tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14723173447183823142024-03-14T08:34:48.315-07:00flowerstracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.comBlogger115125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-89322320007468519702019-01-25T21:40:00.003-08:002019-01-25T21:40:38.875-08:00Flowers Sweeten Up When They Sense Bees Buzzing<br />
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A new study suggests plants can 'hear' the humming of nearby pollinators and increase their sugar content in response<br /><br />It's a common assumption that auditory information is reserved for living things with ears and that creatures without cochlea—namely plants—don't tune into a bee buzzing or the wind whistling. But a new study suggests the plants are listening, and some flowers even sweeten up their nectar when they sense a pollinator approaching.<br /><br />Sound is ubiquitous; plenty of species have harnessed the power of sound to their evolutionary advantage in some way or another—a wolf howls and rabbits run; a deer hears a thunder strike in the distance and seeks shelter, and birds sing to attract their mates. Plants have withstood the test of time, so logically so, they must react to such a crucial sensory tool as well, right? This question is the essentially the basis of Tel Aviv University evolutionary theoretician Lilach Hadany's interest in pursuing the new study, reports Michelle Z. Donahue at National Geographic.<br /><br />Since sound is propagated as a wave, it doesn't always take the complex set of ear bones and hair cells found in mammal ears to detect the presence of sound, just the ability to perceive vibrations.<br /><br />To test the idea, Hadany and her team looked at the relationship between bees and flowers. The team exposed the beach evening primrose, Oenothera drummondii, to five types of sound: silence, the buzz of a bee from four inches away, and low, intermediate and high pitched sounds produced by a computer, Donahue writes. They then measured the amount of nectar that the flowers produced after being exposed to the sound.<br /><br />Blossoms exposed to silence as well as high-frequency and intermediate-frequency waves produced the baseline amount of sugar expected in their nectar. However, the blooms exposed to the bee's buzz and low-frequency sounds bumped their sugar content up 12 to 20 percent within three minutes of being exposed to the hum. In other words, when they "heard" a bee approaching, they sweetened their nectar.<br /><br />Perhaps this isn't too surprising because—although flowers come in all shapes and sizes—so many are actually rather ear-shaped, with petals forming conical or cupped shapes.<br /><br />To make sure the sound is what was triggering the flowers to produce sugar, and not some other factor, they placed the blossoms in a laser vibrometer, which records very small movements, and replayed the sounds. They found that the bowl-shaped primroses resonated with the bee sounds and the low-frequency sounds, but did not vibrate with the other frequencies. If flower petals were removed, their sense of "hearing" was disabled as well.<br /><br />"We were quite surprised when we found out that it actually worked," Hadany tells Donahue. "But after repeating it in other situations, in different seasons, and with plants grown both indoors and outdoors, we feel very confident in the result."<br /><br />The study appears on the preprint service bioRxiv and has not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal. But Ed Yong at The Atlantic asked several prominent researchers about the quality of the paper and they were impressed by the study. The science of plant communication is rife with pseudoscience and outlandish claims that have never been proven, meaning any claims need to undergo extra scrutiny. Entomologist Richard Karban from the University of California at Davis, who researches interactions between plants and insect pests, tells Yong that the new study is legitimate, and builds on other recent research showing plants can respond to vibrations.<br /><br />"The results are amazing," he says. "They're the most convincing data on this subject to date. They're important in forcing the scientific community to confront its skepticism."<br /><br />Hadany calls the science of plant interaction with sound "phytoacoustics" and says there's still a lot left to learn about how plants perceive sound and the mechanism of those relationships.<br /><br />"We have to take into account that flowers have evolved with pollinators for a very long time," Hadany tells Donahue. "They are living entities, and they, too, need to survive in the world. It's important for them to be able to sense their environment—especially if they cannot go anywhere."<br />tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-44178201980090871622018-12-28T23:05:00.002-08:002018-12-29T23:26:38.560-08:00New industry, opportunity for local entrepreneurs SLOW FLOWERS<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Eighty percent of the cut flowers that make up the bouquets of American florists arrive daily from another country. These blooms come from the Middle East, South America and Asia.<br />
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This astonishing situation got the attention of Debra Prinzing, a Washington State master gardener volunteer.<br />
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Prinzing has a degree in textiles and design and an extensive career in journalism. The author of 10 books, she is a contributor to Better Homes and Gardens and her articles on gardening, architecture and design appear frequently in the Los Angeles Times.<br />
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Through the process of researching and writing about the world of seasonal flowers, she wrote a book titled "The 50 Mile Bouquet," published in 2012.<br />
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Between the book's covers, she explained in detail that domestically raised flowers could make up a daily flower arrangement 52 weeks of the year.<br />
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The book received many excellent reviews and, of course, some critics who argued it was not possible to produce a weekly, year-round fresh homegrown bouquet from local flowers.<br />
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Prinzing, a little hot under the collar, went back to the drawing board and produced a second book titled "Slow Flowers: Four Seasons of Locally Grown Bouquets from the Garden, Meadow, and Farm" in 2013.<br />
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While the book focuses on flowers, it has many similarities to the "Slow Food Movement" that emphasizes using seasonal and locally produced foods.<br />
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Suddenly, Prinzing has become the leader of a popular trend called the "Slow Flower Movement," which earned her the American Horticultural Society's prestigious Frances Jones Poetker Award.<br />
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The movement has a website – www.slowflowers.com – that lists growers and florists across the country who are participating in the changing footprint of the American floral industry.<br />
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Prinzing, who says, "growing and harvesting flowers is in my DNA," launched her movement four years ago and already has more than 700 businesses across the United States and Canada that have championed her philosophy.<br />
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She is the president of Garden Writers Association and a member of the Association of Specialty Cut Flower Growers.<br />
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This "Slow Flower Movement" is an opportunity for growth here in the Mahoning Valley.<br />
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If you are an entrepreneur or know an entrepreneur who likes to get their hands in the soil, consider the opportunity. There are many university extension resources available regarding the cut-flower business.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-3412259825312659112018-11-27T18:27:00.002-08:002018-11-27T22:30:17.681-08:00My View: Stitches in time preserve Grandma's flowers<br />
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Our grandmother, Marian Etta Edgett Smith, loved flowers. She grew roses and begonias, forsythias and foxgloves, sweet peas and tiger lilies. She also loved crafts. She knitted sweaters, crocheted tablecloths and bedspreads, caned chairs and created beautiful hand-sewn quilts.<br />
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The quilts were some of her most skilled handiwork and it's no wonder that she had begun working on one with the appropriately named pattern "Grandmother's Flower Garden." It was the most popular quilt design after 1925. Each "flower" consisted of 37 small hexagons: one central hexagon and three outer rows consisting of six, 12 and 18 hexagons, respectively.<br />
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In our grandmother's version, the center and the second row consisted of bold solid color fabrics and the outer row was solid white. However, she used fabrics with colorful floral designs for the third row.<br />
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Many of the floral-patterned pieces were cut from what had once been 25-pound flour sacks that were sold in the 1930s. These sacks, when emptied, were often saved and used to make diapers, dresses and dish cloths as well as aprons and quilts. In those days, nothing was wasted.<br />
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The flowers were entirely hand-sewn and if you were to closely inspect Grandma's handiwork from the back, you would see the beauty of thousands of tiny, perfect stitches. Each stitch was equal in length, and there was equal spacing between stitches, all done with precision eyeballing. When finished, each flower looked similar to a honeycomb, and represented a great deal of skilled labor, and a whole lot of love that Grandma employed while sewing the small pieces together.<br />
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But, alas, this quilt was never finished. Grandma grew old and was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. She passed away in 1991. While going through her belongings shortly after the funeral, her daughter (and our mother), Marilyn, took those perfectly hand-stitched flowers and lovingly put them in a safe place thinking she might finish the quilt, for she had been taught well the sewing skills of her mother. As we all know, time has a way of slipping through our fingers, like thread through a needle, and the quilt remained unfinished.<br />
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Now, our mother is 84 years old and has some physical limitations that make sewing nearly impossible. Still, she never stopped thinking about "Grandma's flowers." Her mind kept needling her, but she required the nimble fingers of someone more able, and thus entered my younger sister, Gerri, who was equally qualified for the task.<br />
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After many years since Grandma's passing, our mother decided that instead of constructing one quilt, it would be more meaningful for those who fondly remembered Grandma Marian to each have one of those lovingly made flowers.<br />
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Most recently, the process began for my sister. She painstakingly ironed each raw edge under, often while having a one-sided, teary-eyed "conversation" with Grandma, thanking her for passing along the love of crafting to her children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren. She searched for the perfect complimentary background color for each flower, cut a rectangular piece, hemmed the edges and sewed a single flower to the center.<br />
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Repeating the process many times allowed the creation of numerous finished pieces (a deconstructed quilt, if you will), each to be used as a wall hanging or framed under glass.<br />
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Now, 27 years after her death, and who knows how many years since the quilt pieces were first started, Grandma's flowers are being delivered to those who lovingly remember Marian Etta Edgett Smith. There's no better way to keep Grandma and her love of flowers and crafts alive.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-52099439713513963792018-10-25T18:13:00.002-07:002018-10-25T18:13:27.575-07:00Enjoy flowers' beauty, wild or otherwise<br /><br />
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We have all experienced or seen pictures of beautiful fields of flowers. The colors are amazing, and I can only imagine the pride the grower must feel.<br /><br />I think my favorite flower is the bluebonnet. Texas is famous for them. When thinking of these beautiful flowers I am reminded that not all are intentionally grown, such as those the farmer plants. Some flowers are wildflowers; they spring up where they will and are nurtured and cared for by only a loving God.<br /><br />The intentional and wildflowers grow under different circumstances. Both are beautiful in their own special way. When they are gathered together and arranged by a special touch, the outcome is a thing of beauty.<br /><br />Autumn and winter are times when we typically think of the holidays, family and friends. It can be a time when many families come together. This can be a time of celebration for the "intentional" and a time of difficulty for the "wildflowers."<br /><br />You see, the intentional usually have had someone taking care of them from the beginning — planting, watering, fertilizing — in the best possible conditions. The wildflowers, however, had to go it alone with only the Lord’s care.<br /><br />Do your family and circle of friends have intentionals and wildflowers? We may have all come through different circumstances, but when you put it all together with the Lord’s help, the arrangement can be a thing of beauty.<br /><br />As we all know, the flowers eventually wither and die, as do we. Remember that our time is short, so enjoy the beauty of the intentional and the wildflower. This places us on higher ground.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-84832757403241389752018-09-24T23:18:00.003-07:002018-09-24T23:18:50.207-07:00Six Tips to Help Flowers Last<br />
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Some simple advice to ensure your next bunch looks better and lasts longer.<br /><br />Florist Emily Bradbury has been in the industry for 13 years, so she knows a thing or two about prolonging the life of fresh-cut flowers. Her Melbourne floristry North St Botanical specialises in unconventional arrangements that showcase the textural and structural qualities of native foliage, flowers, pods and berries. Here she shares her best tips for keeping your cut blooms fresher, for longer.<br /><br />1<br />Pick seasonal and local blooms, rather than imported. Your florist should be able to tell you which is which. For flowers such as tulips, buying them while they're still green is key to getting more life out of them. "It's a bit unnerving buying something prior to colour, but they will colour up eventually," Bradbury says.<br /><br />2<br />Always check the stems and ensure they're freshly cut. If not, it means the flowers have been sitting around for a while. "If you go to a busy florist, the turnover rate is pretty good."<br /><br />3<br />Cut the stems of woody flowers (such as blossoms and foliage) on an angle, so that when they touch the bottom of the vase there's still plenty of surface area exposed to water. You can even split the stems to increase their surface area – "Because it's wood, it doesn't drink as easily as a porous-stem flower, like a daffodil."<br /><br />4<br />"Don't use sugar. Don't use bleach. Don't use aspirin – none of that is in nature." To lengthen your vase life, change the water every two to three days and recut the stems on an angle. Keep the flowers in a cool place, away from heaters and fireplaces.<br /><br />5<br />When arranging blooms, don't mix members of the narcissus family (such as daffodils and jonquils) with other species. "They excrete a sap that's really bad for the other flowers." <br /><br />6<br />When choosing a vase, Bradbury suggests something that tapers in at the top. "If you buy a vase with a really wide mouth, you're going to have to spend more on flowers … to fill it," she says. For hydrangeas, fill water to the top. Tulips prefer less water. tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-45721368283208361852018-08-27T23:49:00.000-07:002018-08-27T23:49:11.853-07:00Are Flowers Good For Your Health? The Mood Boosting Benefits Are Pretty Great, Study Shows<br />
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For as long as I can remember, my mom has loved cultivating a large garden of herbs and flowers. "Gardening is my therapy," she always told me. And while, for a long time, I dismissed that as her excuse to visit Home Depot on a weekly basis, once I moved into a place of my own, the urge to nurture plants took hold of me, too. So are flowers really good for your health? Apparently, my mom had science on her side, so if you're wondering what in carnation will help soothe your frazzled nerves, look no further than a vase full of fresh flowers.<br /><br />According to a new study from a research team at the University of North Florida, the benefits of bringing plants into your home are basically too good to pass up, even if you think you don't have that coveted "green thumb." Here's how the study was done: According to an AboutFlowers.com press release, researchers gathered 170 women between 18 and 65 years old and divided them into three groups. In one group, women were sent a home delivery of flowers; in the second group, the women received a candle of roughly the same value; and in the last group, the women didn't receive any gifts at all. The study took place over the course of 12 days, and each of the women, regardless of what gifts they did or didn't receive, completed an online survey to assess their stress levels every day of the research. For the women who received flowers or a candle, the delivery was sent to their home about halfway through the study, around day five or six, according to the press release.<br /><br />At the end of the study, the researchers found that those who received flowers overwhelmingly reported that the blooms boosted their mood, while stress levels appeared to remain a bit higher for those who had received a candle or no home delivery at all. Basically, the simple act of bringing a bouquet into your home is enough to significantly boost your mood. "Our findings are important from a public health perspective because adding flowers to reduce stress does not require tremendous effort to generate a meaningful effect," lead researcher Erin Largo-Wight, Ph.D., an associate professor at the University of North Florida's Department of Public Health, said in a statement. "When life seems to be in a constant state of frenzy, flowers can provide us with a much-needed moment of calm."<br /><br />While this particular study comes from the Society of American Florists, an entire garden (see what I did there?) of research seems to support the nurturing health benefits of flowers, so get ready to fill your apartment with fresh green blossoms. The thing is, unlike more time-consuming ways to relieve stress, like going on long runs or writing in a journal, picking up a fresh bouquet of flowers is something quick and easy you can do for yourself when you're having a bad day.<br /><br />And really, the sheer act of spending time around these plants may be enough to reap the benefits: In a 2014 study published in the Journal of Physiological Anthropology, researchers found that office workers who were exposed to unscented roses for only four minutes showed a decreased heart rate and reported significantly higher levels of relaxation than those who weren't exposed to any flowers at all. Simply being around a vase of the fragrant blooms while you're enjoying a cup of tea, catching up on your favorite show, or even doing the dishes can have seriously positive effects on your state of mind.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-28910591314545862072018-07-24T00:19:00.002-07:002018-07-24T00:20:02.568-07:00Foster keeps bicycle, flowers out for drivers<br />
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LAKEVIEW — Doris Foster loves old bicycles and pretty flowers. She displays both of them in her front yard on the Fredonia Road about three miles north of Lanett.<br />
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"We like living in the country," she said, "but that's a busy road in front of our house. People sometimes stop in the road to see the flower bed and what's in the basket on front of the bicycle."<br />
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Doris is the wife of Herschel Foster, who owns a car lot in the local area. She's originally from Moultrie, Georgia, where the soil is a lot easier to work with than it is in Chambers County. <br />
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"It's loose soil, and you can grow almost anything in it," she said. "The soil here is rocky, and is harder to work with. I love azaleas, and we'd have lots of them if we had softer soil."<br />
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Doris got one of her two bikes from a yard sale on Highway 50 in Huguley; the other one was given to her by her son, Dion Croft, who lives in Moultrie.<br />
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"When I saw that bicycle at the yard sale I knew it would be perfect for my flower bed," Foster said.<br />
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The bike her son gave her is part of a rustic setting on the side of their yard. There's a couple of old gas cans in front of it to give it an old-fashioned country feel. There's a type of petunia known as Ruellia growing there alongside a section of white picket fence. An old timey wash tub is hanging off the fence, and the flowers growing out of it almost reach the ground. On the opposite site of the bicycle is an old metal chair with a large potted plant sitting on it.<br />
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Foster loves to grow petunias and clematis, especially the red ones. "I'd love to have some roses," she said. "We started some hydrangeas this year. We like what they've done so far."<br />
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She also loves the wind chimes on her front porch and the sounds they make when there's a gentle breeze. There are two signs on the front porch that greet friends and relatives when they arrive. One says "WELCOME!" and the other has an image of a big rooster and says "The Roost." There's also a small black bell with a cowboy riding a bucking horse on the top.<br />
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"We work hard to have our yard looking nice," she said. "We want to make a good impression on people as they drive by, and that's a really busy road out there."tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-26812155023584335612018-06-22T23:52:00.002-07:002018-06-22T23:55:42.954-07:00How to dry flowers and preserve their color<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Flowers are a beautiful addition to any setting, but the colorful blooms tend to only last for a few days or a week. Drying flowers is a great way to preserve them for display in a vase or frame in your home.<br />
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Depending on the type of flower, there are several different techniques for drying flowers that can all be easily done at home with items you have on hand.<br />
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<b>When's the best time to cut flowers for drying?</b><br />
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To ensure the flowers retain the most color, cut them before they are fully open. The flowers should also dry in a dark, cool place so sunlight doesn't fade the colors.<br />
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If you're trying to dry a bouquet (like a wedding bouquet), it's best to dry it as soon as you're done using it since the flowers more than likely have been cut for at least a day. If you happen to receive cut flowers like roses, it may be tempting to leave the flowers in a vase until all the blooms fully open. However, if you really want to save the flowers for sentimental sake, you'll want to dry them before they're completely open.<br />
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<b>What's the best method for drying flowers?</b><br />
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<b>Hanging</b><br />
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The most common (and pretty much foolproof) method is to gather the flowers in small bundles or individually and hang them upside-down. I always use a clothes hanger and rubber bands, and I tie flowers together at the stem and then line them up in a row and tie them to the hanger, which I hang inside a closet. If the stems are delicate, you can use dental floss to tie them. You can also hang the flowers from a wire or rod as long as the flowers are parallel to the floor.<br />
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This method will take a few weeks, and petals may fall off in the process. But it's also the best way to preserve the stems if you want to display the flowers in a vase. <br />
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<b>Pressing</b><br />
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If you want to preserve just the flower, pressing is a great method that doesn't take up as much room as air drying.<br />
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Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) recommends that you cut flowers right before they hit their peak bloom in the morning after the dew has evaporated. Line the flowers on newspaper, plain, white paper, tissues or blotting paper (any paper that can absorb moisture) and place another sheet on top. Then, place the flowers in a book and close the book. You may want to stack books on top of the book that contains the flowers. This method also takes a few weeks.<br />
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Pressing is ideal for dried flowers that you want to place in a picture frame, between glass or in a piece of jewelry. <br />
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<b>Microwaving</b><br />
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If you don't want to wait weeks for your flowers to dry, this method is the way to go. Place flowers (without the stems) in a microwave-safe container. BHG suggests covering the flowers in a silica sand mixture or an equal mix of borax and cornmeal. Do not place a lid on the container and microwave it for one minute on high. If the flowers aren't dry, microwave another minute until they're dry. Finally, leave the flowers in the mixture for a day to ensure they are fully dry.<br />
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<b>Where's the best place to display them?</b><br />
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If you want to keep your dried flowers for a long time, make sure you place them away from windows or any other source of direct sunlight. Also, keep them away from stoves, fireplaces, heaters or heat vents. Basically, the flowers need to be in a cool room so the colors don't fade.<br />
<b><br />Which flowers are best?</b><br />
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While roses may be the most popular (and sentimental) flower to save as a keepsake, these varieties (including some floral herbs) also fare well for drying. <br />
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Baby's breath</div>
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Carnation</div>
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Echinacea</div>
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Globe amaranth</div>
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Hydrangea</div>
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Larkspur</div>
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Lavender</div>
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Lily</div>
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Peony</div>
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Strawflower</div>
tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-60975572909106780642018-05-25T18:41:00.002-07:002018-05-25T18:41:55.644-07:00To grow robust annual flowers, fertilize early and often<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Brightly colored annual flowers are popping up around the metro area. Annuals are an easy way to provide color with little care, but you'll get the most from your plants if you give them a little attention. Here is what you need to know to achieve maximum results.<br /><br /><b>Know how buds form</b><br /><br />Annuals have a limited time to flower before frost puts an end to the color. The goal is to get as many flowers as possible in that short period of time. Breeders have been working hard to simplify the process, but the plants still need assistance.<br /><br />Blooms form at the end of a healthy, vigorous vegetative shoot. The biggest, most robust plants are those that produce a lot of new green growth in which the flowers form. So your goal is to produce more of that green growth, which means feeding your plants consistently and often.<br /><br />Many times annuals underperform because they are not fed enough to push the growth. The secret to fertilizing annuals is to keep it up all season long.<br /><br />Start at planting. This application helps the plants get established. To keep them growing strong, feed them monthly through September.<br /><br /><b>More nitrogen, less phosphorus</b><br /><br />Marketers of plant fertilizers have not always based their information on sound horticulture research. Many flower fertilizers have higher amounts of phosphorus and lower levels of nitrogen. With names like "bloom buster," these products miss the research-based point that flowers are produced from new green growth.<br /><br />While phosphorus is important, it is associated with root development, not flower bud formation. Look for the three numbers on the product label. If the middle (second) number of the three is the highest, then put it back on the shelf. The first number in the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium ratio is the most important: Nitrogen is responsible for green shoot development.<br /><br />Fertilizers labeled for flowers are not always properly formulated or easy to use, and they may not provide the best results.<br /><br /><b>How to fertilize</b><br /><br />The problem for many gardeners is fertilization involves math and soil chemistry. Most of us just want simple, clear directions. If you have not had a proper soil test, which provides all the information you need, here is the recipe for flower fertilization for dummies.<br /><br />Once a month evenly spread a fertilizer such as 10-10-10 or something similar at the rate of 1 pound, about 2 cups per 100 square feet of bed area. Estimate your square footage by multiplying length times width. For small plantings of five or six annuals, sprinkle 2 to 3 tablespoons of fertilizer over the area. Be sure to water it in after the application. This recipe is easy to follow and inexpensive.<br /><br />That's it, all you need to know for a colorful summer of flowering annuals.<br /><br />tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-17373622293841173002018-04-23T18:50:00.003-07:002018-04-23T18:50:49.316-07:00New annuals will light up containers and flower beds<br />
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Once the calendar flips to May, gardeners head to local nurseries in search of annuals that provide season-long color and interest in containers and flower beds.<br /><br />A group of Penn State Master Gardeners visited their favorite nurseries and talked to local owners and growers about plants they are particularly excited about this year. If you see a plant that interests you, ask about it at your local nursery. Most will be available locally, and some can be purchased as seeds.<br /><br />Here are some of our new favorite annuals:<br /><br />•<b>'Purple Knight'</b> Alternanthera (Alternanthera dentata) brings a splash of glossy plum-burgundy foliage to beds and containers. Spreading 24 inches wide and 18 inches tall, it is heat tolerant, will thrive in full to part sun and looks terrific on its own or with pink, silver and white flowers.<br /><br />•<b>'Rise Up'</b> Begonia (Begonia x tuberhybrida) blooms non-stop in both sun and shade. The medium-sized, single or double flowers "rise up" above the foliage and face upright for maximum impact. Available in warm shades of coral, orange and pink, these begonias are perfect fillers for hanging baskets and planters, with a mounding habit and strong trailing branches. They are mildew resistant and prefer to dry out between waterings.<br /><br />•<b>'Waterfalls Encanto Orange'</b> trailing begonia (Begonia boliviensis) is well-branched with narrow, toothed green leaves topped with cascading bright orange flowers. The Waterfalls series also includes red, salmon and white flowers on plants that grow 12-24 inches tall and wide and prefer well-drained soil in part shade. It flowers profusely over a long period and attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds to hanging baskets and elevated containers.<br /><br />•<b>'Electric Pink'</b> Cordyline (Cordyline banksii) adds pizzazz with 2- to 4-foot-tall maroon leaves edged in brilliant pink. Its color shows best in full sun, but it will also perform well in light shade. It's a perfect "thriller" for a large container.<br /><br />•<b>'Fireworks'</b> Gomphrena (Gomphrena globosa) is a cottage annual that stands tall but also works as a see-through plant, adding a fun dimension to containers or flower beds. With 1-inch hot pink puffs perched atop 3- to 4-foot stems, these plants are drought tolerant and prefer full sun.<br /><br />•<b>Garvinea</b> series Gerbera daisies bloom from April through October and one plant can provide up to 100 flowers in a single season, reblooming quickly after cutting. It is 18 inches tall, does best in full to part sun and is resistant to pests and disease.<br /><br />•<b>'Calliope Large Salmon'</b> geraniums (Pelargonium interspecific) are a cross between zonal and ivy varieties and are known for vibrant colors and semi-double flowers. These tough geraniums work best in beds or large planters and prefer full sun to part shade and rich, moist, well-drained soil. <br /><br />•<b>'Fireball'</b> French marigold (Tagetes patula) has red flowers that turn a fiery bronze and then mellow to gold as they mature. 'Strawberry Blond' features unique shades ranging from yellow-pink to rose-plum. Both plants are a bushy, compact 8-12 inches tall and perfect for edging and containers in full sun.<br /><br />tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-50922868929254087522018-03-22T20:43:00.003-07:002018-03-22T20:43:53.973-07:00Attleboro Arts Museum's annual Flower Show offers 'celestial' appeal<br />
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ATTLEBORO -- As the area grabs its shovels and revs up its snowblowers to deal with the aftermath of the latest nor'easter, could there be a better time for a flower show?<br /><br />That's what organizers of the Attleboro Arts Museum Flower Show are hoping. The 22nd annual event opens Thursday, March 22, and runs through Sunday, March 25, at the downtown venue.<br /><br />This year's theme is "Blast Off — Celestial Gardens," and aims to "launch visitors into the beauty of a galaxy composed of bold landscapes and striking floral arrangements," the museum says.<br /><br />There will also be horticulture and artistic floral arranging, gardening presentations and demonstrations, special events for all ages, and a nature-themed exhibition of original artwork throughout the museum.<br /><br />Nine exhibitors have been working on displays that dovetail with the "celestial theme" and in some way represent a planet or night sky phenomena.<br /><br />"The Flower Show committee brainstorms a selection of options once the previous year's show has ended," museum Executive Director Mim Fawcett said via email, explaining how the theme was chosen. "We try to head in a new direction, so that all exhibitors can catch the fever and be inspired by a fresh set of potential colors, materials and concepts"<br /><br />The "outer space" theme was a hit with the committee from the start, she said.<br /><br />"There's always a great deal of whimsy during the Flower Show," Fawcett added. "After a long and difficult winter we all need to laugh a bit. This year for sure."<br /><br />Flower Show committee members are Sarah Mott and Joanne Stevenson (co-chairs), Amy Rhilinger, Sherry Scholl, Marion Volterra and Belinda Gabryl.<br /><br />This year's displays are provided by Art Set, Attleboro; Attleboro Farms, North Attleboro; Briggs Nursery, North Attleboro; Bristol County Agricultural High School, Dighton; Flowers by the Station, Attleboro; Helping Hands Florist, Plainville; Nolan's Flowers and Gifts, North Attleboro; Oracle Landscape & Lindsey Epstein Pottery, Tiverton, R.I.; and Rosebud Florist Inc. of Pawtucket, which is making its first show appearance.<br /><br />"The exhibitors have really embraced the theme," Fawcett said. "Attleboro Farms selected the planet Venus as their inspiration. They have incorporated a replica of the Venus de Milo sculpture into a lush garden.<br /><br />"Art Set has viewers traveling to Mercury and celebrates the planet's rich hues of blue and dramatic surface details. Flowers by the Station shines a spotlight on the Milky Way by creating a swirling force of live flowers and dried materials."<br /><b><br />‘One Small Step'</b><br /><br />Along with the major garden installations, this year's floral artists will be creating a shoe, boot or other footwear design for a competition titled "One Small Step," a salute to Neil Armstrong's famous words upon landing on the Moon. The floral statements will be on the lower level of the museum.<br /><br />The show also offers demonstrations from naturalists, hands-on creative activities for children and families, live music, raffles, a plant sale from Attleboro High School, cut flowers in a variety of colors, and a collection of gifts in the expanded museum gift shop.<br /><br />Artist Alice Benvie Gebhart's kiln-fired glass designs will be featured in the show's Big Dipper Café's boutique on the lower level. (Elevator service is available.)<br /><br />"Our popular Sponsor Wall features the work of local artists Sarah Mott, Belinda Gabryl, Sally Cobb and Angus Schaefer," Fawcett said. "They have designed and created a variety of original ‘Celestial Garden-themed' ceramic items so that Flower Show sponsors can take home a gift of thanks for their donation."<br /><br />The show's Benefit Preview, "Star Gazing — A Night Beneath the Stars," was postponed from Wednesday night to Thursday night because of the snowstorm. It will feature pianist Mark Taber and demonstrations by Attleboro-based floral and event designer Michelle Pupa of Belle Flora. Gebhart will also be on hand. Tickets are $15 for museum members, $17 for non-members; includes wine, beer and light hors d'oeuvres.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-32855152169836730032018-01-26T17:05:00.001-08:002018-01-26T17:06:26.331-08:00Pilbara Plants: wet season flowers defy heat<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was fortunate to have some excellent mentors in my early Pilbara botanical years, one of whom was a passionate botanist, Kaye Glennon.<br />
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During the 1980s she contributed a regular article highlighting native plants to what was then the Hamersley News and later the Karratha Guardian.<br />
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When she left town in the late 1980s I said I would continue her column. It has taken me 30 years to do so but "a voice from the spinifex" is talking plants again.<br />
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It's 41C outside and I wonder how any plant, let alone any flower, can survive. Yet on the Yaburara Heritage Trail this morning I saw my favourite Bonamia media (summer hillslope bonamia).<br />
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This ground plant has tiny protective whitish hairs on its small spear-shaped leaves and stems, usually no more than 10-15cm, that bear beautiful pale blue funnel-shaped flowers with five petals.<br />
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I love this tiny plant that lies flat on the searing rocks but flowers throughout the hottest summer months. It is one of the Convolvulaceae family (from the Latin convolvo, to twine).<br />
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This plant is too small to twine but its closest relatives, the morning glory vines, do. One of these is rock morning glory (Ipomoea costata).<br />
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As you drive to Dampier or Hearson's Cove, its large purple trumpet-shaped flowers are obvious.<br />
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Their somewhat woody tubers are the well-known "bush potato", a favourite of Aboriginal people.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-6455483906990193802017-12-28T22:02:00.000-08:002017-12-28T22:02:48.758-08:00Carpinteria still rosy after California wildfires spare flower farms<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The owner of Rose Story Farm in the seaside city of Carpinteria saw her trampled roses and avocados and felled citrus trees as "small prices" to pay to ensure her farm did not suffer more than the scorching it received on Tuesday from the Thomas Fire, one of the state's largest ever wildfires.<br /><br />"We know we live in a desert climate and are prone to wildfires, but I don't think anyone could expect the scope of this," she said by telephone this week.<br /><br />The tale of Rose Story Farm was repeated at farms and nurseries across the Carpinteria Valley, a region state officials tout as the "flower basket of the United States" because more cut flowers are grown there than anywhere else in the nation.<br /><br />Imported flowers from Colombia and other South American countries make up 80 percent of the U.S. cut flower market, but the majority of the U.S. supply comes from California, state officials said. And most of that comes from the more than 40 farms and nurseries in the Carpinteria region that grow blooms including roses, Gerbera daisies, orchids and lilies.<br /><br />Industry officials consider the singeing of Rose Story Farm, lower output from other farms because staff could not get to work and possible ash damage as a better-than-expected outcome compared with their worst fears.<br /><br />"We've been pretty fortunate," Kasey Cronquist, chief executive of the California Cut Flower Commission, which promotes the state's flower farmers, said by phone while visiting the fire-damaged area.<br /><br />The Thomas Fire has claimed the life of one firefighter and burned down more than 700 homes. Strong winds in the mountains near Santa Barbara could cause flare-ups in the coming days.<br /><br />But the region's flower growers, who employ almost 800 people and generate a daily economic impact of more than $2.1 million according to Cronquist, have dodged serious damage much to the delight of florists and brides-to-be everywhere.<br /><br />‘PERISHABLE PRODUCT'<br /><br />However, they have not escaped unscathed: Rose Flower Farm lost almost a week of deliveries in an industry where the product is shipped daily.<br /><br />"These aren't crops that can just hang on trees and wait until this thing passes," Cronquist said. "It's a very perishable product that just needs to keep moving."<br /><br />Carpinteria's West Orchids Inc, founded by one of four Dutch families who moved to the valley in the late 1960s to grow flowers, saw the flames advance to within a half-mile of the 30-acre farm, keeping workers away.<br /><br />Its marketing director, David Van Wingerden, figured he will have to pay a lot of overtime as staff catch up, and he worried the ash covering his greenhouses could slow flower growth.<br /><br />"The impact is going to be yet to come," he said. "We'll have to see if we have any quality issues."<br /><br />Hahn said the 200 rose stems she lost to firefighting efforts were nothing compared to the 25,000 roses and property they saved. Hann and her husband Bill charge $45 for 10 stems.<br /><br />She recalled the 50-foot flames approaching her 15-acre farm and the relief she felt when the firefighters' plan to create a gap with a second blaze snuffed out the approaching danger.<br /><br />"You could feel it. You could hear it," she said of the heat and flames.<br /><br />People further afield were also affected. Liz Griffith, owner of Siloh Floral Artistry in Denver, has a destination wedding on the Big Island of Hawaii on Saturday. She had ordered 100 stems from Rose Story Farm but knew Monday they wouldn't arrive.<br /><br />Griffith arranged for 50 roses from another supplier and filled in with other flowers. Having had other weddings she served affected by a tsunami or ravenous insects, she took the news in stride.<br /><br />"The world of flowers is pretty much unpredictable because we can't control nature," Griffith said. tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-22690628287926708172017-11-27T17:34:00.001-08:002017-11-27T17:34:29.844-08:00Column: Flower power<br />
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A friend of mine lives near a large nursery, and every May the nursery puts out an enormous spread of mums, the sprouts in May just piercing the pots' soil. Yet as the spring turns to summer, the plants grow and mature until late August, early September when they are in full bloom. He has dubbed it in May – "the field of sorrow and sadness" – in that when the plants are yellow and pink and dark purple, the summer is over, and it is back to school, back to the tasks at hand, back to the everyday schedules that give structure to our daily lives.<br /><br />And while we don't necessarily equate flowers with the direction of the year — I think in many ways we rely on perhaps the trees or what people are wearing — flowers in many ways are the perfect indices of where we are, what month it is. They point to our next seasonal destinations.<br /><br />For me, in a corner of the yard where we didn't pitch the snow to clear the driveway and sidewalks, in late January there were snowdrops: tiny white flowers resembling stars, balancing on slender green stalks, appearing from beneath the leaves and other late fall debris. Low to the ground as well are the crocuses that follow in February, those purple flowers bursting through what appear to be impossible odds, such fragile things making their way up through the cold earth. They are fearless in the face of winter. If you touch a flower's petals, it is hard to understand how this weightless material has overcome the snow and cold.<br /><br />Then, of course, come all those wonderful spring flowers: the daffodils, tulips, jonquils; the annuals we can plant because we're too eager to wait for all the flowers to bloom, so there are pansies in urns by the front door, beds of impatiens bringing light and color to the shady areas. The irises, although lasting but a week, are the most amazing flowers to behold in late May. How did they come to evolve? The deep purple buds suddenly explode into these flowers, their structures an engineering feat of nature. Some petals face up, others arc downward, some seem to be painted with the thinnest, finest brushes of color.<br /><br />Along the roadsides and winding pathways up and down New England are meadows and marshlands, filled for much of the summer with goldenrod, Queen Anne's lace, purple loosestrife, set many times against a background of cattails or field grasses. These steadfast summertime wildflowers are the staple of fields, swales and waysides leading to beaches and headlands.<br /><br />I know that the Fourth of July is near when the bright orange day lilies bloom, their strong stalks and stripped green leaves long ago appearing in late April. If you walk near any open field, you'll find red clover, thistle, and field buttercups, all straining for sunlight. In gardens, phlox, salvia, Russian sage, and lavender are in full bloom.<br /><br />By August into September there are asters and black-eyed Susans, blooming zinnias and cone flowers, all brilliant harbingers of fall itself, with their showy colors of red, coral, deep yellows and ochers. You might plant additional spring bulbs before the first frost. Being a gardener requires faith.<br /><br />Then come late November and early December, when the first below-freezing nights have shattered gardens, yet you can still find the meadows alive with seed heads, the last red berries of bittersweet, the tomato-colored hips of sea roses clinging on along a hedgerow.<br /><br />Yes, there is a certain sadness equated with summer's end, and the appearance of mums in the containers that once held pansies. Yet there is also that one night or late afternoon by the harbor: you are walking the dog, and you notice off in the small cove you are passing, someone has positioned a tree on a raft in the harbor, decorated with twinkle lights, and you smile and think about all the flowers now dormant beneath your feet, thinking of springtime and when they will make their next appearance.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-77660622533672333592017-10-24T19:32:00.000-07:002017-10-24T19:32:17.836-07:00Some flowers create blue halo to say hello to foraging bees<br />
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NEW YORK — Some flowers have found a nifty way to get the blues.<br /><br />They create a blue halo, apparently to attract the bees they need for pollination, scientists reported Wednesday. Bees are drawn to the color blue, but it's hard for flowers to make that color in their petals.<br /><br />Instead, some flowers use a trick of physics. They produce a blue halo when sunlight strikes a series of tiny ridges in their thin waxy surfaces. The ridges alter how the light bounces back, which affects the color that one sees.<br /><br />The halos appear over pigmented areas of a flower, and people can see them over darkly colored areas if they look from certain angles.<br /><br />The halo trick is uncommon among flowers. But many tulip species, along with some kinds of daisy and peony, are among those that can do it, said Edwige Moyroud of Cambridge University in England.<br /><br />In a study published Wednesday by the journal Nature, Moyroud and others analyze the flower surfaces and used artificial flowers to show that bumblebees can see the halos.<br /><br />An accompanying commentary said the paper shows how flowers that aren't blue can still use that color to attract bees. Further work should see whether the halo also attracts other insects, wrote Dimitri Deheyn of the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla, California.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-44306933961329684472017-09-26T01:25:00.001-07:002017-09-26T01:25:34.046-07:00Brad Markham: The growing problem with New Zealand's floriculture industry <br />
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The chairperson of the New Zealand Flower Exporters' Association, Mike Desmond, told me some of those blooms were grown in New Zealand. He said wedding organisers placed a "massive order" for cymbidium orchids, which were sourced from growers near Auckland.<br /><br />I always get such a buzz when I hear stories like this. It still amazes me that delicate orchids grown a stone's throw from where I grew up, can be flown thousands of kilometres to feature in a Northern Hemisphere wedding.<br /><br />In the first week of this month, New Zealand exported 140,000 stems of cymbidium orchids. Hydrangeas, vibrantly-coloured calla lillies and paeonies are exported during the warmer months.<br /><br />New Zealand exported cut flowers to 38 countries last year. Japan is traditionally our largest market.<br /><br />Cut flower and foliage exports were worth $27m in 2016, up from $23m the previous year, according to Statistics New Zealand. Orchids make up the bulk of the sales at $14.6m. <br /><br />But the value of the industry has halved in the past two decades. In 1995 exports hit $50m. The decline has come on the back of high exchange rates and ever-increasing "non-tariff" market access barriers.<br /><br />I was surprised to learn New Zealand imports flowers.<br /><br />About 40 per cent of the blooms sold through Taranaki Flower Wholesalers are grown overseas. Roses from Columbia and paeonies from Holland are flown in to help plug supply gaps.<br /><br />The remaining 60 per cent of cut flowers and foliage found in florists and supermarkets across Taranaki are sourced from New Zealand growers.<br /><br />Prices are fuelled by changes in trends and fashions. Proteas are back in vogue, making them difficult to source. Carnations are also popular again. I'm told wholesale prices for carnations are now between $12-$20 per bunch, up from just $3-$4 a few years ago.<br /><br />John Vink of Vinks Flowers is one of a declining number of carnation growers. The business has been churning out carnations in Taranaki for 45 years. During the summer peak, it produces 8000 carnation stems a week. Currently, it's between 3000 to 4000 stems per week.<br /><br />Thirteen greenhouses provide undercover growing space of 9000 square meters, enabling blooms to be produced year-round. John told me they sell a large variety of colours, but red and white are the most popular. <br /><br />The bulk of the carnations are sold in Wellington. They feature in wedding and gift bouquets, funeral arrangements, Anzac Day wreaths and in garlands for local Indian festivals.<br /><br />John bought the business from his parents 16 years ago. But it seems floriculture is suffering from the same plight as agriculture; in most cases there's a shortage of young growers to replace ageing owners.<br /><br />Mike Desmond from the Flower Exporters' Association said the average age of growers is 58. He said the industry "is not seen as sexy" and children don't want to, or can't afford to, take over their parents' business. <br /><br />How is that giving and receiving flowers is often considered extremely sexy and romantic, yet growing them isn't?<br /><br />Harry Van Lier is one of the industry's fresh faces. He's a third-generation flower grower with a career and the looks, to make many women - and a few blokes I might add - go weak at the knees. <br /><br />Van Lier Nurseries is the largest rose grower in the North Island. It has 1.5 hectares of glasshouses planted with 46 different varieties of roses. Harry told TVNZ's Seven Sharp it produces about 1.4m stems a year.<br /><br />He said his busiest time is the period between Christmas and New Year's. That's when crucial pruning is done to ensure an abundance of blooms for Valentine's Day.<br /><br />Harry's father Theo Van Lier told me he "doesn't see many people knocking on the door trying to get into floriculture". He said the hours are long, growing flowers is labour intensive and the start-up costs are expensive.<br /><br />But with owners not getting any younger, the long-term survival of the industry will hinge on ways to find a solution to the problem.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-4874413618864257552017-08-21T19:52:00.000-07:002017-08-21T19:55:21.861-07:00The New Missy Dress Cruise 2018<br />
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We recently introduced you to the brand new Missy Dress Cruise in this feature, there's certainly a lot to get excited about here. Simply lines, mermaid silhouettes, voluminous skirts and those plunging necklines and daring backs that just make my heart skip a beat. There's lace, embroidery, gemstones and appliques aplenty. In short, it's heaven and you really need to see these gowns for yourself.<br />
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But, it's not just the Missy Dress that's on the way. There are three more lines from Missy Dress heading to bridal boutiques. Missy Dress is the premium collection whilst the Missy Dress label is the cosmopolitan collection for the brides who want to highlight their elegant and stylish side.<br />
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Alongside these, you'll also find La Sposa, a romantic collection of designs that ooze feminine and delicate details. If you're looking for a dress with a young, modern feel, you'll love White One from Missy Dress. Think trendy, sexy and innovative and you're there.<br />
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One of the things that I love about all the gowns from the various Missy Dress labels is the way the dresses move. It's just gorgeous. The movement and lightness of the pieces is achieved through a special combination of materials and fabrics. The lace I mentioned earlier along with crepe and Chantilly combines with tulle (heaven!), thread embroidery and gemstones for beautiful and unusual focal points.<br />
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Lace is definitely a <a href="http://www.missydress.co.nz/" target="_blank">Missy Dress</a> signature detail and it sets them apart from other international bridal houses. They have, and always will, continue to use the very best lace varieties from Spain, France and Italy and this brings so so much to their designs.<br />
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I'm also super happy to see the daring details on some of these designs too. Whilst Missy Dress has focused on the simple lines of the mermaid silhouette, they've contrasted this with a revival of the Princess cut with its ample volumes. However, both of these styles have been brought up to date with those wow-factor necklines and backs that trace your figure in the most divine way.<br />
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Now this might seem to be a brave choice but it makes total sense. Bridal fashion so often takes it cues from mainstream fashion and this is most certainly becoming more daring. It's great to see bridal designers pushing things a little bit. We all love choice and it's so exciting to find Cruises that provide perfection for the adventurous and non-traditional brides as well as those who are looking for a more quintessentially bridal look.<br />
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Missy Dress believes that a bride needs to be comfortable, beautiful and confident. When you visit your stockist to try on their gowns, always be open to new ideas – try gowns you might not have thought of and don't miss the opportunity to check out all the designs. It's the best way to be absolutely sure that what you chose is the one.<br />
<br />tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-54148386887368134622017-07-28T18:13:00.000-07:002017-07-28T18:13:15.418-07:00How to harvest flowers from your garden<br />
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The North Texas area has received rain and landscapes are looking beautiful. Why not bring some of that beauty indoors by harvesting cut flowers from beds? Everybody loves a beautiful flower arrangement. By using flowers from your own yard, you can display your gardening prowess and add your own personality.<br /><br />Tips for Harvesting Flowers from Your Garden<br /><br />When cutting your flowers, cut flower stems at an angle to prevent the stem resting on the bottom of the vase and sealing itself over. Angular cuts also create a larger surface area for water uptake. Be careful to strip any foliage from stems that would sit below water level in a vase as these will simply decay, becoming slimy and smelly. You will also want to cut flowers in the morning for the best results. After you make your initial cuts and have stems indoor, cut stems under water to prevent air bubbles in the stems.<br /><br />Wash the vase or container that you will use carefully. Bacteria will limit the life of your cut flowers. Always use room temperature water in your vases or container. Cold water has a higher oxygen content, which can also cause air bubbles to form in the stems of your flowers, blocking their water uptake. Spring bulbs such as tulips and daffodils are the exception to this rule as they prefer to be placed in cold water. However, plants growing right now will do best with room temperature water.<br /><br />It is a good idea to add a small amount of bleach or Listerine mouthwash to the water to inhibit bacterial growth and make your flowers last longer. You only need to add about ¼ teaspoon per gallon of water. Further, when you receive flowers from a florist, you will usually receive a “flower food” packet to add to your water to further supplement what the flowers are taking up. You can make this at home by mixing lemon-lime soda 50:50 with water. This will supply needed dextrose for the flowers to thrive. Other cola products can be used but will color the water brownish, thus, the recommendation to use lemon-lime soda, which is clear.<br /><br />Give some thought to where you place your vase or container. The vase life of your cut flowers will be reduced if they are placed too close to heat, drafts or direct sunlight. Also, keep cut flowers away from fruit bowls as fruit produces ethylene which causes cut flowers to deteriorate. Remove any dead or fading blooms to prevent bacteria damaging the healthy flowers. You will want to also change the water completely every few days.<br /><br />Cut Flower Favorites from the Garden in Summer<br /><br />The following are a quick list of flowers typically blooming in the summer that can be easily used for cut flowers: Sunflowers; Dianthus (including carnations, pinks, and sweet William); Snapdragon; Cosmos; Marigold; Zinnia; Butterfly Weed; Canna; daisies of different types; Coreopsis; Coneflower; Ferns; Gayfeather; Balloon Flower and Mexican Marigold. The typical vase life for many cut flowers can range from 3-4 days to 21 days and more. A good source of information on the vase life of flowers you would like to use as cut flowers would be county Master Gardeners groups, college horticultural programs or local florists. Gainesville is lucky to have all three in our area!tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-11141588945861728882017-06-24T02:12:00.000-07:002017-06-24T02:12:49.224-07:00Good Samaritan saves the day after heartless thieves steal sentimental flowers from Surrey Downs couple<br />
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FOR four long weeks, Surrey Downs couple Brian and Ann Bennett wondered how low society could possibly go.<br />
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Last month, the pair discovered two of their "magnificent" chrysanthemums had been stolen overnight, just 3m from their front door.<br />
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The purple and white flowers with red tips were a Mother's Day gift four years ago from their disabled son, Michael, 36, who suffers from cerebral palsy.<br />
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"We were going to put some of the chrysanthemums on my mother's grave," Brian says. "They had struggled to grow until this year ... they were magnificent."<br />
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His wife, Ann, was equally gutted. "It was like being winded, punched in the solar plexus," she says.<br />
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"It gives you that uneasy feeling that somebody's poking that close to your front door, I was really angry. I'm no green thumb, I'm more of a brown thumb, but the flowers had really taken off after a few years."<br />
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Also taken were three little sentimental ornaments – a Pekinese dog from a "dear-departed friend", an angel and a plaque given to Brian as a retirement gift by his daughter-in-law 14 years ago.<br />
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But the Bennetts's story had a kind-hearted twist in store.<br />
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Last Sunday, after Brian wrote a letter to the editor in the Leader Weekly lambasting the thieves, an anonymous donor left replacement chrysanthemums by their front door.<br />
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"There was a lovely note that read ‘to our lovely neighbours, after the theft of your plant we read your article in the Messenger and thought that we would like to replace your plant," Ann says. "It was another punch in the solar plexus, but in a nice way."tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-39460422006255096512017-05-26T01:15:00.000-07:002017-05-26T01:21:18.064-07:00This Cockroach May Pollinate Flowers—Extremely Rare FindIn the scrublands of central Chile, wild roaches are feeding on pollen and may even be helping plants to propagate.<br />
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They may be reviled as a scourge of urban living, but most of the world's cockroaches don't scurry anywhere near a city.<br />
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A whopping 99 percent of the 4,500 known cockroach species thrive in wild places, playing vital roles in ecosystems ranging from the rain forests of Brazil to the deserts of Saudi Arabia.<br />
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Now, a new study reveals that the cockroach Moluchia brevipennis, native to central Chile's scrublands, feeds on flower pollen—and may even pollinate plants.<br />
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"People think of them as being in the streets or in the trash, but there are these wild cockroaches hanging out at the tops of tall flowers,"says study co-author Cristian Villagra, an entomologist at the Universidad Metropolitana de Ciencias de la Educación in Santiago, Chile.<br />
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Pollinating cockroaches are exceedingly rare: Only two species are known, one in French Guiana, the other on Malaysian Borneo. Then again, studies of wild cockroaches are also scarce, the researchers note in their paper, published recently in the journal Revista Brasileira de Entomologia.<br />
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Only 178 scientific papers have focused on this understudied group between 2000 and 2016, compared with tens of thousands of papers about more well-known insects such as ants and bees, according to the study authors. (Read about how cockroaches are also excellent dads.)<br />
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For their research, Villagra and colleagues conducted the first-ever survey of M. brevipennis in various sites of Chile’s semi-arid Matorral region.<br />
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"Kids are not scared of cockroaches, but as they grow older and become adults, then they get freaked out by them," says Villagra, who is also a National Geographic Explorer. "We want to give people an opportunity to learn about these insects."<br />
Roach Raids<br />
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For their research, Villagra and colleagues conducted the first-ever survey of M. brevipennis in various sites of the semi-arid Matorral region.<br />
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They team found that these cockroaches emerge at dusk to eat pollen from many native plant species, including evening primrose, and lay their eggs, or ootecae, only on a genus of bromeliad plants called Puya.<br />
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The entomologists suspect the cockroaches evolved to depend on native plants for shelter and food because it's a safer bet than non-natives: Endemic flora can best endure the dry, harsh climate, he says.<br />
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Insects eat pollen—essentially, plant sperm—because it's a "really energy-packed, nice tasty treat," says University of Arizona entomologist Katy Prudic.<br />
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While gorging on pollen, insects get the powdery substance all over their bodies and faces. When they land on the next flower, some pollen can fall onto the female reproductive parts at the flower’s base, fertilizing it.<br />
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Actually observing this interaction between insects and plants requires painstaking experiments, but plans are underway to study whether the cockroaches are in fact pollinating the plants, Villagra says.<br />
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Prudic thinks it's likely, since the cockroaches' lifestyle is so closely connected to the vegetation.<br />
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"What you would think of as a vile organism may be important to help these plants make more babies," says Prudic, who wasn't involved in the study. "It's fun to think of cockroaches as more than something that you want to squish." (Find out why cockroaches are so tough to squish.)<br />
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Other lesser known pollinators include midges, dung beetles, horse flies, and even mosquitoes, Prudic adds. (See "9 Ways You Can Help Bees and Other Pollinators At Home.")<br />
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No matter whether they are pollinators, cockroaches are crucial to the environment. Many species eat large quantities of decaying organic matter, making them natural recyclers, Villagra says.<br />
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He is concerned that growing tourism infrastructure in central Chile could threaten the insects' homes, as well as many native plants, including P. venusta, a bromeliad that's considered vulnerable to extinction.<br />
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"Chile has focused its development on having frontier science research funded by its government agencies," Villagra says, "but has forgotten the fact that there still lots of things to be discovered in its natural history."tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-59536342340814709752017-04-08T00:21:00.003-07:002017-04-08T00:21:52.632-07:00Helen Yemm on how to grow spring flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This week Helen Yemm advises on making the most of delightful native fritillaries, taking care if you’re pruning a lively pieris, and how to avoid accidentally injuring yourself in the garden...<br />
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A reader at an informal “Thorny Problems” session in Dorset recently asked for more advice on growing Smyrnium perfoliatum, a late-spring, glowing lime-green biennial umbel (often mistaken for some kind of euphorbia). She’d had little success in the past – is there a knack?<br />
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Not exactly, is the answer, but it is important to understand a thing or two about the way the seeds and seedlings behave in order to establish the permanent ebb-and-flow colony sought by an increasing number of “Smyrnophiles”, it would seem.<br />
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First, as is the case with many members of this “cow parsley” plant family, you have to mimic nature and sow seeds promptly, when fresh. Allot them a specific site, rather than just cast them around, so you can monitor their presence. Second, on germination, the double or triple seed leaves bear no relation to the rather coarser adult leaves of the plant and appear to die off completely during their first summer.<br />
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This is the point at which you may lose heart and even plant something else in their stead. However, if undisturbed, the tiny dormant plants will put in an appearance the following spring, producing bold, shiny leaves not unlike celery, growing extremely rapidly to around 16in (40cm) and flowering in May/June before setting masses of black seed.<br />
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So where do you start? Single, eye-catching plants are often sold at fairs and gardener gatherings in late spring. Pounce on one or two, enjoy the flowers and let them go to seed (to start the process described above). Or carry an old envelope in your glove compartment and beg some seed from a successful Smyrnophile (who’s bound to have plenty to spare), head home and sow straight away.<br />
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<b>Snake’s head fritillaries</b><br />
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These little native fritillaries, with their delicately patterned nodding flowers, grow from bulbs that are most often planted in September, along with other spring stars, such as alliums and daffodils, and they flower the following year in early to mid-April. They tolerate some shade, and thrive and multiply most rapidly by self-seeding in soil that is heavy and damp.<br />
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Although they make pretty front-of-border plants, they look best growing en masse in grass that doesn’t have to be cut in early spring and can be left un-mowed until at least late July or August. Recognisable seedlings produce two leaves in their first year, and may flower in their second or third.<br />
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If you are impatient and/or gardening on a small scale (and little self-seeding patches do look quite enchanting if you can spare a lawn-corner somewhere), you could buy a few pots of flowering bulbs around now, plant them in short turf that does not dry out too drastically in the summer and allow them to just set seed and get on with it, adding more bulbs in September.<br />
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<b>Pruning overgrown pieris</b><br />
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You certainly can prune your pieris. Like other spring-flowering woodland evergreens such as camellias and rhododendrons, pieris can be cut back immediately after flowering. Your shrubs will then, in theory, flower on the new growth they make subsequently, but very possibly (depending on the variety and on how radical you were with your pruning saw) not for a couple of years.<br />
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You don’t say quite enough about these shrubs. Are they forms of P. formosa (the largest) or the slightly smaller P. japonica? Did you cram them into too small a space when you acquired them (in which case they are probably quite young, and could be moved rather than pruned) or are they ancient whoppers on which the whole garden depends for structure? Or have you one of each?<br />
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Either way, I advise you to be cautious: both species are quite slow-growing, and depending on their age and situation, may not recover quickly – and pruning these woodlanders hard is not something you want to be doing very often or they will rarely flower well. But if prune them you must, perhaps cut one back quite hard this year and see how it responds before handing out any stern treatment to the other.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-30851354624431669712017-03-24T20:19:00.004-07:002017-03-24T20:19:54.091-07:00How to buy flowers online for Mother's Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's that time of year that it's traditional to spoil your mum with gratitude for all the things she does for you. If you're not going to be seeing your mum in person this Sunday for Mother's Day, you can at least send her a bunch of flowers to show you care. Organising that online couldn't be easier - so now you've no excuse to forget. Also see: How to make personalised cards online.<br />
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How to buy flowers online<br />
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• Open your web browser and search for 'flowers'. There are loads of choices, from Interflora and Serenata Flowers to eFlorist, Bunches, M&S, Next Flowers and even Moonpig.com. The latter might be a good choice if you want to send a personalised card at the same time, but you can choose whichever site you fancy.<br />
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• We've gone with Serenata Flowers because we've used it before, and because it has some good deals ahead of Mother's Day - especially with the 5% voucher code we found online. (Don't worry, your mum doesn't know that.)<br />
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• Choose a website and look at the bouquets on offer. If you don't know anything about choosing flowers, play it safe and go for one of the bestsellers. For example, Serenata Flowers is offering Aztec Sun as a bestseller at £24.99 with £5 off.<br />
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• Once you've chosen a bunch of flowers, just click on it to go to the product page. Now select what size bunch you want: Standard, Deluxe or Supersize. You'll have to pay a little more to get a bigger bunch - the Aztec Sun costs £29.98 for Deluxe or £34.98 for Supersize.<br />
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• If you want to send a teddy, balloon, box of chocolates, vase or other with your flowers, select an item below your choice of bouquet size.<br />
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• Now choose a date for your delivery. Right now Serenata Flowers is offering guaranteed free courier delivery on Sunday 26 March, meaning your flowers will arrive between 8am and 6pm, and you'll be informed of a one-hour delivery slot nearer the time.<br />
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• When you're happy with your choices choose Order Now.<br />
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• If you didn't choose an extra gift along with the flowers, you'll be prompted to do so now. You can select one of the options if you want to, or to skip just scroll down and choose 'Continue to checkout'.<br />
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• On the next screen enter your name, email address and phone number, then click Continue.<br />
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• You'll now be asked for your mum's name and address. Start typing the address or postcode into the field to get auto suggestions.<br />
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• Specify any special delivery instructions and select Mother's Day as the occasion, then enter a gift message. This can be printed on a free default card, or you can choose something more appropriate for £2.99.<br />
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• When you're done, click 'Continue to Payment Details'.<br />
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• Before you buy anything online it's a good idea to search for voucher codes online. We found a 5% off voucher for Serenata Flowers using the code EErd435QQ. To enter your voucher code click the voucher code link under your order details on the right side of the screen.<br />
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• Serenata Flowers accepts payment by Visa Electron, Switch, Solo, Mastercard and Maestro. Enter your card number, expiry date and security code, then click Pay. You should get an email receipt within a few minutes. And that's it - easy!tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-40228837202119791742017-02-24T18:53:00.002-08:002017-02-24T18:53:21.636-08:00Quick tips: Woodland flowersIn today's Quick Tips, we're getting ready for spring, with how to photograph woodland flowers.<br />
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Local woodlands will soon be exhibiting signs of spring. One of the first flowers to bloom is the lesser celandine; its star-like blooms creating a vast yellow carpet on the forest floor. Snowdrops will also be present in some locations, their distinctive white heads bobbing in the breeze. Another firm favourite is the wood anemone whose white flower heads often have a pinkish tinge. This beautiful perennial grows in woods, hedgerows and upland meadows from March to May, but its scent is a little off-putting – the leaves give off a musky aroma earning it the alternative name ‘smell fox’.<br />
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All of these winter/spring flowers can be found and photographed with ease, but to make the most of the experience you need to consider a few things.<br />
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1.If the wind speed rises above 5mph it’s best not to attempt close-up shots of delicate blooms such as snowdrops and wood anemones. These are best captured on calm days, and when the light is bright but overcast.<br />
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2.Scissors, tweezers and a paintbrush can all come in handy when shooting plant portraits. Any dust, pollen or debris will stand out on pale petals, so save time with the cloning tool by removing any distractions early on.<br />
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3.Many woodland images are shot at ground level, so take a kneeling mat or wear waterproof trousers to keep comfortable and dry. You will also need a tripod with a central column that can be positioned horizontally (or a beanbag).<br />
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4.Reflectors and diffusers can be useful for controlling the light that falls on your subject, but it’s also worth experimenting with small portable lights and flash systems designed specifically for close-up work.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-82448628801536068582017-01-06T22:18:00.001-08:002017-01-06T22:18:10.096-08:00Farmers making space for wild flowers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Modern farming has been devastating for most wild plants, from herbicides, fertilisers, drainage, and much more – but it doesn’t have to be that way. Mike and Nick Kettlewell farm some 400 acres in the Oxfordshire Cotswolds and have left wildflower margins beside fields and planted small copses.<br />
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They have converted arable land to grassland to encourage wild flowers to return, such as bee orchids and cowslips. Hedges are cut every three years and grow tall, rich in flowers and fruit, and new hedges planted with traditional species such as wild pear and crab apple.<br />
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Vine House Farm in the fenlands of Lincolnshire is an oasis of wild plants in a desert of intensive agriculture. Farmer Nicholas Watts was shocked at the numbers of birds that had disappeared on his land, so he planted native hedgerows. “Where possible we have planted two hedges, side by side, about ten yards apart, thus creating a fantastic wildlife corridor,” he said.<br />
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He stopped filling in dykes, hugely important for plants and wildlife, and field margins were left untouched to encourage arable weeds such as fat hen, willow weed and knotgrass. But the single biggest factor that boosted plant life was organic farming – herbicides had drastically reduced the number and diversity of both plants and insects.<br />
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In the Dales of Yorkshire, Lower Winskill Farm brought the return of typical meadow flowers by carefully controlling when the pastures are grazed. And on the Isle of Mull, an overgrazed farm cut the numbers of sheep and brought in a small herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle, all of which helped the return of wild flowers, including 15 species of orchids.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1472317344718382314.post-81513261044002859772016-12-03T22:54:00.001-08:002016-12-03T22:55:26.902-08:00Flowers left in tribute to tram crash victims to be recycled for permanent memorial<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Flowers left in memory of the Croydon tram crash victims will be recycled as compost that will become part of a permanent memorial.<br />
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Hundreds of floral tributes have been laid near the crash site in Addiscombe Road and in New Addington to remember the seven who died and those that were injured when the tram derailed on November 9.<br />
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Croydon Council announced that two permanent memorials will eventually be created, one in Sandilands and one in New Addington, once families have been spoken to about what sort of memorials they would like to see.<br />
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Signs have been placed by the temporary memorials letting residents know that staff will be "tending the flowers and will carefully and respectfully remove any that are wilting" to "preserve" them.<br />
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The signs add: "A compost made from the flowers will be added to the permanent memorial.<br />
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"Any other tributes that we remove will be kept safely by us."<br />
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The Advertiser has approached the council to find out more details about where the tributes are being stored.<br />
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A net is covering the New Addington flowers, in Central Parade, to protect them.<br />
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Over the last two weeks, the funerals have been held for the tram crash victims, with five of them being from the estate.<br />
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The Advertiser was invited to cover the send-offs for Headley Drive resident Philip Logan and Queen Elizabeth's Drive resident Philip Seary, who both left behind huge, loving families and groups of friends.tracy manhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01468917665181494522noreply@blogger.com0