A Green Royal Flower Update

Yet another green piece of the royal wedding has come to light, as ABC News is reporting that William and Kate have chosen London-based florist Shane Connolly to oversee arrangements at Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace.

Connolly, known for his “sustainable approach to floristry”, plans on using locally sourced plants for the big event – including azaleas, rhododendron, euphorbias, beech, wisteria and lilac.

There will even be six 20ft-high English Field Maple and two Hornbeam trees in the Abbey – all growing, according to the BBC, in giant planters made by craftsmen at Highgrove, the Prince of Wales’s residence in Gloucestershire.

The arrangements will remain on display for the public until May 6th. Afterwards, the trees will be planted in Highgrove Gardens – with other flowers and cuttings either being donated or replanted.

Funeral Flowers: What Kind Of Arrangement Should I Get Delivered?

By Sophia Rodriguez

If someone you know died recently and a funeral is taking place shortly, you are probably wondering what kind of floral arrangement you should send to the funeral home.

Funeral flowers send your expressions of compassion, respect and love through the beauty of flowers. Since funerals are often awkward and you don't always know what to say, a gift of sympathy flowers help express your sorrow and give people at the funeral something to admire and talk about.

People often wonder which funeral flowers they should send to the funeral. The type of arrangement you need to send will largely depend on your relationship to the deceased. If the person is in your direct family, your choice should be different than if the deceased is a friend or a business associate.

Also, if the funeral is an open casket versus a cremation urn, this will change the type of appropriate funeral flowers you could be sending. Another option is to not send any flowers to the funeral home but instead to send a fruit and treat basket to the home. This is a perfectly acceptable gift for the family of the deceased also.

If you do decide to send flowers, here are some ideas. A direct family member will need to select a casket spray for any type of funeral where a casket will be present. A casket spray is a large floral arrangement that will drape the top of the casket to decorate and highlight it. When the casket is open, this casket spray will usually need to be smaller than if the casket is closed. Make sure to mention this to your florist when picking which casket spray will be most appropriate.

Casket sprays are usually done up with the deceased's favorite flowers or colors. Additionally, it can be a nice touch to make a themed casket spray. Let's say the deceased enjoyed playing cards immensely, there could be focal points of cards in the casket spray.

Gardening, golf, nature and music are other popular themes for floral sprays for the top of the casket. Some people also theme the casket spray according to the deceased's religion or career.

Floral wreaths, crosses and other shapes are a traditional and formal gift to send to the funeral home. These formal tributes are usually presented from the family such as sisters, children of the deceased, aunts, brothers or from business associates.

Wreaths, hearts, crosses and other tribute shapes are presented on an easel close to the casket and so they really stand out. They usually feature a ribbon draped along the front of it with an inscription reflecting the relationship to the buyer of the floral gift. For example: Dearest Sister, Dear father, etc... These are very time consuming for the florist to make and therefore are not cheap even though they are stunningly beautiful.

A nice alternative to floral shapes that is usually less expensive are floral sprays. These are free form arrangements that are also designed to hang close to the casket and also feature a ribbon with a message on it. These are also formal and reserved for close family members.

If you are not a direct family member, here are some appropriate options.

Floral baskets: These floral baskets can be given by anyone and are appropriate for funerals with a casket or for funerals with a cremation urn.
Garden baskets featuring a variety of tropical plants, blooming and green is a great choice to send to the funeral home or to the bereaved's workplace or home. They last a really long time and so they are an ideal choice for those who enjoy live plants. Many times a ceramic angel or religious statue will be included in the plant basket as an extra thoughtful gesture.

As for the colors of your sympathy flowers, they should be somber and respectful. You could stick to all white with greens or you could go with 3 colors such as purple, yellow and white. Some people though prefer a sympathy bouquet that does not look "funeralish". This is usually as a tribute to the deceased's vibrant life and personality.

While sympathy flowers are usually sent to the funeral service or to the bereaved's home shortly after the service, it is also ok to send flowers a week or two after the funeral to remind the loved one that you are still thinking of them.

If you need funeral flowers delivered to Timmins, Ontario, call The Love Bug Flowers at 705-365-7653 or visit the website here to view their sympathy selection: The Love Bug Flowers Http://www.thelovebug.ca

You might be a bridezilla to a florist if...

By Sophia Rodriguez

This article comes as a result of my experience as a bridal consultant and florist in a busy flower shop. No one enjoys dealing with a bridezilla.

Do you really want to be the kind of bride to be that vendors dread? Perhaps you are not sure if you are a bridezilla...if not, this article will help you determine if you qualify as a full blown bridezilla.
Furthermore, this article will demonstrate why stressing out your florist is really not beneficial for you or for your wallet.

First of all, what is a bridezilla? A bridezilla is a difficult, unpleasant, perfectionist bride. A bridezilla is just so focused on organizing a perfect wedding that she becomes completely unreasonable and unrealistic if things are not going 100% her way. No fun to deal with as a florist and wedding planner!

Let me give you some examples I've experienced in the past few years and see if you identify with any of these bridezillas.

You might be a bridezilla to a florist if...you are verify specific about certain things such as exact colors. Do you hear yourself saying things like: "That white is just not white enough for me!" or "Those pink flowers are not the exact same color as my bridesmaids dresses!" Flowers are natural, live beauties that are not always exactly consistent in shade from one month to another and from one season to another. if you want exactitude, choose artificial flowers, then you will be guaranteed an ideal color for your taste.

You might be a bridezilla to a florist if... you bring your pack of wolves to the floral selection. Bringing your mother, step mother, aunt and sister to a bridal consultation is just evil. Seriously, with most situations like this, the final result is always the same. Nothing gets accomplished from people arguing amongst themselves and the bride never gets what she really wants with all the conflicting opinions. The bride starts to doubt herself and her preferences go out the window. The ideal situation is for you to go to your consultation with only your fiancé. This is your wedding and even if someone else is paying for your flowers, you should be allowed to order what you want. If the payer is unable to accept this, you need to pay for your own flowers! If your fiance really does not want to participate in the selection of the flowers or decor for your wedding, he is putting a lot of pressure on you. Make sure you are up to the challenge. If so, just bring along your maid of honor or a bridesmaid. You and one chosen guest are all that you should bring to a wedding consultation.

You might be a bridezilla to a florist if...you can't take the professional advice of the florist. If your florist warns you that a certain color will not look good with another one in your choice...if your florist tells you that the flower you insist upon having in your bouquet needs to be flown in from Italy since it is not in season for your wedding date...you need to be open to your florist's suggestions. Any local qualified florist will be able to give you valuable advice if you will let them. Trust the professional you hired...or choose a different wedding professional that you will be able to trust.

All in all, if you behave as a bridezilla with your local florist, no one will want to serve you. Wouldn't you rather they look forward to pleasant meetings with you? As a bridezilla, your prices will go up and you won't get any special deal. Why should a florist go out of their way for you if all you do is torment your wedding professional?

If you are pleasant, open minded yet organized and decisive, you will be the dream bride every wedding professional will be fighting to have as a customer.

If you are NOT a Bridezilla and would like a Free wedding flowers consultation with a florist in Timmins, Ontario, call The Love Bug Flowers: 705-365-7653. You can also visit The Love Bug website at http://www.thelovebug.ca

Easter Gifts To Bring Spring Inside Your Loved One's Home: Top 10 Easter Floral Ideas

By Sophia Rodriguez

If you are wondering what type of of Easter gift would best to send or bring to your loved ones for Easter, this article will help you make a decision by giving you the top 10 gift ideas for Easter time. Easter celebrates the coming of spring and new life awakening everywhere in nature. For this reason, flowers and plants are a natural gift choice and luckily they are easy to buy from your local florist. Flowers and plants will bring a smile to your loved ones and will bring spring inside their home. While many Easter gifts would be appreciated, there are some traditional Easter gifts that are more appropriate than other. As you are debating what to send, keep in mind that some floral gifts last a lot longer than others so if that is important to you, keep that in mind. Other Easter gifts such as treat and fruit baskets are perfect to give to families or couples but if you are gifting someone single, a large gourmet basket would probably go to waste. The most common traditional Easter gift is the Easter lily. This beautiful potted lily features 5-11 trumpet shaped white lilies per stem. They symbolize purity, virtue, innocence, hope and new life and so, they are the bloom of choice for Easter gift giving. These lilies do have a fairly strong odor which is pleasant to most people. The yellow or orange stamens in the center of the flower should be removed when possible since these can stain and the flower will also last longer if these are removed. Top 10 Easter Floral Ideas Potted Easter Lily Bouquet of Mixed Spring Flowers Wrapped: Perfect for those who like arranging their own flowers. Also less expensive. Bouquet of Mixed Spring Flowers In A Vase: Ideal gift for most since it is all ready to display. An assortment of spring flowers might feature these blooms: tulips, daffodils, iris, pussy willow, daisies and lilies. Potted Hydrangea: This is another gorgeous spring potted plant. Hydrangea comes in pink, blue, purple and white. It symbolizes love, gratitude and enlightenment. Tulips Arranged in a Vase: The tulip is the quintessential flower of spring.They represent elegance and grace. Although tulips are beautiful, they are not long lasting. If they are stored in a fridge at night, it will increase their life expectancy. Tulips also bend towards the light. Mixed basket of bulbs: A mixed basket of bulbs holds many surprises and delights for those with a green thumb. Buy these with only a few blooms open and lots of buds remaining. A basket of bulbs may contain some of these blooms: crocus, tulips, iris, muscari, hyacinth and daffodils. Easter Balloon Bouquet: Perfect for the select few who don't like flowers or who are allergic to flowers. Also ideal for children and children at heart. Fruit & Treat Basket: Great for families who can share the fruit and treats. Chocolate Basket: Perfect for adults who will not be getting chocolate eggs from the Easter bunny. Fruit & Gourmet Basket: Ideal gift to send to an office or a group of grown ups. Often features cheese, crackers, apples, oranges, bananas, chocolate, cookies and jelly beans. If you are located in Timmins, Ontario and would like to send Easter flowers to your loved ones, call The Love Bug flowers at 705-365-7653. You can also visit: The Love Bug website to pick your gifts and to order online.

How And Why You Can Order The Best Quality Flowers For Your Wedding Via Your Local Florist

By Sophia Rodriguez

If you plan to make your own flowers for your wedding, you are going to want to know how to order the best quality flowers for your wedding.

You could do this through your local florist. This would be my recommended option for many reasons: peace of mind, freshness, variety and quality being at the top of the list. If you want to be sure to have the very best quality flowers for the best price, the best way is to pre-book your order with your local florist. Three months before the wedding is usually good but you can ask your florist for their preference.

Florist quality flowers are bred to be super hardy and at their prime. For comparison's sake let's take a look at the common daisy. A wild daisy is beautiful and very hardy in its own environment (the great outdoors). However, when you cut an outdoor daisy and bring it in, it will only last a couple days at best, sometimes just a few hours. The stem will be weak, not stand up straight and you will have a hard time using it in an arrangement or a bouquet where you have to stick it in floral foam without using wooden picks on every single stem. A florist daisy is strong, very hardy and, with proper care, can last up to 4 weeks! They are so much easier to work with, reliable and arrive at their peak. Plus, by ordering from your local florist, you can give her/him your exact list of what you need and be assured that you will obtain it all on a specific date.

When ordering through your local florist, make sure to let them know it's for your wedding or special event. Even though some say florists will charge you more for blooms if they know it's for a wedding, in my experience, when I know the flowers are for a wedding, I make sure to alert my supplier. The suppliers keep the prettiest blooms for weddings.

Tell your florist that you are making your own flowers and specify on what date you will need them. Some florists will try to discourage you from making your own and try to convince you to get them made by them but if you have your list ready, are very organized and confident, they will see you are serious, know what you are doing and will be glad to sell you the best possible blooms for your event, especially if you order well ahead of time.

With preparation, organization and an easy to follow how to guide, nothing can stop you and you will do fine. Many overworked florists will actually appreciate your initiative and will help you as best as they can. Of course, most florists will be glad to answer a few questions but the least trouble you are to them, the better deal they will give you.

Make sure to ask for the best possible price. Sometimes buying in full bunches, all in one color will save you lots of money. Roses come in bunches of 20-25. Daisies come in bunches of 5 but you have about 5 flower heads on each stem. Sunflowers are in bunches of 5; gerberas 10's; callas, 3's. Most other flowers come in bunches of 10's. As for baby's breath, a bunch has a lot of individual flower heads.

For a typical wedding (unless you are doing all your centerpieces with baby's breath), a bunch is more than you will need with extras for hair accents. Foliage such as leather fern come in bunches of 10-20 and tree fern (tikki), bunches of 10.

If you want to save lots by making your own flowers, make sure you do it right! Follow along with this excellent how to guide: Unleash Your Inner Florist
Written by a florist for the average creative woman: How To Make Wedding flowers
http://www.howtoweddingflowers.com
http://www.howtoweddingflowers.com

So Many Flowers! Which Should I Pick For My Wedding?

by Sophia Rodriguez

Do you get the feeling that there are so many flowers and so little time? Do you want to know which flowers you should choose for your wedding? To tell you the truth as a wedding florist, if you want your flowers to look modern, look fresh and stay alive from the beginning to the very end of your wedding day, there are not that many flower types to choose from.
However there is still a rich variety of possibilities from within these beautiful blooms.

Which look will you go for? First of all, you must ask yourself what type of person you are. Are you a country girl who loves the wildflowers look? Are you a classy lady who wants a distinguished look? Or do you want a totally traditional wedding including traditional bouquets and arrangements? Finally, are you a creative lady who loves color and loves to make a statement. If so, you will want a bouquet that really stands out.

Let me give you some possibilities of long lasting and beautiful flowers per personality type.

Country Girl

Daisies and poms. These come in many natural colors and many dyed colors. You will want to stay away from the dyed varieties unless you are using in a centerpiece since these can definitely stain white dresses! From daisies to spider mums to flat mums and button poms, these long lasting beauties come in natural white, cream, yellow, orange, pink, purple, lilac, brown and burgundy.

Other country type flowers ideal to include are larkspur, delphinium, hydrangeas, alstromeria lilies, any type of lily, gerberas, solidago as a filler along with all types of caspia, baby`s breath and statice. Sunflowers are perfect for country type weddings as well as roses of course. Ranunculus, lisianthus, freesias, stock, peonies, tulips...there are many flowers in the country style that would be perfect for the country bride, however it will depend on what time of year you are getting married in.

Classy Girl

Orchids are ideal for the classy girl. From Phalaenopsis Orchids to Cymbidium Orchids, dendrobium and vanda orchids, you can`t get much classier than an orchid. Base your theme around these and you have a definite winning flower on your side. These come in white, cream, pink, purple,yellow, red, orange and so you are sure to find one to match your theme.

Other classy flowers include roses, casablanca lilies, lisianthus is classy as well as the calla lily, one of the classiest flowers of them all. Available in many colors, this stunning flower will set the tone for your entire wedding.

Traditional Girl

Traditional blooms are hard to beat for a winning floral theme at a wedding. Roses are the most traditional of them all, the red rose symbolizing love is the utimate in romance. Combined with stephanotis and ivy, this could very well be the most traditional suited flower combination.

Other traditional blooms recommended for use in wedding bouquets include lilies, orchids and lisianthus plus mums and daisies will round out the list of traditional blooms.

Creative Girl

The creative girl will probably want to use colorful and tropical flowers to make her wedding flowers stand out, be noticed and appreciated. Orchids and roses top the list since they are available in all colors and can easily creative a bold statement. Try a mix of hot pink, lime green and pumpkin orange roses to turn heads. Other possibilities include pincushion proteas, other proteas, heliconium, ginger, birds of paradise and anthuriums. Some of these are too big for wedding bouquets but perfect for bold centerpieces and head table or church ceremony backdrop bouquets. And with all these types, don`t forget to pay attention to the greens you choose. A variety of foliage can create texture, add depth and add that organic look to any wedding bouquet.

Do you want the challenge and honor of making your own wedding flowers? Not sure if you can handle it? You can with the help and guidance of this book. If you want complete and inexpensive instructions on how to make your wedding flowers, get my book called Unleash Your Inner Florist. It will guide you every step of the way and make it look like a professional florist made your flowers. http://www.howtoweddingflowers.com
And if you are in Timmins, Ontario, contact http://www.thelovebug.ca