The Holiday Countdown

     Here we are, one week from Thanksgiving again.  I hope you have your menu ready and are on your diet now so that when the big day is here you can eat a lot!  We are getting ready this week for a busy next week.  Usually this time of year people are sending their loved ones something festive for the holiday such as a cornucopia or a beautiful centerpiece for the table.  This is a cornucopia on the left that I  made using artificial fruit with fresh flowers.  It really brightens up a room with the Thanksgiving theme.

 
     If you receive an arrangement for the holidays you will need a few helpful tips to help keep it beautiful as long as possible.  Most importantly, water.  Fresh flowers will not last without water.  Make sure and water your arrangement at least once a day. At home, I add one cap full of bleach to a gallon of water.  The bleach keeps the bacteria from growing, but will not harm the flowers.  Be very careful though and use the bleach sparingly.  Depending on how warm your environment is, you might need to water twice a day.  Find a spot for your arrangement and leave it there, if possible. The less it gets moved around the better.  Fresh stems are fragile when they are bumped and jostled around.  Make sure there are no heat vents blowing directly on your flowers.  The warmer the air, the faster your flowers will age.
     As the arrangement begins to age you can pull out the old flowers and rearrange the remaining flowers to manage the bouquet.  This will give your arrangement the effect that it is not aging as fast.  Fresh flowers are easy to move inside the bouquet.  Simply, pull out the stem clip it then put the stem back in the oasis or green foam.
     Hopefully these tips will help you keep your flowers beautiful.  I hope you all have a wonderful holiday and that you will consider adding some fresh flowers to your home to welcome your guests.
Sherry
   

   

A Florist's Point of View

     I have been thinking a lot lately about Black Friday.  When did this happen?  When did consumers decide this was a great idea?   I am sure the employees of the giant corporations do not receive any benefit from being at their appointed station at some crazy hour of the night.  I have not even mentioned the battle for the on-line shopper.  On my Amazon account they have been advertising for weeks. Trust me, those random on-line businesses have no interest in you or if what you bought is what you wanted.  My thought is what if all those shoppers shopped locally in the East Texas area.  Think back to 1975, the choices were limited as to where you would buy your gifts.  The Flower Box and The Flower Market were both flourishing businesses then.  

     One of the things I try to tell people about my job is the relationships we have with our customers go beyond the surface.  We have all been working here for years and years.  We have sent baby door bows to the hospital and we have made wedding bouquets for that same baby years later.  When you shop locally your community benefits from the bond of friendship.  A florist is not the only store that could tell this story.  Think of a baker that made the wedding cake, the baby shower cake, and then the wedding cake for the baby.  Our customers are more like family, they have known us since we were all young. Haha.  

     These are pictures of both shops in the mid 1970's.  This brings back a lot of memories for me.  Who would have ever thought all these years later I would be working here all my adult life.  

     I know as a consumer in today's world it might be hard to believe, but we enjoy seeing our customers. When they call or come by the shop there are always the obvious questions of "how have you been?" etc.  We love to celebrate with them, we also mourn with them.  Some of our customers have been coming to The Flower Box since they were in high school and going to their senior prom in 1950.  I guess what I am trying to convey to you is not all purchases can be made on a random internet site.  Yes, I have a website and I receive a lot of orders through it.  But, at the same time I have many many customers call from my website to discuss what they want to purchase.  You see, a floral purchase is special.  It is different than just ordering a blouse off of a website somewhere.  When you purchase flowers, the designer is going to convey your feelings into a special bouquet.  This cannot be bought off a website after someone in a foreign country has handled or mishandled your order.  The foundation of my job is to take your words, your thoughts, feelings, ideas and emotion and put that into a physical form for the world to see.  Whether you purchase roses, plants, tapestries, angels, a cross or something you imagined and we created, it is special to you.          When you purchase from a local florist, bakery, pharmacy etc you know you are in good hands because you have a relationship with them.  

     A picture on a random website does not always mean your local florist can create what a computer generated.  This generation of flower buyers have been tricked.  A computer can produce an amazing picture.  Our real life flowers have flaws, spots, in other words they are not perfect.  Please take this into consideration when you receive a bouquet that I created after you ordered from tim buck two.   I try my best, but I am no comparison to computer perfection.

     This holiday season as you are gathering your presents please consider shopping local.  There are a multitude of shopping adventures withing a 100 mile radius of Tyler.  You would have the most unique gifts under your tree.  We could create the most beautiful centerpiece for your table.  The main thing is you would create a relationship with people in your community you would have never met through a computer screen or on a black Friday mad rush.  You will stimulate the East Texas economy, you will help local families provide jobs for the community.  There are numerous reasons to shop local.  My favorite one is so we can meet you and celebrate all the upcoming events in your life.  Consider shopping local this coming year as much as you can.  We do not need to send our $$ to foreign countries so they can pay their phone operators a meager portion and then the corporation keeps the rest.  I hope if you read this you can understand a little more about our mission here.  If you can imagine it, we can create it.

Sherry

Remembrance Day Poppy (Nov. 11)

     Remembrance day, also known as Armistice day is celebrated November 11 of each year.  Originally this day was set aside to honor the soldiers who died in WWI in the European campaigns.  The poem "In Flanders Fields"  describes some of the worst fighting in Europe.  The end of WWI hostilities came on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month when the Treaty of Versailles was signed.  In America we honor living veterans on Veterans Day which coincides on November 11th.  Congress changed from Armistice Day to Veterans Day in 1954.  A WWII veteran petitioned Congress to have a day to honor all Veterans.  His name was Raymond Weeks.  He hosted the first Veterans day celebration and continued to hold an annual celebration until he passed in 1985.




     This poem made the pinning of the poppies a tradition for years.  The bright red poppies that grew wild in the fields where the hardest fighting had taken place bloomed every year.  For four consecutive years the flowers were so trampled by the fighting that they could not bloom.  When they were able to return to blooming we are told that there were more blooms than anyone had ever seen.  They were first used by the American Legion and then the tradition spread across the world.  The poppy symbolized the soldiers memory of war and the blood covered fields.

  

http://www.americanmeadows.com/the-red-poppy

     This link will take you to an online store that you can buy poppy seeds.  It also explains the difference in different kinds of poppies.  They are native to Europe and North Africa, but I'm sure you could get some started here.
     I can remember as a child different organizations selling felt or paper poppies to wear on your lapel. These ladies would be outside of the grocery store with their table selling all the paper and felt flowers they had made.  We would always purchase some and proudly wear them on Veterans Day.  Wouldn't it be to get this tradition started again.  On Tuesday November 11 we could all wear our poppies.

This is a picture of a felt red poppy.  If you look on Google or Pinterest I'm sure there are numerous tips on how to make these.

     This year on Veterans Day let us all take a moment to honor these men and women who fought for our freedom. Shake someone's hand and tell them Thank You.  Also, take a few minutes to learn about the meaning behind this day.
Sherry

A "Fresh" Bouquet

     As I go around Tyler I look in the flower coolers at various stores.  I'm not necessarily looking at the design of the bouquets, but at the freshness of the flowers in the bouquet.  Sometimes I see beautiful flowers, sometimes I see bouquets that have been there a few days and sometimes I even think "those are going to lose all their petals before they get home".  This last scenario is what gives buying flowers a bad name.  With proper care your bouquet should last quite a few days.  But if you buy it when it's next to dead, they won't last but a few hours.  The flowers and bouquets always have a perishable shelf life.  Typically this is 4 to 7 days in optimal temperatures.  In a display cooler they should be kept at 45 to 50 degrees.  This is not always easy to do with people opening the doors and the age of the cooler, it might not be able to keep cool with demand.  There are ways you can tell if the bouquet is fresh, medium, or gone.  

     1)  The water should be clear and not have any thick sediments in it or have a smell.  All vase arrangements will have things floating in the vase due to the stems of the flowers.  But, it should not look like pond water.  You can hold the flowers in the vase and pour the old water out daily.  Then immediately add new water.  Even if you put the "flower food" in the water it will still need to be changed daily.  

     2)  The stems on the flowers should be crisp.  When you look at the arrangement or the bouquet of cut stem flowers the stems should be free from slime, and the leaves on the stem should be green.  If the flowers are old the stem will be flimsy and beginning to smell and be slick and the leaves will be starting to curl and turn black.(Gross, I know!)

 

     3)  The actual bloom of the flower should be attached to the stem securely if you touch it.  It should be full of color and look more like a bud than a full blown flower.  The bloom should not be transparent.  If you can see the veins in the bloom it is old.  If the individual petals are not full of color it is old.

     Having fresh flowers in your home is always a great idea.  Just be sure that you are getting the best quality for your money.  Of course I would recommend going to your local florist.  We all sell stems of flowers or bouquets already made for you to choose from.  

This star gazer lily is just at it's peak.  It will only last 2 days or so.  The bloom is fully opened and the pollen has turned to dust on the stem.  You can pull the pollen off to keep the dust off the blooms.

And this star gazer is on it's last hurrah.  The petals  probably fell off right after this picture was taken.

This is a picture of a beautiful stem.  This has the three stages you are looking for...fully open, slightly opened  and closed.  With proper water the buds will bloom and this stem will last a week or more.

     These are just pictures of one kind of flower, but the above mentioned rules will work on any flower.  When you are choosing your bouquet, take a few minutes to look at the whole arrangement, front and back.  Make sure what you are buying is fresh and going to last you a few days.  Notice if the floral department looks like a worker has not been in the area for days.  If the area is in disarray, they are for sure not taking care of the flowers.  Most stores that provide flowers and plants do not have an employee that knows how to care for flowers or plants.   A florist has fresh arrangements to choose from in their cooler all the time.   My turnover in my cooler is quick, so my arrangements are always fresh.

     I hope this has helped some when you are about town trying to find a fresh bouquet of flowers for your home.  With a little caution and focus you can find flowers in an European hand styled bouquet or a bouquet in a container that should last quite a few days.  Once you find a store that consistently sells fresh flowers, you will have won half the battle.  

How to Store Bulbs Over the Winter

      I love bulb plants.  They have the most beautiful flowers year after year.  We are in a climate that is not life or death for most bulbs, but still you want to protect them for next years bloom.  When the temperatures dip below 28 degrees F and the leaves turn brown it is time to get your bulbs out of the ground.  You can do this earlier in the year before it is so cold out side if you would like.
     The first thing you need to do is dig around the bulbs.  Be careful not to cut the bulb with the shovel.  After you have loosened the soil around the bulb you carefully pull out the whole bulb with the dirt clinging to it.  Leave as much soil attached as possible.  Then they need to be stored in a cool, dry place for about a week to ten days.  If you are using new bulbs that have not been planted be sure to remove any plastic packaging.  The bulb needs to be able to breathe through the winter and the plastic will cause it to sweat and rot.
     
This is a picture of what the bulb should look like after you initially dig it up.
   After they have dried for a week or so you should be able to take the clumps of dirt off.  This will help the roots from shriveling over the winter.  You need to put them in a cardboard box with vermiculite or dried peat moss.  The box needs to be stored in a room that the temperature will not be below 45 degrees F.  Also, the room should not be too warm as this will cause the bulb to sprout during the winter.
This is a way to recycle used egg cartons.  Be sure they are the cardboard kind then fill with dried peat moss or vermiculite.
     You need to store them until the night time temperatures stay above 48 at night.  They do need at least 6-8 weeks of cold in the winter.  Considering we are in a warm climate the best idea is to put them in your refrigerator.  This will provide them with what they will think is "winter".
     Periodically check on the bulbs.  Sometimes they will rot, if this happens they will be squishy.  Throw them away as they will not grow.  With proper maintenance a bulb flower garden will be a great addition to your yard for years to come.
White lilies from bulbs.White Calla Lilies
 Yellow Gladiolus
     With a little time and maintenance you could grow all these and more!http://garden-photos-com.photoshelter.com/gallery/Bulbs-Stock-Photos/G0000z.UeY_7lznU/
This link is a great tool to help you visualize what you might want to plant.  Now is a great time to purchase your bulbs for next spring blooms.  I hope this was helpful and that you might start a bulb garden soon.
Sherry

The Black Thumb

     Let's all face it.  There are many among us that are guilty of shortening the life expectancy of their beautiful plants once they get them home.  These people are known to have "black thumb".  Now we would all want to have a green thumb, but it seems there are only a few that were gifted in this way.  People joke about how they can just walk by a plant and kill it.  This is not necessarily true. In my experience you had to work at killing your plant.  It was a process that took weeks, sometimes months to happen.  The pitiful plant would be holding on hoping you would figure out how to take care of it, until it gasped it's last breath and let go and turned an ugly brown all over.

     Well, I have good news!!  With this article I hope to give you tools to be able to keep your plants alive, and thriving and growing.  The most common mistakes are; over watering, under watering, or too much sun, not enough sun.  We live in zone 8 b according to this hardiness map. If your plant comes with a care tag, be sure and read it carefully in the store before you purchase so you will know if the plant will grow in the location you have planned.  Of course this is only necessary information if you are planting outside.


     As we go into the fall/winter season your plants indoors will not need as much water.  Place the plants in front of an east facing window if possible or in a room that has an abundance of fluorescent light.  The best way to tell if a plant is doing well is to notice if the leaves are shiny and standing upright.  In other words, does it look happy?  To prevent over watering of house plants, pick up the pot and if it is light it is time to water.  If it is heavy and the soil is still soaked in water and it should be good for quite a few days.  Most plants do not like to sit in soggy soil.  They like soil that lets the overflow of water out of the pot.  Look for a container that has a saucer attached so when you water the excess can drip into the saucer.  I usually place my plants in the sink or the bathtub and fill them with water.  Afterwards I let them drain for 30 minutes or so, then dry the container and put them back in their spot.  This allows for easy cleanup.

     Do not put gravel in the bottom of the container.  I'm sure we've all heard  this will make for better drainage and keep the plant from rotting while sitting in water.  Actually the opposite is true.  By placing the gravel in the bottom and soil on top up to the plant level, you create a situation where the plant has a small space of soil to grow its roots.  It then gets root bound and also sits in a soggy container with no where for the new roots to grow. You can purchase potting soil that is good for drainage or you can mix in your own organic matter to create a soil that will allow for root expansion and water drainage.  This picture below shows too much sun on a peace lillies leaves.

     If your plant has been placed where it was in too much sun, immediately move it.  Once it has been moved to a better location you can cut off the "burned" leaves.  Use pruning scissors and cut the leaves off.  Once you cut off the dead leaves it will allow for new growth.  Reach into the middle of the plant and cut the stem as close to the base as you can.  House plants usually come back and look great if moved from the location quick enough.
     In the fall and winter a sun room would be the ideal spot for house plants.  If this is not possible, a room on the east side of the house is best.  Keep the temperature a moderate 70 - 80 degrees if possible.  Most plants can with stand colder, but they will go dormant at lower temperatures.  In the winter, plants are really just on maintenance.  You should not expect much growth or blooms.
     The fall is the best time to plant outdoor hedges, trees, grass etc.  We enter a season of rain and cooler temperatures.  We have about one month that the plants will be dormant due to cold temperatures.  Then spring arrives and your plants have had about 3 or 4 months to get their strength and roots developed.  Just be sure to water your new plants during the winter if we do not get enough rain.
    So, black thumb disease is easy to overcome.  One of your best tools of defense is Google or any other online search.  Also, go to a home town nursery and ask them about how to care for your plant.  The big box stores are not much help in the details.  Hopefully this will help you with some of your questions.  If you have any other questions, comment here and I will try to answer them.  Good luck with your new plants!!

Sherry

Horticulture Show East Tx State Fair

     If you love gardening in unusual containers, this show is for you.   There are still a few days for you to register.  The deadline is Sept. 26, 11am - 1:45pm.  This is such a fun show, for the inventive and creative.  There is a list of general rules on the website.  You have to be able to scientifically name your plants.  Must be in fresh dirt and container.  The items will be divided up into classes.  This would be a great idea to spend time with your children introducing them to gardening.  Show them how to think outside the box of what you can grow plants in.

http://www.etstatefair.com/events/2014/horticulture-show   Here is a link to the page so you can see the pdf download of the rules and the registration form.

This picture is an example of a winning applicant from last year. It is in the category "Re-purposed Planters" If you place or win, you are awarded a ribbon accordingly. Also, your name will be in the paper and on the website I think.  There are three categories to enter.  "Backyard Botanical's", "Tom Thumbs Garden", and "Fancy Plants".  All the categories have different sections you can enter.  

This is a picture of an entry in the category "Fancy Plants".  It is titled "Fair Memories".  There are a lot of different things you can enter in the fair.  I think I am going to try this next year.  I would most likely do re-purposed containers.  Maybe if I give myself a year, I can fit it into my schedule.  Something to think about :)

Successful Fall Planting

     With cooler weather just around the corner it's time to start thinking about what we're going to do in our flower beds for fall.  There are some fun decorating holidays through the fall.  In East Texas as soon as the weather is below 90 we start with our decor.  It seems we all want to stretch this part of the year and enjoy the full length of every day.  Football season is in full swing and we can't wait to wear our first sweaters.  We all know it will be after Thanksgiving before that happens, but we can dream. Haha

     The first thing we notice driving around Tyler, are the pumpkins and the fall mums next to them.  Mums can be planted in the ground or in pots.  They are a little bit high maintenance as the limbs will continue to grow long if you do not keep them pruned.  They will come back yearly, but they require lots of pruning from spring until fall to create the most blooms.  Usually mums are cheap enough to just buy for the season splash, and then plant them in a corner or your yard and let them go.

     One of my favorite plants for fall foliage is the Croton.  It has beautiful wide leaves full of fall colors.  It is a little bit touchy to take care of.  It requires sun/ filtered sun and moderate water.  Not too much water, but not too little.  The more sun it gets, the more colorful the leaves are.  This is a plant that cannot be planted outdoors as the freeze will kill it.  It instantly adds a breath of fall to the patio or dark area of your yard.  This picture below shows 4 pots of Croton along with some stems of dried wheat and dried Indian corn.  I also like to use these same items for centerpieces in my home.  The leaves of the croton stay beautiful for quite a while and even dried they are pretty.

     The Japanese Red Maple is a wonderful outdoor ornamental tree.  By ornamental I mean it will always be small.  These only grow 10 feet tall or so.  Their profuse foliage literally can look like fire in the sunlight.  They are very beautiful and add a gorgeous touch to any outdoor garden.

     There are so many beautiful plants that bloom in the fall or have leaves that look as if they are blooming.  Now is the time to transplant them into your flower bed.  After the harsh sun and drought of summer, you can bring your yard alive with bright beautiful bedding plants, annuals or perennials.  With the season of fall we have here they will last for weeks, usually through Thanksgiving.  As you get these plants going in your flower bed, you can take sprigs and bring them inside to decorate with.  As long as you keep the flowers in water they will do great.  That is one of my favorite things about having beautiful flower beds, the fact that I can bring the flowers inside a little at a time.

     I'm ready for fall.  I love summer, but am so thankful for a change in the seasons.  So, let's all get our fall on ya'll.  Take a quick trip out to Harris Nursery on hwy 69 N in Tyler and they will help you with your selection.  http://harrisnursery.com/  Or Blue Moon Gardens in Chandler, they are both wonderful, quaint plant shops that are locally owned and would be glad to help you. http://www.bluemoongardens.com/   Have fun on your adventure.

     

   

FloralApp for our Website

I'm so excited that we now have our very own App. I can hardly remember before all my apps.  I love having accessibility at my fingertips.  My kids tell me I have "grown up" apps.  Things they can't imagine themselves ever needing or using.  My experience with my apps has been that I didn't realize how much I needed it until I downloaded it.  Overall an app is either informative or helpful.  As far as a floral app goes, it is definitely helpful.  Anywhere you are you can now see all our new products.  Once you download and sign in it is exclusive to The Flower Box.  The app has categories listed for you to choose from just like the full site.  There are hundreds of arrangements, large and small.  The icon is a Bird of Paradise flower.

You can download the app from The GooglePlay store of from ITunes or you can use your code scanner on your phone. Look for the word "floralapp" and when you see the picture above you know it is the right one. It is free in either place.  Once downloaded you need to use the code 5975561 (our phone number) to access The Flower Box.  Now, anytime you have the need or desire to send a beautiful bouquet or other gift item, we are right at your fingertips.
As you enter the site, you will be directed to a few pictures and a "shop now" button.  You can choose this and it will take you to a list of categories.  You can then choose which category fits your occasion best.  After choosing your favorite arrangement, you can then complete the order from the app or call The Flower Box to speak with someone regarding your order.  Either way it is very easy.  To download our app you need to follow this link:http://www.theflowerboxtyler.com/floralapp.asp
Or go to the home page of The Flower Box's website and scroll down to the bottom of the page and see the banner at the bottom of the page. http://www.theflowerboxtyler.com/

I hope you all will download our app and happy shopping :)

Upcycling in Your Flower Bed

     First of all anyone who knows me knows I am a recycling fanatic.  I drive my kids crazy telling them which sack to put "trash" in.  Most things are now recyclable if you take the time to look.  A lot of items can be recycled in your garden.  I have used broken pots, old tires, pieces of wrought iron etc.  I used an old ashtray stand with a ceiling light fixture to make a bird feeder.  Tiffany lamp style. Haha
      Recently on Pinterest I've been adding pictures to our account on my Upcycling Flower Gardening  Board.
http://www.pinterest.com/flowerbox5846/flowerbed-recycling/
     This is a link to my board where you can see a lot of cute ideas.   Years ago people naturally recycled everything.  When money is tight, people keep what they have and you learn to use items in other ways than their original intended use.  Now, we have the internet to help us along with our imagination.  You can find items to plant flowers in everywhere.  I love these snails!!  What a great use of large old tires.




     There are a few things you have to consider when reusing an item.  Such as, does it have drainage to prevent over watering?  Will the container deterioate in the process of being outdoors, or to sunshine exposure, water, bugs etc.?  Some of these problems can be overcome.  By drilling holes in the container you can prevent over watering.  Adding coats of extreme weather outdoor paint will help with corrosion and rust.  It might take a little extra thought but it will be well worth your effort.
     Your imagination is the limit of what you can use in your garden.  Here are some really neat ideas.  When kids outgrow the abundance of rain boots what better way to liven up a fence row than with colorful flowers in their boot.  Recycle gardening is also a way of extending the memory of an item.  Instead of throwing it away, you can put it in a place where you can see the item and bring back the memory of it's original use.  In this way, you can keep your children small, your grandparents with you and many more memories a part of your everyday thoughts.
     Follow The Flower Box on Pinterest and I will keep adding pictures to all of our boards.  If you have created any wonderful upcycled flower gardens please leave a comment telling about them. :)

Orchid Plants and Cuts

Some of my favorite plants are orchids.  They are quite elegant with their one long stem of beautiful flowers.  They require somewhat of a green thumb, but are not too difficult.  As long as you remember they originate in a very tropical climate and grow naturally in humid rain forest type conditions they should do fine.  I recently came across a new color variety I had not heard of in the orchid group.  "Chocolate Orchids" or as they are also known "Sharry Babies", the flowers emit a wonderful chocolaty smell.  I'm sure this could cause a problem with some people as they would need to have a bar of chocolate near.  Imagine an orchid full of blooms and you walk in the living room and it smells as if it were covered in chocolate.


Potting Chocolate Orchids:
As I stated earlier, Orchids require high humidity.  A pot that is larger than the root bulb is required.  After you select your container make sure it has adequate drainage by adding pebbles in the bottom.  This will be useful especially if you have a tendency to over water house plants.
Temperature:
As with any tropical plant, they do not like temperatures below 50.  In our region here in East Texas they will not survive the winter outside.  Your orchids need to be kept inside and watered daily or every other day, even in the winter.
Light:
Your orchid will require a good bit of light.  It will thrive best when it is placed where it can receive light in the morning through early afternoon.  Not direct light, but indirect.  Near a window, but not where the direct sun can scorch the leaves.  Once this happens it will cause permanent damage to the leaves.
Another option for enjoying orchids without the work would be to buy cut stems.  Simply take them home, change the water daily, re cut the  stem daily and they should last a week to 10 days.   They come in bunches of 10 stems from the local florist if you wanted to buy one bunch.  Otherwise most florist would sell a few stems at a time.
Some of my favorites are "Splash Orchids"


These naturally occur with a splash of purple on a white orchid.  You can also purchase these in a turquoise color.  I did a bridal bouquet with these and it was beautiful!

This is the bridal bouquet.  I loved working with these orchids.  They are absolutely stunning!  They are special order, so should you need some give us a call early.
Orchids come in every color and size.  They are a truly beautiful house plant.  Placed in a wonderful ceramic contemporary container and they can hold the attention of the room.  With proper care the orchid stem should continue to bloom to the end.  So when you purchase them and there are only a few blooms open, take care of them and you will be rewarded with a complete stem full of orchids.

I hope you enjoyed this article, if so leave me a message telling me what you might like to know from a real florist.  I'm open for topics of you're interest :)
Sherry

After The First Date.....Flowers?

     So, you've made it through the first date.  What a relief!  It was the best date ever. She enjoyed all the plans you made.  Lots of fun and laughter dominated the evening.  All the time spent planning the details was time well spent.  But, now what?  Is there a second date, third date or more in your future?  You need to let her know what a great time you had.  Also, you need to test the water and see if she felt the same way.  So your thoughts go to sending flowers to tell her what a wonderful time you had.  But before you go and send a dozen roses, are you going to scare her off?  Are you trying to hard to let her know you had a good time?  If you think you are, then you probably are.  Here are some tips on how to send flowers after the first date.

     

     Keep It Simple

     You've only been on one date.  There is no need to go overboard.  You might think a dozen roses is the perfect way to show her how much you enjoyed the evening.  But a lot of people associate a dozen roses with deep emotional love.  Not a "thanks for a great date" gesture.  Look through the website and choose something fun, bright, colorful, and small.  You don't want to break the bank with the first bouquet.  Some people don't like extravagant gifts or signs of too much emotion.

The "Be Happy Bouquet"








                                                              Or maybe the What a Treat Bouquet"                                                                 

Something simplehttp://www.theflowerboxtyler.com/ tells your date that you are thinking of them and had a great time.

     The Note

     Now to decide what to put on the note.  Trust me, after having worked as a florist for 20 years, I've seen some crazy stuff on the message.  As I stated earlier, keep it simple.  She doesn't want to know you think she's your soul mate after one date.  A lighthearted message stating the fact that you had a great time and you would like to see her again is enough.  Be sure you spell everything correctly, and use proper grammer.  A girl does not want a message with her flowers that looks like a gangsta text.  Use complete sentences.  I know it sounds easy, but writing the message is the hardest part of sending flowers.

     Delivery Information

     Another topic that sounds easy.  Please make sure you know her address, either home or work.  Do not just assume that Google is correct.  Find a way in the conversation of the evening to know where she works so the delivery driver can find her.  Some businesses and offices are easy to find, some extremely hard.   When you call the florist they will ask you for her name, the business name, the address and phone number.  It would also be helpful to know if she leaves early, before 5.

     Maybe this information will help you on your quest to date # 2 and beyond.  Remember to always use a local florist and not one of the order gatherers online.  Local florists do have a website usually that you can use to narrow your search of what you want to send.  Most of all have fun and send her lots of her favorite flowers.
   

   http://www.theflowerboxtyler.com/                                                                      
     

Summer Flower Arrangements

     Summer is the perfect time for bright, fresh flower arrangements straight from your gardens.  There are multiple blooms happening right now.  I love to drive through Tyler to see the flower beds, from the manicured lawns to the "truck patch" gardens.
     As I was driving through town, I realized you could really have a beautiful table display if you planted right.  With a little thought, you could have blooms from spring to fall that would enhance your indoor space.  A variety of vases spaced around your home would be a wonderful way to bring the outdoors in.

Abowl of Dahlias in late summer.

     Hydrangea are plentiful in Tyler.  You can put lime on them to change the color from white to blue.  You could have a variety of hues come from one flower bed.


Peonies cut and dropped in a vase.  Beautiful

     Anything can be used as a vase, as long as it holds water.  Remember to recut the stem immediately before you put the stem in the vase.  Change the water daily and if needed, recut the stem daily.  Garden flowers will not last as long as wholesale flowers.  This is to be expected.  But, most anything from your yard can be cut and brought inside.  My favorite plant to cut from is Gardenia.  I have miniature Gardenias in my yard.  I cut the stem and place them in a bowl of water.  The blooms only last over night, but wow what an aroma when you walk through the room!
     Hope these ideas help you be able to incorporate what's outside to the inside.  Do a little research and you can have a wonderful flower garden to cut from year after year.

Grandmother's Flowers

     Recently I have been remembering my Grandmother's garden.  She lived out in the country, literally in a town with a blinking light. Deep in East Texas. One of her favorite pastimes was creating a perpetual garden.  She ordered many bulbs and seeds out of catalogs since the nearest garden store was about an hour away.  My Grandmother was a vegtable gardener for years.  She had a small patch right out her back door full of all kinds of fresh vegtables.  So, when she turned to growing flowers she had a "flower garden".  Her flower bed was about 15 x 20 feet.  It was not like what you see today, perfectly manicured beds with perfect plants.  Think of a rectangle with small groups of your favorite flower, no stones in between, just small sticks to point out where the new plants are until they grow.
     One of my favorites that I still have from her bed is a 4 O'Clock plant.  This is a hardy plant that reseeds every year. I gathered seeds from Grandmother's garden, now I have them at my house. They come in pink, yellow, white and mutations of these colors.  The aroma they produce every evening is soft and sweet.



This is a beautiful picture of a 4 o'clock.  The name comes from the fact that every afternoon about 4 o"clock they bloom.  In the cool of the evening it is pure joy to sit on the back porch and enjoy this plant.

Another interesting flower I remember is "Rooster Comb".  This plant truly reminds you of a rooster's comb on top of his head.  It comes in yellow, pink and red.  I was always afraid to touch them, they look so prickly.  Once I got older I decided to try and see what the feel of this creature is.  To my surprise it has a soft, velvety feel.  Below is a picture of a field of "Celosia" or Rooster Comb.


     I also love the Seven Sister's Rose.  This rose bush is a hardy plant that runs along fences.  It has 7 or more blooms in a cluster at each bloom site.  Again, I remember these on the old farm place my Grandmother had.  We all took cuttings and now have transplanted them to our yards.  Mine blooms white, but they come in a variety of colors.  I haven't noticed much fragrance, but they are prolific in blooms.



Notice how the stem is thick and has multiple stalks coming from one root base.  These do well trimmed into a bush as pictured or allowed to climb on a fence.
     There are many "old fashioned" blooming plants I have not mentioned.  In early settler times these were often one of a ladies most treasured possessions.  They would take cuttings and carry them hundreds of miles wrapped in precious water to keep the roots alive until they were able to plant them at the homestead.  There are many stories written in history written by women telling of the value and memories a plant from home would bring.  When I look in my yard and see the plants that my Great Grandmother had it makes me feel like I still have a connection and a part of her memory is with me.
     There are numerous websites you can order these types of plants from. You can start from seed, or purchase small plants.  Recently there has been a resurrection of interest in the older plants.  People want something different than what the big box stores have to offer.  You can create an interesting garden with unusual plants all your neighbors do not have.  A few links I have found are :
https://www.antiqueroseemporium.com
http://www.oldsalem.org/garden-2.html

I hope this article has brought an interest to you about the possibilities of a garden filled with memories that will last and yours will become an heirloom garden.