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Learn How to Select Roses for Your Garden

Posted by Olive Smith on Wed, May 11, 2016

Roses have the ultimate power to capture your attention and love, right? Just watching the lush and colorful roses in flowers is pretty ideal however you should know that it takes more than just planting to have them. In case if you have fallen for the love of roses and want to be rose gardener or just want to try planting a few rose bushes, then selecting roses for your garden is quite important. A rose garden will not only give you an admirable scenario but you can even send roses to your friends and relatives or you can use them in bouquets.

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No matter what you use for, here is a simple guide that can give you a clever idea of how to select right rose for your garden.

So, lost in the utter confusion of which roses to plant? Well prior you start searching and begin selecting the roses for your lovely garden you need to comprehend what it takes to have a good selection process. Your wants and likes are not the only determinants to the type of rose that you can plant. The prior thing you need to consider is the climate of the area where you reside and the place where you plan to set up your garden.

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There are numerous sort of roses that really find difficult to grow in colder climates. That doesn’t mean that harsh hot climates are perfect for them. To rejuvenate your place with beautiful roses, you should be aware about their basic requirements, for instance, a rose plant requires at least six hours of continuous sunlight every day. A rose plant without sunlight might not bloom or won’t survive at all.  If you are sure that your climate is appropriate for growing roses, you can begin selecting roses for your garden.


Still stuck with the same question, which roses to pick for your garden? To come down to a right answer you need to ask yourself few questions. Like –

  • What sort of flowers do you prefer?
  • Do you love fragrant roses or you love lush of blooms more?
  • What you want to see roses with long stems or roses that grow in clumps?
  • What colors do you prefer?
  • Do you want your roses to bloom once a year or more often, if possible?

While selecting roses for your garden you should be aware about different sorts of roses you can consider. Hybrid teas are known types of roses as they are pretty similar to the long stemmed roses we all adore. These roses are seen in a stem and the stem reaches around 5 feet in height. Another essential type to consider for your garden is Grandiflora rose which grows in clusters and can reach up to six feet. Florbundas, on the other hand, are shorter as they grow to up to only about three feet but they also grow in clusters.

Again note down that when you select roses for your garden, considering the climate should be your priority. Along with that it is even important to pick your bushes from known and quality nurseries. Moreover if you are looking for better quality you can even order them online. Please do not be uncertain in spending a few more dollars just to get better bushes. They will be worth the amount you pay for. In the event you pick up bushes that are of low quality, then you will pay for rose bushes that won’t grow healthy or beautifully. It always pays to learn more about the best rose types you can grow in your area and also about the best ways to care for them. Moreover, at the end you will be getting flowers that are worth the extra effort.

 


Olive Smith is a professional blogger and is a florist too. With this post, she is sharing the significance of send roses to someone special in your life.

Tags: Garden Roses, Boston Roses, Blue Roses, Bed of Roses, Roses

The Most Expensive Flowers in the World

Posted by Suzie Canale on Wed, Mar 09, 2016

Did you know that flowers are considered one of the top ten luxury items bought in the United States?  We usually don’t consider a bouquet of roses to be expensive enough to be deemed “luxurious” but still, according to surveys, flowers continue to remain a popular purchase for dispensable income.  


Interesting isn’t it?


But what if I told you that there are real varieties of plant species that have been recorded as sold in the hundreds and even sometimes thousands?  There are virtually species in existence that are regarded as priceless specimens, which are heavily sought out after to be included in rare flower and orchid collections.  There is proof that on auction, a priceless plant can demand close to a million dollars from bidders. I don’t know about you but the most I think I’ve ever spent is a couple of hundred dollars on ranunculus, hydrangea and chocolate cosmos arrangements.  Never, have I come close to spending anywhere near to the price tags hanging from some of the world’s most expensive blooms.  Have you?

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Saffron Crocus

Many of us have some sort of variety of crocus pop up from our gardens during the early spring but if you happen to posses this particular breed, we’re talking big bucks because the average price is around $1300.00 per pound for the nectar!  The precious herb, saffron, is derived from the pretty deep purple flower, which is why it is considered so valuable.  Since it takes several blooms to collect enough saffron to be ground properly, the flower heads are worth even more to owner.

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The Juliet Rose

We all know that there are many different varieties of peach and pink roses but have you ever heard of a rose costing five million dollars to create?  Well, in this case, the Juliet Rose is one of a kind and has infamously been named as the most expensive rose in the entire world!  Now commercially cloned this rose was a pioneer in the wedding rose world.

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photo credit: higherlearning.com

Rothschild’s Orchid

I’m an orchid lover, through and through but this species, which has a unique green and red striped head with long thin petals extending from the middle, supersedes my budget.  Each plant costs around $5000.00 per unit and sometimes even more depending on the seller.  Because of its beauty and rarity, the plant has come close several times to becoming extinct from thieves and hoarders who didn’t take care of them properly.  Now it grows sparingly in Malaysia.

Tags: Exotic Flowers, Orchids, Roses, Flowers

Six Flowers That Will Make You Smarter

Posted by JessiRae P. on Mon, Mar 07, 2016

Want a quick way to boost your brainpower and memory retention? We’ve got six herbs for that. And guess what? You can use these natural brain boosting plants as fresh cut flowers, dried herbs, and essential oils.  

Rosemary

 

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An age-old favorite of culinary artists, and kitchen go-ers everywhere: Rosemary. More than simply a redolent herb, rosemary has long been hailed to improve memory, focus, and concentration. Because essential oils in particular pass through the blood-brain barrier readily with absorption (the molecules of essential oils are super tiny!) they are the fastest acting, and most mobile solutions to wielding the plant kingdom for your purposes.


Simply inhaling the aroma of rosemary will help you focus and complete the task at hand with precision. Rosemary rouses a lassitude mind and prompts action where there is mental hesitation.

Rose

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Coveted for eternal beauty and the symbol of love and passion, roses have a little known secret for sleeping doves: it makes them smarter.


Yes, you’re as cute as a dove.


Research shows when sleeping people are exposed to the scent of rose their memory improves. (Did you know working memory reigns supreme when it comes to improving cognitive aptitude?)


Oil diffusers with timers brimming with rose oil (and a mixture of water or carrier- don’t burn essential oils by themselves) will help get the job done. Conversely, you can introduce aromatic fresh flowers into your home. You may also opt for creating your own rose soap or lotion to carry the scent with you while sleeping.


It’s easy! Grab vegetable glycerin from your local craft store, or online, take a mold (I use muffin pans) follow the glycerin instructions, add rose essential oil, add rose petals, set, and you’re done! Now you can smell like a rose garden while you sleep and become smarter!


Herbal soaps? Super giftability.


I recommend adding the essential oils to ensure the scent is strong enough.

Ginkgo Biloba

Long hailed as the master of improving memory, countless studies have proved the efficacy of the benefits of ginkgo for the mind. Principally, ginko boosts our short term memory and improves our ability to process information. Interestingly, ginkgo helps our bodies improve blood circulation, delivering more oxygen to the brain.


Neat huh?


You can make a tea out of Ginkgo and drink it at the office, or while your in your home office planning the next big business to take the world by storm. You can opt to fill a vial of ginkgo essential oil and carry it around with you. Rub the oil onto your wrists, temples, and the bottoms of your feet.


When we apply oil (or anything, really) the substance is absorbed within a couple of minutes- sometimes instantly. (That should make you wary about stepping into cleaning products, or strange liquids.) You may also consider making a sachet of ginkgo for brain boosting on the go!


Combine any mixture of the herbs listed for an augmented effect.


Peppermint

Touted as a headache remedy, peppermint is being credited with improved cognitive performance. Peppermint is a stimulant, and helps us focus when our minds wander. Because the aroma of peppermint is so strong, you can literally put it in any form and benefit immediately. Soaps, lotions, oil blends, you’ll always be able to pick out its scent.


In addition to waking a sleepy brain, peppermint is great at bestowing energy, and is thought to power our creative and learning abilities. (Why not clean your paint brushes with peppermint oil? Or dab peppermint on your pens?)

Basil 

 

 

Ever feel like you never want to go to work again, ever? I do all the time. But never fear, there’s basil for that! Eliminating (or at least improving) mental fatigue and focus is what basil is known for in the herbal world. The herb helps to improve memory, and if rubbed on a wound, serves as an effective antiseptic and antibacterial.                   

In a Nutshell

Use your newfound knowledge in any of the following ways:


  • Essential Oils

  • Herbs

  • Fresh Flowers

  • Herbal Soaps

  • Herb Satchels

  • Oil Diffusers

  • Teas

  • Massages

  • Potable Vials

  • Beauty Products (Facial scrubs, lotions, etc.)


Oils that Blend Well Together:


  • Basil & Rosemary

  • Peppermint & Basil

  • Rose & Lavender

  • jessirae.jpe

JessicaRae Pulver-Adell is the author of Holistic Healing for Addiction: Enlivening Body, Mind and Spirit to Remedy Depression, Anxiety and Self-Hate. JessiRae is a fulltime writer covering mental health and addiction & recovery. Follow her work on Harbor Village and her blog.

Tags: Flowers for Emotional Health, Roses, herbs

Martin Luther King’s Peace Garden

Posted by Suzie Canale on Mon, Jan 11, 2016

On January 18th, 2016, we will celebrate Martin Luther King Day, a holiday dedicated to remembering his nonviolent peace movements in the quest for equality.  Observed to honor his birthday, (which really lies on January 15th ) President Ronald Reagan signed the bill making it an official holiday on November 2nd , 1983.  The country will hold several reenactments of the reverend’s famous speech, “I Have a Dream” as well as thousands of Americans gathering in the place where a piece of his memory is held dearly.  

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Located in Atlanta, Georgia, the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site honors King’s life work in spreading the idealism of peace throughout the country.  Along with precious artifacts and mementos of the hero’s lineage kept inside the museum, a second tribute marks the sanction, displaying a beautiful garden holding 185 varieties of roses at the visitor’s entrance.  The stunning presentation is one of the “International World Peace Rose Gardens” containing thousands of blossoms with eclectic colors and aromas.  Structured in a design similar to a starburst, the beds are planted entirely with roses, the United States official flower.  Landscaped in the month of March in 1992, the garden is visited by millions of people wanting to learn and pay homage to the man who spent his life crusading for a nonviolent world.  Dr King and his wife are also buried close by.

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The configuration of the design and the varieties that grow within King’s International World Peace Rose Garden hold specific significance.  The starburst shape was created to mirror his brilliance and ambition of unity throughout mankind.  The plush pink roses in the center are symbolic for his wife who continued her husband’s teachings for years after his death.  The red band of roses that swerves in and out of the circle represents African Americans and their contributions made to the world and the white blooms are banded around the ring to exemplify King’s similarity with Ghandi within their peace movements.   The splash of multi-shaded roses placed within clumps is reminiscent of the world filled with a beautiful array of different cultures and ethnicities.  The assortment of several tints and color tones also represents King’s vision that peace should run throughout the world for eternity.   The garden is said to be one of the most powerful displays created in Martin Luther King’s memory and remains the number one site to honor and remember him by.  



Tags: Martin Luther King Jr., Roses, January, MLK, Garden

What Does Your Favorite Flower Say About You?

Posted by Suzie Canale on Wed, Nov 18, 2015

I bet you didn’t know it but when you choose your favorite flower, you are really saying a lot about yourself!  Whether you fancy daisies or orchids, each variety reveals characteristics, traits and even personality types that are commonly associated with specific blooms.  It’s not science or anything but dating and employment sites are beginning to utilize this factor in order to make successful romantic matches and job placement decisions. The outcome has been quite beneficial urging us to ask the question, “What does my favorite flower say about me?”  I’ve got to admit, I had to find out if this new technique really did hold some truth behind it so this is what I found out…

Favorite Flower: Chocolate Cosmos

Color:  Brown to Burgundy- Rich Color Tone

Special Characteristic(s):  Smells Like Chocolate

Personality Type: Creative, Energetic, Ambitious, Seeks to be Different

photo credit: commons.wikimedia.org

Yup, I can definitely see the comparison!  

Now it’s your turn!  What does your favorite bloom reveal about you?


Favorite Flower:  Roses                                

Color: Red, Orange, Yellow, White, Pink       

Special Characteristic(s): Lovely Scent, Soft Petals      

Personality Type:  Sweet, Kind, Calm in Tricky Situations, Able to Stop and                                 Smell the Flowers Nonsense Attitude




photo credit: Flower Factor via Lisa Greene, floral designer

Favorite Flower: Sunflowers

Color: Yellow, Red, Brown, Orange

Special Characteristic(s): Popular Flower

Personality Type:  Stubborn, Showy, Social,  Intelligent, Hard Working

In a Wide Range of Crafts




photo credit: Flower Factor

Favorite Flower: Orchids 

Color: Green, White, Pink, Purple, Orange, Yellow, Burgundy

Special Characteristic(s):  Rare, Medicinal Uses 

Personality Type:  Likes to Stand Out, Exotic

Tags: Flowers as Symbols, Language of Flowers, Exotic Flowers, Orchids, Roses, Sunflowers, Flower Meanings

What Is the Meaning of a Green Rose ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Thu, Nov 05, 2015

Green Fashion, Jade and Wimbledon roses arrive from Ecuador every Tuesday at Exotic Flowers in Boston. Wimbledon are a vibrant lime green and always sell out in a few days. 

Not only a symbol of envy, but also infatuation. If you fear coming on too strong, you may want another color. 

 

Tags: Language of Flowers, Rose Symbolism, Roses, Flower Meanings

What is the Meaning of a Lavender Rose

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, Nov 03, 2015

Cool Water, Blueberry and Deep Purple roses arrive regularly at Exotic Flowers in Boston. Bostonians adore these shades of lavender roses. 

A symbol of affection and enchantment, you can see why the lavender rose is a top seller.

 

Tags: Language of Flowers, Rose Symbolism, Roses, Flower Meanings

What in the World is a Halloween Rose ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Fri, Oct 30, 2015

VIP Roses in Holland creates the coolest roses. These roses not only look like dessert, but smell llike it too. They are real roses and dipped in wax to look like chocolate and frosting. They are not for consumption.

Looking for meaning ?? These roses not only trick you into thinking they are dessert, but are a true treat for flower lovers.

Tags: Candy Roses, Halloween Flowers, Rose Symbolism, Roses, Halloween, Flower Meanings

What is the Meaning of a Black Magic Rose ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, Oct 27, 2015

While the Freedom rose from Ecuador is our standard red rose, at Exotic Flowers we also carry Black Magic and Red Paris roses when a client is looking for a darker red or burgundy rose. 

A symbol of unconscious beauty and beauty within, the black magic rose tells its recipient that you are enamored with their humility and inner beauty.

Tags: Language of Flowers, Rose Symbolism, Roses, Flower Meanings

What is the Meaning of a White Rose ?

Posted by Rick Canale on Thu, Oct 22, 2015

The white rose arrives in many shades, cream, ivory and pure white. At Exotic Flowers, our two most popular varietiies are (Tibet) and off white (Mondial)  - we sell hundreds of each every week. 

A symbol of innocence and purity; the white rose also tells its recipient that 'I am worthy of you.'

 

 

Tags: Language of Flowers, Rose Symbolism, Roses, Flower Meanings

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