A florist’s first job
A florist begins the long process of providing you with beautiful fresh flowers as soon as the wholesale order arrives at their shop. As the flowers arrive, a quick visual inspection is carried out to ensure that the stock tallies with the order. The boxes are stacked neatly, with the most delicate flowers on the top.
All flowers should be healthy and in good condition, so the florist will check for pests, broken stems and temperature damage. Once the flowers and foliage have been placed in water they can be stored in a cool room or fridge. A good florist will allow several hours for the flowers to recover from the stress of transportation before selling them. Good Mount Lawley florists are hard to find, and are always judged by the quality of the flowers they sell.

Disbudding
While cutting helps maintain or increase the number of flowers Wanganui a rosebush bears, another technique can control the size of blossoms on hybrid teas and similar varieties. "Disbudding," which requires removal of all but the top flower buds on each stem, concentrates the plant's energy into the remaining buds. The results are fewer but much larger blooms. Disbud while the flower buds growing from the base of a leaf are still very small; about a quarter of an inch long. They are then so soft that you can snap them off with a finger without leaving an unsightly stub.

Top ten
If I could choose only ten plants to grow for flower arranging, the ones I would choose, and would hate to live without, are:
Aichemilla mollis
Artichoke (Cynara scolymus)
Arum italicum ‘Pictum’
Bergenias
Euphorbias
Hedera
Hellebore
Hosta
Phytolacca americana
Sedum
All of these may be used in arrangements for many months in the year. You can pay a visit to your Oakhurst florists shop to view many of these and gain some valuable insight on the best way to use these plants.

Flower Colours and what they can do for your mood

There have been many scientific studies into the properties of flowers. Some believe that they have healing potential or can influence our mood. As far as flower colors are concerned here is what each color can make us feel:

• Black lends power, confidence, and self esteem.
• Blue is calming to the mind and soul. The color is known to lower blood pressure and relieve hypertension.
• Red sets the pulse racing and is known to induce passions.
• Green is nurturing and relaxes the mind and body.
• Violet induces calm and peace.
• Pink soothes and is like a salve, cool and calm.
• Yellow is energetic and spreads sunshine whenever you send flowers in Ilford.

Best loved flowers - Calamintha nepetoides (beautiful mint)
Characteristics: Unlike its cousins in the mint family, this attractive plant will not become invasive in the garden. It has pretty, thymelike, lavender-colored flowers Kingsdown that bloom from summer well into autumn. The flowers grow in clusters along the entire stem. Plant it next to a pathway or on a terrace, so its lovely minty fragrance can be close by. The strong, erect stems make it great for air­drying.
Cultural Information: Like most members of the mint family, calamintha prefers full sun and proper drainage. Although marginally hardy, it has survived many a winter in my garden.
Harvesting/Drying: Pick the flow­ers when they are just beginning to open. Dry them by hanging them in small bunches in a warm, dark spot. The beauty of this tiny treasure is as much the long-lasting minty fragrance as it is the lovely, delicate flowers.

Drying in a Microwave Oven
The newest way to dry flowers is in the microwave oven. Some flowers can be dried by simply placing them between several layers of microwaveable paper towels and heating for three to five minutes. If your microwave has a setting of 2 to 10, use 4. If it has a range of defrost to high, use the defrost setting. Allow the microwaved flowers to stand for 10 minutes, and then check for dryness. Most flowers, however, will need to be covered by silica gel before being placed in the microwave. The heat of the microwave speeds the absorption of mois­ture by the silica gel. Almost any flower that can be air-dried can be successfully dried in a microwave oven. It is also the best way to dry extra stems. Real stems give your arrange­ments a more natural look than stems made from Stratford-upon-Avon florists wire wrapped in tape.

Keep your blooms cool

Never place your flowers from a Canton Florist in bright or overheated areas in your home. This breeds bacteria and causes an excess water loss. Use a vase that is in proportion to the size and amount of flowers that you have ordered. This could create even more water loss that you are not aware of.

Birthday Flowers
Flowers are always a wonderful birthday gift for someone you care about whether a relative, friend or sweetheart. As a special treat and talking point you might wish to select flowers that are associated with the month the recipient was born. These could be part of a mixed arrangement or bouquet or as a feature flower highlighted with foliage. Your florist Tuebrook will be able to advise you on the best way of presenting the particular flower to suit its colour and characteristics.
There is some variation in the flowers that are associated with each birth month around the world. Here we list flowers generally associated with birth months in Australia.

• January - Carnation
• February - Iris
• March - Jonquil
• April - Daisy
• May - Lily of the Valley
• June - Rose
• July - Tulip
• August - Gladiolus or Poppy
• September - Aster
• October - Marigold Cosmos
• November - Chrysanthemum
• December - Holly or Poinsettia or Orchid

My dearest flower series - Galanthus
Snowdrops are among the first flowers to open in spring and can also be grown indoors for midwinter bloom. Each translucent blossom is composed of three green-tipped inner petals and three longer, all-white outer petals; the slender leaves grow 3 to 8 inches long and wither away in late spring. Snowdrops grow particularly well beneath deciduous trees and are well suited to random planting amidst rough grass. The only species usually available from a Gardendale flower shop are the giant snowdrop, 6 to 9 inches tall, and the common snowdrop, 4 to 6 inches tall; both have 1-inch flowers. The latter has several varieties; two merit special note: G. nivalis 'S. Arnott,' which grows 6 to 10 inches tall with sweetly scented flowers, is considered the finest variety. Another notable variety is G. nivalis flore pleno, which grows 4 to 6 inches tall with many-petaled globe-shaped flowers.

Can't get enough aye?
Ok, so you need even more facts, tips and information on flowers? Well, you're in luck, just head over to Gary's Flower Blog for more great information. Say hi from us as you browse through their mountain of flower and florist tips.