Gloriosa Lily Flower Facts

With their fiery pink petals and truly unique upward facing petals, the gloriosa lily is a much desired flower for many occasions including weddings.  A bouquet of gloriosas bundled together is more than enough to make any bride smile as she takes a trip down the isle.  If you are considering having your florist add gloriosa lilies to a bouquet for you, you might want to learn a bit more about these flowers since it will help you provide them with the best possible conditions to maintain their fresh appearance.

The flower is native to the more tropical parts of Africa such as Zimbabwe.  It still has a relatively short history of cultivation but, these days, can be found in countries like Holland and Australia.  For the most part they are sold as stems that include both fully opened flowers and some buds.  This is so that you have a full, beautiful bouquet for a longer period of time. 

Because they are naturally found in a tropical environment, it is important to keep the environment around the vase similar to that.  You can do this by making sure that there is always enough fresh, clean water in the vase.  Top up the water as you see necessary and change the water regularly.  You will also need to add floral preserve to the water so as to ensure that the closed buds will open to display beautiful flowers just bursting with colour.  Also, because of their natural tropical home, these flowers should never be placed in any kind of fridge.  Feel free to spray them gently with water every so often to increase the humidity levels around the flowers.

If you live in an area that you believe suitable for the growth of gloriosa lilies, you are welcome to try growing them in your own garden.  Gloriosas are grown from tubers.  When you plant the tubers in your garden, it is very important that you keep the soil nicely moist.  Dry conditions are not suitable for these flowers and too much water will cause the roots to rot.  A balance is needed in order to help them thrive.  If the air is quite dry, you can create a humid environment for your gloriosa lilies by running a tube with holes next to them.  Connect the tube to a hose and allow water the water to run.  As the water reaches the holes, it will spray out in a mist and, along with the high summer temperatures, this will increase the level of humidity.

Finally, gloriosa lily plants need quite a bit of room to grow so they need to be planted at least 6 inches away from each other and any other plants.  You want to make sure that each plant has enough room to grow sufficient roots so that the plant is properly fed and hydrated.  The soil in places like Zimbabwe is extremely fertile so, in order to create the same ideal environment.

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nf4000/5738770747">Nick Fedele</a>

Tips For Choosing Quality Cut Flowers

No matter what the occasion, whether you want to send flowers to somebody special or simply buy them for your own home, quality is always important.  This is probably the reason why so many people return to their favourite local or online florist time and time again.  When choosing a bouquet of fresh flowers, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind in order to make sure that you are selecting the best quality flowers possible. 

Firstly, check out the area in which the flowers are kept.  Avoid purchasing flowers that are kept outside.  Even if they are in the shade, there are a number of things that can damaging.  Wind and high temperatures are just two things that will shorten the life of your cut flowers.  It is best that freshly cut flowers are kept in a fridge.  Special florist fridges allow for adjustable temperatures as well as humidity levels.  This means that we can really provide the flowers with ideal conditions.  

 

Take your time when you order from your florist.  If possible, pick and inspect the flowers personally.  Avoid fully opened blooms because they will perish at a faster rate.  Also avoid tightly closed buds since they may never open.  Buds that have started to open are always best because you will be able to display them for so much longer.

Check the petals for any brown spots or damage.  Don't forget to check the stems to.  Damaged petals are merely unattractive but damaged stems mean that absorption can't take place at a sufficient rate and the flower will perish rather quickly.

If you don't have the time to visit your florist and you order over the phone or online, insist that they follow your instructions.  Insist on flowers that are still only partially opened and let them know that if the flowers and / or stems are found to be damaged in any way, you will be seeking compensation.  You are the customer, at the end of the day, and you deserve the standard of quality that you are paying for. 

If you having the flower delivery sent to you, be sure to inspect the bouquet before the delivery person leaves.  Any comments or complaints should be mentioned upon receipt do avoid any disputes.  If you fancy yourself to be the kind of person who prefers not to complain, you should rather see it as expressing your opinion in order for the florist to improve on their products and services.

It also doesn't hurt to do some research and read the testimonials of other clients before choosing a florist.  Look around online and ask your friends for some advice if you can.  The best form of advertising is word of mouth and, if the people you know have had great success with a particular florist then this is probably reason enough for you to give them a try too.

Choosing The Right Corporate Mother's Day Gifts For Your Staff

Mother's Day is only celebrated once every year and, for the many working mothers out there, it can often feel as though they have been forgotten. As we all place our orders for fresh flower deliveries, sweet treats and various other gifts for our mothers, we should consider the mothers that work for and with us too.  Directors, business owners and those in management positions can make a huge difference in their employees' lives simply by celebrating their working mothers.

Each business has its very own structure and, while some see the need to employ only a handful of staff, others have one hundred or more employees.  Regardless of the structure of the company and the number of employees, the way in which you celebrate your staff for Mother's Day will depend largely on your business budget and the funds available.  The more funds you have at your disposal, the more elaborate you can make your gifts.  More money means larger flower arrangements, even more elegant hampers and other fine touches.

Another important factor to consider is the matter of equality and how this is particularly important in the work place.  Women who are not yet mothers and your male employees should in no way feel neglected at this time.  Consider presenting each of your male employees with a bouquet of flowers to give to their wives at home, for example.  This is a great way of ensuring that everyone working for you feels special and appreciated.

As for men and women who work for you but are not yet parents, you can still allow them to celebrate this very special day in a traditional way.  In many countries like the UK and USA, it is customary for children to wear a carnation on Mother's Day.  If you are on a tight budget or if you simply want to ensure that everyone is treated equally, you can order a few bouquets of carnations and hand one to each of your employees.  Your male employees can take them home to their wives and your female employees can choose to put them on display or wear them for the day.

The best part about ordering carnations for Mother's Day is the fact that they are really inexpensive compared to other types of fresh flowers.  They are also one of the longest lasting of all cut flowers so the lucky recipients will have plenty of time to enjoy them.  In addition, they contain very low levels of pollen which makes them a top choice for those with pollen allergies.  If you want to make the single carnation really stand out, you can add some dark green foliage and a touch of baby's breath to finish it off nicely.  Also, if you order a fair amount, your local or online florist might even give you an even better rate.  Along with the single-stem arrangement, you can include chocolates, biscuits or some kind of delicious treat.

Finding The Right Florist For Mother's Day

These days, there are fewer things more important than quality, customer service and satisfaction.  Even products as simple as flowers for Mother's Day need to be of the absolute highest standard in order to please the customer.  Florists need to treat every customer with care in order to ensure their full satisfaction with the fresh flower delivery, the flowers and their shopping experience in general.  Of course, the customer does shoulder some of the responsibility in the sense where they need to choose the right florist.

No matter what the occasion is, there are a number of important points that can help you choose the best florist in your area.  Professional florists both local and online are all fully aware and prepared for special occasions throughout the year so, as the customer, you should expect nothing less than the very best for your money.

The first choice that you will need to make is whether you want to make use of your local florist or an online florist.  For those who have never made use of an online florist in the past, they might find it a bit difficult to get out of their usual flower ordering routine.  It is important to note that online florists are just like any other online business or shop.  Somewhere on their website, you should notice a link to their terms and conditions and privacy policy.  Within these pages, they should include a customer satisfaction clause that details the terms relating to your satisfaction with their product and service.  These policies and terms will also tell you what you are entitled to in the event that your flower delivery does not live up to your expectations.  Another good place to have a look around is the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section on their website.  If you have any other questions, you can then contact their support team directly.  Different online florists have different contact methods including telephone, email and even live online chat support.

For those of us who lead particularly busy lives and find very little time in between for shopping, the services of an online florist can come in very handy.  You don't have to take the time to visit different flower shops or even stay on hold on the phone to place your order.  Online florists might have office hours as far as customer support is concerned but you can place your order any time of the day and any day of the week too.  From a pricing perspective, you will be pleasantly surprised by the savings and discounts that online florists offer whereas regular flower shops tend to have fixed prices.

If, for whatever reason, you and your mother live in different towns, cities or even on opposite ends of the world, an online florist is really the way to go.  You won't have to incur the expense of long distance or international phone calls just to request an international flower delivery.  You will also be able to browse through all the images of their bouquets and keep track of your flower deliver after placing your order.  So, if you are in the USA and you need a UK flower delivery, you can get the job done within minutes!  You can also make payment quickly and safely online.  Make sure, however that the online florist you choose offers secure payment methods and make sure that you complete your billing details and shipping details accurately and without error.