Exotic Flowers in Boston

It’s finally SPRING and part of this season’s chores are dusting the cobwebs from darkened corners to get ready for a brighter season ahead.  For many of us, our chores consist of washing floors, cleaning drapery, changing up the linens and other tedious tasks that are reminders of more temperate temperatures soon to arrive in our near future. It’s a whole new section of the calendar most New Englanders have waited six months to enjoy so it’s no wonder why we put forth so much effort in the upcoming weeks.  While we often become overwhelmed with the daunting jobs that we’ve waited a whole year to resume, there are a few ways to make the process more enjoyable-especially for you!

If you are a lover of flowers but need an excuse to indulge in the cost, then look no further…  Adding a fresh bouquet of flowers to your home as you spring clean can bump up your efforts to create a more beautifully, smelling home.  While we associate the springtime with ideas of newness, freshness and vitality, we can also use these motifs to showcase within bouquets and centerpieces.  Blossoms native to the Boston area during this time period are perfect reflections of this sentiment and will look incredible as a showcase piece once your cleaning is done.  Need a few recommendations for New England spring cleaning bouquets? Here are examples of the best blooms to reward yourself with!

Crisp and White Blooms

The shade of white is often associated with cleanliness and rebirth which makes it one of the most popular hues for colors during April and May.  There is an abundance of white flowers that grow natively around these parts that contain breathtaking smells promised to infuse your entire home.  Lily of the Valley, Snowdrops, Crocus and white hyacinth are among my top four varieties to place in every freshly, polished room.

Fragrantly Fresh

Once we put away the Windex and Pledge bottles, often we look for something to mask or diffuse the chemical smell.  One way to accomplish this is to place a vase of strongly scented blooms to disguise leftover fumes until they have vanished from the house.  Suggestions for this include any type of aromatic rose, grape hyacinth, fringe tree branches and freesia. If you are wondering what other species might be available from other countries, ask your local florist for a possible request for purchase.

Colorfully Inspiring

Sometimes we get excited to see new bursts of color during the spring months and lucky for us, we have a ton of options to choose from!  Mix hyacinth with ranunculus, sweet pea and tulips for a striking arrangement or opt for a single massive bouquet of green hellebores! Spring is all about giving light to color so don’t be afraid to sprinkle a little rainbow of shading into your arrangement.  

 There’s nothing like a nice romantic tale to get one inspired about the changing of a season-especially when the story is about the Greek Goddess Persephone.  If you remember your high school English studies when reading Edith Hamilton’s Mythology, her name might resonate with you as the bringer of spring.  Of course, how she became the symbol for growth and rebirth is quite interesting if you’re not familiar with the lure, which entails abduction, war and love.  Since these are the three essential ingredients to any great romance fable, the story of Persephone is ideal for all those enticed by the magic of Greek legends.

Rosario Dawson as Persephone in Percy Jackson 

Persephone was the daughter of Demeter, the Goddess of Grain and Agriculture, who was responsible for the nourishment of man through harvest as well as the cycle of life and death.  Diameter is often depicted as a strong female carrying a torch and a bundle of wheat while wearing a crown.  Persephone’s father was the superior God Zeus, the ruler of the sky and all of the Olympian Gods.  He is usually identified as having long curly hair, iron muscles but being an older man in his late fifties to sixties.  His idols are a scepter and thunderbolt and he is most commonly seen sitting on his massive thrown.

One day while Persephone was playing in a freshly grown field with her friends, she was stolen away by the underworld God Hades to become his wife.  When her mother, Diameter found out that her daughter had been abducted, she killed the earth’s harvest including flowers, plants and anything associated with agriculture.  When Zeus was informed about the kidnapping, he had to appease the Goddess’ concern and promised to rescue Persephone since nothing new would ever grow again until she was returned.  Unfortunately, when Olympus was told that she had already eaten the forbidden food of the underworld, a pomegranate, Zeus had to allow the girl to stay with Hades for a portion of the year of six months.  Although Persephone stays with her husband during the wintertime where the earth is cold and dark, she is promised to return to her mother each spring, which is marked by the blossoming of fruit, vegetation and a new beginning.

Wednesday April 26th is Administrative Professionals Day, formerly known as Secretary’s Day.  On this occasion, it is customary to pay respect to assistants and other personnel who aid in everyday tasks and responsibilities within business and all other organizations.  Although it’s upon good advice to recognize these special employees throughout the year, Administrative Professionals Day is a date where an appropriate gesture should be made in “thanks” for their dedication and support.  Not only will some Boston companies be planning special gifts and luncheons for those who fall within this category, but countries such as the Netherlands, Malaysia, South Africa, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland and Hong Kong will also be joining in the festivities as they too observe this holiday.

If you’re wondering the history behind Administrative Professionals Day, it’s really quite interesting… During World War II, the military found a shortage of skilled administrative staff to help organize and run specific divisions.  In order to attract new personnel to the field, The National Secretaries Association was founded in 1942 to help promote the importance of more workers learning the trade.  As the organization grew, the facilitators found it important to change the name in 1981 to Professional Secretaries International in order to create a firmer presence and a stronger seriousness across all industries.  The name changed once more in the year 2000 to what we now refer to as “Administrative Professional Day” where we celebrate April 26th as well as the entire week.  The period was elongated to free up space within restaurants so that all employees who qualify can be taken out to eat by their employers.

If you have a special assistant in mind that needs their own pat on the back, here are some ideas to properly show how much you appreciate them.  

Lunch Out!

Take him or her to a great local restaurant and let them load up on their favorite foods!  There’s no shortage of great cafes, bistros and eateries in Bean Town so plan a special luncheon just right for your staff members.

Massage Anyone?

I bet you didn’t know this but there are several massage therapists willing to visit your office for personal appointments right there at work!  Let them roll out the stress of your employees during their workweek and feel relaxed after a half hour session.

FLOWERS are a NO BRAINER

Don’t be a cheap skate by forgetting to do even the simplest gesture for your hardworking assistant and buy them a bunch of mixed spring flowers!  Have them delivered to make them feel special by showcasing pretty blossoms on their desk!

Spring is finally here and so isn’t the frenzy for pansies!  Pansies are the number one flower sold from garden centers and florists this time of year, particularly here in Boston where the weather can still be temperamental.  It’s not uncommon for New England to have an intermittent rough patch of chillier weather during the months of March and April (and perhaps even a touch of S-N-O-W) so this variety is the perfect fit to withstand these conditions.  Even though the pansy looks pretty delicate, the bloom is considered a “toughie” in the flower world due to the fact that they can withstand temperatures anywhere above twenty-six degrees Fahrenheit.  That means unless the ground freezes, your pansies have a fair shot at surviving because of their natural hardiness found in their stem and root system. Very few other flowers can perform as well making this breed a highly attractive and highly demanded plant.

Another reason to invest in this species as your first springtime landscaping addition is their beautiful assortment of availability in color.  This blossom is readily sold in a spectrum of rainbow shades including straight and variegated tones.  Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple and pink-it’s all at your fingertips if you’re looking to match a certain shade to your home or simply desiring to create a potpourri assortment.  If you would like to browse some of the fancy flavors, here are a few to get you started!

Delta Pansies

Deltas are the most typical kind of pansy you’ll find in the northeast because they easily rebound off of difficult weather and also have the ability to overwinter in some regions.  These varieties also have a large face with over thirty colors and mixtures, which continue to grow year after year.  If you’re the impatient type, you’ll love Delta’s since they are the earliest bloomers out of any other subunit.  

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

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.

It’s April here in New England and if you’re into gardening, you’re probably itching to get outside and dig in the dirt like me.  We just can’t wait to begin tilling the soil, planting delicious veggies and designing beautiful beds of flowers everywhere but here’s the problem…  This is Massachusetts.  The sad fact is that it’s still a bit chilly at night and the weather is still fluctuating between winter weariness and summer’s delight.  That’s why we call this time on the calendar “spring” because unfortunately, the days are unpredictable making gardening a bit tricky.  I know the idea of waiting for another month to plant might sound agonizing but putting anything in the earth before Mother Nature gives her “okay” will only lead to expensive trips to the nursery when you have to redo your harvest.  It’s just not worth it but that’s not to say that we can’t accomplish other preparations before then!  

So what are a few of the tasks we can get started on?  There’s plenty!  Here’s a list to keep you well occupied in your backyards until May arrives and remember - a happy gardener is a busy gardener!

April To-Do Gardening List

1. Re-seeding your lawns when the weather hits 60 degrees is a great way to get things rolling in a “greener” direction.  Patch up spots of space that may have been affected by the harsh cold temperatures and fill in places where the grass seems to have become thin.

1. Load up on your favorite seeds like peas, lettuce and zucchini!  Just because you can’t put them in the ground right away doesn’t mean you can’t look at the pretty packages and dream until then.  Stores such as Ocean City Job Lot often run sales at this time so take advantage!

1. Take a trip to Home Depot and gather supplies to correct or insert new raised beds and trellises.  This is an excellent time to get this done because pretty soon you’ll want to fill them up with crops.  Adding soil is another chore you won’t want to wait too for either since hauling heavy bags when the warmth finally arrives might get a little sticky...

1. Drag out the lawn furniture and set up shop for the season!  Hold back on patio umbrellas that might snap with unruly lingering weather but take your tables and chairs out of storage in case there’s a night when you prefer to dine alfresco!

1. The rule is that you have to wait to plant seeds until late spring/ early summer but there are actually some varieties that can take the chill and survive an April sowing.  Peas, herbs and some lettuce species are hearty and will also give you something to take care of outside until the rest of your seeds are ready!

April is the best month for spring when things are becoming greener and blooms are beginning to poke their heads up from a long winter’s sleep.  Of course New England’s know rain season helps with this too as things defrost and adjust to temperatures (hopefully) rising into the mid 60’s.  As we become inspired about the changes occurring outside, Boston florists are utilizing the environmental transitions towards offering customers a new selection.  By focusing on color changes, textures and new varieties available during April, floral professionals are wowing their clientele with a fresh and bold array of bouquets.  Here are the top choices that I’ve found being advertised-I can’t wait to try them all out! 

                                 photo credit: Flower Factor

Pastels are still really beautiful for this month although they are sometimes seen as traditional.  Soft shades of lavenders, blush pinks and creams all create a stunning impact when combined in vases.  Their easy blend brings a sweet aura to homes and does well to emulate the stunning characteristics the month of April brings.  Suggested varieties include grape hyacinths, tulips, lily of the valley and crocuses.  Since in general, they are petite in size, arrange these flowers in bud vases or miniature china pieces.  Also, hunt in your attic for unusual antiques that might work just as well for displaying flowers.  The delicate patterns and eclectic vase material will compliment these spring favorites by providing interesting holders display as well as utilize some of your favorite treasures that you already posses in your home.  Don’t forget to check the trees in your area for seasonal blossoms like magnolia and cherry that are also excellent options for softer textures and tones. 

                                                   photo credit: Flower Factor

If pastels seem all washed up to you, try going in the other direction and vamp up the bold in your blossoms!  Our backyards are starting to burst with offerings of forsythia, fritalaria, hellebores and crocus so do yourself a favor and go scout things out.  Braches are stunning when cut and put in a clear cylinder holding warm water or bubble bowls of deep colored ground coverings such as daffodils will also keep onlookers in awe.  If you are hoping to pick something up from your florist, ask for peonies that are just starting to be imported from France and Holland or California garden roses, which also grow in majestic jewel tones.  Bearded iris, gerbera daisies and freesia are also excellent options that are becoming more and more popular for April arrangements! 

 Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA