Flower Care Blog : Advice from Florists

Five Great Tips to Growing Your Own Fresh Flowers This Summer

Vogue Flowers — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:41:32 +0000

When it comes to great summer flowers, just about anybody can go to the store and buy some that are ready to be displayed in their house, but there’s a certain satisfaction that comes from planting and raising your own flowers for the summer season. Here are a handful of tips to keep in mind when planting your own summer flowers this season.

Prepare the Soil

Take the time well ahead of when you plan to plant the seeds to really prepare the soil you’re going to use. Make sure to dig about six inches deep and give the soil a good turning over, and then be sure to add fertilizer, mulch, or compost to really get the nutrients into the soil that your flowers are going to want.

Doing this ahead of time ensures that when you are ready to plant you don’t have to worry about the soil not being ready, or having to spend extra hours preparing it and then planting your flowers. A little preparation can save you a huge amount of time later.

Plant by Size

If you’re planting your flowers against a wall, make sure to plant the taller ones (like sunflowers) back against the wall, with the smaller ones further away from the wall. If you’re planting your garden in the middle of an open space, you’ll want to plant the taller ones in the center, with the smaller ones radiating out from there.

These two configurations allow for all of the plants to get enough sunlight without having to compete with each other and insures that all of your flowers will be visible to both you and anybody else that might be enjoying your garden.

Plant Plenty

To help compensate for losses to insects and birds, plant the seeds closer than recommended on the package, as well as planting more than you expect to grow. Weather, wildlife, and any variety of other causes can leave you with far fewer plants than you put into the ground, and planting extra means you don’t have to worry about a sparse garden when everything blooms.

Be Colorful!

With so many summer flowers out there – sunflowers, petunias, marigolds, and cosmos just to name a few – there’s no reason that your summer garden should be anything less than a bright spot of color for your home. Don’t limit yourself to one type of flower or one color scheme, mix and match and brighten up your garden, lawn, or backyard with bright and colorful summer flowers that are sure to be a pleasure for you and your family to enjoy all season long.

Have Fun

The most important part of planting your garden this summer season is to make sure you have fun with it. Plant lots of flowers, plant more than one garden, get your family involved, get your neighbors involved, plant in patters – whatever you want to do to make sure that your flowers are something that you enjoy from the moment you start turning the soil to when you sit back and watch them bloom.

About the Author

Finding The Perfect Flowers For Mother’s Day

Vogue Flowers — Wed, 14 May 2008 17:44:12 +0000

On Mother’s Day, sending flowers is one of the best ways to show your love to all the special mothers in your life. Sorting through the endless array of flowers to match the endless array of personalities your mothers possess makes finding the perfect flowers quite a challenge. From the multitude of colors, meanings, and smells each flower conveys, your mission to make sure your mothers get just the right arrangement can become overwhelming. Hopefully, the following guide can help you sort through the petals to find an arrangement that sends the exact meaning you want to convey this Mother’s Day.
The Messages Hidden in a Flower’s Color
As most people may know, different flowers have different meanings. Pink carnations are acknowledged as the traditional flower for Mother’s Day because they symbolize sweetness, purity and endurance. Red flowers are known to represent life and love, hence red roses for Valentine’s Day. White flowers with their sweet fragrance are regarded as the flowers for those who miss their mothers either because of death, or because of distance.

The flowers that you choose for your mother should express the love and respect that you have for her. Some examples of flowers that could be given to mom on Mother’s Day are mixed or white lilies, white daisies, gerbera daisies, orchids, and roses. Roses are always very popular flowers to give. And if you decide on roses, the appropriate colors are pink, white, yellow, or orange.

Creativity in the Floral Arrangement

You always have the choice of sending something traditional or getting very creative when choosing your flowers. For example, you can choose to send mom her favorite flower, or select a beautiful array of colors that are sure to make her smile. And if you don’t know what your mother’s favorite flowers are, well now’s the time to get to know mom a little better, now isn’t it?

Look around at her décor and see what matches perfectly with other items in the room. Are there salient shades that the perfect bouquet can bring out even more? Is there a color scheme that she seems to follow? An arrangement that complements the scheme is sure to please her, and let her know that you do notice the “little” things. The delight is in the details when you use your creativity this Mother’s Day.

Choosing the perfect Mother’s Day Flowers may seem like takes a lot of thought, but the simplicity of it all lies in the fact that no matter whether you send roses, carnations, or tulips, she’s going to be pleased. The look in her eyes as she leans her head in to smell the beautiful freshly cut flowers will tell you that everything you did to make the day perfect for mom was well worth it.

Flowers are always a sign of love and respect, and they have the power to bring a smile to every woman’s face. It is a gift that you can bring to mom yourself or it can be delivered by the flower shop that you purchase them from. So whether she is down the street and around the corner or at the other end of the country, you can always give flowers for Mother’s Day or any day you want her to feel extra special.

About the Author
Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been delivering Mother’s Day Flowers for more than 22 years. Vogue Flowers has long been the Richmond florist of choice with a large selection of quality flowers. Visit them online at http://www.vogueflowers.com .

Free Flower Graphics

Vogue Flowers — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 14:02:13 +0000

Here at Vogue Flowers, we’ve added a new page featuring free flower graphics that are great for anybody looking to comment on a photo that they like with more than just words. Featuring more than a dozen graphics to choose from, our graphics are easy to use.
To add one of our graphics to your comments, simply cut and paste the code beneath the graphic you like into a comment box and you’re done. It’s that simple. Now you can comment on sites like Facebook, Myspace, Flickr and Photobucket by using the free flower graphics that we’ve provided right here on our site. Whether you’re commenting on a picture of flowers or something else, we’ve got a graphic for you.

About Vogue
Vogue Flowers is a leading provider of flowers for those looking to buy flowers online or send roses to that special someone. Check out our selection of fresh flowers and we’re sure you’ll find exactly what you’re looking for.

A Rose By Any Other Name

Ellen — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 19:20:34 +0000

A rose is a rose, is a rose, but different roses mean different things. This week for Valentines day make sure your roses mean what you want them to. The traditional Valentine red rose is the symbol of LOVE of course. Here is a list, from the flowers experts at Vogue Flowers in Richmond Virginia, of the colors and their meanings:

White : innocence

Yellow: friendship

Coral: Messenger of love

Peach: modesty

Pink: grace

Orange: fascination

Red: love

Whatever color you decide to send you cannot go wrong with beautiful fresh flowers and roses for Valentines Day or any Day of the year from Vogue Flowers, your Online Florist.

Vogue Flowers Offers Discount to Voters

Vogue Flowers — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 16:14:06 +0000

Fresh Flower company will give $5 off to Virginia Primary voters

Richmond, VA – January 23, 2008 – Vogue Flowers, a leading provider of fresh flowers, flower arrangements, and roses, today announced their intention to give $5 off of all cash and carry and delivery orders to all voters in Virginia’s Presidential primary being held on February 12, 2008. Vogue Flowers can be found online at: http://www.vogueflowers.com .

While many Virginia citizens will be turning out to vote in the primary, Vogue Flowers has decided to reward those that take part in their countries democratic process with a discount just in time for Valentine’s Day. Vogue Flowers hopes that their discount will not only encourage voters to turn out and take the next step in electing the next President of the United States, but that they’ll also impress that special somebody in their life with fresh flowers on the most romantic day of the year.

“We [Vogue Flowers] couldn’t be happier to offer this discount for those looking to buy flowers for Valentine’s Day,” Steve Papoulakos, President of Vogue Flowers said. “It is our hope that this will encourage more people to go to the polls and vote and then come to Vogue Flowers for their Valentine’s Day flowers.”

To receive the discount on fresh flowers from Vogue Flowers, voters must go to one of Vogue Flowers many locations in the Richmond area and show proof that they have voted by means of the “I Voted” sticker. The discount will be applied in the store only, and isn’t available for phone orders or online purchases from their website.

For over 20 years, Vogue Flowers has been showing their passion for fresh flowers in the Richmond area. A leading online florist, Vogue Flowers takes pride in their ability to offer the best prices and selection on all of the most popular flowers, both in their stores and on their website.

Contact
Steve Papoulakos
http://www.vogueflowers.com
800-923-1010

Press Contact
George R Perry
SEO Services Company

Holiday Decorating with Fresh Greens & Berries

Vogue Flowers — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 20:37:49 +0000

Fresh Greens & Berries From our Farm In Hanover County Decorate for the Holidays

December brings many opportunities for the use of fresh products from the farm. At Vogue Flowers we are committed to bringing our customers the freshest, highest quality products for holiday decorating. We are currently cutting gorgeous red berries called Ilex Verticilata, lush green holly, cedar, white pine and corkscrew willow clippings.

All of these fresh flowers and greens from the farm can be used alone or together with our fresh flowers to create holiday wreaths & arrangements that are unsurpassed in beauty and longevity. These Christmas & Holiday arrangements are available locally for our customers in the Richmond, Virginia vicinity or anywhere in the US through our nationwide flower delivery program. We are available to deliver 7 days a week!

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Thanks for reading our Flower Care Blog and visit VogueFlowers.com when you send flowers.

How To Grow Your Own Sunflowers

Vogue Flowers — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:50:29 +0000

Few things bring to mind an American Fall season quite like Sunflowers…well, maybe pumpkins, but we’re going with Sunflowers on this one. A native plant to America, the Sunflower (Helianthus annus) is an annually blooming plant and can grow to be over 3 meters tall. The Sunflower is well known for exhibiting heliotropism, or following the path of the sun throughout the day from east to west. While there are certainly a number of ways to go about getting Sunflowers to decorate with this Fall season, here are some thoughts on what to keep in mind in case you’ve decided that you want to grow your own.

Plan Ahead to Plant Sunflowers Early
If you want to grow your own Sunflowers than you had better plan ahead and plan to plant in early Spring. Getting the seeds into the ground by between March and August, with mid-May being an ideal time, is the best way to go to ensure that you get maximum return on the seeds that you plan. Also, make sure you test the soil where you’ll be planting well ahead to make sure that there’s not too much Nitrogen in the soil, but that there is a good amount of Potassium and Phosphorus.

Give Yourself Enough Space
Growing Sunflowers can take up some space, so make sure that you have enough space devoted to the amount of plants that you will be growing. You’ll want to plant each seed roughly 1 to 2 inches deep into moist soil, spacing the seeds 12 inches apart in rows that are spaced between 2 and 2 ½ feet apart. If you’re planning on growing a larger varietal of Sunflower than you may want to give yourself even more space to allow for the added size.

Managing the Plants
Your Sunflowers plant should mature in roughly 60 to 90 days at which point they will need to be cut daily. The best time to cut your Sunflower plants is in either the early morning or late afternoon. Once you’ve cut your Sunflowers you’ll want to immerse them in clean buckets filled with water and a solution of Quick Dip to open their pores. Refrigerating them within a few hours of cutting ensures that they will last long once they are put on display.

Ready by Fall
Depending on when you plant your Sunflowers they can be ready to be cut anywhere from September and into October. You can display your Sunflowers in any number of ways, to having them be the center of a large display to using them as a way to add color and vibrancy to an existing floral arrangement. If properly managed and prepared before being put into an arrangement, your Sunflowers can maintain their fresh flowers appearance for upwards of two weeks.

Just in Case
Ok, so you can see that it’s not really that hard to grow your own beautiful Sunflowers for your Fall floral arrangements, but what if you don’t have the time, or the green thumb, to grow your own Sunflowers. Well there are number of places that will offer fresh flowers this time of year, chief amongst them being Sunflowers. While there is certainly a certain satisfaction in growing your own flowers, if you don’t have the time or space to do so, there’s certainly nothing wrong with deciding to buy flowers from your local florist and having them include some fresh Sunflowers for you.

About the Author
Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been in the floral industry for over 22 years, offering fresh flowers and flowers online for those looking for quality and experience.

Funeral / Sympathy Flowers

Vogue Flowers — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:46:50 +0000

Selecting funeral flowers does not have to be difficult task. But you do not want to pick just any arrangement. A vase arrangement is a great choice but you may want to check with the funeral home or cemetery to make sure they accept glass containers. You are paying your last tribute to this person and as such you should put a lot of thought into what you choose. You want to make sure it reflects the personality of the person you wish to honor. If you have any questions or concerns, ask your florist for recommendations. They will answer any questions you may have about what type of an arrangement is appropriate. They may even know what types of flowers that others have ordered, including the family.

Sympathy flowers do not have to be sent to the funeral home. It is perfectly fine to send them to the family’s home and it may even give your gift more of a personal feel. You can send the flowers immediately or wait a week or two. They are meant to show your deep sympathy and no matter when they arrive, the family will know you are thinking of them.

Sending funeral flowers as a group, gives you more of a selection and funding to select something that is large and beautiful. The arrangements will obviously be more showy. To make it easier, you may want to choose one person to make the selection and make sure the enclosure card has enough room for everyone who has contributed, to have their name included.

Casket tributes are traditionally placed by close loved ones or family members of the deceased. If you would like to be a part of it, contact the family members and ask if you may honor the deceased by contributing to the casket tribute.

If there is no casket, you should still send funeral flowers. Many people are confused about proper flower etiquette when it comes to cremation. Just because there is no body, does not mean you should not send flowers. Sending flowers is an expression of your sympathy to the family of the deceased and your thoughtfulness will make any type of service beautiful.

Interior Plantscaping - Bringing Life to Your Office

Vogue Flowers — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 18:51:41 +0000

More and more, companies today are looking for ways to add a unique touch to their lobbies, boardrooms, and offices without having to spend huge amounts of money on reproductions of works or art of specially commissioned pieces. In answer to the growing demand for an affordable option for enhancing the look of their offices, more and more companies are turning to Interior Plantscaping.

Interior Plantscaping involves a florist coming to the offices of the company and strategically placing plants and flowers in a manner that is both pleasing to the eye and reflective of the company. In addition to the aesthetic value of having plants and flowers regularly brought into offices, it has been shown that Interior Plantscaping can help to reduce stress in occupants of the room or building and can cut down on distractions at work, resulting in an increase in productivity.

While Interior Plantscaping can be used to create a desired look or image, it can also be used to help improve the quality of air in a given location. By working with a florist, many business, hospitals, and even homes are beginning to bring in plants and flowers that are both fragrant and effective at converting common air pollutants into oxygen, improving the quality of the air breathed by the occupants of the buildings they inhabit.

Steve Papoulakos of Vogue Flowers in Richmond, Virginia was quoted as saying: “We’ve been doing this [Interior Plantscaping] for a while now, and our clients have been nothing but happy. We’ve helped to improve the look and feel of offices here in the Richmond area, and all of our clients have been extremely happy with the results. This is the next big thing in home and office décor.”

With nearly limitless options for decorating offices, finding the right professional is the most important part of getting the most out of your Interior Plantscaping. Checking with your local florist is certainly the biggest step, as many of them can give you advice on whom to speak with or even do the work themselves. Having a good idea of what you do and don’t want done, and which areas you’re interested in having work done in is also a good idea to have before you make a decision on having the work done. Finding somebody that will give you a free estimate and various options is also a good direction to take.

With the ability to contribute to your company’s image in a positive fashion, there’s no reason not to make Interior Plantscaping a part of your company’s office décor. Whether it’s an enhancement to an already existing motif or a fresh start, Interior Plantscaping is the new way to enhance the look and feel of your lobby, office, boardroom, or living room.

About the Author

Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been in the floral industry for over 22 years, offering fresh flower delivery and interior plantscaping for those looking for quality and experience.

Wedding Flowers: What to Consider When Planning Your Wedding

Vogue Flowers — Thu, 05 Jul 2007 13:23:59 +0000

Amidst dresses, tuxedos, guest lists, invitations, receptions, and locations for the actual ceremony, choosing the right wedding flowers can be one of the most important decisions. With a little work, and the help of a good wedding florist, it’s easy to get flowers that will be both memorable and reflect the personality of those in the wedding.

While the process of selecting flowers can seem a bit overwhelming, if you keep a few things in mind it can help to save you time and, more importantly, money.

Keep the date in mind

Keeping the date of your wedding in mind is key to selecting your flowers. This goes beyond the growing trend of weddings being on a Friday or Sunday as opposed to Saturday.

Spring and summer are ideal for using flowers like orchids, hydrangeas, roses, and lilies, while autumn and winter are better suited to roses, lilies, narcissus, gardenia, mums and poinsettias .Just remember, you won’t be able to find all the flowers you want year round.

Set your budget early

Figure out your budget, be upfront with your florist, and from there you can figure out what flowers you like the most and what is available during the time of the year you’re getting married.

Don’t wait until the last minute to order your flowers. It is usually a good idea to schedule a consultation about 6 to 8 months in advance. By this time you will have a good idea of how many people will be attending, who will be in the bridal party, what they will be wearing and where the ceremony and reception are being held. Ordering well ahead will ensure that you get what you want, and can often save you money.

Match your colors

“White is always most popular for brides. I don’t think there’s one color that’s more popular than the others for the bridesmaids.” Sharon Mayer of Vogue Flowers in Richmond, Virginia said when asked about the current trends in flower colors.

Blues, reds, oranges, yellows, and purples are gaining popularity for bouquets, centerpieces, corsages, and boutonnières. Picking out the right color really depends on the themes and colors you’ve picked out for your invitations, cake, etc. and whether you want to match the dominant color or accent it with something else. A few color swatches and a visit to your florist can help you to decide which you prefer.

Location is important

When picking the flowers that are right for your wedding, it’s a good idea to keep in mind where the wedding will be held. If the wedding is going to be outside, floral arches, columns, blooming plants and garden flowers are a great way to add a nice touch to the wedding. Beach weddings can be enhanced by simple flowers with bright colors or exotic and unique flowers that really complement the beach setting.

Pick the type that’s right for you

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but that doesn’t mean you have to use roses for your wedding any more. Orchids, tulips, hydrangeas, daffodils, and even more exotic and unique flowers are making their way into weddings everywhere. With a variety of colors and shapes, orchids have quickly become a highly popular flower for everything from centerpieces and bridal bouquets to the corsages and boutonnieres. Using a unique flower is an easy and often affordable way to put your own stamp on your wedding, as well as match the setting that you’ve chosen for your special day. There’s nothing wrong with trading out the white rose for a purple orchid if it matches your wedding better.

It’s ok to ask for help

The best way to get the flower arrangements that are best for you is to work with a qualified wedding florist. They’ll be able to let you know about the current trends, what’s available during what time of the year, and help you order far enough in advance so that you can get the flowers that you want at a far more reasonable price. Make your special day a bit more memorable with flowers that will stand out and add a personal touch to your wedding.

About the Author

Steve Papoulakos is the president of Vogue Flowers and has been in the floral industry for over 22 years. Vogue Flowers is a locally owned and operated company in Richmond, Virginia. We have been the Richmond wedding florist of choice, with a large selection of quality flowers and incomparable floral designs at incredible prices. Our superior customer service and expertise will make your wedding day free of problems at least with the flower part.