Flower Etiquette

Flowers are great gifts for practically any occasion, but there are some basic rules of flower etiquette.  This is a small list I compiled to help you know how to send what you are trying to say.

Red Roses: Red roses are always a great gift for
for practically any occasion or for no occasion at all. Indeed the power of “I love you” behind long stemmed red roses given to a significant other is a winner for any occasion, and is especially powerful when given for no occasion at all. The red rose signifies “romantic love”, so it may be a bit much in some cases. However, most will find that red roses are a consistent winner.  I always suggest to match the quantity to the relationship.  Send to many roses after a first date and you might scare them away. 

Yellow Roses: Yellow roses are the flower of friendship. They are a perfect gift for a co-worker or sibling. However, they might be too timid to express romantic interest. They do not express the romanticism of the red rose.  If you are ordering from another state, it is always appropriate to send "The Yellow Rose of Texas" for any occasion.

Pink Roses: Pink roses are the flowers of secret love. They are a perfect medium between the friendship of a yellow rose, and the romantic love of the red rose. They express a secret love, and should not be mistaken purely as a friendship gift like the yellow rose.

White Roses: White roses are the flowers of innocent love. They are ideal for family members and family occasions, even funerals.  Recently all white rose arrangements have become very popular.  They look absolutely stunning with eucalyptus and fern.

Carnations: Carnations are the flower of fascination. They are an ideal flower to give to a romantic interest that has not yet blossomed into a relationship.  Carnations are also one of the most fragrant flowers a florist has.  The color variety is wonderful.  Also, a carnation will stay beautiful a very long time.  For a cute, yet inexpensive arrangement carnations with daisies is the way to go.

Orchids: Orchids are the flowers of love and beauty. They can be given for practically any occasion to practically anybody. Orchids are universally appealing flowers that do not carry significant meaning for most occasions.

Daisy: Daisies are the flowers of loyal love. They are a perfect flower to give to a mother on Mother’s Day, or for any occasion.  Daisies come in a variety of colors and with fresh water and proper room temperature, will last a long time.

Lily: The Lily is the flower of purity and sweetness. It is an ideal flower to give to a niece or daughter.  Usually on one stem of a Lilly there are multiple blooms.  So when you are at the florist you can tell how fresh the Lilly is by how many blooms are open.  With proper care a stem can last quite a few days as the blooms continue to open.

Chrysanthemum: The Chrysanthemum is a flower of friendship, so it will go well on any occasion, but may not be ideal for expressing romantic interest.

Flowers are great gifts, and it is difficult to do too much wrong when getting flowers for anybody. But if you follow the etiquette noted above, you will be able to express yourself better with flowers.

Sympathy Etiquette

How do I know what is appropriate when ordering flowers for a funeral?

Sympathy tributes vary region to region, so it is best to ask your florist what he or she recommends. Sometimes a florist will know what the family has ordered or what other tributes are being sent, and can create something for you that will be a nice complement to the other flowers. The florist should also be familiar with any restrictions the funeral home or cemetery might have. Some funeral homes are very strict on the size of the arrangement and more specifically what kind of container it can be in.

I have seen a lot of different styles of floral arrangements at funeral services lately. What is best? How do I order a “special” design?

Highly personalized sympathy tributes that depict an aspect of a person’s essence are a growing trend. If the deceased was a man who loved the outdoors, perhaps a tribute incorporating branches and natural materials would be ideal. If the deceased was an avid gardener, a tribute with a collection of garden flowers may be a perfect choice. Be prepared to give the florist a few hints about the person you want to memorialize. If you prefer to send a design that is more a reflection of your style, be sure to communicate that to the florist. Most flower shops will have photos of traditional sympathy styles for you to peruse.  On my website I try to incorporate some of my own photos of items we have made.  Most florists now carry a wide array of things that can be incorporated into an arrangement.  Items such as, crosses, angels, tapestry, hunting and fishing, sports and numerous other ideas.

Is it okay to send flowers to the family’s home? If so, when is it appropriate to send them?

Absolutely. This is a wonderful way to express your sympathy and is a common trend. Some people choose to send flowers to the home immediately while others prefer to wait a week or more. There are no rules. Flowers can be a very comforting reminder during the grieving process that friends haven’t forgotten.  It is appropriate any time to send items to the home.  This is usually done if you are a close intimate friend of the family.

Is it still appropriate to send flowers if the death notice mentions a charitable donation?

Yes. Because flowers help say what is often difficult to express, they are always appropriate and in good taste. Flowers also play a functional role, adding warmth to the service and providing the visible emotional support that the family needs during this time.

Is it acceptable to send roses or flowers in a glass vase to the funeral home?

From an etiquette standpoint this is perfectly acceptable; however, some funeral homes have rules about certain types of arrangements. Your florist will be familiar with what each funeral home allows.  In Tyler, we do not deliver glass vases to the funeral home.

If several of us want to go in together for funeral flowers, how do we sign our names so the family knows how to thank us?

When groups go in together on flowers, the arrangements can be very special and make a larger showing. There should be room on the floral enclosure card for several names, but if there’s not enough space it is best to sign as a group, such as “The Girls in Accounting” or “The Smith Family.” Include a contact name and address on the card so the family knows who to thank.  We have recently started asking for the acknowledgement address to put on the card.  This makes it so much easier for the family.

Where did the tradition of sending funeral flowers come from?

Flowers have always played an important role in burial traditions because of their soothing qualities. In ancient cultures, floral and herb essences were used to anoint the bodies of the deceased and aromatic flowers and greens were displayed.

Is it appropriate to send a plant to the funeral home? If so, will the funeral home send it to the family after the service?

Yes, it is appropriate to send a green or flowering plant. Some funeral homes will deliver plants or flowers to the home if specified. In some cases, the florist may make arrangements to pick up the plant after the services and deliver it to the family. Otherwise, the funeral director will simply notify the family members that they may take the plants with them after the service. Check with your florist to see what is customary for your area.

If I want to place a tribute in or on the casket, what should I do?

This tradition is usually reserved for family members or special loved ones. Ask the family before ordering anything for the casket. Your florist can offer suggestions for other special tributes.

What is appropriate to send for a cremation?

A tastefully designed floral tribute adds beauty to any type of memorial service. It is common for the family to have an arrangement designed for display with the urn. Because cremation is quite common in an increasing number of regions, many florists will have specific suggestions.

Spring in Tyler-The Azalea Trails

If you did not grow up in Tyler you may be wondering what is an Azalea Trail, or an Azalea Belle?  In Tyler we have celebrated the spring show of beautiful blooming plants for 56 years.  We have a queen, a parade, a tea and numerous other events.  Many festivities and much hoopla are enjoyed surrounding the trails.
Historic home tours are my favorite.  Families that live on the trails open their homes to hundreds of people.  Allowing us a brief glimpse into their home, a docent tells the history of the neighborhood and their home.  There are many historical places on the tour.  Typically, the houses are close together and you can walk from one to the other.
Timing is everything for the trails.  From year to year the weather is always a major event.  We all hope that for the 3 weeks of the blooms there will be no wind, hail or other damaging weather.  I have seen all kinds, and then the poor plants are pitiful with their blooms barely hanging on.

Below is a link that gives all the details for dates and times of the trail.  There are many special events that you can enjoy.

http://www.tylertexasonline.com/tyler-texas-azalea-trail.htm










This is a group photo of the Azalea Bells.  They provide much to the atmosphere of the trails.  Dressed in Victorian era gowns, they smile and wave with their fans while the tourists are passing by.  All the little girls want to get their picture taken with the "princess".

Our shop is located right off one of the starting points of the trail.  We have been at this location since 1940, so we have seen every year.  It has been amazing to watch through the years.  The residents on the trail take great pride in their yards.  It really is like walking through a garden paradise.

Azaleas and other blooming plants do very well in East Texas due to the high humidity and lots of sunshine and our winters being somewhat mild.  They need to be planted in well drained soil.  You can use pine straw on top of the roots under the bush to protect the roots from drought and frost.  Your most important step in planting azaleas is to make sure the soil is ready.  Use a garden soil and add plenty of peat moss, or finely ground pine bark mulch.  Their favorite spot is in partial sun.  Too much afternoon sun and it will scorch the leaves, too little sun and they will not bloom.  There are numerous kinds and colors to choose from.  With a little shopping around you should be able to find something that fits with your garden perfectly.

Sherry

Excessive Spring Rain

Well, this spring in East Texas we are dealing with excessive rain.  I have been wondering what happens when the ground and plants can no longer soak up all this water.  Will it damage the yard, the flowerbeds?  During seasons of drought we have to replace a lot of outdoor plants when they die.  So now the question is, will plants die due to excessive moisture?

I researched this idea and came up with the following answers.  What I discovered is overly wet ground and air causes diseases via fungal and bacteria pathogens.  The first signs you might notice of plants with these problems are black spots on leaves and decay on the plant.  Also affected will be the pollinators.  The pollinators are what produce flowers and allow for fruit to be produced.  As the plant shows signs of these problems it will begin to wilt and look sick.

This is an example of spotting due to excessive water.  Anthracnose fungi is a disease of evergreen trees.  If this disease is not stopped it will affect the whole tree and possibly lead to the death of the tree.  If you notice this, create a drainage area for your trees if possible.  


This picture is an example of Powdery Mildew.  Sunlight and heat will kill this fungus. There are some types of chemicals and oils you can use to kill it.  Such as Neem Oil, Organic Fungicides with bacillus subtillis, and sulfur.  The need to be applied when you will have 24 hours of no rain.
The good news is most plants are in the just waking up from dormancy stage.  Because of this, they do not have much foliage and a lot of the fungus type diseases need foliage to attach to.   The best thing for your flower beds would be to have them in a raised bed.  This way the plants are always in a great drainage situation even in the worst of rainy weather.

If you find yourself in a situation where your plants are drowning during this spring you can create a quick drainage route for your bed.  You need to determine which way the area of your yard drains that you are having problems in.  Once there has been a heavy rain, go outside and determine which way your yard naturally drains.  For the time being, try to divert the excess water away from the flowerbeds with a small trench or large pvc pipe.

Most likely you will not have any long term bad effects from the moisture we have had this spring.  It seems to have been spread out over the days enough to allow for drainage.  If you do see negative effects attend to your plants immediately to ward off any long term damage.  I am sure this summer when it is dry and hot we will wish we had some of this rain.  In the meantime, watch your plants carefully and help them make it through this season.

Sherry