet combines star gazer lilies with orange spray roses, yellow alstroemeria, pink gerbera daisies, blue hydrangea, and lush greens in a beautiful glass vase. It’s not to late to send the sunny, ornate Sunshine Squared bouquet, either, which features features tiger lilies, sunflowers, hydrangea, gerbera daisies and roses.

Whether it’s for back to school, an autumn birthday, Thanksgiving or any other autumn occasion, flowers say it best. An autumn arrangement is also the perfect accent for your home decor. Don’t delay; order an autumn bouquet today!


Please call Flower Spot at any time to answer any of your floral questions at 239-434-2323

 

Lisa Stanek

The Flower Spot
www.naplesflowerspot.com
naplesflowerspot@yahoo.com

The Sunshine State just got Brighter!

The Orange Blossom <3

When people think of Florida, they conjure up images of sunshine, beaches and, of course, Florida oranges. It may come as little surprise then, that the state flower of Florida is none other than the orange blossom, the flower of the orange fruit tree.

Florida is the largest producer of oranges in the United States. Each spring, the scent of countless flowering orange blossoms fills the air in parts of central and southern Florida. The orange tree is an evergreen that reaches heights of 20-30 feet and grows in full sun and in sandy soil. It thrives in Florida, thanks to its climate and typically abundant rainfall. The tree flowers in spring, producing white orange blossoms that are made up of five waxy petals and give off a sweet, fragrant scent. Months after the arrival of its blossoms, the orange tree bears its fruit, which is commonly called the sweet or navel orange.

Florida’s state flower has long been associated with good fortune. Bouquets and tiaras made with fragrant orange blossom flowers were a popular favorite of brides in the Victorian era. The blossoms’ ability to both bear flowers and produce fruit is said to represent fertility. Orange blossom season is also associated with good times. From 1925 to 1953, a passenger train named the “Orange Blossom Special” brought well-to-do vacationers to sunny Florida from New York, winding its way from Jacksonville to Miami. In the wintertime only, a section of the train trekked to Tampa and St. Petersburg, dropping winter-weary passengers off at resorts for restorative vacations.

The arrival of orange blossoms continues to be a cause for celebration for some Floridians. In Davie, a small town north of Miami, flower lovers celebrate the arrival of the Florida state flower with the Orange Blossom Festival. The three-day rodeo and music event celebrates Florida’s agricultural history. Beyond its attractiveness and romantic image, Florida’s state flower is also commercially valuable. Products made from the flowers include an essential oil that is sometimes used in natural skin care products and in aromatherapy. Honeybees make a favorite product from the flower: orange blossom honey. Its orange flavor and mild taste make it a popular treat.

Source links:

GardenGuides.com

Floridata.com

Please call Flower Spot at any time to answer any of your floral questions at 239-434-2323

Lisa Stanek

The Flower Spot
www.naplesflowerspot.com
naplesflowerspot@yahoo.com

A Penny for Your Thoughts on Fresh Flowers

Is a copper penny the right choice to keep cut flowers fresh? Or is the little packet of flower food? An aspirin? What water temperature is best? What is the trick that will triple the lifespan of cut flowers?

Often folk tips are based on good science. Learn about what works and what doesn’t, and why.

Copper Penny, Aspirin, and Other Alternatives to Chemical Flower Food 
The little packet of flower food are bactericides that kill the bacteria, yeasts, and fungi.

Here are tips of reaching this same goal without the chemicals:
* Copper is a fungicide and acts to preserve the water from too many yeasts and fungi.
* Aspirin is an acid and helps to kill bacteria overgrowth.

* Add 2 tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar to 1 quart of water. The idea here is the same as with aspirin, since lemon juice and vinegar are acidic.

Other Guidelines To Keep Fresh Flowers Fresh 
* Place cut flowers in cold water, not warm! Warm water dehydrates flowers.
* Placing cut flowers in the refrigerator for six hours before arranging them will triple their lifespan.
* Hot water–up to 110-200 F–is recommended to restore very wilted flowers (the hotter water is for the more wilted flowers).
* Except for when you are cooling flowers, when you want cold water to cover the stems of the flowers, there is no need to have the water go higher on the stems then six inches.
* Recut the stems every few days.
* Remove all leaves and foliage below the water line.

Please call Flower Spot at any time to answer any of your floral questions at 239-434-2323

Lisa Stanek

The Flower Spot
www.naplesflowerspot.com
naplesflowerspot@yahoo.com