Recent Posts

Follow Me

Exotic Flowers in Boston

Adding a Green Plant To Your Home Office Is Better for Your Health

Posted by Rick Canale on Tue, May 12, 2020

'Looking at green foliage can enhance creativity, increase calmness, lessen irritability, and restore mental energy. Researchers found that indoor plants prevent fatigue during demanding work.' Men's Health Magazine

pothos

Text below from www.aboutflowers.com Workplace Productivity Study:

Texas A&M: Flowers & Plants Promote Innovation, Ideas

In today’s economy, it is more important than ever for businesses to gain the competitive edge. Constant fluctuations in unemployment, productivity, consumer confidence and other major economic factors make it imperative for businesses to implement the right strategies to stay ahead of their competition.

According to business experts, the key to gaining the competitive edge in the modern economy is easy to understand – a happy, productive workforce. And, while sometimes the easiest notions can be the most difficult to achieve, a scientific study conducted at Texas A&M University finds that nature can hold the secret to business success. The research demonstrates that workers’ idea generation, creative performance and problem solving skills improve substantially in workplace environments that include flowers and plants.

“Our research shows that a change as simple as adding flowers and plants can be important in the most meaningful way to businesses in the modern economy,” said Dr. Roger Ulrich, lead researcher on the project. “People’s productivity, in the form of innovation and creative problem solving, improved – which in certain circumstances could mean the difference between mild and great business success.”

Research Findings: Overall and Men vs. Women

In an eight-month study, the Texas A&M University research team explored the link between flowers and plants and workplace productivity. Participants performed creative problem solving tasks in a variety of common office environments, or conditions. The conditions included a workplace with flowers and plants, a setting with sculpture and an environment with no decorative embellishments.

During the study, both women and men demonstrated more innovative thinking, generating more ideas and original solutions to problems in the office environment that included flowers and plants. In these surroundings, men who participated in the study generated 15% more ideas. And, while males generated a greater abundance of ideas, females generated more creative, flexible solutions to problems when flowers and plants were present.

“We know the importance of learning, for example, how natural surroundings affect drivers, school children, and hospital patients,” said Ulrich, who has conducted extensive research on the effects of environments on psychological well-being, stress and health. “To businesses, it should be equally as important to understand what features can improve performance at work and make employees more productive.”

 

Methodology

Researchers at Texas A&M University recruited 101 participants to take part in The Impact of Flowers and Plants on Workplace Productivity study. During the eight-month scientific study, participants took part in emotional, creativity and attentional demand protocols, in conditions that were carefully controlled, yet were similar to those in many office workplaces. Subjects were asked to perform a series of tasks in one of three environmental office conditions, selected at random: with fresh flowers and plants; with abstract sculpture; or with no embellishments at all. Throughout each session, subjects self-rated their moods four times, executed two creativity tasks and completed one attentional demand test. Researchers measured the number of ideas participants generated, their ideas’ originality and flexibility, and other responses, using data extracted from the tests, which included Torrance Tests of the Creative Thinking and Profile of Mood States.

The research lends weight to growing scientific evidence that flowers and plants, as well as other aspects of nature, have a beneficial impact on state of mind and emotions. The Society of American Florists worked in cooperation with the Texas A&M University research team, bringing an expertise of flowers and plants to the project.


About the Researcher

The Impact of Flowers and Plants on Workplace Productivity Study was conducted by Roger Ulrich, Ph.D., Behavioral Scientist, Director of the Center for Health Systems and Design, Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. Dr. Ulrich is a professor of landscape architecture and is an internationally recognized expert on the influences of surroundings on human well-being and health. His interests concern applications of environment-behavior knowledge to healthcare buildings, landscape architecture and urban design.

 

Tags: Boston Greenhouse, SAF, Plants, Stress

Show Your Admin @ Home Your Thanks - Administrative Professionals Week

Posted by Rick Canale on Thu, Apr 16, 2020

 

Your assistant has been busting their ass from home since being quarantined. Show them you care and appreciate all their hard work. Administrative Professionals Week also known Secretaries Week is April 20th through April 24th. So many assistants are now working from home. Flowers and plants are a much better gift than Charmin. 

Your assistant is now trying to keep your professional life together with Zoom, conference calls and webinars. They are also trying to keep their personal lives together too. They're home schooling, learning Google Classroom, cooking meals and trying to keep your schedule relevant. Do you know how hard it is coordinate your schedule from a home office?

Did you know that flowers in the home relieve stress? Rutgers University and Harvard University both offer studies to prove that flowers relieve stress and improve mood.

We have two great gift items to show your respect and gratitude on this Secretary's Day. 

The State of Massachusetts considers gardening an essential business to live during the COVID-19 quarantine.

admin day plant flowers

Serene Retreat

This beautiful gift is a garden of delights. Perfectly at home inside a home or office, it's a great gift for all reasons and seasons. The planter is not only easy to care for but helps purify the air quality of your home. We know it is getting stuffy in everyone's home right now. 

Another favorite for us this Admin's week is our new Day After Bouquet. 

day after

A beacon of hope for brighter days ahead, this bouquet will brighten the mood in their homes and let them know how much your appreciate their hard work and all they do for you.

 

 

Tags: Harvard Research Team Floral Study, Secretary's Day, Administrative Professional's Day, Stress, Covid-19, Corona Virus

Plants and Flowers Should Be the First Items Bought for A New Home

Posted by Suzie Canale on Fri, Mar 02, 2018

Are you getting ready to move into a new home soon?  Are you finding yourself buried beneath boxes of stuff and feeling a bit overwhelmed by the whole process?  A great way to relieve stress accumulated by the experience of relocation is to make sure one particular item is at the top of your “To Be Purchased” list.  Funny enough, the answer isn’t silverware, furniture or plates but something else that can provide you with pleasure, relaxation and also an aesthetic appeal-plants and flowers.  According to flower shop owners, a large percentage of their clientele is derived from people who have just moved into a new apartment or purchased their first home and are looking for greenery to spruce up their abodes.  Luckily, these florists are prepared with a list of their own that can guide customers towards personalized choices which are just right for them!  From garden growers to those who lack a green thumb, there is something for everyone to help make the moving day more fun!  Take a look at these top picks for yourself that also make wonderful gifts for friends.

daffodils boston.jpg

Nothing says “Smile!” like a fresh bouquet of spring daffodils to brighten up a place.  These beauties are both cheerful in color but also contain an aroma that will fill any space with a sweet scent.  These flowers are stunning in a simple vase and work best when arranged in large clumps with several stems.  The daffodil comes in shades of yellow, white, peach and variegated shades of peach so you’ll have fun picking out the right tone you’re looking for.  Another benefit of purchasing daffodils is that they are usually relatively inexpensive can be bought in several different locations including your yard if it happens to be the right time of the year.


If you’re more of a plant person than you have a ton of options that are perfect for dressing up a new home and all are readily available from your local florist. First off, we have the Spathiphyllum plant that is almost unkillable with even the worst plant care. These pretty plants are tropical in appearance and require little water or sun to do just find on their own.  Other great ideas are Boston ferns which are a bit fussier but are gorgeous on a hanger or placed in urns as well as the cactus plant- another ideal variety for those who are too busy to pamper a plant.  

Tags: Flowers for Emotional Health, Stress, Real Estate

How to De-Stress During the holidays

Posted by Suzie Canale on Fri, Dec 23, 2016

The holiday season is filled with joy, cheer and goodwill to all men and although it is certainly a wonderful time of year, it can all become a stressful one as well.  For some people, the scrambling for presents, decorating the house and visiting with relatives resonates agreeably but for others it can prove quite difficult.  There’s never enough time to do EVERYTHING on your list and the socialization between those you may not see often can become complicated or downright unpleasant.  If you’re the guy or gal who opens their arms to all the chaos that Christmas sends, well then good for you but if you‘re among the masses who need a tiny bit of help dealing with the seasonal “Fa La La” then this blog’s was written for you.   Some us need a break, a way to recharge or even just a means of coping with the next few weeks.  The first step is to look in the mirror and realize that IT’S OKAY.  You’re not a failure if you’re not dying to hang tinsel from your ears or hang mistletoe toe from every bough.  Not everyone can be Clark Griswold who manages to turn a rosy cheek when dinners are burned, family gatherings go a blunder or Christmas tree’s go up in flame. The holidays are hard!  So if you feel like you may relate to these feelings and are holding out for a few ways to burn through some of your seasonal steam, here’s a couple of ideas to try before the one who melts down is you.  

RICK_SUZIE.jpg
  1. EXERCISE

This is probably the number #1 answer to your problems if you suddenly wake up with backaches and headaches once December rolls around.  Stress commonly pockets itself throughout the joints of the body leaving it sore, stiff and uncomfortable.  By doing even five minutes of stretching in the morning and evening, you’ll release tension and relax your muscles to get a better night’s sleep.  It’s a busy time of year but if you can insert a half hour of walking, jogging, biking, swimming, yoga, Pilates or aerobics, you’ll feel the difference almost immediately.  


  1.   Don’t Forget to Treat Yourself!

I’m not talking about booking a cruise the day after Christmas but it’s not against the rules to treat yourself to a little holiday treat.  Maybe you like aromatic candles, a box of rich chocolates or a quick pedicure at the salon?  These services and items are not expensive and can very well lift you up to elevated moods just by taking care of yourself for a bit.  For me, I love a great fashion or cooking magazine to soothe over bumps and ripples in my yuletide season!


  1.  Sleep.  For the Love of God…SLEEP!

Sleep deprivation has got to be one of the most typical problems during this time of year and many don’t even realize how terrible it is for behavior, mood and overall demeanor.  I realize there’s a ton to do but neglecting rest isn’t the answer.  Skip that last aggravating errand that no one is going to care about anyway and lie down on a couch with a good book.  Make sure you go to bed a couple of minutes earlier than you usually do and turn off the TV.  A continuous healthy cycle of this will make you feel better and not as cranky as you were before.   

Tags: Holidays, exercise, Stress, Health

Subscribe via E-mail

Contact Us for All Your Floral Needs