Exotic Flowers in Boston

Old Wives Tales are fun.  They make us dive deep into our imagination and belief system, questioning realism against the possibility of magic.  I’ve always enjoyed listening to these stories, wondering which ones may have actually have a bit of truth lying at the center.  Do you hold your breath when going by a cemetery to ward off inhaling dead spirits? Or are you careful not to drop an umbrella in the house in fear a murder will soon follow?  These are two great examples of Wives Tales that people still might be weary to follow the rules of even though there is much doubt that they are actually true. We are funny in that respect; reacting to stories we hear, in fear of punishment when we disobey.  Old Wives Tales can touch upon millions of aspects and items within our lives such as broken clocks, cracked mirrors and black cats walking underneath ladders. Some bring good luck and some bring bad but when faced with a choice, most likely we comply in order to reach the favorable outcome.

I, being interested in this storytelling phenomenon, wondered if Old Wives Tales might include any tidbits about flowers?  Surprisingly during some recent research, I found quite a few that had to do with plant and flower varieties according to their planting, care and use.  Who knew picking a bloom from a certain species during a particular time of year could result in an early divorce or landscaping your house with specific buds could send omens for future home invasions and burglary?  Do these Old Wives Tales hold any water? Why don’t you read about them and decide for yourself!

Blinding Consequences for those who move Peonies

As we well know, peonies are a perennial that blooms in bush form from late May into early July (depending on the temperature).  What you may have not have known is that its bad luck to move a peony plant because you might have your eyes pecked out by sharp beaks.  Yes-that’s right! The peony is associated with the Greek God, Paeon who was a physician to the gods. The peony plant was his sacred flower so anyone found moving the root system was said to be attacked by violent birds.  I’d say it’s okay to move a peony if you really want to in the fall but maybe it’s also wise to make sure the birdies aren’t watching you while you do it?

Love and Dandelions

How many of you as young girls picked mature dandelions and blew their soft, white seeds in the air while making a wish?  It may be a memory that several of you share but did you know the number of breaths it takes to remove all of the white fluff can indicate how many years until the child will be married?  Five puffs= five years, ten puffs=ten years and twenty puffs could mean twenty years of waiting before walking down the aisle!

Flowers for the Ill

This is kind of a spooky one but many people believe that bringing white flowers into a home where a person is sickly will actually speed up their death date.  Creepy, huh? Varieties such as roses and ranunculus should be specifically avoided because as they come to the end of their lives, their head bends down much like an image of a person dying.  To stick on the safe side- bring a mixed bouquet of colorful blooms instead.

You might be seeing a lot of hype lately over certain seasonal blooms we’re typically accustomed to in the northeast this time of year.  Unlike other plants and flowers that grow during the fall or summer, springtime varieties have a certain magical quality around them that their counterparts just seem to lack.  Maybe it’s because we’ve waited so long to see their arrival or maybe they presume a delicate presence among their soon to be followers like roses and sunflowers. Whatever the reason, when the May bulbs finally decide to poke their heads out of the newly thawed earth, New Englanders tend to swoon over their presence.  What’s not love, really? Spring blossoms are some of the most stunning species to ever sweep over our lawns and gardens, which also make perfect clippings to fill up our floral vases. If you are in need of adding this type of landscaping to your surrounding property, here are my favorite bulbs to plant every fall!

Fritillaria

This is honestly my most anticipated flower to watch out for every May because of its funky shape and cool coloring.  Appearing like an upside-down bell, fritillaria is often purple in color with speckled dots across the petals. Although there are different hues available for purchase, this variety grows traditionally in the Massachusetts area.  One thing to keep in mind though- fritillaria is happier growing in soil than cut for arrangements, which will considerably shorten the bloom’s lifespan.

Peonies

Peonies are pretty standard for New England spring bulbs and luckily for us, they will last a bit longer than its seasonal competitors such as tulips and hyacinth.  This flower will bloom large, fluffy heads on a bush along with green foliage that stretches up and down the stem. Due to their popularity, peonies are the number #1 variety requested by spring Boston brides and continues to be cultivated in more and more colors to satisfy a growing selection.

Bearded Iris

These are probably the most majestic species out of any spring bulb due to its fierce appearance and striking array of color.  The bearded iris only blooms for a short time before the weather turns too hot but boy is it worth planting a few around the house to really make the yard “pop” for those few weeks in May and June.  Bearded Iris grows in shades of purple, pink, red, orange, yellow and even black so there’s a ton of options to choose from!

One of the top leading floral species in the industry during the spring season is the peony.  If you are familiar with the breed, no doubt you are not surprised since this variety has withstood decades upon decades of competition from similar grown varieties.  A peony’s smell, appearance and ability to take one’s breath away when mixed in a bouquet are all the factors responsible for the puffy bloom’s success. Flower shops across the country depend on this beauty’s availability once April rolls around and almost immediately becomes the primary pick chosen for high end arrangements.  It isn’t every day that one flower can appeal to both traditional and contemporary genres, plus have the flexibility to be used in everything from Mother’s Day bouquets to wedding work. Yes, the peony is an impressive species that has become just as synonymous with spring as the blue jays returning from the fall and if you would like to learn more about its impressive traits, all you have to do is look at the facts:

Millions of Colors to Choose From

The peony is grown in thousands of different shades by top growers and local farmers

who harvest the perennial to appease local florists, supermarkets and nurseries.  From pink to dark red, this flower has a majestic gem-like quality when it comes to color, which is why wedding planners are constantly suggesting peonies to couples about to walk down the aisle.

        Some of the top breeds include:

        Coral Charm (Coral/Orange)

  Sarah Bernhardt (Soft Pink)

  Diane James (Buttery Pink/Rose)

  Pink Double Dandy (Pink)

  Festiva Maxima (White with Red Flecks)

Peonies are Garden Ready

Many people in the New England area like to harvest their own crops of hearty peonies.  Manifesting in a bush-form, these root systems are easily grown in most soil types typical to this region and are dependable as an annual perennial even when the winter has been particularly cruel.  The stems resemble tree branches so the sturdiness of the plant makes the blooms stable as they grow larger and larger, preventing the weight from causing snapping. Perfect to grow and cut for your own home, peonies also make excellent landscaping options to plant around your property.

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. 

Text by Suzie Canale

Silky smooth,

Numerous petals

Smell sweet.

Beautiful.

Admired.

Peonies

Poem By Allyson Walsh

The peonyis a beautiful flower that is known to be a traditionally well-respected bloom in early summer gardens.  Derived from the Latin name, “Paeonia”, it thrives during the spring season in stunning colors of pink, cream, burgundy, white, red and peach.  The flower grows in a bush-like form, which can grow to be the size of a large shrub if given nutrients and fertilizer.  The petals of the head are said to resemble soft silk, which is why they are often featured in silk paintings.  Although the peony is cultivated all around the world, China and Japan excel in harvesting this variety above all other countries.  One point of view claims this is because the two cultures honor the flower highly within religious, social and spiritual aspects.

One of the symbolic meanings of this flower is tied to royalty and honor, particularly in the Asian culture.  Peonies are often used in ceremonies as they represent the idea of wealth, luck and good fortune.  Centuries ago, Chinese medicine claimed that the blossoms contained medicinal properties which is why you can still see them growing in monastery gardens today.  Although it has never been proven what exactly peonies are capable of healing, there is still a strong belief behind the blossoms that they have natural curing benefits for stomach pains and exhaustion.  In Greek mythology, the peony is named after the doctor, “Peon” who cured Hades when he had fallen ill.  Legend says that he crushed the petals to make an herbal remedy sifted in tea for the God to drink.  

Another symbolic meaning of the peony is “shyness” where a stem of the flower can be translated into “blushing girl”.  In French culture, there is even an expression that says, “as red as a peony”.  Other lure uses this symbolism to express embarrassment, which is referenced in several poems about nymphs and fairies covering their naked bodies with peony petals from prying eyes.  Myth says that it is extremely harmful to your karma to ever remove a rooted peony from your landscaping once it has been planted.

Universally, the peony stands for honoring your word, apologizing when you have wronged another and simplistic beauty found in a woman.  Specific variations can be found tied to the exact color of a bloom that extends from love to mourning.  

Mother’s Day is only a few weeks away and there are still a lot of preparations to make!  The reservations have been made for a scrumptious meal at one of Boston’s finest eateries and the kids have all decorated bright and cheery cards so what could we be possibly missing?  Our holiday pre-orders to our local florists!  Now if you even entertain the idea of waiting for the last minute to pick up a bouquet, you should really rethink that decision because Bean Town’s talented designers are already whipping up inventory requests for buyers to make sure they have exactly what they need for this year’s arrangements to mom.  Walking into a flower shop the day of Mother’s Day could be disastrous and at the very least hectic so take the time to surf your preferred vendor’s website to find an appealing floral product and call ahead.  After all, you don’t want to get stuck with a dozen red roses from the supermarket.  You want something nice for that special mother in your life!  These styles and varieties are what’s hot this season and will definitely be making a splash on Sunday, May 10^th!

Peonies

You just can’t go wrong with a big and bountiful bunch of peonies for Mother’s Day.  Their soft texture and large array of pink shading perfectly emanates the essence of the holiday and the spring weather couldn’t be better for imports from countries such as Holland, California and Ecuador.  This variety is extremely easy to intertwine with other appropriate holiday stems but honestly, they’re better off on their own because the sweet smell alone will plow mom over with a smile.  Sarah Bernhard, Coral, Charm and Shirley Temple top my list for most beautiful types of peonies.

Popcorn Hydrangea

Popcorn Hydrangea isn’t just any old hydrangea-we’re talking the fancy stuff when dealing with this stunning and unusual variety!  With sepals resembling actually popcorn kernels, their plump heads have an interesting texture that is more durable than it’s mother plant allowing them to last longer.  Colors of white, purple, green and blue are available but if you really want to gift something extraordinary, ask for the pink, which is grown in a delicate, blush shade.  Like most up scale varieties, popcorn might cost a bit more than the average hydrangea but I assure you, it’s worth it.  Opt for a few stems instead of the traditional mixed bouquet and say “thanks” to mom in style!

Suzie Canale