Ultra-feminine floral designs are fashionable now, say Dutch floral design experts. Just as Paris is the traditional center of the fashion world, Holland is where things are most “happening” in the world of flowers. On the frilly flower scene, tulips are the prima ballerinas this time of year. Tulips are treasured by floral designers for the way they dance in the vase, pirouetting this way and that, responding to the combined effects of gravity and sunlight on their lovely large flower heads. Tulips are phototropic. They grow toward sunlight, even when cut. Spring is peak season for cut tulips at florist shops, supermarkets, home centers and flower stands. To create arrangements with a stylish feminine look, choose one to three bunches of freshest tulips, ideally all the same kind. For this look, pinks, whites, creams, lavenders and pale yellows are most desirable. Choose a simple elegant vase or a flea market find. A tall pink vase is sublime filled with plump creamy-white double tulips. A crocheted vintage bag (covering a glass jar inside) adds a demur look to ruby red parrot tulips. Simple arrangements also capture the romantic look nicely. Tulip tops tucked into teacups are as girly as it gets.

Tags: floral designs, flowers, tulips, florist shops

Want to make your flowers look like they came from a garden and not from a florist? Use scissors, odd vases. I do naughty things to florists’ bouquets. Almost invariably I take them home, get out the scissors, and have an Edward Scissorhands afternoon. Yes, this is slightly ungrateful and infinitely prissy, but I promise that in the end, they actually do look better. I have honorable motivation here: I want my flowers to look like they came from the garden, and nothing is less organic than a dozen long-stemmed roses spaced just so between mountains of baby’s breath. (Apologies here to any person who has been kind enough to send these to me. I promise I showed them a lot of love.) Whether they come from the florist or the grocery store, it’s easy to make them look chic at home. Cut those roses short. Rose stems aren’t so pretty, and the blooms look best when they’re resting on the edge of an opaque vase. To arrange, layer them around the outside of the vase first, and then fill in the middle. Choose the smallest container that will fit the flowers. You want it to be full and tightly packed. Tuck a few leaves in for a spot of green. I love to use unexpected containers for flowers. Find vintage pewter cups at antique or thrift shops. Think outside the vase. Everyone at my office swooned over one particular orchid creation. It is insanely gorgeous and also incredibly easy to do yourself. I love the creative use of those stylish apothecary jars that I’m seeing in all the shops. To make at home, buy a stem of cymbidium orchids, available at better flower shops. Gently peel back the leaves of the orchids just a bit to show off the centers. Fill the bottom of a jar with about 3 inches of small stones, which you can find at a craft store. Fill the jar with enough water to just cover the stones. Give the orchid stem a fresh cut, then insert into the stones, which should anchor the stem. It will last at least a week and even longer if you keep the stem trimmed and the water fresh. Rearrange the grocery bouquet. You know that premixed jumble of flowers next to the checkout stand, always like $7.99? Buy it. It’s a bargain, and you can eke so much floral joy from that little bundle. Take it home, group the flowers by type - daisies together, roses together - cut them short, and make as many mini arrangements as you can. Put them in teacups, votives, even water glasses and spread them around your house. Here’s my favorite: resurrect those “filler” ferns by placing them in a thin glass bottle and putting them in the bathroom. You have no idea how delightful flowers in the shower can be. Go asymmetrical. I am eternally impressed by the architecturally impressive creations in fancy hotel lobbies. Here’s how to do it at home: Start by curling up a ball of curly willow branch tips and pushing them deep into your container. Next, make clusters of different types, shapes and heights of flowers. Choose a color palette: different shades of whites and green, pastels, or in this case, sassy citrus hues. Tuck the tallest flower like these tulips toward the back, a middle-height flower like the gerbera daisies in the center, and then something low and bushy like hydrangea at the base. An oversize leaf tucked in the back adds more drama. Simplest is best. This is, after all, about celebrating nature. For an elegant and sculptural look, place a small branch of flowering quinces into a champagne flute. You can find flowering branches like quince, almond and forsythia at better florists. As the branch rests in the water, more blossoms will gradually open up, announcing spring in the simplest and most inspirational way.

Tags: flowers, florist, florists, bouquets, roses, orchid, cymbidium orchids, flower shops, orchids, floral joy, roses, tulips, gerbera, florists

There are a variety of flower options to consider when planning for your wedding and reception. The traditional roses are no longer a must. Many couples use a combination of their favorite flowers to add a personal flair. Here are some common types of bouquets: 1. Hand Wrapped– This style is a bundle of flowers with long stems. The stems are generally wrapped in ribbon and are carried by the stem. These flowers are either bent to create a round shape or left straight for the “fresh picked” look. 2. Cascade– This style is generally attached to a plastic stem. The flowers start full and flow downward, becoming less full. 3. Presentation Bouquet– This type of bouquet would be cradled in one’s arm. It’s much like flowers a beauty queen would receive. It can be a single flower tied with a ribbon or a complete bouquet. 4. Pomander– This bouquet is a round ball with a ribbon extending from the center. The bouquet is carried by the ribbon. 5- Nosegays– These are similar to hand wrapped bouquets but they are a dome shape. They arde also tightly packed together, unlike hand wrapped.

Tags: roses, flowers, bouquets, Presentation Bouquet

Floral designer Rosemary Allen will be the guest speaker 11 a.m. March 28 at the monthly meeting of the Hunterdon Hills Garden Club. The club meets on the fourth Wednesday of every month at the High Bridge Emergency Squad Building, Route 513, High Bridge. Allen, who has a bachelor’s degree in art therapy and 20 years of experience working in local florist shops, will demonstrate special spring arrangements.

Tags: Garden Club, florist shops, spring arrangements

Got the winter doldrums? Too much stress in your life? New research shows that the mere presence of flowers can change people’s moods for the better. A behavioral study conducted at Harvard University shows people feel more compassionate toward others, have less worry and anxiety and feel less depressed when flowers are present in their home. “Other research has proven that flowers make people happy when they receive them,” said Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., who conducted the study. “What we didn’t know is that spending a few days with flowers in the home can affect a wide variety of feelings.” To help those good feelings last as long as possible, check out the Flower Doctor’s hotline sponsored by The Flower Promotion Organization at 888-FLOWRMD (888-356-9763) for tips on keeping cut flowers looking their best. Here are some pointers for your blooms: Q. How do I keep my fresh cut flowers alive as long as possible? A. Re-cut the stems - about one additional inch - with floral clippers or sharp knife. Dissolve commercial flower preservative in warm water and immediately place the flowers in the solution. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from drafts. Q. When re-cutting, is it better to cut in warm or cold water? A. Warm water is best. Q. Which cut flower lasts longest? A. Flower life is a function of genetics and environment. Generally, though, chrysanthemums and carnations last the longest. Q. Does removing leaves harm the flowers? A. No. In fact, removing leaves that will be under water will help reduce bacteria and fungi growth that can harm the stems and shorten your enjoyment period. Q. Is a vinegar and water solution better than floral food? A. No. Nothing extends the life of a cut bloom as well as a measured amount of commercial floral preservative dissolved in warm water.

Tags: flowers, fresh cut flowers, chrysanthemums, carnations

For the sixth year in a row, Camp Bon Coeur, a local summer camp for children with heart defects, will have Valentine balloon bouquets for sale at local businesses on Feb. 12-14. Locations include lobby of Red’s, Dwyer’s and Fezzo’s, La Famille, CC’s Coffee on Kaliste Saloom and at All About You Too. Bouquets feature an adorable stuffed animal, a heart-shaped Mylar balloon and candy. The cost of the balloon bouquets is $20. The camp will host its 22nd session this July at the Acadian Baptist Center in Richard. Camp Bon Coeur was founded in 1985 and is accredited by the American Camping Association.

Tags: balloon bouquets, Bouquets

James Stoneking worked in finance in Douglas County. Now he’s doing floral arrangements for the Valentine’s Day rush. This isn’t a discount house; flowers are sold at market rate. Bouquets of lilies, tulips and snapdragons go to homes, shops, offices and funeral parlors, as well as local wholesalers. It’s common for brides-to-be to meet with felons to talk wedding flowers. There are about 40 Colorado Correctional Industries enterpris- es, with prison sites producing and selling items from milk and eggs to license plates and furniture. It might seem an odd therapy for people with harsh addictions and a high recidivism rate. They plant. They pick. They paint pots. They make bouquets, boutonnieres and bows.

Tags: floral arrangements, Valentine’s Day, flowers, Bouquets, lilies, tulips

A couple of adult-education courses in flower arranging led Judy Overman to create a business, Flowers by Judy. “It was a midlife-type thing,” she said. Overman’s daughter had gone to college, and she had always loved gardening, so she signed up for classes. This was about 10 years ago, she said. After taking the classes, she began selling dried-silk arrangements at craft shows. But that wasn’t enough. “I decided to really make a go of it,” she said. “And I decided to go for fresh flowers.” Overman, a former bookkeeper and nurse, chose to focus her flower business on events, particularly weddings. Now, she decorates for several functions most weekends, especially between March and November. The weddings are mainly in Howard and Baltimore counties and on the Eastern Shore, she said. Overman said she made a conscious decision not to sign up with floral-retail networks such as FTD or Teleflora, which deliver flower arrangements. She also does not sell gift baskets or balloons, though she keeps a few bouquets in stock for the occasional walk-in customer. By focusing on weddings, she said, she is able to keep her inventory low, and to concentrate on what she does best, which is creating a look, from boutonnieres to centerpieces. Overman worked out of her home at first, but for five years, Flowers by Judy has been run out of a former home on Bethany Lane in Ellicott City. The business has grown to the point that she has been able to hire assistants, she said, but she still finds herself working nearly every day. The owner and her assistants create the arrangements in the home’s former kitchen. Last week, those assistants, Julie Redmond and Chris Ranson, were arranging bouquets for a weekend wedding show in Baltimore, sharing the small space with probably hundreds of roses, mums, ginger flowers and peonies. In April, Overman is to move to a new location off U.S. 40 near Rogers Avenue, she said. Overman said the wedding business has been growing, and that brides today — and occasionally grooms — know what they want. One such bride was Donna Lupinos Scheitlin of Glen Burnie, who hired Overman to provide flowers for her October wedding at Kent Manor Inn in Stevensville on the Eastern Shore. “The main thing was, she made us feel really comfortable,” said Scheitlin. “She really understood what I was trying to achieve in my look.” For the autumn event, Scheitlin wanted a classic, romantic feel, and had chosen a color scheme of ivory and chocolate brown, with a hint of burnt orange. Overman found a burnt-orange rose, serendipitously named the Donna, noted Scheitlin. “I really incorporated those roses, like everywhere,” said the newlywed. She also said Overman was helpful in finding ways to cut costs, such as using some flower arrangements twice — once to anchor the aisle, and later, as decorations in the powder room.

Tags: flower arranging, fresh flowers, flower arrangements, gift baskets, balloons, bouquets, roses

There is one thing that florists can bank on when it comes to Valentine’s Day - order a lot of red roses. “People generally buy a dozen or an arranged bouquet,” said Maddie Conlon, owner of Spring Garden at 100 Spring St., West Roxbury. “But when you get an order of two or three dozen roses from the same person, you know they’re in deep trouble. In the past, I’ve had people with multiple dozens, and they’re hurting dudes.” Conlon said the majority of men order red roses to impress gals. But she said men also send arrangements to their grandmother, mother or aunt. Ruth Kennedy, owner of the Birch Flower Shop at 719 South St., Roslindale, has been in the flower business for more than 35 years and the family-owned shop has been open for more than 60 years.

Tags: florists, Valentine’s Day, red roses, dozen roses

Looking for a romantic gift for a significant other? Then a Coupeville business may be able to help. Fresh Flowers Express, located on South Main Street, reopened this week with a new owner ready to provide flowers and bouquets for Valentine’s Day a plethora of events. Owner Marina Villarreal started selling bouquets and gifts out of the small shop, located across from Coupeville Elementary School, beginning Jan. 29. She had worked at the flower shop for three years under previous owner, Valerie Metzger. Prior to that, she gained years of experience working in flower shops in Michigan and California. She and her family moved to the island when her husband, Viviano, took a job in Anacortes. She decided to buy the shop from Metzger because she was looking for a new challenge. “I always want to do something different,” Villarreal said. The store shut its doors in December and she wasn’t able to open it until late January. Because of that, she is busy trying to rebuild the client list and drum up new business. She said she is willing to work providing floral arrangements for everything from weddings to grand openings. “Anything a flower shop can offer, and more, I can do,” Villarreal said.

Tags: Fresh Flowers, flowers, bouquets, Valentine’s Day, flower shop, floral arrangements