Exotic Flowers in Boston

by Suzie Canale

Westwood, MA

The colder temperatures are slowly but surely creeping in and many New Englanders are becoming anxious about the demise of their hard worked summer gardens.  Although Mother Nature’s reclaims our green thumb’s efforts during the colder months of the year, there are ways to enjoy some of our hardier favorites year round by learning the techniques of indoor plant weathering.  While it is true that not every growth can be repotted and stored until the thaw of spring arrives, there are some varieties, which make perfect candidates for building an indoor winterized garden. Unfortunately, due to this region’s inclement drop in temperature, not every garden favorite will be strong enough to make the transition from your Boston back yard, so before taking your trowel to begin digging, keep these tips in mind to make sure you are choosing the right species. By keeping your eyes peeled for these hardier varieties, you’ll have a fighting chance of keeping some of your favorite greenhouse treasures year round.  

Many herb plants are wonderful for re-planting once the autumn frosts have begun.   Types such as parsley, sage and particularly rosemary are easily transitioned from the garden to a sunny windowsill and require very little maintenance with the exception of a once a week watering and pruning when stems become spindly and brittle.  Basil is a highly desired herb for transfer but often has disappointing results since the plant prefers warm temperatures and a significant amount of light to thrive.  Commonly, the plants will stay the same size when brought inside until replanted back into their natural environment so the constant need for larger planting containers is rarely an issue.  When removing the roots from the outside soil, make sure you dig far enough down to get the entire system (or as much as possible) to avoid damaging the plant and causing a stressful transfer.  Once safely inside, locate a sunny area with little drafting.  An icy spot can cause an instant droop within the petals and a shorter likelihood of survival.

Several people desire a flowering plant to enjoy within their Boston home once their gardens have gone to sleep for the winter.   Truthfully, it’s a difficult order to fill but not impossible if you choose the right selection.  Scented and unscented geraniums make excellent candidates and seem to thrive both indoors and outdoors if properly cared for.  Be mindful of areas with a lot of sunlight for placement, a weekly watering schedule and the occasional task of removing dead leaves and unhealthy stems.  Plant food should also be put into the mix every few weeks to ensure an adequate amount of nutrients.  Another flowering possibility is marigolds, which seems to also transition easily from one place to the next.  More durable than some of your other garden varieties, these pretty little blooms will provide a cheerful burst of color and appealing scent with little maintenance required.  Winter is just around the corner, so pick out your favorites and start building an indoor garden that will keep you entertained until the warmth of the summer returns once again.

 Suzie Canale is the Founder and President of The Women's Lockerroom Foundation, has written four children books, works at the Westwood Public Library and raises two sons.

The gerbera daisy remains a favorite for many brides in Boston, Cape Cod and Newport.  Gerbera daisies are used in bouquets, centerpieces, boutonnieres, aisle petals and even in the bride's hair. Its versatility keeps the gerbera daisy on the Boston bride's radar. Many brides search for a specific color when planning their floral displays. Some gerbera varieties are not available during year round.  Certain gerbera daisies are cultivated at different times of the year. This cultivation allows for stronger heads, wider availability and sometimes even higher cost efficiency.  Adhering to seasonal color palettes is a wise decision during event planning. A wise bride will choose darker shades during the winter and lighter tones during the summer.  If a bride is planning  a fall wedding, here are a few decadent gerbera varieties that are perfect for your autumn wedding celebration.

Serena:

The Serena gerbera daisy is luscious. This variety arrives in a shaded dark pink with a dark center.  Fuchsia hued flowers make wonderful fall accents. The fuchsia flowers make the darker colors really pop. Serena complements other gerberas like orange and peach quite nicely.  A gerbera daisy's durability is renowned. Its strong head prevents weeping and drooping in centerpieces.  Other substitutions for Serena are “Picasso” and “Dark Serena”.

Calypso:

The “Calypso” gerbera daisy is a stunning orange that Boston brides will choose for their fall wedding.  With its dark center and frilled inner sepals, Calypso gerbera daisy makes autumn arrangements pop with its vibrant color and delicate outer petals.  Calypso pairs well with red, yellow or peach. This combinations stuns and awes wedding guests.  Substitutes for the “Calypso” can be “Orange Illusion”, “Milonga” or “Sirtaki”.

Yellow River:

“Yellow River” gerbera is another strong headed variety, this gerbera daisy is known for its density throughout its petals.  Yellow River Gerbera has a green center; this color contrast works well  in bridal work, including hair pieces, bride's maids bouquets and church pew markers. Bearing a striking resemblance to the sunflower, Yellow River gerbera makes an easy transition from summer to fall events, ideal for late September weddings. Similar yellow gerberas include “Kalika”, “Illusion” and “Chelsea”.

Suzie Canale

At Exotic Flowers in Boston, we believe in the importance of reading to children and reading with children. Heck we believe that reading is one of the pillars of civilization. At Exotic Flowers, we share books, poetry and even have a favorite author. Yes, Suzie Canale is my amazing wife. She also writes amazing stories.

Her newest children's book, Boston, You're My Home is the story of a young girl named Sweet Caroline who is nervous about her family moving to the city. Worried about the unknown, her mother and father attempt to soothe her fears by telling her a bedtime tale inspired by Boston's strengths. Including everything from scholarly education to delectable seafood, Caroline slowly begins to learn about the wonderful benefits of calling Boston her new home. Suzie will be donating 100% percent of her royalties for this book to benefit The One Fund. 

Christmas time in New England is magical. Cinnamon, pine, vanilla and coffee permeate the air. Twinkling lights, frenzied children and frost lined sidewalks illuminate the streets of Boston. Greeting cards, decorated homes and Christmas carols spark our memories of Santa bringing toys to our homes. These emotions are infectious.  These warm feelings make the holiday season the most romantic time of year. It comes as no surprise that more couples get engaged during Christmas than any other holiday. Hopefully you were on the 'nice list' this year. If so, maybe a little box from EB Horn is under your Christmas tree.  

The first moments after your companion pops the question is a flood of emotion; happiness, joy, tears, laughter, love.  All these emotions are mirrors of the Christmas season. After accepting your proposal, your heart thumps and the butterflies in your stomach swirl. This event happens once in a lifetime. Embrace your jitters and tears, because this is a story you will tell your grandchildren.

Many newly engaged couples will instantly wish to tell their family, friends or even the six o'clock news.  This frenzy is a natural reaction. Some however may wish to keep their news secret. There is nothing wrong with witholding your great news until both partners have had time to enjoy this news intimately.

Eventhough you are officially engaged, there is no need to rush into planning your ideal Cape Cod wedding. Savor the moment and relish the holiday season. Christmas is about memories and traditions. What better way to start a tradition or memory than getting engaged on Christmas ? Planning a wedding in Boston, Newport , the Cape or anywhere can be stressful. Ease into your wedding planning so that you may savor one of the most romantic times of marriage, the pre-honeymoon phase.

Of course, once you are ready to plan your Boston wedding, the staff at Exotic Flowers is at your disposal.

: The Favors...

"Our wedding was many years ago.

The celebration continues to this day." ~Gene Perret

Traditionally speaking, wedding favors are given by the newly wedded couple to their guests in both thanks for their attendance to their special day and as a small reminder of the festivities.  There are several factors which decide the form of the particular gift such as a wedding theme, seasonal time of year and of course, a budget agenda.  While some choose engraved trinkets of couple's names and wedding dates, others opt for less customary items which reflect a twosome's spirit or interests.  Wedding favor shopping is an amusing to do during planning, allowing those who would like to exercise their artistic imaginations to do so as much as they wish.   Selecting anything from picture frames to satchels of candy, take a peek at these fabulous yet affordable ideas to offer your friends and family.

Traditional and Engraved~ Traditional favors are sometimes a safe and easy way to go if you and your mate are having trouble nailing down a particular item to give your guests.  Many past favorites include monogrammed baubles such as drinking glasses, photo hangers and key chains.  While all o these are low in cost and easily ordered on almost any wedding favor website, they also represent a useful keepsake from the occasion.  For those who would like to give an updated spin on this novelty theme, replace picture frames with playing cards featuring pictures of the couple's happy moments together.   Aromatic candles with the date of the ceremony and the couple's initials also make smart and useful replacements for drinking glasses and key chains and seeds.

What's "In"~ Modern times have given forth to a myriad of fabulous contemporary favor ideas involving anywhere from cherished sports teams to new age motifs so if the customary offerings don't excite you, have no fear.   Popularity is growing in areas of goody stations where patrons can make their own penny candy take home bags filled with jellybeans, tootsie rolls and lollipops!  For the sports lovers who desire to share their love for a team or game, miniature footballs, baseball caps and golf balls imprinted with the twosome's faces are perfect to liven the celebration.   Other trendy gifts include scratch tickets, photo infused coasters and on site photo booths which provide both the favor and entertainment for friends and family.

Homemade~ Everyone knows that homemade gifts come straight from the heart so roll up your sleeves and get cracking!  If you or your mate have a particular skill or creative talent, don't be afraid to use your personal assets.  Perhaps one or both of you are painters, calligraphers, gardeners or crafters?  Utilize those abilities to make personalized presents and keep the items simple and relevant to the specifics of your occasion remembering bigger is not always better.  Jars of homemade jams, hand tied nosegays designed with blossoms picked from your flower bed and even freshly baked brownies are "people pleasers" with virtually no room for disaster.  

@SuzieCanale

  Bands or DJ's...

by Suzie Canale

"A long marriage is two people trying to dance a duet and two solos

at the same time." ~Anne Taylor Flemi

It’s the first dance as a couple and both of you are holding on to each other just knowing that this is the first sway of many. Whether you’ve chosen a band or DJ, music begins to engulf the room in a rhythmic harmony where not a single guest can take their eyes off of the newlyweds. It takes just a few seconds, but as the lyrics begin to tell the distinctive details of how the pair fell in love or the deep connection shared between the two, you begin to see the bond of marriage already taking shape on the dance floor. The delivery and choice of music can tell the humor, character and the rich seeded love, making it of the utmost importance to select a beautiful euphonious presentation that is specifically tailored to reflect their distinctive story.

Bands~ Hiring a live band or orchestra is a wonderful choice of entertainment for several reasons.  For starters, this type of musical arrangement invokes a elegant repetoi0re which partners well with ballroom or estate located events.  Another positive aspect of bands is the personal delivery of music, honoring requests from the wedding party as well as the audience.  Although usually a tad bit higher in fees than other options, live singing tends to create a more appealing atmosphere by creating a setting where listeners are more involved and attentive to the chiming of the instruments and vocals.  Two top wedding bands for Boston bound brides to consider are Kahootz and Men in Black.

DJ's~ For couple's looking for a no fuss option when tackling the task of wedding music, DJ's are a great choice since they are both eclectic in their music composition and are often considerably less expensive than live bands.  Willing to spin whatever requests you may have in mind, this particular type of music delivery has several benefits including easier set ups and break downs and have a wider compatibility with location sites and themes.  DJ's will compliment any function hall site as well as party motif allowing more flexibility and of course creativity when compiling music scores.  If you are looking for Bean Town's hottest DJ's, check out Pure Energy Entertainment in Peabody, Ma or DJ Ken Drew who services all of New England.

@SuzieCanale

“You don't make a photograph just with a camera. You bring to the act of photography all the pictures you have seen, the books you have read, the music you have heard, the people you have loved.” ~ Ansel Adams

Wedding planning is an elaborate design comprised of many stages and layers. Each segment must work together in harmony, enabling an orchestration of precise presentation. For example, the floral color palette was chosen to match the bridesmaid’s dresses, which in turn, were selected to highlight the ambiance of the ball room, which was chosen for the kitchen chef's famous authentic New England cuisine. The coordination between details are responsible for achieving an overall impeccable bridal exhibition. One important part of this blue print is the photography and the layout which the couple chooses to express their wedding memoirs. Often,  wedding photographs become of the most precious keepsakes for years to come.

finding a compatible picture taker. Once you feel comfortable hiring someone well footed in the camera biz, start to think about what you would like your  photos to capture. Some couples wish to harness the romance of the occasion by snapping close ups with little else in the background. Others want their album to tell a story of their favorite places or similar hobbies shared such as including baseball caps or skis in the framework. There are even couples who prefer to show humor by making silly faces with one another, imparting a special personality trait within the relationship.  Whichever style preferred, mirror the true essence of your relationship without being sidetracked by others opinions of where and how you and your partner should be standing.

Couples should also take notice of the photographic arrangement of a location before committing to sites, especially those that include fees. Mountains, beaches and woodlands make amazing areas for wedding poses due to their natural “unfettered” beauty. The light present in a photo venue is another issue to be weary of, making sure you have investigated the different times of day if you happen to be shooting outdoors.  Dark shadows and poor lighting can be intrusive when trying to capture a special moment, leading to blurred shots and messy compositions.  Water sites such as rivers and lakes hold fabulous lighting attributes, utilizing the glisten and sparkle of sunsets and sunshine inspired days. Recommended Boston photographers include; Eric Limon Photography, Roberto Farren Photography and Lisa Rigby Photography.

by Suzie Canale

@SuzieCanale

www.thebeantowntales.com

 Suzie is not only a great Boston Author, but also a regular contributor to the Exotic Flowers in Boston blog.

As we sadly say goodbye to summer,

And close down our garden gates,

Rest assured, there’s much more soon to come,

A new season of blooms awaits!

While the rosehips drop to reseed them selves

And the perennials return to slumber,

Make a visit to Exotic Flowers,

Who no florist can out number!

Floral displays of fall rich colors,

With a spectrum of red to gold,

Cabbages, mums and even aster pots

An exquisite site to behold.

Fill your planters up right to the brim,

And don’t forget to keep in mind,

Pretty soon the leaves will drop from trees,

And the pumpkins aren’t far behind!

- Suzie Canale

www.thebeantowntales.com