Flowers from a Florist

When you find yourself in need of flowers, there’s no shortage of options for where to find them. Your local florist, flower farms, farmer’s markets, grocery stores, corner shops and of course your own garden. All of them (yes, even the corner shop!) have their benefits. In the upcoming weeks we’ll look at each one separately. Today’s focus is your local florist.

The first thing to do is find a good quality florist in your neighbourhood. You’ll know they’re good if their shelves are constantly being refilled with a variety of fresh product, and the staff are friendly and helpful. Once you’ve found one, pop on in and start getting to know the staff. This is what a florist can offer you:

Expertly cared for flowers: As soon as a florist receives flowers in their shop, they condition them so they’re in tip-top shape. This is a skill they’ve learned as not all flowers are treated the same way. This also takes time. By the time you receive the flowers the conditioning has already been done which means you don’t have to do it.

Help make a decision: If you’re not sure what flowers you want to buy, your florist can give recommendations. They’ll know what’s in season, how to style them, and can work within your budget.

Share their knowledge: It’s part of a florist’s job to educate their customers so they have success with their purchase. They know all the tips and tricks to keep your flowers looking as fresh as possible for as long as possible and will share them with you.

Offer local product: Your florist will have an abundance of local, seasonal product. Nothing is better than getting the best and freshest flowers available.

Answer questions: Florists are a great resource if you have a flower-related question. If they don’t already know the answer, they’ll know where to find it. 

Create a relationship: If you have an ongoing relationship with your florist, they’ll get to know you and be able to contact you when your favourite flowers arrive in the store, or remind you when there’s important events in your life when you’ll want to make a purchase. 

Take care of delivery: Florists are able to arrange for local delivery. If you want to send something to a location further from home, they’ll be able to assist you with a local florist in that area.

Create skillful arrangements: A florist will be able to take your vision and recreate it. Or if you don’t know what you want, they can create something unique just for you.  

Source speciality items:  If you have a special flower you’d like but it’s not local, a florist should be able to source it for you. 

Give loyal service: Florists want to create loyal customer relationships. Their biggest means of marketing is by word-of-mouth so if you’re happy with their service, you’ll tell your family and friends, creating new customers for them.

Those who work as a florist have long hours and work on all the big ‘flower’ holidays like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas, missing time with their own family and friends. But they do this because they truly love flowers and want to share that passion with you. Next time you’re out for a walk and go past that little shop with the beautiful, fresh, window display that you always admire, how about popping in and making a purchase? It could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship!

Edible Candied Flowers

Edible flower decorations – what a treat! These candied flowers have such a dramatic impact on desserts, it’s hard to believe they’re so simple to make.

The first thing to do before trying your hand at making these, is to check you’re using edible flowers. If you’re not sure, you can read my Top 3 Rules for Using Edible Flowers here. 

Once you’re certain your flowers are safe to use you’re ready to begin. Throughout this recipe I have highlighted some helpful tips for you.

Ingredients:

- edible flowers; about 50 small flowers or petals
- 1 large egg white (you may use pasteurized egg whites if you wish)
- 2 cups fine sugar 

You’ll also need a small soft bristled paintbrush and a pair of tweezers

Directions:

1. Gently wash and pat dry your edible flowers. Set aside.

Large or thick flowers won’t work for this, as they won’t dry completely. Choose dainty flowers like primroses, violas, pansies or borage, or just the petals of larger flowers like roses.

2. Place the egg white in a small bowl and whisk until frothy. Add a drop or two of water if it needs to be smoothed out.

Egg whites are necessary to this recipe, so if consuming raw eggs is a concern, use a pasteurized egg white.

3. Pour sugar into a shallow bowl.

Don’t worry about an exact measure of sugar. Try two cups but adjust amount as needed. Use the finest sugar you can find. Don’t use regular or powdered/icing sugar.

4. Gently pick up one edible flower with your tweezers. Use your paintbrush to softly paint a light coating of egg white on the underside of the flower. Still holding with the tweezers, turn the flower over and paint the top side. Make sure to coat all surfaces.

Work with one flower at a time. Complete the whole egg/sugar process before moving on to the next flower.

5. Sprinkle the top and bottom of the flower with sugar. Tap gently to remove any excess.

If the sugar is absorbed after a few minutes then sprinkle again.

6. Place on a parchment paper covered baking sheet to dry.

7. Repeat process with each flower. 

8. Let all the flowers dry at room temperature. This could take 12-36 hours. Flowers are completely dry when stiff and brittle to the touch.

Always double check the thickest part of your flower to make sure no moisture is left.

Your edible, crystallized, candied flowers and petals are now ready to use! What will you decorate?

If you’re not using any of your candied flowers right away, store them in airtight containers in single layers. Keep them at room temperature in a cool, dry place. They can be stored for up to a year.

Floral Perfumes

Without a doubt spring and summer are the best time of year for fragrant flowers. They fill the air with sweet and spicy notes, bringing another layer of beauty into the world. One way to extend that beauty into the rest of the year is with perfume. Wearing perfumes with the scent of roses, jasmine, lily of the valley and peonies will lift your spirits even during the darkest of winter days. One little spritz will transport you back to warm days filled with sunshine.

I wear perfume every day, but I don’t have a ‘signature fragrance’. I’ve enjoyed so many of the ones I’ve tried over the years, but I still love trying new ones. Right now I have two I am using and they both happen to be from Jo Malone.

First - Wild Bluebell Cologne. This fragrance is light and fresh and makes you imagine walking through a woodland carpeted with wild flowers. The top note is bluebell, balanced out with lily of the valley and persimmon. I like to wear this one during the day. 

Second - Red Rose Cologne. I first experienced this fragrance as a candle I received as a Christmas gift and fell in love with it. Shortly into the new year I was travelling to England and decided I would treat myself by going to the Jo Malone flagship store in London to buy it as a perfume. This scent is created with seven varieties of exquisite roses, crushed violet leaves and a hint of lemon. It’s clear, sophisticated and rich, perfect for a celebration or special evening out on the town.

With perfume, as with other things in life, it’s great to have your favourite, but don’t let that limit you - keep experimenting and trying new things. There’s a whole world of floral fragrances to discover!

(If you have a floral perfume that you love, please share with us in the comment section. I’d love to know.)

Five Facts About Lily of the Valley

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

 There’s one flower that truly represents the month of May - lily of the valley.  Where I live in Vancouver, at this time of year, lily of the valley is just starting to pop up in people’s gardens. It’s small and sweet and when I’m out for a walk and spot it, I feel as though I’ve come across a little treasure.

Here are five fun facts about this dainty, delicate, fragrant bloom:

1 – Lily of the valley isn’t actually part of the lily family, but part of the asparagus family;

2 – Lily of the valley is the birth month flower for May, the flower for second wedding anniversaries, and the national flower for Finland;

3 – In the language of flowers lily of the valley’s meaning is ‘return to happiness’. They’re also said to bring ‘luck in love’, making them a very popular flower choice for wedding bouquets;

4 – On May 1st, the French give small bunches of lily of the valley to family and friends to symbolize good luck;

5 – Lily of the valley has a delicate, spring-like scent that is fresh and clear. If it’s distinct fragrance is something you just can’t do without, you’re in luck - many perfumes use this scent. Two to try: ‘Lily of the Valley and Ivy, ‘ by Jo Malone, and ‘Lily of the Valley’, by Penhaligon.

Three Edible Flowers

Many flowers are edible. Using them in your baking, cooking, and beverages will add a layer of complexity and delight to your culinary creations making them uniquely tasty and beautiful. 

Before you begin to experiment with edible flowers, take the time to learn which are safe to use and which aren’t. I’ve listed my ‘top 3 rules for edible flowers here’, but as always, let common sense rule – if in doubt, don’t consume!

Over the years I’ve compiled a list of my favourite edible flowers. Today I’m going to introduce you to three of them. All three can be grown in home gardens or planters during the summer time (at least where I live in Vancouver), and they can all be used either fresh or dried.

1 – Nasturtium: One of the most popular edible flowers is the nasturtium. All parts except the seed are edible and have a peppery taste similar to a radish. But it’s the bloom that really makes a dish pop. When you use it whole it adds a brilliant dash of colour to your dish.

2 – Borage: Borage is a dainty little star-shaped flower that most often comes in blue. It has a cooling, cucumber-like taste and makes the prettiest garnish for salads, cheese plates, sweet treats, and summer drinks. 

3 -Calendula: Calendulas have a subtle flavour that ranges from peppery to bitter making them a great addition to soups and salads. They’ve adopted the nick-name ‘poor man’s saffron’, because their bright yellow, gold, or orange petals are so intense they can be used to tint custards, eggs and rice dishes. 

There’s a lot to learn about edible flowers and how to use them, but once you start, you won’t turn back. My favourite book on the subject is Cooking with Flowers, by Miche Bacher. It’s packed full of information, recipes, and beautiful images. 

Three Flower Quotes

Writers, scholars, artists, and musicians make constant reference to flowers in their work. Their quotes can be sincere, inspirational, thought provoking or even funny. When I come across a quote I often think ‘this is my favourite’, but then I’ll come across another one and think ‘this is my favourite’. So what I have now is quite a large collection of my favourite quotes about flowers. I’m going to share three of them with you here.

The first is from Claude Monet, the founder of French impressionistic painting. The second is from Sigmund Freud, the Austrian neurologist and founder of psychoanalysis. And the third is from Alexander Den Heijer, a Dutch inspirational speaker, trainer and consultant. Very different people, all including flowers in their quote, and each one making me pause and think.

The quotes:

“I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers.” Claude Monet

“Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.” Sigmund Freud

“When a flower doesn’t bloom, you fix the environment in which it grows, not the flower.” Alexander Den Heijer

Tulips - the Flowers that Dance

Tulips - bright, cheerful and a beautiful symbol that spring has arrived. I have 6 facts about tulips to share with you, and then I’m going to tell you what I love most about them.

 1 – The largest producer and exporter of tulips is the Netherlands. They export about 3 billion bulbs a year. If you’d like to see the flowers blooming in the Netherlands, the best time to go is mid-April.

 2 – In the 1600’s, tulip bulbs were more valuable than people’s homes.  An average working-class man would have to work for ten years to earn enough to buy one.

 3 – Tulips come in every colour of the rainbow except for blue. There’s also the ‘Queen of the Night’, a tulip that’s so dark it appears black.

 4 – The vase life for tulips is about seven days. Cut the stems at an angle to give them the widest surface area to absorb water, keep the water level in the vase topped up, and place the arrangement in a cool room. Follow these guidelines and they’ll look their best for the longest possible time.

 5 – In the language of flowers, tulips have the general meaning of love and affection, but every colour symbolizes something different. Red - love; purple – royalty; yellow – cheerfulness and hope; pink – caring and well-wishes; white – forgiveness. 

6 - Tulips are the flower for the 11th wedding anniversary. With their overall meaning of love and affection you can’t go wrong with a big bouquet of any colour.

So here’s what I love most about tulips. I love how once you arrange them in a vase they don’t stay put. The stems bend and curve and move in all sorts of directions. I once heard this described as ‘the tulips are dancing in their vase’. I love that. It’s the perfect image to go with the movement the tulips make.

There are a couple of scientific reasons why tulips ‘dance’. The first is they continue to grow about two inches after they’re cut, and the other is they’re reaching toward the light. Many people want to stop this quirk of nature and they’ll try everything from putting a pinhole in the stem, to adding a penny or vodka into the water to stop it from happening. I say, instead of trying to stifle the dance, embarace it!

A Love for True Blue Flowers

Our next step along the floral rainbow is the colour blue. Blue flowers benefit our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing, by producing a calming effect that in turn slows down our metabolism and thoughts. 

Only 10% of flowers come in the colour blue – that makes them the rarest of colours to find. But they do exist, so don’t buy any that are fake or dyed. ‘True blue’ flowers are definitely the only way to go. 

Blues can range in shades from soft and pale to rich and vibrant. What you choose, and what you pair it with can create an impact ranging from a peaceful calm, to a sophisticated elegance.

So once again as we talk about how to incorporate a specific colour flower into our arrangements, I’d recommend turning to nature for inspiration.

Spring: Spring is all about the return of blue skies, sunshine and white fluffy clouds. Blue, yellow and white creates a feeling of freshness and openness.  An arrangement with these colours would be perfect in the kitchen to greet you first thing in the morning.

Summer: An idyllic summer day is warm and lazy where the pace slows down as you lounge at the edge of a pool.  A mix of soft and medium blues paired with eucalyptus greens creates a warm, relaxed feeling. This would be a perfect combination for the bedroom.

Fall: Fall arrives and the days start getting cooler and shorter, yet we’re not quite ready to let go of summer. Blues, dark pinks and oranges make a great combination to transition from summer sunsets to cozy evenings in your home. A vase in your entrance way will be a beautiful greeting as you come through the door earlier and earlier each evening.

Winter: Winter means cold, clear, crisp weather with time spent indoors. Rich vibrant blues, deep purples and dark greens create a warm, glowing feeling. This is perfect in the living room for when you gather with family and friends.

 Some of my favourite blue flowers are cornflower, tweedia, nigella, hydrangea and delphinium.  If you are unfamiliar with any of these, have a chat with your local florist who should be able to help you, or please message me with any questions. I’d also love to know your favourite blue flowers.

 PS - My very favourite blue flower is one that is too tiny to really use in flower arrangements. It’s the very sweet and dainty forget-me-not. But starting in the spring, keep your eyes open as you go for walks as you’ll often see them blooming in your neighbour’s gardens. 

Five Facts About Sweet Peas

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

It’s April, the time when spring flowers really start to bloom. The flower for April is one that I’ve never actually seen blooming during this month – at least not where I live - but it does happen to be one of my favourite flowers. It’s the delicate, fragrant, sweet pea.

My first memory of any flower is of sweet peas. When I was 6 years old, we had a trellis at the end of the garden where they grew. To this day, whenever I get even a whiff of the fragrance of sweet peas it takes me right back to that garden of my childhood. 

Part of the appeal of sweet peas is they combine an old-world charm with a simple, contemporary look. They were a favourite during the Victorian era and their popularity has never wavered. Here are five facts about sweet peas:

1 – They’re a very satisfying flower to grow. They look great in the garden but also make a wonderful cut flower;

2 -The vase life for sweet peas is about 5 days. Keeping them in a cooler place, changing the water every other day and re-cutting the stems may give you a few extra days;

3 – Don’t be fooled by their name – sweet peas are not edible;

4 – In the language of flowers, sweet peas mean thank you, appreciation, farewell or delicate pleasures. These meanings, combined with it being the flower for the month of April, means you have many gift-giving opportunities for sweet peas;  

5 – Sweet peas have a slender stem. The best way to display them is to put them in a vase with a narrow neck to support them.

The fragrance of sweet peas can provoke strong memories, so why not pick up a bunch and take a trip down memory lane. And if sweet peas aren’t part of your past, make them a part of your future and start that memory connection today.

Happy and Healthy at Work with Flowers

To have a successful business, you need a happy productive work force. Something as easy and affordable as adding a few fresh flowers to your workplace sets the right tone.

Maybe you have doubts that something as simple as having flowers at work can improve productivity. But scientific research proves this is the case. Whether you work from home, have a corner office, or share a communal space, having flowers around will offer a multitude of positive benefits. As well as increasing productivity, flowers reduce stress, improve innovative thinking, boost creativity and increase everyone’s level of wellness. 

Whether you are an employer or an employee, there are things you can do to incorporate flowers into your work life. Here are some suggestions:

For the employer:

1 – Have flowers in all common areas. If this isn’t a task you want to take on yourself, and you don’t want to delegate it to one of your employees, contact your local florist. Most florists offer a weekly floral subscription. They’ll bring fresh flowers to you every week and take away the old bouquet so you don’t have to deal with it.

2 – Get into the habit of giving flowers to your employees. It could be to celebrate a birthday, a thank you for a job well done, or just to say ‘have a nice day’. You should also consider sending flowers to your clients to let them know you appreciate their business. This personal touch will build a loyalty between you and your employees and you and your clients. It’s a very simple gesture, but one that will benefit everyone.

3 – Host a bouquet-making workshop. Call your local florist and hire them to teach your employees how to make a bouquet and then deliver the flowers to nearby care facilities. This is a great team building activity, as well as a way to reach out to your wider community.

For the employee:

1 – Keep a vase of flowers on your desk. Even just a bud vase with a bloom will brighten your workspace and make you smile every time you glance at it.

2 – Share the happiness. When you purchase a fresh flower for yourself, purchase a second one and put it on a co-worker’s desk. 

3 – Model positive actions and give a bouquet to your boss. Everyone feels the positive impact from flowers – including the person in charge!

Let’s all start to fill our offices with the joy that flowers bring. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them. Either comment below, or send me an email.

Make Flowers a Daily Habit

“I must have flowers, always, and always.” Claude Monet

Science has proven over and over again that flowers make us happier and healthier. They lift our spirits both immediately and long-term.

In the past few years I’ve learned a lot about the power flowers have on our well-being. They boost our mood, decrease our anxiety, improve our sleep, brighten our environment, increase our productivity and strengthen our memory. And the best part is, it’s doesn’t require a lot of effort or a big budget to reap the benefits flowers offer. A few stems from the garden, a small arrangement from your local florist or a quick grab-and-go bouquet from the grocery store – all will work their magic on you.

Flowers mean different things to us at different times in our lives. Whether for birthdays, weddings, promotions, sickness or in sympathy, flowers are there with us to celebrate the good times and comfort us during the sad times. Let’s learn from those memorable moments in life and start to include flowers as a natural way of improving the quality of our daily lives. 

Having fresh flowers around you every day is a small step you can take to create a positive and uplifiting environment for yourself, and those around you. May you always have flowers in your life.

Yes, There are Green Flowers

St. Patrick’s Day is almost upon us, so as we continue our way along the floral rainbow, it’s the perfect time to focus on the colour green.

In general when we think of a bouquet, we think of the ‘green’ element as the foliage surrounding the flowers. But there are many varieties of flowers available in shades of green, ranging from the softest mint to the most vibrant lime. 

Green is a fabulous colour that symbolizes life, renewal, nature, energy, growth, freshness, harmony and good fortune.  When green flowers are used in a bouquet, they add a wonderful contrast to the other colours, thus enhancing the overall look. Muted, soft shades of green pair well with pastel colours like baby blue and lavender, while lime green makes all the other colours in the bouquet pop.

 If you’re struggling with deciding what shade of green to use when, turn to nature and the seasons for clues.    

• Spring: a time of renewal, so use a bright green combined with cheerful yellows to create an energizing feel;

• Summer: hot and hazy, when the pace of life slows down, so use a soft shade of green paired with shades of lavender for a relaxing, mellow feel;

•  Winter: icy and cold, use darker shades of green paired with red flowers and seasonal greenery to warm up your home and get into the festive spirit; 

•  Fall: a time when nature is full of an abundance of textures, so use all different shades of green to create depth and interest, mimicking what’s happening outside.

 My favourite green flower is a hellebore, with the hydrangea a close second. You’ll also find roses, orchids, dahlias, zinnias, chrysanthemums, daylilies and gladiolus in various hues of green. You can pick the flower that is the right size, shape, and shade for the look you are going for.

Next time you are choosing flowers for a bouquet, pop a few green blooms in the mix and see what you think. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comment section below.