Exotic Flowers in Boston

During a recent trip to New York City, I marveled at the obvious love this vibrant city has for flowers.  On almost every corner, there are displays from florists, grocers and even bookstores where you’re almost guaranteed to see an impressive floral presentation.  Unlike many other urban centers, it is common practice to see multiple buckets filled with stunning blooms that customers can easily select from during their travels.  Gorgeous clumping of color such as yellow sunflowers, bright green football mums, electric orange dahlias are just a few of the incredible species I saw turning heads on sidewalks.  But whatever your taste is, I can almost promise you’ll find some kind of blooming marvel that will make you stop in your footsteps.  

photo credit via www. chelseamarket.com

Although I usually stay near the hustle and bustle of action in the Big Apple, I changed my mind during this trip and went for a new area where I’ve never been before.  Instead of the electrifying lights and hoards of people crowding the streets of Times Square, we lodged in a charming location situated right next to Chelsea Market.  If you’ve never been before and you like cobblestone, brick buildings and quaint little shops to browse, this is the place for you.  Illuminating an “artsy” feel, this cool marketplace extends a length similar to traveling through a tunnel with original beams and structure dating back to the 1890’s.  For foodies, you’ll find any kind of delicacy you’d ever hope to taste and for consumers, you’ll be thrilled to peruse the sweet but trendy boutiques tucked inside.

The really special part of this hidden treasure is a small flower shop that you can find right in the middle of the market.  It isn’t actually inside a space, no this place is too funky for that!  The kiosk is actually a real old-fashioned flower cart, the original means for how flowers were sold decades ago.  Surrounding the cart, the owners have set up tables showcasing exquisite samplings of the best flowers sold in the whole city using the European style for display setup.  You’ll see pink perfection ranunculus, parrot tulips, peony tulips, exotic orchids, sweet pea, black callas and a whole lot of other delicious goodies.  Customers can purchase small bunches of the same variety or have one of their talented designers create bouquets right there in front of you. 

Of course, no trip to NYC is complete without flowers from my husband's favorite New York city Florist. 

From 1979 to 1987, I collected a lot of baseball cards. I ran to the corner store to see the first packs arrive or sat inside the store waiting for the stores to reload their inventory. Topps baseball cards always sold out and I could not never get enough of them. I devoured the statistics on the back. Did you know that Bill Buckner struck out only 26 times in 657 at bats in 1982? I did and still do. I still have many of these baseball cards and grab a handful almost daily and still read those stats. As long as my eyesight will allow, I always will.
Opening Day is here and I could not be happier. Baseball is on the television, the pc, the Pixel (never been an i-phone guy), the radio and in the air. It's likely that you are not as enamored with the game as myself, but baseball connects us.

Please celebrate Opening Day with me and open a pack of baseball cards. This is my Opening Day tradition and I am honored to share it with you.
see you at Fenway !
Rick

For Immediate Release:

On Sunday April 2nd, 2017 Exotic Flowers in Boston will donate 30% of the sales of its blue roses to support Autism Awareness. 

Exotic Flowers is a family owned and operated bsuienss located at 609 American Legion Highway, Roslindale, MA 02131

April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day, an occasion created to raise awareness for children diagnosed with the autism neurological disorder.  ASD is defined as, “a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others. It also includes restricted repetitive behaviors, interests and activities. These issues cause significant impairment in social, occupations and other areas of functioning.”

Initially began by the, “United Nations General Assembly”, this is the ninth year where people will come together around the globe to fundraise and show their support towards not only accepting difference, but embracing difference.  By educating our society, the hope is to expand ideas of inclusion and acceptance across a vast realm of everyday life.  Specific sectors consist of education, volunteering and community outreach as a whole.  

If you are interested in participating in World Autism Day, there are several ways to celebrate with your family!

1. Light It Up Blue!  To show your support, many are encouraged to wear the color blue, which is the official color associated with autism.  The movement began with the organization, “Autism Speaks” a non-profit whose mission is to provide autism families with resources, guidance and assistance.  At Exotic Flowers in Boston, send blue roses to show support.

2. Join a fundraising walk with your family and friends and move your way towards creating a higher understanding for the autism community.  

3.  Visit your local library and check out some of the awesome books written about famous autistic people like Temple Grandin or even Albert Einstein who claimed to be on the spectrum, too!  
4. Go Autism-Friendly for the day!  I never knew this but there is actually a list of “autism friendly” businesses in your area, which cater to ALL people’s needs.  Just do a quick search using Google and find all of the cool places around your neighborhood, which support our autism community.

As you might suspect, most florists fulfill orders by sending mixed bouquets and other carefully arranged floral pieces, which have been designed to present a professional appeal.  For the most part, this used to be the preferred way of doing things where artistically constructed flowers were sold in vases as a finished product and ready for presentation as soon as they’re delivered.  Traditionally, this is the way the retail aspect of the industry has operated for centuries although recently, Bostonians have been making a request that is leading florists towards unchartered waters.  Interestingly enough, clientele are asking to arrange their own varieties of bouquets, nosegays and other blooming treats instead of designers doing it for them.  Where most flower shops have always done the mass creating single handedly, more and more people are begging to give floral styling a try for themselves.

While designing your own flowers has made the supermarkets the floral powerhouse they are. Why would you ever gift someone flowers that need assembly. It's like buying the ingredients to a great meal and asking them to cook it themselves.

Of course, if you are gifting yourself and who doesn;t like to treat themselves. Flowers are the perfect treat and arranging them gets your creativity going. 

We recommned tulips, roses, hydangeas, sunflowers, hyacinth, peonies and gerbera daisies as easy to work with while your beautifying your space. 

Autism Awarness Day/Month - April is Autism awareness month and April 2nd is Autism awareness day. We have not only supported this cause by donating Red Sox tickets to Sophia's Grotto's fundraiser, we will be donating 30% of all blue rose sales on Sunday April 2nd to show our support as well. Wearing blue on that day also shows your support as the world "Lights It Up Blue."

photo credit via CBS Boston

Opening Day April 3rd - we have set our window display for baseball. As polled by most Bostonians, spring begins on Opening Day. On Monday, we will be celebrating Opening Day with a series of social media posts as well as ballpark fare for staff lunch. You are encouraged to wear Red Sox gear to work that day. In partnership with the Jimmy Fund, for every Exotic Flowers staff member who wears Red Sox gear we will donate to $10 to the Jimmy Fund to support its Red Sox Rally Campaign.

When a loved one passes away, it is a trying time for all family and friends to grieve for their loss.  The ceremonies following the death can be unbearably stressful for those who must make the arrangements such as burial, cremation and funeral services and can result in conflict between relatives regarding how the process should be run.  Since we all come from a multitude of different backgrounds, ethnicities, religions and preferences, appeasing everyone can be extremely difficult when executing a proper memorial.

One issue that seems to be a popular conflict is whether or not to include flowers in the ritual.  Two reasons why a funeral often rejects the acceptance is because some feel gifting a basket of blooms is unnecessary or others believe a small token should be instead given to the charity of the family’s choice.  Supporting the financial administration of non-profit organization in memory of those who have past is a sweet idea but did you know that only 5% of people in attendance actually donate to the cause at all?  It’s human nature to want to do something for those in pain, particularly during a time of mourning but what we’re missing here is the actual event of gathering supporters and comforting one another.  

Eliminating flowers from the funeral procession can actually work against family and guests as well as substantiate a cold and negative platform- a message that most hosts do not want to encourage.  Allowing visitors to add bright colors of blooms in baskets, vases and other memorial pieces boosts a feeling of soothing and solace instead of the rigidity of simply placing a casket in the middle of the room.  The shock of this can also be alarming to many people who are anxious in this type of situation thus permitting them to send flowers can be a wonderful way to ease discomfort.  Places where funerals occur are generally dark and gloomy places so integrating arrangements that elevate joy and cheerfulness is an excellent strategy to make the occasion easier for all to experience.

If you’re wondering what appropriate floral pieces might be, look over these beautiful examples of proper blossom etiquette when enduring the loss of a loved one.

Funeral Wreaths are usually covered with varieties such as roses and carnations and are typically placed right next to the casket and moved to the gravesite for the burial.  

Casket Covers are designed to be long and flat and can consist of whatever flowers you prefer although lilies, roses and hydrangea seem to be the most popular.  Customarily, guests will take a single stem from the display and place it over the casket as a sentiment to the deceased.

Memorial arrangements can be similar to everyday bouquets in vases and range from pastel mixtures to bright pops of color.  Pieces are usually sent to the funeral home and displayed in the lobby for the wake and moved later for the actual funeral.  

Fairy Land I

Over hill, over dale,

Thorough bush, thorough brier,

Over park, over pale,

Thorough flood, thorough fire,

I do wander everywhere,

Swifter than the moonè’s sphere;

And I serve the fairy queen,

To dew her orbs upon the green:

The cowslips tall her pensioners be;

In their gold coats spots you see;

Those be rubies, fairy favours,

In those freckles live their savours:

I must go seek some dew-drops here,

And hang a pearl in every cowslip’s ear.

William Shakespeare

(1564 - 1616)

photo credit via www.seasonalwildflowers.com

Cowslip is a welcomed flower for New Englander’s because once the winter snow melts, beautiful clumps of yellow patches emerge from the ground telling us that spring is close by.  The cowslip, or otherwise known as “Primula Veris”, is a traditional bloom that has been written about for centuries, including the infamous William Shakespeare as seen in his poem, “Fairy Land I”.  Although the origin of the flower is somewhat obscure, the pretty petals have certainly earned a rich history behind their importance and usage.

One of the most popular beliefs surrounding cowslip is its reference to Saint Peter, the gatekeeper of Heaven.  According to myth, one day he heard a rumor that people were entering heaven through a secret door instead of being accountable to the saint at the front entrance.  He became so angry that he dropped his keys, which fell to earth and instantly grew into a plant referred to as “Key Flower”.  The key-like shape of cowslip and its multiple blooms suggest that those who find it can use the keys to sneak into the backdoor to heaven.  

Another equally interesting legend that pertains to cowslip is its association with fairies.  The flower is said to be extremely precious to fairies and is used to find their hidden treasures and gifts.  Along with the symbolism of “death”, “birth” and “doom”, the cowslip also means “adventure” and “mischief” which comes from this particular fable.  

The beautiful blooms do have outside uses other than primarily decorative as well, since the heads are sought after to make cowslip wine and a children’s toy called “toasties”.  

 This is the first in a series of Exotic Flowers videos. We will publishing four videos per month to celebrate flowers and plants and the effects they have on our lives.

She Brought Flowers and He is Never Letting Go  reminds us that flowers are often bought for men as well as women.

At Exotic Flowers, we are huge baseball fans. In a recent poll, Bostonians considered Opening Day as the first day of spring. Take a peak inside our shop window display as we get ready for opening day.