Archive | June 2017

The Language of Flowers thru the Ages

The language of Flowers started in Constantinople in the 1600s, and was brought to England in 1716 by Lady Mary Wortley Montague who had spent time in Turkey with her husband. The interest then moved to France (of course) where the Book Le Langage des Fleurs was printed with over 800 floral signs. Many were toned down in the English translation at the time of Queen Victoria because they were quite lusty and risque!

Flowers are part of our daily life. For virtually every event we have assigned a special flower. Flowers for love, church, church graveyard, marriage, etc. In the 16th century inn’s use to have a branch or flower stalk as signboard which later often changed only into the name of a specific tree or flower. Many times one finds flower gardens in mythological sceneries.

The use of flowers is uncountable: attributes for the springtime, the youth, the sunrise, the rhetoric, the virtue etc.

Most people are aware that a red rose means love but did you know that almost every flower and sometimes the different colors of a single flower has its own meaning? Why is Stephanotis such a popular flower to use in wedding bouquets? Why put Bells of Ireland or Cattails in a bouquet for someone getting a new house or embarking on a new career?

Check out our Language of Flowers Chart (pdf, no optin) for the many different flowers and their meanings. This includes the more traditional meanings according to the original language of flowers.

Where did all those pretty flowers come from?

Jun11

Wondering where all the pretty spring flowers come from? Most of them come from the Dutch Flower Auctions and are shipped all over the world. Here’s a little bit about the Dutch Flower Auctions:

The Dutch cut flower auctions form the distribution base for flowers and plants throughout the world. Their magnitude appeals to one’s imagination. The auctions have even become a major tourist attraction in Holland.

There is an endless stream of figures and facts designed to capture the magnitude of auctions. Here are interesting factual tidbits regarding the Dutch cut flower auctions in the world:

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the auction in Aalsmeer, the Netherlands is the largest commercial building in the world, comprising one million square meters. For that matter, the total floor space of the Flora Holland outlets equals 1,500,000 square meters or 16,145,865 square feet.
The Dutch auction at Naaldwijk has the largest floral cooling space in the world, measuring 43,000 square meters or 462,848 square feet – larger than 10 soccer fields combined.
Over three-quarters of flowers and plants supplied to Dutch auctions are exported.
The auction clock was invented in Holland in 1902. The auction takes place by counting down from highest price to lowest price. The buyer stops the clock by pressing a button. If he is the first to press his button, he then purchases the flowers or plants being auctioned.
The auction in Aalsmeer draws more than 100,000 visitors annually.
At the auctions, the price of cut flowers is always a per stem price.
In 2006, Dutch auctions had combined sales of 3,975,400,000 euro – of which 2,500,400,000 euro for cut flowers.
Most Dutch cut flowers are exported to Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, France, Italy and Belgium.
At Dutch auctions, the most popular cut flowers sold are roses, chrysanthemums and tulips (in that order).
The export of cut flowers to Russia is the fastest growing (up 26% in 2006) export market for Dutch grown cut flowers.
Each year, the Dutch ornamental flower sector develops between 1,200 and 1,500 new flowers and plants.
Not all sales take place by the auction clock. The auctions also act as intermediary brokers between flower growers and buyers, without using the clock. This service started in 1972, and now makes up around one-fourth of total sales.
Dutch flower auctions use 12 million flower buckets and 800,000 flower boxes annually to get its flowers safely from the grower to the wholesaler.
Some 12,300 companies are involved in making deliveries to the Dutch auctions.

So next time you order spring flowers from your local florist, you have a little more insight into what goes into getting them from the earth to you!

Heidi

Be sure and order your next floral bouquet from Eden Florist.

Tips for Choosing Reliable Wedding Vendors

Jun6

"Your wedding is one of the most important days of your life and you should be free to enjoy every moment of it without a care in the world. " After the months and months of planning that goes into your perfect event, you want the day to go as smoothly as possible. That is why it becomes necessary to choose your vendors wisely. There is nothing worse than a photographer who doesn’t show, leaving you scrambling for a wedding guest with a decent camera to capture all of your special moments. You don’t need that type of stress on your wedding day. Here are some tips to selecting reliable vendors, so your wedding can be pulled off without a hitch:

7 tips for choosing reliable wedding vendors

1. Referrals -ask your friends and family for their recommendations. You tend to trust those close to you. They speak from personal experience and usually won’t lead you down the wrong path.

2. Reviews – similar to referrals, reviews on Yelp or other open review platforms, can give you a better idea on the personal experience of others working with a particular vendor. Usually, people will review a vendor if they have had a horrible experience or a wonderful experience. Read through the reviews to get a sense if the vendor is someone you can trust.

3. Better Business Bureau – it is always a good idea to visit the BBB website. For no cost, you can check if there are any complaints filed against the vendor.

4. Research early – the most sought after vendors book up fast. To be assured you get your first choice, start your search early.

5. Meet with the vendors face-to-face – first impressions do matter. When you meet with vendors face-to-face, you can get a feel for their demeanor in order to be reassured you are choosing wisely. You can also take the opportunity to see samples of the person’s work (photos, cakes, flowers, etc.). It’s a great idea to go prepared with a list of questions that you would like answered to make sure the details of your wedding turn out exactly how you envision.

6. Trusted vendor partners – if you find a vendor you love and trust, ask the vendor if he or she has any recommended partners to help with other aspects of your wedding. Oftentimes, vendors have preferred partners they like to work with and this saves you time and energy on doing your own research.

7. Contract – this is a must have for any vendor. The contract should state exactly what you are getting with no hidden fees. It also commits the vendor to provide services for your wedding day. Read the contract thoroughly and ask about any points that seems unclear to you. The contract should protect you in an event of a dispute.

Even with the most careful planning and vendor selection, unfortunate situations can occur that are out of your control. In cases like these, you don’t want to get stuck paying the bill for vendor cancellations or no-shows. That is why Markel offers wedding cancellation insurance, which reimburses you for lost deposits and non-refundable amounts if you have to cancel or postpone your event due to unforeseen circumstances. Visit www.markeleventinsurance.com or call 1-855-480-9757 to get a free event insurance quote and learn more.

Father’s Day Coloring Book, Flowers & History

Jun3

Father’s Day: Third Sunday in June (Falls on June 18, 2017)

The idea for Father’s Day was conceived by Sonora Smart Dodd during a Mother’s Day sermon. Raised by her father after her mother died, Sonora believed he deserved a special day in his honor and, in 1909, drew up a petition recommending the adoption of a national “father’s day.”

The first Father’s Day was celebrated in Spokane, Washington on June 19th, 1910. (Dodd had aimed for the first Sunday in June, her father’s birthday, but red tape held the resolution up until the third Sunday.) In 1972, President Richard Nixon established a permanent national observance of Father’s Day to be held on the third Sunday of June.

Since the inception of the holiday, Father’s Day has been expanded to include uncles, stepfathers, older brothers, and any other men who act in a “fatherly” capacity.

Click on the image above to download the Father’s Day Coloring book (compliments of Eden Florist & Gift Baskets)

Check out the entire selection of Coloring books at Eden Florist.

Order your favorite Dad flowers at EdenFlorist.com Father’s Day Flowers TODAY!