Exotic Flowers in Boston

It’s Easter Bunny time!

 

Who can stand the wait as we’re planning and plotting our to do’s for the upcoming holiday!  What’s at the top of our lists?  Well, our Easter basket necessities of course!  We’ll need the staples such as plastic eggs for the hunt and a pair of bunny ears to be festive for the children but what else should we be on the lookout for in order to make this upcoming April 5^th the best Sunday ever? 

                                               Photo credit: 1061evansville.com

 

I don’t know about you but creating a fun and different basket for my boys is something that I always look forward to.  Sure they always contain the traditional items of Cadbury eggs, rabbits molded out of chocolate and jellybeans in every shade of the rainbow but I want to add a little individuality to this year’s creations. 

 

In order to do this, I like to reflect on what makes the holidays treats so appealing for children.  First and foremost, the premium factor is the brilliant colors that we see pouring from the brims of the containers.  The spectacular spectrum brings and automatic positive sensation to the brain causing the feeling of excitement and joy.  Because of this, I love to be sure to make their baskets look like a Crayola crayon set, adding shades of red, orange, yellow, green, blue purple, pink and any other tint that I might see. 

 

The texture of the things I put in the baskets is another important issue when selecting treats.  I like to always have egg shaped items but I also like to mix it up with hand wrapped specialty candies, swirl lollipops and beautifully foiled chocolate morsels.  The interesting combination of the different heights and sizes causes a pleasing presentation instead of a flat looking bulk of candy.  Take a look around your area and try to find a local candy shop or chocolate baker who might sell unique and distinctive options other than the regular supermarket and CVS stock of holiday wares.

 

                                              Photo credit; Gifttree.com

Don’t be afraid to walk outside the “sweet” realm and incorporate things such as small spring themed stuffed animals, yo-yo’s, customary toys such as paddleballs and jump ropes or little games and puzzles.  One of my son’s has an adoration for books, specifically written and illustrated by Mo Willems so I found and elephant and piggy novelty that I’ll prop up with a copy from his series.  For my older son, I think I’ll make a trail of treats leading to a new basketball, his newest favorite sport this year. 

 

The point is, never be afraid to try new themes that work for your kids.  Make their Easter as special as they are by utilizing their interest and hobbies within their baskets.  Be as sneaky as you can with candy trails and hiding spots and watch the joy of Easter egg hunting work its magic! 

 Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA 

Easter is a celebration that entails several dimensions and traditions.  For those who observe this holiday, customs include religious rituals, family gatherings and special feastings that bring loved ones together.  For some, the anticipation of dyeing Easter eggs is also part of the excitement, particularly for those who have young children.  Over generations, there have been several strategies and techniques that have been passed down claiming to be the best way to create these festive decorations.  Even the process of readying the eggs has become debatable on whether pricking a whole at each end and blowing out the yolk or otherwise keeping the contents and simply boiling them before crafting.  What to color the eggs with is also a complicated choice because of the extensive products that you can purchase in stores or otherwise making your own dye concoction using kitchen ready ingredients.  Easter egg dyeing is serious business and one can feel overwhelmed when deciding just how to go about it.  After careful research, I’ve found some effective and efficient ways to color your eggs that will leave even the Easter Bunny speechless!

                                      photo credit: Emily Kate Roemer via MarthaStewart.com 

 Although millions of eggs are dyed each year in totality with food coloring, there’s nothing that says you can’t decorate using plain acrylic paints.  Not only will they be bright in color but kids and adults can put their own original touch within design and shading that a store bought brand wont allow you to do.  Patterns of stripes, polka dots and elaborate pictures are just a few of the possibilities when using crafting paints and will also encourage the little artist in you and your family.  One tip to keep in mind, water or oil based paints will not give the desired results that you’re looking for so be sure to have the right variety. 

 

                                      photo credit: MarthaStewart.com

If you’re looking to make some fancy eggs, try using this recipe to create marble eggs quickly and inexpensively.  Take 3 to 4 mugs and add 7 droplets of food coloring.  Add to each container 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.  Fill the rest with water until it is about ¾ full of liquid.  With a spoon, stir the contents to make a spinning whirlpool.  Carefully place the egg on the utensil and gently lower into the moving vessel.  Count to 10 and then remove to allow drying.  For this method, a hard-boiled egg works best because the lightness of an egg that has been hollowed out may crack up against the mug during the dyeing process. 

 

                                                  Photo Credit; Emily Kate Roemer via MarthaStewart.com

This idea is my favorite so far…  Visit your local hardware store and buy a small canister of chalkboard paint.  Paint the eggs (again, this works best with hard-boiled eggs) and set aside on a paper towel to dry, touching up spots that may smudge in the process.  Find some regular chalk and let your family stencil their eggs anyway that comes to their imaginations. This is a wonderful tactic for small children because if they make a mistake and want to change it, all they have to do is erase and draw again. 

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

Suzie will be coloring eggs this week with her two boys.

So most Boston gardeners are looking out their windows and getting a little depressed by the visions of six foot snow banks still covering their flower beds.  I know it’s a bit late in the season for us to be seeing this but really, it’s not so bad at all!  Just because the winter precipitation hasn’t said its farewells yet doesn’t mean that we wont have a fabulous summer garden.  In actuality, if you look at things in another light, it means just the opposite!  Sure, our time will be cut a little short being able to prep and plant but a longer snow fall really does help our green thumbs in the long run.  Here’s how…

 

Snow might seem cold and uncomfortable to us, but to our gardens, a multitude of white snowflakes can act as a warm blanket that works to protecting the root systems from the harsh elements of ice and wind.  Perennials and herbs particularly respond well to an increase of accumulation and often aid the plants to grow larger and healthier when the hibernation season finally ends.

 

Although the snow falls in flaked form, all it really is in warmer climates is water, which we all know is an asset for gardens.  You might think that it isn’t possible for the snow to hydrate the plants when its frozen but the slow melting effects become its own watering system that benefits the roots that are lying dormant.  Once the snow disappears, gardeners will be thrilled to learn that their gardens have really been watered all throughout the cold season, blooming a better specimen than what you had in the beginning. 

 

If you’ve planted new trees or shrubs this past fall, you’ll be pleased to know that the record breaking snowfall that was recorded helped nurture your landscape additions by anchoring the base to the ground.  Many times, a winter with less precipitation and more wind can damage the tree so badly that a replanting is needed the following autumn.  Things might look frozen but at least things have stayed intact and well kept together!

 

The slimy things that crawl beneath the soil are really important to keeping our gardens healthy because they churn the earth and keep things moving with hydration and food.  If there isn’t anything to protect these creepy crawlers, then they die with the rest of the garden once the warmer season is over.  If there is a warm blanket of snow to protect them, then they can keep on doing what they do best year round! 

 

Suzie Canale, Avid Gardener

Westwood, MA

Easter Lilies

 

Easter will be celebrated in many different ways within the city of Boston this April.  Depending on a person’s depiction of the holiday, various methods and tools will be used such as decorating eggs, displaying Easter baskets, hunting for hidden chocolate treats, attending religious services or maybe even hosting a feast of a pineapple glazed ham.  Sure, it’s pretty likely that our children will be anticipating a visit from the big white bunny but what else do we use in our preparations during this time of year?  One custom that is popular in many homes this holiday is the Easter lily plant, which has it’s own fascinating explanation as to why its demand is so high.  I’ll bet you’ll be as surprised as I was to learn the different correlations that this bulbed beauty has tied to Easter and what makes this one of the highest produced greenhouse products next to the poinsettia, azalea and mum. 

 

First of all, the physical attribute of the Easter lily is reason enough to seek this as a centerpiece or gift.  The plant yields long tube-like heads that resemble a trumpet shape that stretches either flat out, down or slightly up.  Leaves are also sleek, growing in a deep green with a silky texture that runs straight across the plant from its base to the head.  Easter lilies were historically imported from Japan but began to decline during the 1940’s when cultivators from California and Oregon began improving growing systems in their greenhouses.  As technology developed, the bulb quickly became one of the U.S.’s highest demanded bulbs to remain shipped throughout the states and then exported across the globe.  The bulb is systematically planted in pots during the fall and forced to grow during the winter so that they would be ready for a March or April crop.  Because they could be harvested on domestic soil, the Easter lily has remained both easily supplied and economically reasonable in price.  These two factors encouraged people to buy the seasonal flower and use it annually during their celebrations. 

 

Other reasons that make the Easter lily popular is the meaning of the name, which means purity, birth and renewal-all thematic concepts of the Easter holiday.  Religious scripture believes that these particular lilies grew from the droplets of sweat that Jesus made during his last hours.  Flowers sprung to life from the perspiration symbolizing the rebirth of Christ, making the lily one of the highest regarded flowers in the Bible.  Catholic artwork emphasizes this connection with several paintings including one of the Virgin Mary surrounded by white lilies while pregnant and also featured at her tomb.   If you are planning on attending a service at your church, you can bet you’ll see several specimens of Easter Lilies both lining the aisles and perhaps even planted in a cross formation. 

 

If you haven’t bought an Easter lily for your celebration plans, visit your local florist to find a healthy selection of potted plants or even cut flowers that make excellent centerpieces.  Those lacking a green thumb will also love that these are pretty hard to kill, as they need only a little water to keep moist and a sunny space to sit. 

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA 

So there’s still a lot of snow on the ground but things are starting to heat up around here in Boston!  Pretty soon, the gutters will stop leaking, the ice on the driveway will melt and our shovels will be put away until next winter but guess what else will be changing soon?  Our gardens!  Yes, my fellow New Englanders, I promise you there’s actually life in the works happening right below those last few feet of blanketed snow.  You may be looking out your window in disbelief, but it’s a fact that a snowy winter can actually be beneficial to our flower and vegetable beds.   This is because the snow acts as a warm cover and becomes its own watering system long after the fruit and blossoms have reaped their seasonal harvest.  Herb gardens can do particularly well within this case, benefiting varieties such as rosemary, sage and thyme.  New plantings of basil and some types of parsley can be expected, but all in all your herbs will thank old man winter for his snow fury.  So what should we expect to see bloom first in our backyards after the clean up has occurred?  Here are some beauties to look forward to until spring officially arrives…

 

Crocuses

Crocuses are probably the number one flower that appears first in most New England gardens.  Originating from the iris family, crocuses bloom from what are called “Corms”.  The ability for the heads to extend through colder weather and even snow make this a desirable plant for garden lovers as well as their beautiful colors that include purple, violet, yellow, white and even striped.  Another bonus of including crocus in your plantings is that they are very hard to kill and will spread and multiply over time. 

 

Tulips

If you haven’t planted tulips in your yards quite yet, here are a few reasons to get you motivated.   Grown from a bulb, Boston soil is ideal for cultivation because they love cold winters and dry summers, which holds common to this area.  Native to southern Russia, these beauties are ultimately bred in almost every color imaginable including black, blue and multi-colored.  A tulip head can have one or double petals surrounding its center often resembling a stunning silk cocoon.  The perennials are perfect as edging for garden borders or placed in clumps to present a beautiful floral display. One thing to be mindful of if you live near a wooded forest area, deer absolutely love to eat this perennial and will chew the heads clean off if not guarded by a gate. 

 

Hyacinth

Hyacinth is another spring season starter, arriving soon after the crocus and right before the tulips.  The plant is tied to Greek mythology believed to hold the blood of one of Apollo’s victims killed in battle. The shape of the hyacinth resembles a skinny beehive with several bell-like buds that run up and down the thick stem.  Available in shades of pink, white, lavender, yellow and dark blue, the flashy bulbed plants possess a sweet smell that will fragrant your home or garden.  Cuttings are remarkably durable so don’t forget to utilize hyacinth in spring bouquets and centerpieces! 

 Suzie Canale

Westwood MA

she had hundreds of bulbs to her home in Westwood every year.

Passover is a wonderful Jewish celebration where family and friends gather together to eat, laugh and be with one another.  Beginning and ending from eve to eve starting Friday, April 3^rd to Saturday, April 11^th, preparations are already being made for this holiday where music, food and even flowers are utilized to reflect Passover traditions.  Party planners suggest using color, texture and customary artifacts when planning your Seder table, which includes everything to the table linens to the lighting and settings.  Some even attempt to coordinate the dishes being served to the decorations seen throughout the home to present a “unified” feel to their event.  Floral pieces have customarily always been an integral part of this feast where styles range from sophisticated contemporary to authentic traditional.  Whether you’re looking to duplicate shades of delicacy within your vases or you simply want to accessorize the celebration with perfect blooms, here are some ideas that Boston florists are ready and able to make happen for you this Passover.

 

                                          Photo Credit: Flower Factor

Selecting varieties that compliment your dinner menus have become a popular way to design the Seder table settings.  Since leavened flour and grains are left out of these recipes, fabulous courses such as Matzo Ball soup, Brisket, haroset and rich cakes for dessert are most popularly made to dine on.  Matching a few types of flowers to these delicious dishes not only enhances their desirability but also compliments the tones of glorious color that they possess.  For example, the rich red tint of a raspberry glaze atop of brisket can be paired well with an arrangement of burgundy roses or ruby red ranunculus. Baby artichokes are also seen quite often where you can request your florist to place real artichoke heads within your centerpieces or you can pick up a few of these veggies at your local supermarket and do this task yourself.  The flourless chocolate cake that is sometimes served at the end of the meal is even more decadent when placed next to a vase of white calla lilies giving the black and white appeal to the feast. 

 

                                               Photo Credit: Flower Factor

What if you’re not into the matchy matchy look and just want to celebrate the spirit of the season within your flower arrangements?  Well you’re in luck because Passover occurs exactly during the time of year when beautiful harvests of spring flowers are arrive once again.  There is no shortage of exquisite lilies, tulips, hyacinth and sweet peas that are promised to look stunning placed on the table.  You can also arrange clumps of blossoms by color or variety, making a dramatic but fuss free impact on guests as they dine.  Other suggestions are to use single stem bud vases with lily of the valley or create four to five smaller vases around the settings holding vibrant jewel tones such as delphinium, roses or daffodils. 

 

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

 

                       photo credit: Flower Factor

In just a few weeks, it will be time for the bunny to arrive and you know what that means.  Time to put out your best china, decorate eggs, accessorize with pastels, pull out holiday recipes and most importantly order your Easter Sunday table centerpiece!  This year, Boston florists are offering a whole new array of choices perfect for April 5^th’s festivities that not only will create the perfect setting for friends and families but also inspire a spring feeling that all New Englanders are craving after this winter.  Past Easter arrangements often were styled in a soft mixture of light pink, peach and baby yellow with sprigs of octoberweed or if not too expensive and available, lady’s mantle.  The French styled, rounded pieces were admittedly perfect for the season but lacked adventure and let’s face it- we all need a little pop of adventure these days.  Luckily, contemporary artists are coming up with some new options for us to enjoy with ideas encompassing a more vibrant palette.

 

                   photo credit: Flower Factor

We’re switching the blushing pink for some hot fuchsia this time around and there’s not an inch of doubt about the positive impact the color trend will happily surprise flower lovers.  Traditionally the softer sides of this shade are used but why can’t we amp up the volume and give Easter celebrations the bright and fun splash that it deserves?  Fuchsia can be easily combined with other deeper tints such as plum purple, burgundy and tangerine orange so don’t be afraid to ask your Boston florist for something different than what you usually order.  If you still want to experience the delicate gesture of pastels in your pieces, request that your flowers include some of the traditional tints of cream and baby blue.   The bouquet will still showcase the exciting new style as well as expel the romantic feel that Easter blossoms are famous for. 

 

                          photo credit: Flower Factor

Spring bulbs are more than just the daffodils popping up from a newly thawed lawn you know.  Boston designers are beginning to implement them in arrangements because they have a lot to offer including texture, architectural placement and color appeal.  Fabulous choices available may be lily of the valley, hyacinth, grape hyacinth, paper whites and fancy tulips.  Usually, they are forced open by growing them in a pot of soil in a warm area near light.  When ready, they are transplanted into a holiday box garden or simply cut and arranged with other spring blooms.  If they have been kept attached to the bulb, customers will enjoy the extra longevity of the plant and may even be repotted in the garden if the season is cooperative.  I recently tried this experiment and was able to force white daffodils by placing them in a cup of water allowing the roots to grow and a stem to sprout.  After a healthy unit matured, I placed the bulb with a grown flower in a container full of soil and used green moss to surround the base.  The presentation was not only inexpensive to make but offered a beautiful springtime time presentation. 

 Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA 

The spring is arriving and so aren’t the special holidays that makes this upcoming season a wonderful time of year.  Occurring the Sunday before Easter is the Christian observance of Palm Sunday, a celebration that marks Jesus arrival into Jerusalem.   For those who will celebrate on March 20^th, many will attend masses and receive the traditional icon of the moveable feast, which stands for the people of Jerusalem lying down palms as a pathway for Jesus into the city.  For some regions that do not harbor the appropriate climate to harvest this fanlike greenery, substitutions of yee, willow or even box flower are used in its place.  For this reason, Palm Sunday can be referred to universally as “Branch Sunday”.  Bostonians who will be partaking in this festivity will most likely be handed real palms that local city florists have imported from countries around the world.  Churches generally give out the symbol in either single stems or in formations designed to mirror the cross. Although they are an intricate part of the ritual, the tropical branches can also be utilized to make their holiday centerpieces.  Here are a few ideas for a fabulous floral arrangement for your Palm Sunday festivities.

 

                from wikipedia.org  "Entry of Christ into Jerusalem (1320) by Pietro Lorenzetti: entering the city on a donkey symbolizes arrival in peace rather than as a war-waging king arriving on a horse"

If you have been lucky to receive the customary branch of palms from your religious establishment, you would be wise to use them as décor for your holiday table setting.  The beauty of this technique lies in the greens stunning simplicity and architectural appeal.  A plain glass cylinder or square that reaches a height taller than twelve inches is ideal for displaying two or three palms or even a single sprig for a feng shui effect.  Not only is this presentation clean but visually attractive and wont interfere with the attractiveness of your dishes served on the table.  Another incentive to getting creative with your palms is that they have a remarkable longevity.  If the branches are fresh, they will be perfectly fine to showcase a week later for Easter! 

 

                       The Palm Leaf by William-Adolphe Bouguereau (1825-1905), portrait of an unidentified                                 woman in ancient dress - wikipedia.org

If you’re interested in swapping the customary palm for another type of look, you have several options in front of you.  New England trees and shrubs such as forsythia, pussy willow and even cherry branches make lovely substitutions and can be placed in a container alone or mix and matched together.  If you are pruning from your yard, be sure to cut the stem at an angle and then place in warm water, which will allow the flower to drink quickly and easily.  If you want to beef up your vases, take advantage of the life popping up from the (hopefully) thawed ground such as daffodils, hyacinth and tulips.  For small nosegays and low arrangements, be on the search for crocus, grape hyacinth and lily of the valley.  Not only are the blossoms bold in color but also are also complimentary with one another as well as aromatic for your home. 

Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA 

                     photo credit: waterford.com

Coming from twenty years within the wholesale flower business, I’ve seen my fair share of glassware where some of the most beautiful blooms have been cascaded for showcase.  After a while, you learn that the angling of a vase, the height, color and even the material from which it was made from all impact the overall presentation of the arrangement.  Factors such as the architectural difficulty, texture and design of the flowers are irrelevant if the bouquet is displayed in an uncomplimentary vase so its pretty important to study the mathematical aspect of selecting the proper glass line.   In the previous years, we have experienced the “less is more” trend where holders are often clear with uncomplicated lines of patterns.  Even the cobalt phase has finally passed, relieving us of electric blue bubble bowls and cylinders in many experts’ opinions only hid the beauty of flowers instead of flattering them.   Yes, we’ve moved away from these traditional floral formats and are now asking for more contemporary glassware styles that will widen our appeal to potential customers.  Jeff Leatham just might have found the answer within his cutting edge, Lego like invention named the “Tina Collection”.

 

                                                   photo credit; waterford.com

Inspired by a building theme of connecting pieces as found in a Lego set, this young florist has found the answer to boring rose mounds and fragmented designing styles.  Constructed from crystal, Leatham of Waterford Fleurology has come up with a new way to display wedding, hotel or daily made arrangements by not changing the flowers but changing the vase.  The “Tina” collection encompasses a cutting edge reasoning that glassware does not have to be singular.  Particular items within the product line connect with one another allowing flowers to be built in innovative designs within varying shapes and heights.  Some members of the line also include a flip saucer where water can be held on both sides expanding the possibilities of utility even further to floating heads or candles.  No longer will we have to bare the one-dimensional fortitude of the square or rectangular vase.  Now we’ll be able to construct pieces that have up until now, only existed within our imaginations! 

 

Ok, the logistics sound cool but what do they actually look like?  The vases are colored in either a clear or black tint, which allows creators to switch back and forth within light to dark depths of spectrum.  Different varieties of flowers that have customarily not been appropriate to interweave will now “make sense” within this brilliant “out of the box” strategy that leaves traditional floral thinking in the dust.  Now designers will be challenged to stray from the uniform presentations that so many of us are used to and delve further into the possibilities of creativity!  It’s about time business owners will be able to expand their merchandise to include the drawing appeal of crystal and flowers…what could be better than that? 

It’s finally March but if you’re living in New England, there is still a ton of snow blanketing the ground and things are still looking a bit depressing.  Everyone knows spring will eventually arrive relieving us of this ice dam, blizzard infested winter season but we want to know when!  For some Bostonians, the warm weather hasn’t arrived soon enough and hopping a flight to a steamier climate is starting to look like a better and better idea.  Sure, we’ll survive the temperature gage that hasn’t read higher than the teens in weeks but why can’t we reward ourselves with some pre-season sunshine in the meantime?  I know you’re thinking its too expensive with all the repairs you’ll have to make to your home after all of the snowstorms and booking a last minute trip will only bring headaches of inflated air flight tickets and hotel rates.  I’m in that same leaking boat as many of us are but what about taking a gander at a few hidden gems that might not break our wallets or trample us with extensive credit card debt?  Believe it or not, there are options available to any budget so here are a few to help find your tropical winter getaway!

 

Saint Lucia is becoming more and more popular for east coast travelers during the months of January and February and there is a good reason why… The island is very small and comparably to many other destinations, relatively easy to get to with a direct flight of 4 hours and 36 minutes.  The vacation locale also maintains several resorts including Ladera Resort, Sugar Beach, The Landings and Coconut Bay.  Many of the luxurious hotels offer all-inclusive deals such as the Sandals Grande St. Lucian, which promotes daily deals and special offers.  I have personally visited this beautiful destination and can only applaud the warm and friendly island atmosphere and delicious foods that both the dining resorts and restaurants provide.  One other tip if you’re thinking about booking a trip to Saint Lucia, make sure you sign up for the banana field and tropical rainforest tour.  The cost is minimal and you wont believe the natural beauty that this island has been blessed with.   There is no beating their banana daiquiris! 

                       photo credit: destinationsguide.copaair.com

Punta Cana is another option if you desire a quick travel experience for low expenditure.  Located on the most eastern tip of the Dominican Republican, this area is most famous for their beaches, which have been said to resemble silky granules of gold.  Unlike many other warmer resort destinations, Punta Cana is famous for attracting sun seekers who are uninterested in other activities such as site seeing.  Although it manifests spectacular ocean shores and skyline views, this tropical paradise holds other few attractions to tour.  These resorts are designed to satisfy every desire of replenishing both the physical and mental demands that Boston winter weather may have compromised.  We’re talking massages, sun bathing, dining and sleep-the key ingredients to curing the snowbound blues.   Tortuga Bay, Sanctuary Cap Cana and Casa de Campo all put on a terrific spread with all-inclusive deals encompassing all of these amenities and fluctuate little during the course of the year.  Have fun and don’t forget your sun block! 

 

Suzie Canale,

Westwood MA