Flowers are Not a Waste of Money - My Top 3 Reasons Why.

“Just living is not enough…one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower.” Hans Christian Anderson

Wise words from Hans Christian Anderson. Intuitively we know that flowers make us happy. Scientific research backs that up. Flowers boost our mood, brighten our environment, improve our sleep, decrease our anxiety, increase our productivity and strengthen our memory. Flowers make life happier and healthier.

Unfortunately, there are some people who think that flowers are a waste of money. The reason why? They think because flowers die, you shouldn’t spend your hard earned money on them. If you think about that, that reasoning doesn’t really make sense. You’ll spend money on a movie, but that experience is over in about two hours. You’ll pay to go out to dinner at a restaurant - again, over in a couple hours. You’ll pay for a bottle of wine, that you’ll drink, and a box of chocolates that you’ll eat, but neither of those last for long. I could go on and on with examples of how we spend money on things that don’t last. But instead, here are my top three reasons for why I think we should have flowers in our lives, and why they’re worth every penny we spend on them:

1 - Flowers spread joy: Flowers are instantly mood-boosting, brightening the day of whoever sees them. When I delivered flowers for my floral business, not one person receiving them ever responded with a frown. The added bonus is, giving flowers not only boosts the mood of the one receiving the flowers, but also the one giving them. So right there you’re doubling the value of your money. And the great thing is, this works just as well with a massive bouquet as it does with just a few stems, so you don’t have to spend big money to feel the positive benefits. 

2 - Flowers are suitable for every occasion: No need to waste time wondering what to get for a birthday or anniversary gift, or to thank someone for helping you out, or to congratulate someone for a job well done, or to send your condolences – flowers work for all these occasions. You don’t even have to think about it, flowers suit the occasion. Knowing this saves you time - and time is money, they say! So once again, your money is well spent.

3 – Flowers create lasting memories: Research shows that flowers, with their vibrant colours and fragrant scents, have the ability to recall memories more than other objects. In fact they have such an impact, they create a ‘memory picture’ of the day that is called upon again and again. So you give flowers one day – creating warm, happy feelings – and this moment is relived over and over, for years to come. So…pay for one gift, and that gift is enjoyed multiple times. That’s well worth your money.

If you’re one of the people who think that flowers are a waste of your hard-earned dollars, I hope you’ll now reconsider. Make someone’s day (and your own), better and brighter with the gift of flowers.

Up next on ‘The Floral Prescription’ - all the tips and tricks you need to give flowers the longest vase-life possible.

Falling in Love with Violets

Every month has a “birth month flower” associated with it. 

February is dominated by one day - Valentine’s Day. And what flower do you automatically think of when you think of Valentine’s Day? The red rose. So naturally you would assume that the flower for the month of February is the red rose; but you would be wrong. The flower for the month of February is the very dainty, pretty, and unassuming violet.

The more I learn about violets, the more I love them. Their delicate beauty and vibrant hues catch your eye, and then capture your heart.

Violets have a delicate sweet scent that has long been used in making perfume. Once popular (it was a favourite of Queen Victoria), over time it came to be thought of as an old-fashioned fragrance. But these days, fragrance houses are finding ways to modernize violet by mixing it with other scents. I’m very much looking forward to going to Jo Malone’s in London and trying their Violet and Amber creation.

Violets are very rare to find as a cut flower. In 2018, there was only one remaining commercial violet farm in the US. If we want to have violets in our homes, we need to be satisfied with the African violet house plant. This plant is very popular, widely available, easy to care for, and makes a lovely gift for just about any occasion. Here are some suggestions:

• Since the violet is the flower for February, it’s a great gift for someone with a February birthday;

• Violets are one of the two official flowers to celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary;

• Violets represent faithfulness because of the way the plant faithfully blooms. You could give this plant to anyone to whom you want to say, ‘I’m always there for you’;

• Violets, with their heart-shaped leaves, also represent love, making it a great gift for Valentine’s Day;

• And finally, because of the size of the plant, they make the perfect gift for someone in a hospital or care facility, someone living in a dorm or other small space, or for someone to put on their desk at work.

While I’m not much of a “plant person”, I do want to have these cheery little flowers in my home, so I’m off to the store to buy one - or maybe two - of these delightful bundles of blooms.

Fake Flowers vs Real - Same benefits???

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Having flowers in an interior space can make it feel more welcoming and have positive benefits on our mental, physical and emotional well-being. This has been scientifically proven. What I’m asked many times is, ‘Will fake flowers have the same benefits as real flowers?’. The short answer is no. And here’s why….

The fake flowers made nowadays can look very authentic. High quality materials are used, and they’re so botanically correct, that sometimes it’s hard to believe they aren’t real. They can ‘look’ the part, but that’s all. The reason they don’t have the same impact as real flowers is because they don’t engage as many of our senses. Here’s a comparison between fake and real flowers with each of our five senses:

Sight: While fake flowers can add beauty to a room, they lack the true, vibrant colours that real flowers have. And because fake flowers can be displayed for a very long time, the look gets stale. Real flowers give a space a new look and create a new ‘pop’ for our eyes, every time they are replaced.

Smell: No competition here at all! A vase brimming with garden roses, a bunch of fresh picked lavender, a handful of sweet peas that have just bloomed - all of these fragrances in fresh flowers are heavenly, but it hasn’t yet been figured out how to make fake flowers smell as good as the real thing.

Taste: This is pretty straight forward. No one is going to eat a flower made from silk or any other man-made material. And in the culinary world it’s a big faux-pas to put anything on the plate that you can’t eat - no matter how pretty it may be. Edible flowers on the other hand, make a great addition to a multitude of sweet and savory dishes, turning what perhaps is something rather ordinary into something extraordinary.

Hearing: Fake and real are pretty even here. This is the one sense of ours not engaged by flowers. Interesting though is the fact that there’s research suggesting that flowers can' ‘hear’ the buzz of passing bees, and when that happens, they produce sweeter nectar in response to it.

Touch: Even though some fake flowers look realistic, all you need to do is touch them to confirm they aren’t. Fake flowers are very uniform, lacking the variety of textures real flowers have.

So the bottom line is, while some may think not having to replace fresh flowers every time they wilt is a dream come true, it really is worth the effort. Nothing compares to the freshness, true colour, and idyllic fragrance of the real deal.

Quick tip: To give your fresh flowers a longer vase life, make sure they have clean, clear water. I change the water for my flowers every second day.

A Vase Full of Cheer

Flowers are an easy and affordable way to add a splash of colour to your life. Every colour conveys a meaning and an emotion. We’ve already talked about how red creates energy, and orange enthusiasm. The next colour we come to as we travel along the floral rainbow is yellow.

Yellow symbolizes, joy, optimism, and cheerfulness. It’s the happiest colour on the spectrum; it’s all but impossible not to smile when you see a vase brimming with yellow flowers. My favourite yellow flower is the daffodil. I love how each spring they burst into bloom, symbolizing new beginnings. 

Yellow flowers can range in shade from light and pale, to bright and sunny. The pale shades are gentle, with a warmth and compassion that make them the perfect choice for someone going through a difficult time. The bright shades are like sunshine. Anywhere you place a vase of bright yellow blooms will automatically look fresher and create radiant warmth.

The two most popular yellow flowers are daffodils and sunflowers, but there are a multitude of others that bloom throughout the year for you to consider: roses; ranunculus; freesia; alstroemeria; forsythia; tulips; chrysanthemums; lilies; gerberas; zinnias; carnations; peonies; and dahlias.

The final thing to note about yellow flowers – they represent friendship. Why not pop out today, pick-up a bunch of yellow flowers and surprise a friend? It’s sure to put a smile on their face – as well as your own!

Five Things to Know About January's Flower

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. 

January can be a gloomy month. The festivities of the holiday season are over, yet the lightness of spring hasn’t arrived. Thank goodness we have flowers to boost our mood, and nothing does a better job than January’s birth month flower – the carnation.

The carnation is a very under- appreciated flower. Once a prized favourite among elite society, it seems nowadays carnations have well and truly fallen out of favour. They’ve gained a reputation for being old-fashioned, common and unrefined. I know my own memories growing up are of red, white or pink bunches of blooms, wrapped in a skimpy piece of cellophane being sold at the local corner store or gas station. But that’s not the carnation of today! The carnation is no longer a pedestrian flower and here are five reasons why it should become one of your go-to favourites:

1. Growers have been, and still are, cultivating and producing new varieties of carnations that are real show-stoppers! The new editions come in a wide spectrum of colours and hues that are vibrant and trendy;

2. With their pretty petal formation, carnations are soft and feminine and have a fragrance that is spicy and sweet, yet oh-so subtle;

3. With all the ruffled petals the carnation looks dainty, but it’s reliable, tough and long lasting. In fact it has one of the longest vase lives of any flower on the market;

4. The carnation is filled with symbolism. The symbolism is quite extensive as different colours symbolize different emotions, but overall the carnation stands for devotion. As well as being the birth flower for the month of January, it’s the flower for first anniversaries and the national flower for Monaco, Slovenia and Spain;

5. Carnations are affordable, and affordable is never a bad thing! Added bonus - they’re available all year round. 

I hope this helps you look at carnations differently, and as January is a great time for new beginnings, how about making this the year you start your love of carnations. Let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear what you have to say.

Quick Tip: If you know someone who’s birthday is in January, or someone who is celebrating their first anniversary this year, personalize their gift by incorporating carnations into it, making it that extra little bit special.

Quick Tip for a Grocery Store Bouquet

When I started The Floral Prescription, I wondered how I was going to take all the information I have about ‘all things floral’ and organize it in a cohesive way. I decided the common theme in everything I’d learned was: flowers have a positive impact on our well-being.  Flowers boost our mood, brighten our environment, improve our sleep, increase our productivity, decrease our anxiety and strengthen our memory. So that became my focus – how flowers are good for our mental, physical and emotional health. Everything I share - whether it’s about a specific flower variety, how to cook with flowers, flowers for special occasions, floral travel locations, flowers in art, music and literature, or even a floral joke – is to show you how to use flowers to make your life happier and healthier. 

One of the best things about flowers is that little effort is required to reap their benefits. When you’re out-and-about during the day, pick up a bouquet, pop it into a vase, and you’ve instantly improved your environment.

But what if the only flowers you can get are one of those classic multi-coloured grocery store bouquets. Sometimes the look of those can be a bit jarring. My tip for that is to open up the bouquet and separate the stems. Put each one in a bud vase or small glass and then place them throughout the house. While the original bouquet may not have had much visual appeal, once spread out, each bloom is a beauty! Added bonus - for the cost of just one reasonably priced bouquet, you now have a flower in every room.

In the upcoming weeks and months, I’ll be sharing more tips on how to have flowers in your home and work place in an affordable way, as well as how to care for them to get the longest vase life possible. If you have any questions or feedback, or anything specific you would like to know about, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I’ll get right back to you.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 

Flowers. They’re part of all the big occasions in our lives, from birth to death. We recognize the joy they bring us during celebrations, and the comfort they bring us during times of sorrow. But for some reason, when it comes to having flowers in our everyday life, they can be thought of as frivolous or a waste of money. The truth is, flowers have a positive impact on our well-being all the time and we should have them in our lives every day. That’s what ‘The Floral Prescription’, is all about, using flowers to make our lives - and the lives of those around us - happier and healthier every day of the year.

As a new year begins I thought it would be the perfect time to give you an overview of what I’ll be sharing with you in the upcoming weeks and months.

The Whys: There have been a lot of studies on the positive effect flowers have on our mental, physical and emotional well-being. Without getting too ‘sciencey’ about it, we’ll delve deeper into this research and the actual reasons why flowers are good for us.

The Practicalities: I think many people would like to have flowers in their home and workplace but believe they don’t have the money to do so.  One of my main goals for this year is to show you that flowers can be affordable. I’ll share with you all the budget-friendly ways you can have flowers in your daily life, and give you tons of tips and tricks on how to care for flowers, helping them to have a longer vase life.

Bonuses: I love how flowers play a role in all areas of life. I’ll shower you with information on edible flowers, floral scented bath and beauty products, flowers in art, music and literature, flowers for special occasions, the language of flowers, travel destinations with a floral focus, and everything and anything floral related.

And for little pops of floral inspiration throughout the week, all you need to do is follow @thefloralprescription on Instagram.

If you have anything you’d like to know about, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d love to hear from you.

Three Flowers for Festive Cocktails

A couple of months ago I was in England. One day we decided to visit Stratford-upon-Avon (the birth place of Shakespeare), and it just happened that there was a street fair showcasing local products . One of the vendors was a gin maker, (Pinnock Gin), and one of his gins caught my eye - it was the prettiest shade of purple. It turns out it was violet-infused. Of course with my love of all-things-floral, this appealed to me; and even more so when I was told the best way to use it was to pour a shot of the gin into a fluted glass and top it off with prosecco. All I could think of how was how delightful a drink that would be. So I purchased a bottle and I can now attest to the fact that the ‘Sparkling Violet’, (my name for it) is indeed a very delightful cocktail.

Many cocktails have long included flowers in their recipes, whether as an infusion, a liqueur, or as a garnish. Three flowers that work really well in drinks are rose, lavender, and hibiscus.

Rose: The flavour from the rose comes from the scent, so make sure to choose a fragrant variety, but use your judgement as to how much. The more fragrant the flower, the stronger the flavour will be. You want to add a touch of sweetness and a just a hint of florals to your drink - you don’t want it to taste like perfume! Recently I came across a recipe for a rose petal sangria that I can’t wait to try! Rosé wine with pink rose petals - what’s not to like!

Lavender: A member of the mint family, lavender has a herbaceous quality to it, and yet it’s floral fragrance makes it unique to any other member of the mint family. Lavender can be used fresh or dried as one of the ingredients in your drink , or use as a garnish to give your cocktail a dreamy, relaxing feeling. If you want to get some recipes for cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks using lavender, take a look at Yummerly’s website for great ideas.

Hibiscus: It’s well known that a hibiscus flower is a big beautiful bloom found in tropical locations. Less well known is the fact that it’s a very edible flower. In fact you can go to many local grocery stores and buy a jar of hibiscus flowers in syrup. You just place one of the blooms and about a tablespoon of the syrup in the bottom of a fluted glass. Top it off with sparkling wine and ‘voila’ - the perfect cocktail for the holiday season.

There are many other flowers that work well in beverages, but these three are a great place to start. A word of caution - be very sure that the flowers you are using haven’t been grown with any chemicals or pesticides or next to a roadside where they’ve been exposed to exhaust fumes. Once you’ve confirmed your flowers are safe and edible, try out some tried and true recipes and then have some fun creating your own. Cheers!

The Sunbeams of the Floral World

The colour of flowers you choose plays a big role in what mood you create and what emotions you evoke. As we continue our way along the floral rainbow, we come to the colour orange. If red is the colour for energy, orange is the colour for enthusiasm. A radiant orange floral arrangement will have you eager to get up and get going, excited about what the day will bring.

 If I think back over time I can only come up with one memory of orange flowers – marigolds planted in the vegetable garden to deter pests. That’s it, my only memory of orange flowers. In fact until recent years, I don’t think I could even have named another orange-coloured flower. But all that has changed as I’ve learned about the effect flowers have on our well-being, colour psychology and how the two work together hand-in-hand. I’ve realized what a positive impact orange flowers have. They’re the sunbeams of the floral world spreading warmth, joy and an enthusiasm for life.

 Orange can range anywhere from a pale, light shade, to a bright citrus hue, to a dark moody tone. The pale, light shade and the bright, citrus hue, have a positive mood-boosting energy. The dark, moody tone is warm and inviting making an environment feel safe and cosy.

Orange flowers are great in any environment but one of the best places to have orange flowers is in your workplace.  Their burst of brightness will inspire creativity and increase productivity. Hospitals and care facilities are also vital places to have them as they’ll fill the room with a cheerful optimism.

If you’re searching for some orange flowers and aren’t sure which flowers to use, here are some suggestions for each season.

Winter: Use a mix of the dark, moody tones to mimic the flames of a fire creating a feeling of warmth and heat: chrysanthemums, marigolds,cosmos and zinnias;

Spring - Spring is the time for light and bright shades to represent sunshine and joy: California poppies, tulips, gerberas;

Summer - A mix of shades of orange will represent sunsets on a summer evening: roses, dahlias, lilies, snapdragons.

Autumn - Choose mostly flowers with deeper hues mixed with a bit of the brighter shades to capture warmth and sunny thoughts: chrysanthemums, cosmos, marigolds and zinnas.

The Poinsettia

December 12th is National Poinsettia Day, the perfect opportunity to share with you a Mexican legend that explains why the poinsettia is the flower of Christmas.

There was once a poor, young girl named Pepita, making her way to church on Christmas Eve. She was sad because she didn’t have a gift to present at the nativity to baby Jesus like the other children would. Her cousin reminded her that even the most humble gift, given in love, would be acceptable in His eyes. So Pepita, gathered a bundle of weeds from the roadside. As she presented the bouquet at the nativity scene, the common weeds miraculously turned into brilliant red blooms!! They became known as the ‘Flowers of the Holy Night’, what we call poinsettias.

 I first learned this story when I was a preschool teacher. Children are so inquisitive that as a teacher you tend to research a lot of things just to be able to answer all their questions. A random inquiry about the poinsettia led me to this legend. 

 Before I came across that story I don’t think I’d ever had a poinsettia during the holiday season - (Confession time: while I love flowers, I’m not very good with plants). But ever since then, I make sure I always have at least one poinsettia in my home. It usually only lasts a couple of weeks, but I find it reminds me of the lesson from the legend – it’s not about the value of the gift, but the thought behind it.

This lesson is something that can translate into giving flowers throughout the year. The smallest of posies will put a smile on someone’s face. A single bloom in a bud vase will brighten an environment. And just a small bundle of lavender will help create a calm relaxing atmosphere as you go to bed. So pick up a small bunch of fresh flowers for your home this week, and while you’re at it, perhaps also a poinsettia!

Here are five facts about poinsettias:

1 – In the language of flowers poinsettias symbolize good cheer and success; 

2 – The poinsettia is the highest selling potted plant. Red is the most popular colour followed by white and pink;

3 – Other names for the poinsettia are ‘lobster flower’ and ‘flame-leaf flower’;

4 – The ‘flower petals’ of the poinsettias are actually modified or specialized leaves.

5 – The poinsettia is originally from Mexico where it’s a perennial shrub that can grow 10-15 feet tall.

A Lesson to Learn from November's Flower

Every month has a flower associated with it, known as its “birth month flower”.

November can be cold, grey, and wet. The days are short and the nights are long. With all the dreariness around, people’s spirits can get low. Not only will flowers help lift your mood but there’s a specific flower during this time of year that we can learn a lesson from. And that’s the chrysanthemum -’November’s flower’!

When most flowers have faded away at the end of the warm, beautiful, summer months, autumn comes and the chrysanthemum bursts into bloom in golds, reds, yellows, pinks, purples, burgundy, white and even neon green. With their splashes of colour in an otherwise drab, barren landscape, they symbolize joy, cheerfulness and optimism. 

The lesson to be learned? When all around us seems bleak and dismal, let us be the one to shine bright and bring joy to others.

Here’s three ways to use flowers to spread a bit of joy:

1 – Place a small vase of flowers on your desk at work. Not only are the flowers brightening your work environment, but they’ll also brighten the moods of everyone who sees them.

2 – Place a vase of flowers in the middle of the kitchen table. Research shows that having flowers on the table sets a welcoming, relaxing environment. Family and friends will sit at the table longer chatting and enjoying each other’s company.

3 - Give a small posy of flowers to someone. Science has proven that giving flowers will brighten the mood of not only the receiver but also the giver! You’ll both have smiles on your faces.

So pop out today, pick up a few stems of flowers and add a bit of cheer to this rainy November day.

Energize with Red Flowers

I have a special memory of red flowers. When my husband and I had our first apartment, he would come home every week with half-a-dozen red carnations, put them in glass coke bottles, and place them all around the apartment. Nothing fancy -  single stems in recycled bottles - but that simple act created a happy memory that has lasted for years.

Flowers truly brighten up our lives, making us happier and healthier - in the moment, and through lasting memories. All flowers have this impact on us. But one thing to keep in mind when choosing flowers, is that each colour conveys a different mood. Once you understand what each colour is portraying, you can choose flowers that will help you create the feeling you are looking for. Today we’re going to focus on the colour red, and all that it offers.

The most popular red flower is the rose. Universally it’s understood that it symbolizes true love. This is a perfect example of how the colour of a flower can portray a specific message or emotion; a yellow rose, for example, would convey a different message than a red one. Let’s explore red flowers a bit deeper and see what other types of red flowers you can use and what moods you can create with them.

Red exudes energy. It’s fiery and passionate and represents love, courage, and strength. All red flowers have that indisputable energy, but variations of the shade can add another layer of meaning. It’s up to you to choose which shade of flower is right for you. Sometimes it’s tough to make a choice; but when I’m trying to make a decision I find great inspiration in nature. I’ll lead you through the seasons to show you what I mean.

Winter: When we think of winter we tend to think of a cold, barren, perhaps icy landscape. But if I say ‘crimson’ what pops into your mind? Holly berries, poinsettias, amaryllis, ilex – all of these thrive during the coldest season of the year and are iconic symbols of the holiday season.

Spring: Nature bursts into bloom in the spring with a plethora of floral choices. Tulips, sweet peas, ranunculus, begonia, petunias and poppies. All come in a bright, bold shade of red waking us up and getting us ready for whatever the longer days will bring our way.

Summer: The heat of summer slows things down, softening the shades of nature. Red is still abundantly available with dahlias, peonies and azaleas. When you spot them in the middle of a long hot day they add a bit of a pep to your step.

Autumn: This is the time of year which shines in golds and yellows – but reds are still prevalent. The warmth of chrysanthemums, anemones, gerberas and asters will make you feel cozy even as the days begin to chill.

Flowers are one of the best parts of any season, so turn to nature to soak up the strength and passion of red flowers all year long.

Next up on journey along the floral rainbow is orange and how it inspires enthusiasim, creativity and cheerfulness.