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.

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