Product Description Delicate blooms adorn fresh green stems (replete with thorns!), giving these beauties an authentic look that will have you stopping to smell them time and time again (for added effect, go ahead and scent them!)… More >>
Real Touch roses look and feel as if they were real. Arranging them in a clear vase can create a lasting impression that will be admired all year long. Dana Plazyk of www.flowers-by-design.com shows you some simple steps to arrange these natural touch flowers in clear vases to showcase their beauty to their fullest. For a list of natural touch roses used, go to http
As many of us know Valentine’s Day is considered as a special day for lovers. On this day lovers usually give various gifts to express their feelings. The most well known gifts for Valentine’s Day includes chocolates and flowers. While roses are thought of as being one of the Valentine flowers there are others that you can choose.
The other Valentine flowers include carnations, iris, tulips, lilies, daffodils and even daisies. The reason why some people will choose carnations to give as Valentine flowers is because of their rich, heady and spicy scent. The smell of cloves and the many dainty petals of the carnation all seem to convey the idea that these beautiful flowers are ideal to have as a symbol of love.
The Iris is also chosen as one of the many Valentine flowers. Its long stems open to show graceful and colorful flowers. You can place these flowers next to some fragrant baby’s breath flowers to frame the spectacular coloring of the iris flowers.
Of course even with these different flowers many people still prefer sending red roses as Valentine flowers. Red roses are considered to be the symbol of true love and many women love the idea of being presented with a bouquet of long stemmed (no thorns) red roses.
Red roses are not the only roses that are sent for Valentine’s Day. In fact you could send a bouquet of white, pink and red roses as a Valentine flower gift. Roses are sent not just because they are the symbol of true love but also because they have a gorgeous scent as well.
For the person who wants to give different flowers for Valentine’s Day tulips are the ideal choice. These graceful cup shaped flowers come in many beautiful shades so that even a few of these flowers mixed in with other flowers like carnations and daffodils will definite show how you feel.
Besides sending real flowers for Valentine’s Day you can select silk Valentine flowers instead. These flowers have the advantage of looking real without causing you or anyone else allergies.
As a result there are people who buy silk Valentine flowers when they want the flowers to last for a time. In addition to sending silk flowers your Valentine flowers can be in the form of scented and shaped candles.
The next time that you are looking to buy Valentine flowers you should see the many different flowers like daffodils, carnations, iris, tulips, daisies and even lilies that you can buy for that special Valentine bouquet. These flowers, candles, silk flowers and chocolates that are bought for Valentine’s Day are all reminders of what this special day means for lovers.
Before planting, the plants must be prepared. The following
suggestions will help insure that your roses grow into healthy
bushes, trees, etc.:
1.Your new roses have probably dried out during shipping or
storage, therefore before planting, either bury the roots in wet
saw dust or peat moss for several days or soak them overnight in
water. Keep the roots wet when planting, do not let them dry out.
2.Prune damaged and broken roots.
3.Prune main roots just enough to reveal white healthy tissue.
This will help more roots grow.
4.Prune the plant back to three or four healthy canes. Try to
keep the center of the plant empty. Prune the healthy canes back
to about six (6) inches using sharp pruning shears. Keep the
cutting blade on the lower side. Cut at a 45 to 60 degree angle.
Cut about one fourth inch above an outside bud union.
5.In order to prevent infection, treat the cuts with some type
of sealent or sealing paint.
6.Make sure that you have removed any suckers that may have
started growing during shipping or storage.
The following should be taken into consideration when selecting
where to plant your roses.:
1.Roses are susceptible to mildew and funguses, therefore plant
where there is good air movement in order to help the foliage
stay dry.
2.Plant where the bushes will get at least six hours of sun a
day with as much morning sun as possible.
3.Try to plant away from large trees and shrubs as they will
compete for food, moisture and sunlight.
4.Find an area with soil that drains well or add gravel or
cinder below the prepared soil. Poor drainage may cause root rot.
5.Try not to plant on a steep slope. Soil erosion can cause the
root structure to become exposed.
6.Plant the bushes at least two feet apart, two and one half
feet is better.
Digging and preparing the hole.:
1.Dig your hole twelve to sixteen inches deep and fifteen to
seventeen inches wide.
2.Work compost or planters soil (not potting soil) into the
loose dirt.
3.Make a cone of the prepared soil in the center of the hole in
order to support the spread out roots and to hold the bush at
the proper height. In cold winter areas the bud or graft union
should be between one and two inches below the soil level. In
mild climates the union should be an inch or so above the soil
level. Planting the union below soil level helps protect from
the cold and planting the union above soil level makes it easier
to detect and remove suckers.
4.Place the plant over the cone, spreading the roots and then
fill the hole with soil mix untill it is about two thirds full.
Now fill the hole with water, let it soak in and then fill with
water again.
5.After the second fill with water has soaked in fill the hole
to the proper level with the remaining prepared soil. Now gently
firm the soil around the plant.
After planting the roses it helps to add an organic mulch.:
1.Organic mulches can help rebuild the humus content of the
soil, retain soil moisture, encorage root growth, controll
weeds, prevent soil crusting and erosion, help even out soil
temperature, add helpful bacteria, etc..
2.There are numerous types of organic mulch, such as bark,
pecan hulls, peat moss and buckwheat hulls.
3.Contrary to old beliefs, mulch can and should be left on all
year long.
For more information on what to look for when buying
roses see http://www.nationalrealtorsdirectory.com/planbe
forebuyingrosesarticle.html
Drying roses with this method is fairly easy, and they turn out beautiful. Mine usually are mistaken for being freeze dried roses. First you’ll need a microwave safe bowl, one big enough that the entire rose will fit completely into. Next you’ll need silica gel, which can be purchased at a craft store. Silica gel is a granule-based substance, similar to the texture of sugar, which pulls moisture out of objects. It usually has blue “indicator” crystals in the gel showing you how much water has been absorbed. Cut the rose about 1/4 inch or so from the actual rose flower. This is perfect length for use in a wreath. If you need a longer stem for an arrangement, you’ll need to use floral tape and wrap a floral wire to it to create a stem. It is best to cut the rose late morning after all the dew is totally dry. Harvest the rose as it is in the early stage of full bloom. You don’t want it at the point that is has fully opened wide. Put about 1/2 inch or so of silica gel into the bottom of the bowl. Set the short stem of the rose into the gel. Begin slowly with a spoon to fill the bowl totally around the outside of the rose. Then gently sprinkle the gel onto the top of the rose. The gel will begin to work its way into some of the layers of the petals. Finally take the silica gel and completely cover the rose. At this point the rose should be fully buried in the silica gel. Microwaves vary on their power, but as a starting point put the bowl in, and set the microwave on the lowest setting and microwave for 2 minutes. This is the part that you’ll need to tweak with by experimenting with your particular microwave. Let the rose sit in the silica gel for about 3 hours or so. After that time gently dump the silica and the rose into another container to get the rose out. Take a soft artists’ paintbrush and gently brush off the silica gel that you can. Take a clothespin and clip the bottom of the rose stem, with a wire to the clothespin, and hang the rose upside down for a few days in a darkened room preferably. This will finish drying the rose completely. Take the soft paintbrush again and brush off any remaining crystals. Your rose is now ready for use. Roses will change color some from fresh to this dried state. Some of the discolorations will be for the good; some will be not so good. It depends on the rose variety. Try different ones and you’ll soon find your favorites. If you rose turns out brown however, it’s because you micro waved either at too high of a setting or too long or both, and it literally cooked. Back those down and try again. When the silica gel crystals start to turn a pink color, put the silica in a baking pan and cook for 1/2 hour or so according to directions in the oven until the indicators turn blue again. This evaporates the water in the crystals so they can be used again.
Although there are some things we wish could last forever or a moment we wish would never end, ultimately they do. The memory of the special event, however, can be preserved for us to recall and enjoy for a long time to come. Drying flowers is a simple and inexpensive way to preserve these cherished moments. There are multiple ways to use your flowers and preserve them for crafts and decorations. Whether they were a gift, or from a special day they can be made into something to enjoy long after that time has passed.Dried flowers can be used for a variety of purposes. For a special event, such as a wedding, some people want to preserve their bouquets. After following drying instructions bouquets can be placed as a wall hanging next to the wedding photo, in a shadow box, or simply placed on a table or in a hutch. After flowers are dried they can also be put back in a vase and set on a table. If a single flower is preserved, perhaps to save on space, it can be laid over the wedding frame on in front of the wedding photo. Individually dried flowers can also be used when making a wreath. Flowers do not have to have special meaning, any flower that dries well can be used to make an arrangement. In addition to adding a variety of leaves, berries, ribbon or other embellishments, dried flowers look beautiful in a wreath. Sometimes less is more, if your wreath is not looking right, try lessening the amount of items in it.Air drying is by far the easiest and cheapest method of drying flowers including roses. It is simple; all you have to do is follow these simple instructions. Start with perfect and unflawed roses on their stems. If the roses are not in perfect condition, they will wither and the petals will fall off. Remove any leaves that may be on the branches. Bunch them up together in a manner that lets them fan out. Tie the bottom with string or a rubber band. Hang them upside down in a dark, dry place for two to three weeks to be certain that they are completely dry.The rose drying technique using sand requires a bit more effort, but works good. Cut a rose while it is at its best, and clip the stem so that about 1 inch is left. Be sure the leaves and stem are dry. This means no dew or other water. Put florists wire into the stem and into the head of the flower. Next locate an open deep box and start filling it with white sand till the roses can stand erect in the sand.Now carefully start putting sand around the base, and over and under all of the petals. The object is to use the sand as a method to keep the shape of the rose. Continue filling the box with sand until every rose is enclosed. Move the sand and rose filled box to a dry place and leave it for 1 to 3 weeks. Be very careful when transferring dried roses, they are very fragile. With caution tilt the box to start emptying the sand. Hold onto all roses as they become free of the sand and keep going till all roses are sand free.Flowers can also be preserved by being pressed. This method is simple and can be used for things you want to keep forever, or for special cards or invitations. Although you can buy kits to press, they can also be made by having several layers of cardboard stacked with flowers laid out on each sheet and then bound with adjustable straps that you can tighten to ensure a successful drying process. Pressed flowers are very versatile in their uses. When making wedding announcements a pressed flower of the wedding colors is a beautiful addition to the invitations. They can also be used to make cards or baby announcements. Another option for pressed flowers is to place them as a garden scene in an old window or frame. Glue them on a separate piece of glass, not part of the original frame, cut to the same size and then placed and secured to the frame. Any size can be attractive and used any where in a home, from a bathroom to bedroom. The flowers do not have to be the center of the picture, but can also be placed around a photo or poem on the mat. This is a wonderful way to incorporate the flowers to the event, but do it in a small, elegant way.If you can find a way to preserve special memories they will bring joy for years. Although fresh flowers are beautiful, dried ones can be just as enjoyable. By finding various ways to use your flowers, you will be surrounded by your memories and remember those happy times when life might be more difficult.
Bold and beautiful ¨C those two words perfectly describe this colorful arrangement of silk Roses.
Ideal for any home or office space.
ceramic vase lends an air of class that will stand the test of time.
Height – 11 in, Width – 11 in. Pot size – W: 4.75 in, H: 6.75 in.
Product Description The delicate petals of the beautiful, colorful Rose blooms are made all the more striking by the soft bed of lush green leaves, making this a rather prominent piece. And these colors are supported by a stately ceramic vase… More >>
Product Description While roses provide the exquisite color, berries and twigs add texture to this contemporary square glass bowl. This delightful arrangement is sure to draw attention as a centerpiece in any area of your home or office. (L)8″(W)8″(H)10″… More >>
Wedding bouquets can be dried and preserved by simply hanging them upside down in a cool, dark place. Discover other ways to preserve a bridal bouquet with advice from the owner of a trendy boutique florist in this free video on wedding flowers.
Expert: Melissa Seykora
Bio: Melissa Seykora is the owner of A Village of Flowers in trendy Hillsboro Village in Nashville, Tennessee.
Filmmaker: Dimitri LaBarge
Large hydrangeas are perfect to use as bridal bouquets, and the stems simply need to be bound together with wire, dried off completely and wrapped in satin ribbon to match the wedding colors. Create a simple and fresh bridal bouquet with helpful tips from an experienced professional florist in this free video on wedding flowers.
Expert: Crystal Nassar
Contact: www.tuscanflorist.com
Bio: Crystal Nassar is a floral designer and part of a family-owned business, Tuscan Florist, with more than 30 years experience in the floral industry.
Filmmaker: Gina Miller-Britton
Wedding bouquets can be dried and preserved by simply hanging them upside down in a cool, dark place. Discover other ways to preserve a bridal bouquet with advice from the owner of a trendy boutique florist in this free video on wedding flowers.
Large hydrangeas are perfect to use as bridal bouquets, and the stems simply need to be bound together with wire, dried off completely and wrapped in satin ribbon to match the wedding colors. Create a simple and fresh bridal bouquet with helpful tips from an experienced professional florist in this free video on wedding flowers.