Florist News

hi gringo can u tell me if there is a very dark red peonie something like grand prixx rose colour that opens very full but without the yellow centre, someone want a deep red bridal boquet with a country look.

Anyone know if majestic red callas are available in early March?

Hi Elouise, Do you sell many hydrangeas? They're one of my favourites and i get them in now and again but they don't sell that well. Do you mix them into bouquets etc?

hi alice, i use them in a few things.

yesterday i had a coffin spray so used them through the centre but mostly i use them in handtieds, only usually one, or two if they are small, but i do the handtied grouped and curl some aspidistra leaves over to seperate the groups, also in modern arrangements in ceramic pots.

I started off when i bought my shop last oct with mostly the usual suspects, xanths, cars, lillies, and only had a couple of vases of exotics, (anthuriums etc) but now i have introduced more and more exotics and different stuff and the customers love it.

i now buy a minimum of 3 boxes of anth, also heliconias, and other exotics a week, but i make a feature of them, they are put with the exotic foliages, they are not with the usual stuff so people notice them more and see how lovely they are.

You put them next to a carnation and a lot of people will look at them and go eeerrr whats that because they are so different from each other , but on their own they look and go "havent you got some lovely things"

Its trial and error really.

Its funny, when I opened I did an absolute roaring trade in Strelitzias and Heleconias but then they just didn't want them any more. Think its the novelty factor, I'll wheel some out again in the next few weeks I think. Anthuriums always do well too. I keep any xanths and carns out the back (snob) But I do like packed carns in a nice container. Always sell those too.

True but if you don't order the exotics for a few weeks and then bring them in again they seem to start to buy again

Hi Gringo can you give me any advise on phalanopsis orchids we need white one for a bridal bq just general info like do the white ones tend to bruise easily and which is best way to keep them looking nice and fresh Many thanks carol

I know I'm not gringo however I did recently learn that when you condition the orchids to put the whole thing into tepid water overnight and it really plumps up the orchids and makes them look fab. Beware, it only works with good quality ones though - if you've got less than perfect it will show up the flaws pretty quickly.

Hi Leila thanks for that but do you mean submerge the whole stem or just the stem ends confused now

Yes the whole stem, flowers and all. I must admit when I was told this I really didn't believe it and the first time I tried it I only did it with one of the stems as I was a bit worried, but I do it all the time now without hesitation.