The Tradition of Easter Lilies

     Easter Lilies are one of the most fragrant flowers I have ever been near.  When we receive our shipment, the shop is instantly filled with their beautiful aroma.  They are a beautiful tall white trumpet of a bloom.  Grown from a bulb, they will reach 24-30" tall typically.  If the weather is warm, we might have to open the doors to let the fragrance out as it is such a powerful smell.  Having a shop full of Easter Lilies and other blooming plants instantly transforms and propels us into spring.   

       The Easter Lilly is traditionally used for symbolizing the purity of Christ during his life and after the resurrection.  The Lilly itself represents purity and believers have associated this symbol to Christ.   Each year the bulb will grow a new plant symbolizing the rebirth and resurrection

     
 This picture is an example of a greenhouse grown Easter Lilly plant.  Typically when you purchase the plant it will have some blooms open and some still as a bud.  As the open blooms die off, you can cut them at the base of the plant.  This will encourage the new blooms to open. Easter lilies prefer cooler temperatures, usually around 60-65º during the day and 55-60º during the night. Be sure to water your plant if the surface of the soil feels dry; however, beware of drowning your lily.  If your plant is inside your house in a pot, it will be very easy to over water.  This will cause the bulb to rot and ruin.  Your plant can be put outside in a flower bed with good drainage.  Once it warms in the spring so there is no threat of frost you could plant them in a well drained area in your yard or flower bed.  Cut all the white blooms off and cut the stem to a few inches above the bulb.  Most likely it will not bloom the first year, but should be beautiful the second year with proper care.

                  

     The Easter Lily was originally brought into the United States by a World War I soldier Louis Houghton. What was previously known as the Bermuda lily was first brought to the southern coast of Oregon in 1919. Houghton distributed an entire suitcase of the hybrid lily bulbs to various friends and family.  This lily proved to really thrive in the climate there. It was similar to the flower's native Ryukyu Islands of Japan. By the year 1945, there were over a thousand growers on the west coast harvesting these bulbs to sell. There are only about two full weeks during the year when these flowers are commercially available. Easter lilies are estimated to be the fourth largest potted plant crop in the United States, following the poinsettia, mum, and azalea.

     So, as u can see the Easter Lilly has a long history and means a lot of things to a lot of different people.  In East Texas we use them for elaborate displays at our church on Easter Sunday.  An older tradition here included a church member buying an Easter Lilly plant for placement on the platform. These were placed in honor of a loved one that had passed away, after Easter service you could take your plant home. Enjoy Easter year after year with your Easter Lilly.

Fairy Tale Weddings

     "Happily Ever After",this is what every young lady wants her wedding day to be, the beginning of a lifetime of happiness.  Every fairy tale begins with an idea, a theme, an inspiration of what you want the magical day to be. As a young girl, we dream and spend many sleepless slumber party nights planning our bridesmaids, our flower girls, our venue etc.  What a wonderful way to roll away the hours of teenage hood.
     The first thing on your list of to do's to plan your wedding is the date and place.  Do you want a winter wedding, a summer wedding, spring, fall?  Inside, outside, church, other venue.  Once you have the date and location you can then let your imagination go with your decorations, themes, flowers and other ideas.  



     This is an example of a traditional bouquet.  This bouquet contains roses, freesia, peonies, and varied greenery.  The handle is covered in white sheer ribbon to accent the flowers.  A bouquet like this would match any theme or color.


     This is considered s summer bouquet.  Bright colors, vibrant textures with different flowers.



     An ocean theme.  This would be my favorite :)  We could add many seashells or just a few as pictured.

     Around Tyler there are many venues that host weddings along with other occasions.  Most of them do the country theme.  Lots of burlap, succulents, raffia. and other western ideas.  These are fun venues and make for amazing pictures.



     This is a beautiful example of a country themed bouquet.  It has roses, sunflowers, iris, eucalyptus,  bear grass and other kinds of greenery.  I would also put burlap or raffia around the handle for accent.

     There are so many wonderful ideas that we can create for you at The Flower Box.  We have been doing weddings for years and have created many beautiful weddings all over East Texas.  Our May and June months are filling up fast.  We have access to local wholesalers that will help us make your dream come true.
Give us a call to make an appointment.  We would love to discuss how to help you live your dream for a day.

Why a Cornucopia?

       To me the cornucopia is the greatest symbol for Thanksgiving.  It is referred to as "the horn of plenty" in historical tales dating back to Greek mythology. Originally, a real goat's horn was used and filled with the excess of the harvest. It is typically depicted as a hollow, horn shaped wicker basket filled with fruit, nuts, flowers etc.  It is meant to exemplify the overflowing abundance of the harvest from the year of work.  When I see this bouquet, I instantly think of the blessings that have been provided throughout the year.  It takes me to a happy place a midst all the tribulation of today.

This is an example of what we will be offering.  It is filled with sunflowers, lilies, roses, fall daisies, and numerous other flowers. We will also be using artificial fruit to remind us of the blessings on our tables.  These are great to use as a centerpiece for your holiday table, or on a side table as an added touch of fall color.  I usually have one on the dessert table or in a central area maybe as an addition to a dark corner that needs some brightening up.

This is another version with wheat, and cinnamon sticks added.  There are numerous ways to use your cornucopia.  After the bouquet is gone, you can use artificial fruit to keep the cornucopia filled. This is part of my Thanksgiving traditions.  As we sit around our table, we each tell a story or a sentence of what we are thankful for in the past year.  We can help you  start your Thanksgiving tradition this year with the delivery of your cornucopia.  We will have two different sizes, a small and a large. We can customize your arrangement to match your family table.

http://www.theflowerboxtyler.com/

Click on the link to see all the fall arrangement offerings we have for selection to send to your loved ones.

"Frost Free" this winter

In East Texas the first frost usually doesn't come until closer to Thanksgiving. Then we have "Indian Summer" for a few weeks until Christmas. Now is the time to protect your garden against frost this winter. We all have our favorite plants and flowers that we love to see come back every year. When buying the plants, you should always check the care tags to make sure they are tolerant for the zone we live in. We are in zone 8a/8b. We sort of straddle the border of both zones. So your plants should be tolerant to 15 degrees if you plan to leave them outdoors  .Plant Zone Map  My favorites are Knock Out Roses.  Very hardy and bloom like crazy!

Here is an example of a hedge row of knock out roses. The next picture is an example of frost bitten/frozen plants.

It only takes a few hours to get your garden ready for the whole winter. Every yard has micro climates all around the area. Examine your yard, looking to see which way the sun rises and sets. Look for shady areas and full sun areas. Plants on the North side of the house need more protection than the South side. Pine straw, leaves, mulch and those kinds of things can be used to cover the roots and keep them from the cold. Some bedding plants will come back after the winter if you cover them good with a thick layer of these items. Sometimes this East Texas weather tricks our plants. During Indian Summer where the temps can get back in the 70's, our plants think it's spring. After this a frost comes and shocks them. The yard and plants need to be allowed to go into a dormant stage for winter. Sort of like hibernation. If your plants are in pots, they can be kept in the house until Spring. In front of a window, or a well lit room. If you see signs of frost, do not prune off immediately. Wait until Spring, after the weather warms up to see if there is any new growth. If you don't see any growth at that time, then you can prune it back.

This is what the mulch around the roots of shrubs should look like. A good thick covering. Here is a link to native Texas plants. Native East Texas Plants   It is easier to make the best of your garden if you have chosen the right plants to begin with. In the next 2 weeks we need to start winterizing. Put out the proper protection for your landscape, making sure all your plants are ready for the freezing weather ahead. Then sit back, relax through the winter enjoying your coffee or cocoa until Spring when the fun begins again.

Booo-quets

Halloween....that time of year when adults get to dress up as the favorite character they always wanted to grow up and be. Of course, here we get to create beautiful Boo-quets to fill any table for your party.

One of my favorites is the Spider Bouquet. So much fun to create and looks so cute on a table by your favorite snacks.

Our Boooo-quets can add some giggles to your Halloween Party. Give us a call and let us help you.

Friday Night Lights

Who hasn't seen an episode of this show? The show exemplifies the southern tradition of "Homecoming" and Friday Night Lights. We have homecoming for church, homecoming for schools, reunions etc. Obviously, we love to revel in the nostalgia of what was. In the south, we do everything big and celebrate every occasion and we love our Friday night football games. Our girls start early dreaming of being one of the "big girls" wearing a full length mum and going to the Homecoming dance.

We recently acquired the cutest ceramic boots that we can do arrangements in for the drill team or majorettes. This is an example of a Tyler Junior College Apache Belle drill team boot. It is decked out with trinkets, streamers and school colors. We can personalize it with your girls name. These are really nice keepsake containers that the "Belle" can treasure. We also did a boot for the local High Schools. The kids love it. Recently I was interviewed by The Tyler Morning Telegraph about the tradition of Homecoming Mums. As I stated in that article, "when the tradition started it was about supporting your school. Now it has evolved into a fashionista kind of experience. With every mum being larger and better than everyone else's." History tells us that the first homecoming was held at Baylor University in 1909. With every year being bigger and better than the last. As for the guys, they have boutonnieres, or garters. These are worn around the upper arm over their shirt. They consist of streamers, trinkets, cowbells, etc. Very similar to a mum, but smaller. So, come join us for a football game that is an "experience." Register to win 1 doz roses arranged at winner@theflowerboxtyler.com (drawing held each Friday)

Fall (Almost)

Autumn, that beautiful time of year when the seasons in Texas "change"  We go from 100 degrees, to 85 to 90 degrees.  HaHa  We as Texans can't wait for that first frost, even though it might be in November.  The East Texas State Fair is just around the corner, and pumpkin patches are starting to open.  Also, it's time to think of  fall decorations.  There are so many naturally beautiful things growing around us.  Recently I saw some "gourd vases"  They are so cute and wonderful.  Cut off the tops in what size you would like, empty the contents, add some florist water tubes and flowers.  Voila, a beautiful centerpiece for your table.

Use your candlesticks in your new fall displays.  Every pumpkin patch has small gourds or pumpkins fairly inexpensively.  Since they will not be cut opened, they should last the whole season.  In this area, we have a bountiful supply of leaves, dried vines etc. that could be gathered to compliment the "candlestick" display.

Include a nice bright pot of daisies as the temperature outside starts turning cooler.  This will bring the warmth of the sunshine inside.  Look around, explore, create and make your home ready for all the activities of fall with wonderful flowers of all vaireties and colors.  After the dog days of summer, it can be refreshing to bring bold, bright colors into your home.  Also, natural ornamentation is the most beautiful for fall.  The simpler the better.  Let your imagination go, and reuse what you have along with some new fun items to compliment.