Exotic Flowers in Boston

Suggesting donations 'in lieu of flowers' for a funeral is an affront to the living. Sending flowers is an expression that helps the living grieve, a fundraiser does not. Better wording; "In addition to flowers, cards or expressions of care, donations can be made to..."

I tweeted this the other day. While it was received quite well, Twitter inevitably finds someone who will disagree. 

e.g.,

Tbd

@jmGreekwedding

"Wildly self serving tweet advising others how to deal with loss"

 

and my reply. My role as a florist has bestowed that responsibility upon me. The 'Emotional Impact of Flowers' studies by Rutgers and Harvard offers proof that flowers given and received help the grieving process. Thank you for your feedback.

 

 

So, you’ve been at the same office job for a while now and the gig is a pretty good one.  You can’t really complain earning a decent salary, hired by an okay boss, working in a clean environment and having co-workers who are congenial for the most part.  Career wise, things are going well and for the most-you’ve got everything you really want with the exception of one tiny perk… The entire office is devoid of any flower arrangements…  

photo via aboutflowers.com

Why is this a big deal?  Well, as you may have already learned from previous blog posts, regular exposure to fresh blooms provide a wide array of benefits both in physical and mental terms.  This means that choosing to elect a regular, standing order from a local florist will likely heighten the moods and progress of employees thus increasing the company’s overall productivity.  If you look at things this way-it seems like a no brainer, right?

Unfortunately, many businesses feel as though a vase of flowers is not worth the cost of investment even though most of the top Fortune 500 companies use plants and flowers in many of their headquarters to positively affect their staff.  In some circumstances, business owners do not believe that the theory holds any substantial value and instead prefers to think of a weekly flower arrangement as a waste of financial revenue. Although this attitude can prove difficult to turn around, it’s not completely impossible…

If you find yourself in this predicament, I have a few tips to turn the tables on the importance of office floral design so that you can do some serious convincing to whoever is in charge.  Study these top reasons why flowers can be of value in the office and give him/her a presentation of the facts. When you are finished, slip a reputable florist’s business card under their door and hope for the best.  If the outcome proves dim, revisit the idea in another few months.

1. Flowers heighten positive moods by using their different scents and colors.
2. Flowers generally increase the brain’s ability to problem solve.
3. Flowers can propel new levels of creativity just by being within the same vicinity.
4. Flowers are capable of lowering anxiety and in turn, foster feelings of relaxation.
5. Flowers are a great source of conversation, which can spawn a greater communication flow between coworkers.
6. Flowers tell employees that you care about them and want them to be happy.
7. Flowers make a space more appealing, providing a nicer environment to work in.

I’ll admit it.  This time of year is certainly not one of my favorites and there are several reasons why…

A).  I’m a warm-blooded soul who despises snow and ice.

B).  Traveling becomes tricky with bad road conditions forcing us to become  hermits for most of the season- another personality trait I’m missing.

C).  THERE ARE NO OUTDOOR FLOWERS!!

This last one is enough to depress any blossom lover because the fact remains that there are no wild flowers looming outside in the gardens.  Everything is frozen, stuck to the ground with no life signs what so ever.  I miss the days of carrying bundles of stems with petals scented with pure sweetness and arranging them in vases throughout my home. Did they make my house look pretty and smell good?  Absolutely, but there’s more to this than mere home decorating…

It is a scientific fact that flowers have the power to elevate our moods, particularly when we are feeling at our lowest.  All of the senses play a part, including the way a flower smells, its texture, color and arrangement with other species.  Our minds are positively enhanced the moment we set eyes on a bouquet and eventually we learn to connect this sensation of happiness with flowers in general.  So when the weather turns chillier and we lose our stimulation from outdoor gardening and growing, we have to make a conscious effort to seek them out elsewhere.  Contacting your local florist is the best way to solve this problem or you can even begin with indoor seeds such as marigolds and nasturtiums.   They’ll be fun to watch sprout and you’ll have pretty blooms flowering through the coldest months of the year.

Scientific Facts Supporting the Psychological Benefits of Flowers

1. Flowers arranged in areas such as entryways and foyers are symbolic of the meaning of sharing.  Guests who enter a building and are greeted by a fresh bouquet of flowers on the table react to this by feeling welcomed. 

2. Flowers are a wonderful gift to a loved one because it actually works as an aphrodisiac.  The gesture can build strong emotions of intimacy and likely bring two people physically closer together.

   

Photo credit via aboutflowers.com

Flowers open windows to creativity and often encourage a person’s imagination when exposed to flowers on a regular basis.  Some of our greatest artists of all time like Van Gogh surrounded him self regularly with flowers in order to find inspiration for his work.