Exotic Flowers in Boston

Say It With Flowers has been a catch phrase of the floral industry for decades. It makes sense. What better to express your emotions that to connect with flowers.

At Exotic Flowers, we are rolling out card stunning rose bouquets that also give you a hint at waht to say in case you are at a loss for words.

Rubies and Pearls Bouquet

This exciting bouquet of red and white roses in a dazzling silver cube is guaranteed to show you care. Simple, stylish. 

Card Message Recommendation: "I want to shower you with rubies and pearls." or "The jewelry store is closed but these gems are for you."

When looking for a truly unique reaction. Our sapphire blue roses are grown and dyed in Ecuador. This long-lasting rose is an ideal unique gift.

Card message recommendation: "I know you love sapphires and want you to have these."

Rainbow Roses

Each petal is individually dyed to create a kaleidoscope of color. These roses are imported from Ecuador and are not available often.

Card Message Recommendation: "You are the pot of gold at the end of my rainbow."

Walked out this morning, I don't believe what I saw
A hundred billion bottles washed up on the shore
Seems I'm not alone in being alone
A hundred billion castaways looking for a home

- The Police

There's no coincidence that a message in a bottle is a romantic metaphor immortalized by Van Halen and The Police.

Saying it with flowers is awesome but words matter too. Let us help write the card, they will keep that card long after the flowers are gone. Your card will become a living memory of the gorgeous flowers you sent.

Charles Mingus, John Coltrane, Mary Lou Williams, Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, Herbie Hancock, Nat King Cole, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett and Thelonious Monk are some of the world’s greatest jazz artists of our time but besides music, what do they have in common?  Sultry, sexy and romantic are all descriptive of these musical greats so it’s no wonder they would look to something else with equally alluring qualities…  Flowers have always played a big part in the world of jazz, sometimes by being represented as a stunning vase of white callas on a piano or a single gardenia tucked in a performer’s hair.  Jazz flowers can be a subtle accessory added to the stage or an eye-popping piece that becomes just as big a part of the presentation as the vocalist themselves.  If you’re an up and coming jazz player who is interested in what these famous artistic contributors adored for flowers, take a look at what it is the most likely bloom they had on their dining room tables.

Charles Mingus- “Flowers for A Lady” was a big hit and it’s all due to the talent behind the song and truthfully, his love for flowers, particularly gerbera daisies.  

John Coltrane- Coltrane had a way with passing a vibe and easing listeners into a state of relaxation.  His cover album features a pink phalaenopsis which he derived many of his inspiration from.  

Mary Lou Williams- What a beautiful voice who enraptured audiences for years and years with her lacey and soft appeal.  White Casablanca lilies were said to be her favorite which mimicked her unforgettable personality.

Ella Fitzgerald- Ella was a swooner when it came to wrapping audiences around her little finger which was all due to her sultry voice and sweet presence with which she graced the stage.  Gardenias were a preferable essential that she placed in her hats or hair.

Herbie Hancock- Mr. Hancock is known for his “smooth operating” skills which is why he often was seen photographed with beautiful roses of all shades.

Nat King Cole- Nat King Cole was said to have a wide adoration for all things that grew but was described as preferring tropical dendrobium orchids the most.  

Miles Davis- who could mess with the skills of this famous jazz player who enjoyed walking in the woods on his time off? This probably explains the reason why he was always partial to the loveliness of water lilies he often saw on the trails.  

Keith Jarrett- Another rose lover, Keith Jarrett was known to place a vase of red roses in the rooms where he practiced to induce creative productivity.  They are also often seen gracing the covers of his albums.

ACDC, Metallica, Van Halen…these are the legends of heavy metal who are responsible for top hits that still remain popular twenty years later.   Their sound is timeless and continues to be celebrated decades later where parents now get to pass down their gift of music to their children and perhaps even their grandchildren.  Metal music is an important part of the world’s history and must be recognized for the important contributions these bands have given to the arts.  Where would be without hits like, “Thunder Struck”, “Enter Sandman” and “Hot for Teacher” which rocked audiences from the United states all the way to Europe?  They are undeniably a large part of our creative passion we look to stimulate and keep growing because music is the epicenter of where millions of innovative ideas come from.

So where do these artists get their inspiration from?  The answer quite honestly could be from anywhere but one facet just may be a passion for flowers!   Are you having a hard time believing Brian Johnson stops to smell the roses in between taking the stage in front of millions of people?  Well, it’s true!  Many of these artistic geniuses have an affection towards beautiful blooms and believe it or not?  Some even harvest their own sprawling gardens.  The reasons why may be expansive but the basis starts with the fact that flowers have many healing properties as well as inspiring and nourishing. Think about the basic properties of blooms that possess visual, aromatic and tactile gains. These would likely benefit these artists who are constantly searching for the next spark of enlightenment that they can use in their work and in turn, morph into songs that will please fans.  We all need a little something to encourage artistic creativity so it makes sense that flowers might be an influential tool.    

Since there is a plethora of floral varieties to choose from, we can predict which species might be the better options for musicians like James Hetfield and Eddie Van Halen.  First, they need to have an intoxicating smell and a sexy color that will attract attention.  If we’re talking arrangements, then the pieces should be architecturally sophisticated or small and compact like the European style. 

I’ve always loved the arts.  Painting, singing, dancing, music, crafting, you name it-I’ve tried it.  I used to think that it was because I’ve been deemed a “creative” type but truthfully, I think it’s my attraction to the emotional health benefits associated with these activities.  Have you ever had trouble with anxiety, stress or simply feel overwhelmed 90% of the day?  According to new research, activities such as these can actively reduce symptoms making someone a happier, healthier you!  Even if you mildly experience waves of anxiousness or depression, according to a majority of doctors, a half hour of art can help work towards fixing the problem.  Do you have to be Picasso or Liberace to participate?  Heck no!  All you have to be is willing and able to try something new and let these creative exercises mold and sculpt you into a better frame of mind.  Here are the most popular areas of interest for those seeking artistic healing… Does one of them appeal to you?

Dance

Many times, the body craves movement to readjust itself against strain and stress.  Turning, sliding and swaying your hips can alleviate tension and create endorphins that heighten a person’s mood.  Twenty minutes of sashaying across your kitchen floor while doing dishes or laundry will help produce more of the happy hormone and also provide a fun and easy workout.  

Music

The noises that we hear affect our dispositions more than we realize.  Loud sounds impede on our ability to cope while softer sounds soothe the brain’s membrane to increase our willingness to relax.  By selecting a preferred genre of music such as classic, new age or alternative, we can provide ourselves with audio therapy just by sitting back and listening.  

Painting

Although many famous artists have a reputation for being a bit crazy, there is supporting science behind the fact that painting can be incredibly therapeutic to those with high blood pressure.  The reason lies behind the visual stimulation of combining color as well as the calming motion of making swirls and strokes with a paintbrush.  Don’t worry about your artistic talents, just let your imagination take over and allow yourself to escape tension from everyday life if only for twenty minutes a day.

Sculpting

Sculpting is another wonderful way to free yourself from suppressing emotional weight and works the most successfully for those who express themselves with their hands.  Do you crack your knuckles or bite your nails often?  If this sounds like you, than sculpting is your ticket!  The massaging pressure applied to the clay from your hands is actually acting as a release for stress and it won’t hurt tender tendons or joints in the process.  

Songs to Sing to Flowers

The other day I was thumbing through some books in the children’s department of our local public library.  As I was making my selections of Mo Willems and Eileen Christelow, the door to the story time room opened and a dozen or so smiling six year olds piled out holding their crafts of pea pod seeds planted in a Dixie cups.  Parents greeted their kids with “Wow, what did you make?” salutations and with heart felt appreciation, thanked the librarian who read books about gardens and then proceeded to teach the enthusiastic group how to grow their own.  Taken in by the pleasant commotion, I glanced over at the gleeful scene grinning at the fact that our library resources maintain the ability to not only encourage literacy and enrichment education programs but also provide the push for creativity.  That’s when I saw her, a little girl still standing inside the reading area, holding her cup and by the looks of it, whispering to the contents.  Compelled to learn more, I stepped closer for a better view when the group facilitator turned to me and said, “She’s singing to her plant!  Isn’t that amazing?”  Nodding my head, things got more interesting as another classmate joined her friend and also began humming a tune.  Pretty soon, children were gathering one by one and singing sweet notes to their projects with the intention that they would grow stronger and faster if encouraged with a hymn.

                                                photo credit: Flower Factor

That amazed me.

It wasn’t that the scene was just adorable to say the least but most of all, it was inspiring as well.  We have all heard the old wives tale about talking to our plants but what if there is actually truth to the suggestion that higher nurturing of our harvests really can be attained by human voice?  Maybe these small children were on to something?  If they are right, the power of music can in fact increase the viability of All living things.  Intrigued by this unfounded hypothesis, I searched to find the best songs for our kids to sing to their gardens, not only improving the plant’s prosperity but allowing our children to connect with nature in a whole new level.  I liked this one the best so give it a go and get your flowers blooming with music!

April Showers

To the tune of "The Farmer in the Dell"

Dark clouds gather outside,

The wind begins blow,

A raindrop falls and then another --

April showers!

I am not afraid.

The rain is very good.

It softens the earth and helps the plants

Make May flowers.

Valentine’s Day brings out the largest played genre of music, love songs of course!  The best crooners of all time are played over the loud speakers, adding to the romanticism of the holiday celebrations.  Music is essential for a successful Valentine’s Day and may be so important in fact, that it may be useful to scout out your preferred selections prior to the big day!  For some, easy listening is the way to go and for others, a soulful ballad is a better fit.  Whatever your tastes may be, keep in mind there are love songs that have stood the test of time and have become classics for Valentine’s Day.  Here are the most played tunes for the month of February:

“Still Into You” by Paramore                          “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles

“Little Things” by One Direction                    “Baby Love” by The Supremes

“A Thousand Years” by Christna Perri          “Love Story” By Taylor Swift

“I See the Light” Tangled Soundtrack           “Part-Time Lover” by Stevie Wonder

“To Make You Feel My Love” by Adele        “Don’t Let Go” by En Vogue

If you’re a florist and looking for a Valentine’s Day/Flower themed love song, check out the lyrics to Jim Reeves’ “One Dozen Roses” that shares a sweet tune about placing his heart within a dozen roses for his sweetheart.  The words are beautiful and directly reflect the sentiment that most florists aim to please when making their Valentine’s Day arrangements for clients.  Check out these lyrics and see if it might be the perfect track to play in your stores this holiday!

Give me one dozen roses
, Put my heart in beside them
, Send them to the one I love.

She'll be glad to receive them, 
And I know she'll believe them
, There's something we've been talking of.

There may be orange blossoms later, 
I think that there will
, She's done something to me, 
And my heart won't keep still.

Give me one dozen roses, 
Put my heart in beside them
, Send them to the one I love.

There may be orange blossoms later, 
I think that there will, 
'Cos she's done something to me
, And my heart just won't keep still.

Give me one dozen roses
, Put my heart in beside them, 
Send them to the one I love
, Send them to the one I
, Send them to the one I love.

Suzie and Rick Canale,Westwood, MA

Although Suzie's husband Rick will be working late on Valentines Day, they will celebrate Valentines Day the following weel at the Capital Grille in Chestnut Hill.

Parental Advisory Warning: the following is not fit for all readers so if you don't care for soap boxes and thinly veiled adult language, move on. I only do this about once a year.

I am naive. Today for the first time in my life I actually had to rebuff the explicit and pointed persecution by an attorney for my choice to be a career musician. He laughed at my colleague's claim that he worked full-time as a performing musician and told him "don't you think you could at least get a part-time job" to cover the debts in question. In his brilliant edict against our position he cited his own stint, in college, as a "bar band musician" and scoffed at my claim that it was a full-time job reminiscing that his time as a guitar player in college was hardly, (wink, wink) even part-time.

I invite him to eat my a$$. If it had been my fight to begin with, I would have been more brazen, though i never thought the conflict was with the attorney to begin with. Rather he seemed, accidentally, to expose what the plaintiff, and apparently secretly he, both harbor against working musicians.

I would have shouted in his face: Throw out all of your CDs, records, cassettes and 8-tracks, all your sheet music. Forget every song you ever heard on those albums. Have your musical memory erased, you're so cavalier about it, so you cannot whistle a tune, or hum a note in private comfort or celebration with yourself. Have erased from your memory every concert you attended, every symphony, every opera, every child's music lesson and recital, every jam session and summer concert series. Then I would invite him to re-live every memorial service, wedding or graduation he's ever attended, without music. Then, sit down to your myriad of movies and TV shows you cherish, and try to watch them again, without music. Then I would tell him, 'Turn off your radio and unsubscribe from all the free streaming music suppliers, like Pandora, whom you depend on for your musical relief. Spend a week without music. Any of you. I dare.'

If however, he felt a pang of conscience in leaving this session with me, I would suggest to him this path for redemption: Pay double the asking price for every cd you buy from now on; pay twice as much at the door or two times the price of a concert ticket; tip the band as much as you spend at the bar; buy merch at every show; empty your pockets in the buskers guitar case; pledge a donation to every crowd-funding musical project; and finally, fast from music for one week. Then come back to me and beg me for a tune, a lick, a chorus - I'll charge you $300 an hour - solo.

Until this day, in my 41 years of living, I still NOT ONCE have had to pay a lawyer for getting me through my day with his lawyerly services. Yet every day of my life, i have hummed a tune…

And finally I say to the starry-eyed potential suitors, the like of which who started this particular trouble: we were musicians when you met us. If you don't like the way we live, don't live with us.

Quenby Iandiorio

all photos in this post came from quenbywowband.com 

Christmas music is one of the foremost magical aspects during the yuletide season.  Hymns from long ago allow us to join together in unison whether we are caroling from door to door or listening while sitting in front of an open fire.  Some say that kids today don’t engage enough in this time honored tradition and have raised concern about the future of Christmas music for generations to come.  Will “Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire” be a tune of the past?  Not according to these special contemporary artists who have vowed to keep the spirit of the season going for our youth and generate a whole new appreciation for music composed especially for this holiday.  Here is a list of some hot and modern melodies that top artists are promoting this Christmas season.  

“Do They Know Its Christmas” is a classic hymn sang originally by Band Aid in the 1980’s where cause centered towards raising awareness about poverty in Ethiopia.  Due to the recent Ebola breakout, a new band of stars are determined to raise awareness once again, this time by changing the lyrics to reflect the devastating effects that this disease inflicts.  A few of the singers for the project include Bono, Sinead O’Connor, Seal and One Direction, which are sure to succeed in producing a wonderful and memorable rendition of the Christmas song.

Country music lovers are going to flip when they see that an incredible compilation of their favorite southern artists have joined together to release, “Christmas in Nashville”.  Including some of our favorites such as “Santa Baby”, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” and “Blue Christmas”, you will hear the voices of Connie Britton, Will Chase, Aubrey Peeples and many more top chart stars.  Grab your CD today, I promise listeners will be in awe of the beautiful carols performed with a soothing country flair!

If you are looking for something from a few of our favorite pop artists, try Kristen Chenoweth’s new release, “ A Lovely Way To Spend Christmas” or “Christmas (Please Baby Come Home)” by Melissa Etheridge who puts an edgy rock appeal to classics like “O Night Divine”.    Sixpense None the richer is also on board with a couple of great Christmas melodies in their CD, “O Come, O Come Emmanuel”.   Sarah Brightman, Faith Hill and the infamous Aretha Franklin can be added to your list of digital downloads this holiday, too!

  Suzie Canale, Westwood, Massachusetts 2014

Suzie can be found enjoying music in her car, at her home in Westwood, at the gym and while dancing with her husband,