Exotic Flowers in Boston

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 

January Flowers

Yes it’s freezing, yes there’s ice and yes snow seems to cover every inch of ground but that doesn’t mean that we can’t escape the winter chills with a beautiful arrangement of flowers!  January is a wonderful time to try new things so why not get creative with your floral color palettes?  Traditionally, the first month of the year is cascaded with shades of white and blue but these tints are categorized in the “cool” section of color and let’s be honest, we need more warmth instead.  White and blue also express “crisp” which we also know to be all too true in New England weather terms.  So why don’t we warm things up a bit and I don’t mean we have to get on a plane to the Caribbean to do it (although that would be nice).  Lets try a few new tricks in our flower vases this month!

Red emanates heat so that’s a great starting point for a new January color base.   I know we just did the red thing at Christmas but if we pair this shade with other tints besides silver, gold, white and green we can come up with a new feel and look for our arrangements.  Red is beautiful with combinations of orange and purple, lime green and yellow or multiple shades of crimson to pink.  All of these mix and matches omit a different sensation from joyful to sexy so don’t be shy to try them all out. 

When we use yellow, it’s pretty much a sure symbol of happiness and this is just what Bostonians need on the gray and glum days of winter.  You can either play it simple with one tone of yellow or spread your spectrum across many lighter or darker tones.  If too much yellow is threatening, add in a few hints of white and green to lighten the visual impact.  This will soften the vase’s appearance and produce a “springtime” motif, which we are all looking forward to! 

Lavender is a third option that is surprisingly different in effect than the color blue.  While blue is “cold”, purple provides more of a mysterious appeal.  By incorporating deep and light tints, you can make pieces that are sensual and relaxing, a combination that is perfect for a date night.  Lavender is also an excellent reflector of light that can brighten even the darkest rooms.  Since depression is at an all time high this time of year, lavender and light are two perfect remedies to clear away the January blues. 

Suzie and Ryan Canale, Westwood, MA

Suzie currently has cymbdium orchids in vases throughout her home in Westwood.

I love flowers.  In fact, I love them twelve months of the year and especially during the holiday season.  April brings beautiful bulb plants while July and August bring sweet stems of wild flowers.  Even the fall produces an extraordinary array of options including sunflowers, asters and cabbage.  New England is almost a year round resource for botanicals but there are those sticky few months where the wind chill factor drops to below zero and that white fluffy stuff drops from the sky.  Alas, Boston florists have made it their mission to supply their customers with hardy and most importantly, beautiful, blossoms during the months of January and February.  Now you can’t go into this without realizing that flexibility is a must.  You might not find peonies but you will be able to choose from a delightful selection.  Here are some of my favorites for the winter season.

 Sweet Peas are probably one of the most sought after flower for weddings during this time of year and remarkably, comes from several different countries of import such as Holland and Japan.  Petals come in shades of purple, yellow, white pink, blush, fuchsia, peach and even red.  Their delicate appearance makes them perfect for wedding bouquets, showing a dreamy like appearance when stems are tucked tightly within European styled handhelds. 

Lilly of the Valley is another popular item because again, it’s shipped into the US on a standard basis during the wintertime.  Also dainty in nature, these tiny stems hold white cups that resemble bells dripping off the vine.  This variety is one of the more fragrant options and also becomes popular with brides using sprigs for hairpieces and corsages.  Be careful though, they likely will not live for a long period of time so weddings and party work are the best place to utilize this variety. 

                                         photo credit: Flower Factor

Tulips are everywhere during this time of year and for a good reason.  They come in a mass assortment of shapes and colors and in most cases are priced reasonably.  Tulips can either be ordered from your Boston florist or picked up in your grocery store-its that simple.  While the spring bulb may not look like a decadent additive to your floral arrangements, they present a “clean” appeal that is also extremely easy to work with.

                                   photo credit: Flower Factor

Cypripedium orchids are stunning, end of story.  They are small in height but produce the most gorgeous green, pedaled face that has a striped green and white throat.  These little babies might cost a penny or two but one things for sure, they last!  You wont need too many stems either as they are perfect standing alone in a simple fuss-free glass holder.  Trust me, you wont be disappointed with this pick!

 Suzie and Ryan Canale, Boston MA 2014

Suzie once served as the South End Wedding Planner for examiner.com

Christmas has come and gone but many New England companies have decided to bring the merriment into the beginning of the New Year.  Holiday parties used to be thrown solely in the month of December but with soaring costs and limited time within bustling schedules, many corporations have taken it upon themselves to change the rules a bit.  By arranging employee get-togethers after the traditional season, management departments have found that, attendance higher and party expenses drastically decrease.  Do you know that the rate to book a room in a hotel or restaurant for events in Boston decreases by 25-30% during the first few weeks of the year?   Let’s face it- it’s worth the wait. 

One factor does change, though, with this decision because different flowers are available during different months of the year.  Red, white and green are the number one shades for request during Christmas but do we really want to drag that into a January party?  I don’t think so.  There are ways to incorporate a holiday theme without duplicating the look.   Try using some of the previous seasonal colors with those new to your inventory now.  Some florists attempt to slip in items that didn’t sell for Christmas and in an effort to eliminate them, will place them in your event décor so keep a watchful eye for fresh and contemporary details.  Silver and gold make a wonderful impact since they can be celebratory of New Years but still remindful of previous holiday festivities.  Try to stay away from ornaments, wreathes and trees as decorations, they’ve been done to death at this point.  Select items such as white lights, sparklers and soft shades as accents for linens and dishware.  By using a delicate palette sans the sharpness of green and red, you’ll uplift your guests without weighing them down of memories associated with Christmas colors such as overspending, anxiety of family reunions and ridiculous seasonal tasks.  Leave it where it is and move on. 

There are great options for flowers in the month of January so don’t forget to spend an adequate time investigating your Boston florist.  White in particular, is seen in expansion within tulips, roses, lilies and freesia.  If you’re looking for a bolder look, think about using a mixture of cream and purple to create a dramatic appeal within your arrangements.  You’ll find that amaryllis is grown in deep shades of maroon and is still available during the colder portion of the year.  Gerbera daisies, alstroemaria and Asiatic lilies also offer a comparable presentation but with a lesser cost.  Another idea is to go for a blue theme where you can ask for stems of delphinium or hydrangea to fill the table vases.  Blue is an excellent color that gives centerpieces a “pop” and is representative of the pleasures that the New Year will bring!

 Suzie and Rick Canale, Westwood, MA December 2014

Suzie is already planning her garden for this summer.