Exotic Flowers in Boston

I love flowers and I also love healthy and delicious food so when I tried out this recipe and flipped over how great it was?  I had to share.  This is after all, a floral blog so that not only includes beautiful arrangements but anything else that I can find that’s spectacularly flowery!  Trust me- this recipe makes the cut and it’s super easy so anyone can make it.  There are only a few ingredients and the bet part?  It’s low in calories and fat as well as visually pleasing.

The dish is called “Bloomin’ Onions”, which you may of heard of or ordered before in a restaurant.  The difference between this appetizer and the others is that the frying factor is eliminated making it less greasy and healthier for your body.  Pair this with a chicken or fish entrée and you’ll start to see magic appear on your dinner plates.  This also makes an exquisite presentation because of the rich purple coloring alongside buffet items or as a plate dressing for other main courses.  Give it a try and see what you think!  

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Take a red onion (preferably large) and slice into eighths.  Make sure that the slices are still attached to the root so that are still held together.

3. Drizzle olive oil over flower and in between the petals.

4. Insert bay leaves and rosemary sprigs every other petal.

5. Sprinkle with salt and pepper

6. Roast for 40 minutes and eat immediately.   

There are many different industries that go into supporting a country’s economy.  Based on several factors including but not limited to location, culture, language, technology and transportation accessibility, each country varies with particular types of business that they are dependent on to keep the region’s finances flowing healthily.  For example, China and Norway are leaders in the highest exportation of fish, namely because of their convenient proximity to the ocean.   Without this resource, it is doubtable that they would have been able to become the experts in fisheries that they are today.  There are other reasons that are not situated around the geographic properties as well such as the chocolate phenomenon that is crucial to German commerce.  Funny, its not because they have the climate to host abundant cocoa orchards but instead the answer lies with the fact that Europeans were named the first official  “chocoholics” when the sweet treat was originally introduced.  The demand for chocolate alone was the only factor needed to surge an economic spike for spending, allowing Germany to invent top quality brand names such as the Stollwerck Chocolates Company.  

photo credit: florint.org

So if every country has at least one mega source of income, I had to ask the question, “Who are the leaders of the floral industry?”  With a little research, I found an interesting list of the top 5 places that depend on flowers to keep their economy circumventing.  Here’s what I found-are you surprised?

Top 5 Exporters of Flowers

1.   Netherlands

Tulips remain one of Holland’s most popular flowers for export although the world acclaimed Dutch auction is located right in the city of Aalsmeer, which is their real moneymaker.

2.  Colombia

Roses top the growing charts even though orchids and Birds of Paradise are also sought after for export.

3.  Ecuador 

photo credit: businessinsider.com

Ecuador is a competitor of Colombia because they also harvest millions and millions of roses that are known for their vibrant color and large heads.

4.  Ethiopia

Carnations are a great crop for Ethiopia to sell world wide because they are hearty and comfortable with the country’s naturally warm climate.  

5.  Kenya

Roses and general cut flowers are Kenya’s floral focus, representing around 35% of the Dutch trade in Holland.  Every year, this African country grows in demand for their beautiful product.  

Daisies are a very popular flower in American culture and have held their popularity over time even though some critics often refer to them as weeds.  The lovely wild flower is often seen growing in clumps within fields or easily planted in backyards as part of a planned landscape.  Daisies are also frequently requested by Boston brides to be either used as petals for the flower girl, worn as daisy crowns for bridesmaids, pinned as boutonnières for groomsmen or even arranged to make the wedding bouquet.  Although it’s no secret that more exotic options are available to gardeners and newlywed couples, these soft and subtle flowers still remain in fashionable demand.  What is the strong attraction to daisies?

photo credit: freebigpictures.com

Could the reason perhaps be because of the historical meaning behind the daisy?  

There are several different theories explaining the plausible reasons behind this phenomenon and why this bloom has held such a strong symbolic meaning.  Here are just a few of the largest representations daisies have been known for throughout time.

First and foremost, daisies are interpretive of the signs for purity and innocence.  The explanation is tied into the imagery of children often picking stems in open meadows because of their common availability in these areas.  From this idea, daisy petals transpired into becoming a popular option to fill bridal baskets for flower girls to carry down the aisle.  The sheer white color of the flower stands for the bride and groom “purity of love” as well as the notion of “children” and “childhood”, another prominent theme encouraged for newlyweds.  

The daisy also signifies “preference” which is based on medieval times when knights wore two daisies on their shield for a Lady to choose from.  If there were several knights vying for her affection and she hadn’t quite made up her mind which suitor to select, she would wear a crown of daisies on her head until she was ready to choose.  

Another interesting ritual branded by the daisy is its ability to foresee if a person was loved by their interest or not.  Plucking one petal off and then another while reciting, “he loves me, he loves me not” is another ceremonial practice placed upon the flower although there is no real proof that the daisy will accurately forecast the true answer.  

I have two boys and happily, they are extremely active kids who love the outdoors.  We typically make several visits to places that encourage fostering this relationship with nature and one of those locations is the forest.  Hiking has become a favorite pastime for the whole family, which gives us our exercise and allows us to explore stunning woods and everything that grows within it.  We talk about the birds we see, the sounds we hear and the plant life that decorates the landscape everywhere from the ground to the trees.  It’s extraordinary what you can learn by only taking a thirty-minute walk through a nearby forest, including several different floral varieties that exist in our very own woodlands.  Thousands of species sprout wildly every year with some being protected and others just being discovered for the first time by botanists.  If you are looking for something fun to do during the next few months of fantastic weather, grab a notebook and write down all of the flowers that you notice along the forest path.  If you feel like it, doodle a quick picture so that it will make it easier to identify once you get home and Google what you’ve found.  Here is a list of common flora typical to our New England forests and some great places to visit to get you moving on your way.  Happy Hiking!

                                                        Northeast Woodland Flowers

Nightcaps Anemones, Hooked Agrimony, Spreading Purple Aster, White Baneberry, Shrub Yellowroot, Tickseed Sunflower, Sessileleaf Bellwort, Cobbler’s Pegs, Water Lilies

photo credit: www.lookfordiagnosis.com

Recommended Hiking Grounds

Hale (Westwood, MA)

Harold Parker State Forest (North Andover, MA)

Walden Woods (Lincoln, MA)

Our favorite blogger Suzie Canale takes us for a walk through her garden in Westwood. While being outside in the garden is great exercise and makes you feel better, the harvest from your vegetable garden makes it all worthwhile.

Get an uo close look at healthy and energizing broccoli and cauliflower plants in the garden.

Wedding season is upon us and Boston brides are lining up to walk down the aisles!  There is shear excitement in the air even though the bridal season can be a bit stressful which can sometimes ruin an otherwise blissful occasion.  With all of the tasks that need to be done to make the event successful, there’s no wonder why couples can feel overwhelmed with stress right before their happy day.  Wardrobe fittings, catering menus, location options, invitation details and music arrangements can snowball into catastrophic messes so we can certainly see why the idea of elopement is becoming more attractive…

The truth is, there are several blogs and articles out there to help relieve some of the pressure, including tips on how to pre-plan disasters before they even occur.  Wouldn’t that be something if we could correct bridle hiccups (that we know most weddings experience) before they happen?  Honestly, I don’t believe that you can predict every blunderbuss situation but when it comes to flowers, there are definitely a few tips that are useful if you’re willing to be a bit flexible.  Take a look at some suggested advice given by our city’stop floral designersthat will keep you smiling all the way to your honeymoon!  You’ll feel confident that your special day will have an attractive display of blossoms, as well as the confidence to focus on what truly matters- reciting the vows of “I do”.

Helpful Bridal Flower Tips

Flexibility Saves the Day

Hey, if you’re willing to agree on some changes to the photo you saw in your favorite wedding magazine, things will go a lot smoother once it’s time to get down to the business of ordering the flowers.  Floral professionals understand issues such as availability, cost and presentation that may negatively affect your vision as well as your wallet.  Do some homework on the arrangements that you prefer and afterwards, ask the florist their opinion on whether the flowers are the right choice for the job.  Listening to what they have to say could not only end up saving you the trouble of dealing with nightmarish logistical issues, but they could also save you a ton of money.  Even the smallest adaptations can make a huge difference to the outcome of your wedding work so keep things flexible.  Should you show them the ad in “Brides” with the gorgeous cascading phalaenopsis and palm trees scattered throughout the room?  Absolutely!  By doing so they’ll have a better idea of what your tastes are and perhaps can come up with a similar look that’s just as stunning at a lower price.

Fussiness with Exact Color Will Only Lead to Doom

I was a wholesale florist for twenty years and it never failed to amaze me when a florist promised a particular shade of a particular shade of a particular shade of…blush?  It’s a flower, which means that an exact tint is impossible to foretell.  Particularly when a pink tone such as “salmon” can be seen differently depending on the person you ask.  What looks like salmon to me, might not look like salmon to you so don’t get too precise with variety names.  If you’re a savvy bride, you’ll choose a basic color that can be easily identified like lavender or soft pink.  These are terms that everyone is familiar with and you’ll know that your florist will be able to appease your wishes.

I LOVE fruit!  I love it for so many reasons, which is why my fridge is constantly stocked to the brim with assorted varieties so that my whole family can pull out a delicious treat whenever the urge arises.  Assortments such as grapes, oranges, apples, mangos, bananas and pears are incredibly good for the body but as a former florist, I can see a whole other world of possibilities that make this food group a desirable topic for designers.  One of the best qualities besides the health benefits of fruit is the color, texture and shape that the juicy flesh grows inside of.  This is an interesting factor for florists to acknowledge because it allows us to get really creative when incorporating blossoms with eye appealing produce.  After all, why should we have to solely depend on a flower’s properties of shading, size and appearance when the work can be shared with a prop having similarly positive attributes of attractiveness?   

Here’s what I mean…

By mixing flowers with fruit or utilizing the fruit as the fixture (vase) for the arrangement, we can create a fantastic conversational piece as well as a display that promotes contemporary style and clever technical skill. This type of designer theme also strongly reverberates the essence of “health” which can be useful for events appropriate for children or even fundraisers sponsored by hospitals, hotels or other service motivated organizations.  They’re also great for wedding buffets and cocktail/dinner centerpieces if the bride and groom wish to focus on a tropical or seasonal appeal (apples are popular with fall ceremonies).  The possibilities are endless so try playing around with these fruit infused floral bouquets for a fun and flirty look for your next occasion!

Fruit for Inside the Vase

Using fruit inside the vase to contrast the blooms you have chosen for the arrangement can spark up a drab composition and increase dynamic and color.  Strawberry stems alone can be put in bud vases or you can drip clumps of red or green grapes throughout a traditional floral structure.  Other great varieties that work well are apples, oranges and raspberry/blackberry branches.

Fruit Used as the Vase

Pineapples are not only yummy but the core of the fruit also makes an excellent vase along with cantaloupes and watermelons.  If you choose to use a clear glass vase, you can fill the inside with whole or halved lemons, limes or other varieties with a rind-like texture.  The color will beam from both the top and bottom of the composition making it an extra stunning arrangement or display.

Sometimes a garden can look pretty bleak when we begin to prepare for the summer season.  There is no color, the soil looks as if its evaporated into thin air and the idea of ever seeing beautiful plants once again flourish seems like an impossibility.  We all go through this in one way or another because if you’re a true New England gardener, you know that the winter is brutal on our beloved flower and vegetable beds.  It will take a little time to get things back into tip top shape but I assure you, the task doesn’t have to be as taxing as we make it out to be.  There are many ways that we can get the job done without having to spend months of our time breaking our backs or emptying our wallets.  This is a list of several tips that will get your green thumb growing in no time so you can spend your summer days doing exactly what you want to do, playing in your gardens!

Tips to Shape Up Summer Gardens Fast

1. You don’t always have to replace emptied raised beds with a ton of extra soil.  Sometimes the earth just needs a good toss and till to infuse the dirt with life after the colder months have past by.  Often freezing occurs which tricks the landscape into lying lower than it really is so pick up a shovel and do a little digging before you haul heavy bags of soil all over your lawn.

1. Buy your seeds in advance from places like local hardware stores, Home Depot and Job Lot who often cut the prices once the summer has ended.  You’ll be able to stock up early as well as save a pretty penny on all the deals that you’ll find.  

1. Save old sheets and other fabric material that can be reused for purposes such as weed coverage or netting.  Many varieties of plants need extra protection from unwanted animals and bugs and these items are extremely helpful.  Labeled netting is often expensive and the supplies you may already have at home work just as well if not better so rummage through closets before you decide to buy anything.

1. Save yourself the frustration of having to decipher what plant remnants are annuals and which are perennials by yanking out annuals as soon as the time has come to shut down your garden.  It can be wasteful when you discard plants that are able to bloom again if only given the time to rejuvenate.  If you really want to be economical, replant the annuals inside and see if you can weather them until the next summer!   This is how many of the pros do it and how many plant heirlooms are passed down through generations of family.  

Part of loving summer is being able to decorate the outdoor landscape with beautiful plants and flowers.  For many of us, this means long warm days spent weeding our gardens and filling up window boxes but for others who are looking for another way to enjoy seasonal flowers, you might want to consider hanging baskets.  Hanging baskets are a wonderful investment although many people shy away from this type of floral design because of the intimidation of care.  For some reason, flowering, cascading plants can look as though their maintenance might be overwhelming but in reality, they’re really quite simple as gardening tasks go.  You don’t have to have a green thumb to enjoy these stunning presentations!  All you need to learn is this hanging plant care guide to get you on your way to displaying a decadent and bold array of color on the outside of your home.

Care Guide Instructions

1. One of the best reasons to grab a few hanging baskets is that they will last all summer long as apposed to perennials which make their entrance in spring and then slowly exit before the end of summer.  You can color coordinate with the paint on your house or even choose an eclectic palette that showcases many different colors.  Tell yourflorist or garden center the climate of your living space as well (Do you live by the beach?  Do you live in the city?), because these differences may affect the variety of species in your basket.  Some varieties do better in the salt air as other types do better inside steamier humid conditions.  

1. Before you go out and buy a hanging planter, find an area that you’ll be able to install a sturdy piece of hardware to hold it intact (some hangers are very heavy) and a place where there is a lot of sunlight.  Most people like to display them right outside their front doors but if there isn’t a lot of sunlight, you might want to rethink your decision.  Flowers need light to thrive and survive so the position of the planter is going to make a huge difference on how the flowers perform throughout the summer.

1. WATER!!!!!!!  Yes, watering is the single most important thing to do when you hang a planter because they are constantly seeking moisture since there is no saucer to contain it.  Take a pitcher of water and dump it directly into the soil and if the dirt feels extra dry?  Water it again!  The single most cause for the death amongst flowering hangers is dehydration so make sure it is done daily.

1. A little nip and tuck of the dead blooms ensures that the flowers keep blooming throughout the entire season.  Don’t worry if you’ve trimmed back the plant slightly too much because I assure you, they love “haircuts” that keep its system healthy and continuously producing blossoms.  

June has long been recognized as the month when most weddings take place in New England and now that the time is upon us, Boston brides are just days away from blissfully walking down the aisle.  But there’s another casted bridal character that also plans on making her special promenade, accept her job will be to fulfill the role of flower girl.  This is a very exciting and important job for these little ladies and they can’t wait to have their moment to shine!  Often this sweet and precious part of the ceremony becomes one of the guest’s favorite moments to watch so it’s important to prepare your flower girl with the perfect petals to drop along the pathway.  This year, favorable options extend from traditional symbolism to contemporary floral varieties, which have made it even more fun to plan and match to your particular style and taste.  Whether you’re going for a whimsical or classic appeal, you’ll want to select the appropriate blooms for her to make a beautiful pathway down the aisle.  Here are the most popular flower girl trends for wedding season 2016.

Blue’s In

It’s not a secret that we’re seeing more and more dyed flowers hit the market so its no surprise that florists are starting to use this technique to fill flower girl baskets as well.  Blue dendrobiums are both efficient and effective with producing this look since they are small and absorb color with ease.  Roses are another option which hold the blue dye ink well through their petals and will hide any bruising that a white variety may be accustomed to.

Rainbow Appeal

Rainbows are making a big come back down the wedding aisles because they are an attractive presentation that’s fun and festive.  This spectrum of color can easily be achieved with a wide variety of different flowers, which also makes it easy for you and your florist to acquire.  One possible list of potential rainbow flowered petals are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and pink roses.  They’re readily available and wont cost you a boat load of extra wedding budget cash.  

Soft and Simple Pink and White

Pink and white flower petals are a classic in the wedding biz because not only are they beautiful but the tones don’t distract from differently designed centerpieces and bouquets.  Blush pink is certainly more requested than hotter, brighter pinks but a nice compromise would be to combine the two for a soft pop of color.  White basket fillers could be chosen for their size and shape such as white peonies for a larger petal as opposed to white daisies, which are smaller.  If you want to accent a pure blanche tint just add a couple of petals of yellow sunflowers or orange nasturtiums to brighten things up a bit.