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Exotic Flowers in Boston

Baseball Inspired Flower Arrangements

Posted by Suzie Canale on Mon, May 21, 2018

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Like many Bostonians, there is a huge rush of energy in the city lately and that’s all due to the opening of our beloved Fenway Park!  Get your peanuts, pretzels and soft drinks ready kids because this year, the Red Sox seem to be planning on having a sensational six months ahead of them!  Last week, just happens to be my first time back to the old ballpark and boy- was it great to be sitting in those familiar red seats waving at Wally again.  Everyone around me seemed to be taking in the smells, sounds and sights that are synonymous with Fenway such as the decadence of sweet sausage and authentic hot dogs, the brightness of the overhead lights and the cheer of the crowd as the first ballplayer took his turn up at bat.  Visiting the park really is an experience in itself that many people keep the memories of long after they’ve left. How do you keep these fond thoughts alive? We can browse through old programs, take a look at snapshots or wear our favorite team member’s jersey you’d do anything to be just like!

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If you are a flower lover who happens to share the same adornment with Boston’s favorite baseball team, you can even combine the two notions to make a gorgeous piece of memorabilia!  There’s zillions of ways to make a beautiful Red Sox arrangement to either showcase at your next birthday party or simply keep for yourself. The first step to designing this piece is to keep in mind the obvious:  the colors of the team are red, blue and white. This might seem tricky at first glance but in actuality, there are several varieties of flowers that are grown in these hues. The obvious answer might be to whip up a bubble bowl stuffed with red roses to encircle the vase.  This, no doubt works perfectly with little fuss but if you’re looking for a challenge-here are a few more ideas to mull about.

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Red Sox

The Lost Art of Flowers at a Baseball Game

Posted by Rick Canale on Mon, Apr 18, 2016

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photo credit via: twitter.com/BSmile

If you go to baseball games as much as I do, you will witness all types of ceremonies at the ballpark. Famous first pitches, tributes to heroes past and present and on occasion the host will incorporate flowers into the festivitives. Flowers at a baseball game goes back more than one hundred years. Author Glenn Stout tells us in Fenway 1912 that Fenway Park had planters filled with flowers to greet fans on the grand opening of Fenway Park.

The photo above shows Babe Ruth alongside a horseshoe of flowers. The floral arch was a symbol of luck and success. While these tributes are not quite as fashionable as before, they can still be made. One step better would be to have a florist design for the times. So many major league parks have an event every night before the first pitch, it's time to bring back flowers back to the diamond.

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photo credit twitter.com/BSmile

Above Hall of Famer Phil Rizzuto makes his MLB debut in 1941 underneath a floral horseshoe. Once again flowers at the ballpark marking history and symbolizing luck. 

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photo credit: via twitter.com/BSmile

Knowing the Babe's reputation as a playboy, I am not sure if he was gving or receiving this hand tied bouquet.

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 AP Photo/Itsuo Inouye

Thankfully, across the Pacific, the Japanese still honor the game and each other by having managers exchange floral bouquets.

 

 

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Fenway Park, Red Sox, Baseball Hall of Fame, Nostalgia

Red Sox Flower Bouquets

Posted by Suzie Canale on Mon, Apr 11, 2016

What do you get a girl who’s a huge baseball fan and not just any old baseball fan, a Red Sox baseball fan!  Sure you could go crazy buying hats, caps and other Fenway paraphernalia but why not use your noggin and think outside of the batting box for a change?  Get creative with your gift giving and send her something with a little class, and little grandeur!  How about giving her a floral arrangement inspired by the Boston Red Sox where the design reflects her inherent passion for the team? Not fall for the misconception that the bouquet will be confined to merely blue and red toned blossoms - there are hundreds of gorgeous combinations that are sure to knock her off her feet.  So as you begin planning to impress your die-hard Red Sox fan girlfriend/wife, check out these awesome creations whipped up by Bean Town’s most famous florists!

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photo credit: lakenurseries.com.au

“Red Sox” Calla Lilies

Yes, really!  These calla lilies are actually named “Red Sox” and are the exact deep shade of red that is associated with the team’s uniform and emblem!  This variety is exquisite alone in a vase or can be easily paired with other softer hues of red to make a jewel tone presentation.  Another interesting fact about this species is that they are known for their longevity just as long as they’re stored somewhere cool and away from extensive heat.

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photo credit: theplantexpert.com

“Festiva Maxima” Peonies

Here’s another great option for baseball lovers, which is called the “Festiva Maxima” peony that ironically looks a whole lot like a baseball!  The fine red flicks that mark the petals can be compared to the red stitching of a ball and the shear white color of the blooms themselves are spectacularly round and full.  You don’t need much more added to this stunner but if you must, only combine small stems, which will appropriately accent this peonies’ sophisticated appeal.  

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Clear Vase Filled with Baseballs

Sometimes all you need is a little edge.  A tall, clear cylinder vase filled with traditional baseballs can make quite a hit for the person who loves this sport.  Fill with dried flowers of place a bubble bowl on top of the opening and arrange with whatever flowers you like the best.  Perhaps you’ve saved mementos from baseball games you’ve enjoyed together previously?  Here’s a terrific way to display them!  Not only is it a conversational piece, but she’ll be able to keep the contents for years to come!

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Red Sox, Opening Day

The Moth Presents Michaela Murphy: The All-Star Game #OpeningDay

Posted by Rick Canale on Mon, Apr 04, 2016

I used to listen to Abbot & Costello's Who's on First every Opening Day. Now my ride to work on Opening Day is Michaela Murphy's story. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do. Happy Opening Day !

 

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Red Sox, Opening Day

Party Decor for #OpeningDay

Posted by Suzie Canale on Fri, Apr 01, 2016

Spring is finally here and that means opening day at Fenway Park is just around the corner!  Popcorn, cracker jacks, hot dogs, peanuts, foam fingers and baseball caps will be sold by the millions inside the park but Bostonians are also gearing up to make their own plans… Team spirit runs rampant during this time of year in Bean Town, where fans are throwing parties thematic after our love for the Boston Red Sox.  Everything from the color scheme to the menu can be manipulated to include clever accessories and entertaining display décor.  All you have to do is use a little imagination and think “Baseball”!  Monday, April 11th is the official date when Fenway will be reopened to play a little ball against the Baltimore Orioles so why not have a few friends over to enjoy the game?  Here are a few party planning ideas fabulous for opening day soiree!

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Menu

You’ve got to have a lot of finger foods if you’re having a fete mirrored after the cuisine served inside Fenway and the good news is that most of these dishes are really inexpensive to make.  Think pigs in a blanket, popcorn, sliders, chips, dips and pizza.  You can also have a little fun with veggie and fruit platters if you arrange the food to look like a baseball diamond or even an outfield.  Don’t forget the dessert either, because a quick batch of cupcakes decorated with the letter “R” in blue and red frosting are the perfect sweet treats to compliment game day!

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photo credit: ChalkandPatina via etsy.com

Decorations

This is really simple because right about now, every grocery store in Massachusetts is stocking up with paper and plastic Red Sox dishware and cups.  If you don’t want to pay the extra to have their logo printed across your plates, just pick up plain white, red and blue Dixie brand ware, which works just as well.  Another great idea is to gather some old mason jars and paint them completely white and then add the small detail of red lining, much like an actual baseball would have.  Place candles or lollipops inside and watch how easy dressing up your Red Sox part really is!


Party Games

If watching the game isn’t entertainment enough, then you’ll want to have some party games to fall back on if things get a little dull.  “Cups” is one that comes to mind for adults, but for younger audiences, playing ”Pin the Tail on the Opposing Team” is also a lot of fun (particularly if the Red Sox fall behind).  If you have your own baseball bat, “Balance the Bat” relay races are also a good idea to get people moving as well as an egg toss game to see who has the best catching hands!

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Party Flowers, Red Sox, Holiday Decor

A Poem for the #WorldSeries

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, Oct 27, 2015

At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we are huge baseball fans. We sponsor little league teams in Boston and Westwood. We even sponsored the Red Sox from 2007-2009. The Official Florist of the Boston Red Sox was cool and we still maintain a lot of contacts at Fenway Park. We remain strong supporters of the arts and literature, we enjoy sharing classic poems with our friends.

 

Below is the poem

"The Base Stealer" by Robert Francis 

 

Poised between going on and back, pulled

Both ways taut like a tightrope-walker,

Fingertips pointing the opposites,

Now bouncing tiptoe like a dropped ball

Or a kid skipping rope, come on, come on,

Running a scattering of steps sidewise,

How he teeters, skitters, tingles, teases,

Taunts them, hovers like an ecstatic bird,

He's only flirting, crowd him, crowd him,

Delicate, delicate, delicate, delicate - now!

 

 

This poem is offered in almost every high school English class. I first read this poem at The Roxbury Latin School. It has stuck with me all these years and I am happy to share it with you.

My favorite base stealer was Rickey Henderson. Who was yours ? Henderson signed this card me as teenager. He was always great with the fans. If you ever want to know how cool a guy Henderson was, read this article by social media giant Gary V.

Rickey Henderson Autograph

Tags: Baseball, Red Sox Florist, Poetry, Red Sox, World Series

Did You Know That There Are Flower Trading Cards ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Mon, Sep 29, 2014

 ALLEN GINTER SEEDS CARD

I have been collecting baseball cards since 1979. I used to wait for fresh packs of baseball cards to arrive at the corner stores in Roslindale and Scituate. I used all of my money for packs of baseball cards. Thankfully, I rarely chewed the gum. I do miss that smell though as baseball card packs today do not come with gum. 

My card collecting days peaked in 1985. My best cards at that time included a 1976 Topps Carl Yastrzemski, a 1975 Rookie George Brett, 1980 Rookie card of Rickey Henderson and all of Carlton Fisk's cards as he was my hero at the time. 

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I have all these cards today. Thankfully, my mom never threw them away. My top cards now are bit a different. I own a 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson along with 1953 Topps cards of Mickey Mantle, Satchell Paige and Willie Mays. I also collect cards of my friends Ted Lepcio, Ron Kittle and Benny Ayala. Exotic Flowers has nice collection of cards of players who have bought their flowers here; David Ortiz, Dustin Pedroia, Jonny Gomes and Tim Wakefield to name a few. 

I still buy a fresh box of baseball card packs every year to share with friends and family on Opening Day. It is a great tradition. Baseball remains my hobby. I spend most of my time at Exotic Flowers selling flowers in Boston.  Like Hall of Famer Bill Veeck, I am an avid reader, passionate marketer, lover of flora and fauna (it was Veeck's idea to plant the ivy at Wrigley Field) and huge baseball fan. Like Veeck and myself, Topps Baseball Cards also sees the connection between nature in baseball.  

 GINTER FLORA (If you are looking to acquire any type of trading card, the best site out there is comc.com)

In 2011, Topps produced an insert set in its Allen & Ginter collection. This subset, known as Flora of the World comprises five cards. The cards were inserted into 1 out of every 144 hobby packs. The coolest thing about these cards though is that they contain flower seeds embedded in the cards. You can actually plant the card itself and it will produce the flowers on the card. How cool is that ? I would love to create a business card like that. Although I do have a pretty cool busines card.

Rick Canale

Tags: Baseball, Bill Veeck, Boston Florist, Red Sox, David Ortiz, Baseball Hall of Fame

World Cup Flower Flop? Not So Fast, Says Boston Florist

Posted by Rick Canale on Sat, Jun 21, 2014

This article was featured in the 6/18/14 The SAF Wednesday Ebrief

By Mary Westbrook



Exotic Flowers in Boston recently launched its “Cooperstown Collection”— a partnership with The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y. Owner Rick Canale, who has also been the official florist for the Red Sox, said sports tie-ins, done well, have lots of marketing potential. 

Bloggers in the U.K. are giving a red card to a supermarket chain that tried to capitalize on World Cup fever with a special bouquet — but at least one sports-savvy florist in Boston said the idea has the potential to hit plenty of marketing goaaals. 

Calling the “Come On, England” bouquet concept “painful,” several bloggers put the red and white carnation design, sold at Morrisons grocery stores, at the top of their “worst” lists for World Cup tie-ins. 

“Suddenly, a [groveling] apology from the other half for their latest screw-up just isn’t as gratifying as it used to be,” according to EuroSport. “Alternatively, it’s a rather backhanded way for a guy to [apologize] in advance for spending the next month doing nothing but watching football marathons and angrily debating contentious decisions on social media.” 

The chain also rain afoul of customers in Scotland, who successfully petitioned the stores there to stop playing an endless loop of England-related soccer — er, football —songs. 

Good intentions, lousy promotion? Not so fast, said Rick Canale of Exotic Flowers in Boston, who suggested the bloggers and writers are probably overreacting, and misinterpreting the grocers’ intentions. “I bet [Morrisons] did not sell the bouquet as an apology theme,” he said. “That would be floral suicide.” (At press time, EBrief editors had not been able to obtain the original marketing materials.) 

Canale should know. Exotic Flowers was the official florist of the Boston Red Sox from 2007 to 2009 and won SAF’s Floral Management Marketer of the Year title in 2008. He recently partnered with The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y., to launch his new “Cooperstown Collection,” which coincides with the museum’s 75th anniversary. 

Canale said hitching your shop to a sports team or event can be marketing gold, but “it’s all about the approach.” In other words, never market a sports-themed design as an apology, but instead, promote it as a party idea or team-spirited host and hostess gift. When you do that well, you turn a non-floral event into an opportunity for your shop. 

“Believe me, if I liked soccer, I would be pitching World Cup bouquets here, too,” Canale said. “You have to capitalize on the success of special events. [For example], every Election Day, we launch an Election Day category on our website and then rebrand the same category for Veteran’s Day.” 

Tags: Red Sox Florist, Boston Florist, SAF, Rick Canale, Red Sox

The Exotic Flowers in Boston Father's Day Gift Guide

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, Jun 03, 2014

Father's Day is Sunday June 15th. Don't take your dad for granted. He appreciates being appreciated. Whether you buy him a card, a balloon or even a rose. Let your dad know how much you love him.
At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we currently have five full time fathers on staff. The dads at Exotic Flowers have put together a list of the gifts they would love receive this Father's Day.
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  • An antispasto fileld with tasty bites of olives, cheeses and salty meats is sure to please the men in your life. Throw in a bottle of red wine, an afternoon of the History channel and you have an event that rivals Super Bowl Sunday.
Fathers Day Gift
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  • The mini solar emergency radiofrom LL Bean. Hurricane season started June 1st. This is a must-have item for your dad's or husband's emergency kit, bedside stand or car. Or even if he just likes to listen to Joe Castiglione and the Red Sox in the back yard. Affordable, practical and comes from one of our favorite companies, LL Bean. Exotic Flowers in Boston has taken many pages from the LL Bean customer service program.
fathers day steaks
  •  They say a way to man's heart is through his stomach. While dad is listening to his new radio in the back yard. Why not pick him up a few thick ribeyes from Butcher Boy in North Andover. Of course, you do not have to leave Boston to buy beef, but Butcher Boy is the best in business. 
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  • While your dad is in the backyard grilling his steaks and listening to the Red Sox, why not help beautify the yard. Many make the mistake of buying dad tools and plants for him to plant. Why not give him a break and have the staff at Exotic Flowers send our Mixed Summer PlanterThis delightful planter bustles with lovely flowers and long-lasting garden plants. With so much to offer, it'll make the days of summer brighter.
boston childrens book
What better way to celebrate father's day than reading your children a book. This is one of the best memories you can ever share with children, a father reading to their child.

Tags: Baseball, Father's Day, Steak, Exotic Flowers Employees, Red Sox

What does David Ortiz Have in Common with Boston's Exotic Flowers ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, Apr 08, 2014

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Not only has Red Sox slugger David Ortiz rung up Exotic Flowers in Boston for a number of spectacular flower deliveries to his lovely bride; Big Papi also personifies Exotic Flowers' vision statement: Reaction Guaranteed. Much like David's prodigious blasts and all around swagger, Boston's Premier Florist delivers our products in an over the top fashion. Both Exotic Flowers and David Ortiz have the wow factor.

David gives back to Bostonians and his homeland. Exotic Flowers will always remember its humble beginnings and neighbors in Roslindale. David brings his son D'Angelo to work. Exotic Flowers staff members always bring their kids into the shop to show them what we do for a living.

David's recent foray into Manhattan to win one New York fan over at a time mirrors Exotic Flowers' philosophy of serving one client at a time. David enjoys the food at Meringue on Blue Hill Ave in Dorchester, the Exotic Flowers staff eats there as well.

Baseball gift basket Boston

David Ortiz won the World Series in 2007 with the Red Sox; Exotic Flowers served as the Official Florist of the Boston Red Sox in 2007. David Ortiz has a huge legion of fans. Exotic Flowers has a huge legion of fans. David Ortiz sends premium flowers. Exotic Flowers sells premium flowers. David Ortiz speaks Spanish; Exotic Flowers has staff members who speak Spanish and a Spanish version of our website.

David Ortiz does not dwell on the negative. Exotic Flowers is the most upbeat florist in Boston.  David Ortiz has an ego-centric nickname, Big Papi. Exotic Flowers' nickname, Boston's Premier Florist is just as over the top.

Reaction Guaranteed flowers"Reaction Guaranteed !" It is what David 'Big Papi' Ortiz and Exotic Flowers, Boston's Premier Florist are all about.

David is a potential Hall of Famer. Exotic Flowers works with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, NY.

I guess the only difference may be that we are not about guys taking 'selfies'.

 

Tags: Red Sox, David Ortiz, Reaction Guaranteed, Baseball Hall of Fame

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