Flower Tips

TO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR CUT FLOWERS

If you want extra kms out of your flowers invest in making your own flower food.

Flower Food Recipe

• 5 litres of filtered water
• 25 mls of White Vinegar
• 25 mls of Bleach
• 10 teaspoons of white sugar

BIRTH FLOWERS

THE COLORS OF FLOWERS

There are many different colour traditions and these can be affected by culture, function, application, etc. The following is a general rule of thumb in regard to choosing the right coloured flowers to portray the correct sentiment.

You can base your colour choice on traditional associations or scientific choices.

• Red roses mean romantic love.
• Purple roses signify that the giver has fallen in love with the recipient at first sight.
• Coral and orange roses signal desire.
• Yellow roses are joy and friendship.
• Pink roses express our gratitude and appreciation.
• Light pink roses show feelings of admiration and sympathy.
• Peach is more indefinite, as it can signify either sympathy or gratitude.
• White roses show meaning of reverence and humility

FRAGRANT FLOWERS

Seasonal fragrant Flowers (Just to name a few). The most fragrant season of the year is autumn.

WINTER
Lavender, Gardenia, Daphne, Hyacinth, Carnation, Stock, Sweet Pea,
Rose, Jonquils, Paper whites, Lily of the Valley, Casablanca and Oriental Lily and Tuber rose.

SPRING
Freesia, Lilac, Grape Hyacinth, Rose, Stock, Carnation, Lily of the Valley,
Lavender, Sweet Pea, Casablanca and Oriental Lily, Gardenia and Peonies.

SUMMER
Frangipani, Stephanotis, Rose, Bouvardia, Casablanca and Oriental Lily, Carnation,
Tuberose and Belladonna Lily.

AUTUMN
Lavender, Carnation, Gardenia, Rose, Stephanotis, Frangipani, Tuberose, Bouvardia, Jonquil, Paper whites, Hyacinth, Sweet pea, Stock, Casablanca and Oriental Lily.

P.S: Blend two, three or four plant materials from the list.

The recommended fragrances this winter season is:

• The Lily of the Valley in the bedroom.
• Lavender in the bathroom
• Tuberose and Oriental Lily’s in the dining room.

Happy Aroma. Enjoy!

EXTRA FLORAL TIPS

• To remove stamen out of your loved clothes or presious linen (cotton only). It is advised to spray hairspray, and leave to settle over night, before adding it to the wash, hot water with nappy san.
• Plant material that bleed a milky sap, for example, Frangipani. To stop bleeding. Place a naked flame over the wound, until the wound, blacks over, then place into water.
• Warm water travels alot faster into the plant material stem, than cold water.
• To prevent the accerlation of your plant material aging. It is advised to remove any infected plant material amongst uninfected plant material.
• Infected plant materials, release an odurless gas, similar to human gas which is very fragnant.
  This odurless gas is called the silent and very deadly, ethylene gas.
  Other than downing sizing your floral arrangement to prevent ethylene gas, riping fruit also contains the deadly gas. Keep your creations away from riping in fruit sitting in your fruit bowl.
• Before arranging your flowers give them a good long drink in deep water to firm up the stems and help them last longer. Flowers will absorb at least half the water they need in the first 24 hours.
• Remember, woody stems, such as natives are thirsty drinkers, so make sure there is enough water to accommodate their needs.
• If your using Carnations or Hydrangea, cut them just above a leaf nodule.
• Leave daffodils, Paper Whites, Jonquils just to name a few, in separate buckets of water overnight to remove excess sap before arranging.
• It is advised and preferred to use tepid water in which to arrange your flowers because oxygen travel faster in warm water than its opposition cold water in the stem of the flower.
• Long lasting flowers are, Chrysanthemums, Carnations, Calla lilies, Orchids, Kale, and Natives just to name a few
• Short-lived flowers are, Daffodils, Dahlia’s, Sweet pea, Anemones and Poppies just to name a few.
• Some cut flowers such as Sunflowers, Gerbera’s and love-lies-bleeding, require the ‘Jaws of Life’ meaning scolding briefly their stems into boiling water before arranging.
• The acidity in tulips can cut short the life of other blooms in a mixed arrangement.
• Remove stamens in all Lilies to prevent their pollen staining. By removing the stamens your extending the life span of your lilies.
• Scented flowers release their perfume much better in a warm room rather a cold one.
• Spray hairspray on your pollen affected (cotton) linen or (cotton) garments. Leave overnight to settle and then wash in hot water.
• Shave the legs and slip on the heels and make sure there are no leaves below the water line, to prevent a concert of bacteria breeding.