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.

The Beauty of a Corsage

     In the mid 19th century a "corsage" was actually the term for a bodice or jacket.  When a young man would come to court his girl he would bring her a gift of flowers, they would then be worn on the "corsage" on the woman's chest.  Therefore the name "corsage" came to reflect any flowers worn on the shoulder, waist, or wrist.  Below is an example of mid 19th century corsages.   Notice how they are worn at the waist.



     As times have changed through the 20th and 21st centuries, corsages have progressed to mostly being worn on the shoulder or wrist.  Also, boutineers have become very popular for young men.  They both are worn by the young couple as they attend prom or any other formal dance or event.  It is still socially considered that the young man will buy the corsage for his date and the young lady will buy the boutineer.
     Now days the corsage is typically matched to the ladies dress.  So, as styles have changed you can only imagine the colors we see at a florist.  The wristlets, the band the flowers are wired too, have become fashion accessories with rhinestones, and sequins or different colors.  We use ribbon and other accessories to match the dresses that have colors a flower does not naturally grow in.  Below is an example of a more modern corsage.






     This is a great pic showing the rhinestone wrist band.  They look especially nice with roses.



     Examples of boutineers.  They are typically made to match the girls corsage.  Possibly using ribbon loops or flowers to match the colors.
     In today's tech savvy society we will have the young lady email us a picture of her dress so we can better match the color and style she is trying to achieve.  I can then email her a picture of ribbons or flowers I'm thinking will match.  A lot of customers still prefer to come into the shop and see what flowers and extras we will be using.  We will show you a variety of options and you can choose what best meets your style.  We sell corsages for many events beyond prom.  Formal occasions, birthday parties, baby showers etc.  Anytime the honoree needs to be designated is a time for a corsage.
     So what started as a way for a young man to win a ladies heart has evolved into a fashion accessory for important occasions. Our custom corsages start at $35.00 and up and our boutineers start at $12.00   Give us a call when you need to make an occasion special, we will be glad to help you!  903-597-5561

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.