Your Calgary Flower Shop has taken the utmost care to ensure the flowers we deliver to our customers homes and workplaces are as fresh and beautiful as possible. We begin the process by acquiring our flowers from the industries finest flower growers and partnering with only the best FTD retail florists. By doing so we can be confident that only the finest fresh flowers are being delivered to our customers. However, to achieve maximum enjoyment and longevity from their flowers, our customers need to provide a little “TLC” when the flowers arrive.

Fortunately, what is required is very simple. Here are a few easy steps to follow that will ensure that your flowers look their best. Follow them and your flowers will look great and last for as long as possible.

1) Start with a clean vase & good quality water!

One of the largest deterrents to fresh cut flower life is bacterial. Bacteria and fungi are everywhere and are ready to enter the cut surface of the stem and multiply. Prior to actual decay symptoms, cells of the water-transporting tissues can become blocked with microorganisms, inhibiting water uptake.

A plant’s root system serves as a filter to limit dirt, micro-organisms and chemicals from entering and blocking the plant’s ability to absorb water. When the flower is cut off from its life-sustaining root system, it loses this vital filter. It is important, therefore, to always start with clean water in order to protect and preserve the flower.

Always use warm (100 – 110 degree) clean water as most flowers take in warm water more efficiently than cold.

The actual quality of water used in a vase plays a major role in a flowers life cycle as examples;

Sodium -  Present in high concentrations in soft water, particularly if softened using salt, is toxic to roses and
carnations.

Fluoride – Added to drinking water in many communities for dental health. While Fluoride may prevent cavities
in the kids it is harmful to gerbera, gladiolus, and freesia.

Minerals – In many areas drinking water is considered “hard” and contains high levels of minerals.  Dissolved
minerals can and may block the flower stems ability to hydrate properly.

2) Use the Flower Food provided.

While a flower is attached to the plant, it receives nourishment allowing it to grow and develop. When cut from the plant, it loses its source of nourishment and water. Fresh Flower Food has been developed to simulate the flower’s original environment, and allow the flower to fully develop (open).

While it is easy to find all sorts of home recipes and folklore about common household products that can be used to extend the life of your flowers, like many things this is best left to the professionals. Commercial Fresh Flower Food will increase the life of cut flowers and should always be used, these formula’s are scientifically developed, carefully balanced mixtures generally containing,

- Sucrose (sugar); Sucrose serves as a source of energy (food) to make up for the loss of the functioning leaves and insures continued development and longevity of the flower. Like all other living things flowers require food energy, however too much sucrose can be a bad thing as it can “force” the life cycle of the flower to proceed faster than normal.

- Acidifier ; Most water supplies are alkaline and can reduce the life of cut flowers, an acidifier will help bring the waters pH closer to the acid pH of the cell sap. Slightly acidic water is taken up more readily through the stems than water that is neutral or alkaline. The acidifier also aids in stabilizing the pigment and the colour of the flowers.

- Inhibitor of microorganisms (bacteria); Designed to retard the growth of bacteria in the water. While flowers require and “enjoy dining” on sucrose, so does bacteria. Cells of the water-transporting tissues in flowers can become blocked with microorganisms, inhibiting the flowers ability to hydrate and severely reducing longevity.

- Agents To draw out certain salts, dirt, and debris which will settle rather then being drawn up the flower stem.

Follow the directions on the package and always use the recommended amount. Don’t take short cuts or “play it on the safe side” by using too much flower food, either way can be just as harmful.

3) Cut Stems & Remove Foliage

Re-cut the stems at an angle removing at least on inch of the stem. Always use a sharp knife or clippers rather than scissors as this will avoid crushing the stem and therefore the vascular system. The slanted cutopens more stem area for hydration and prevents the end of the stem from resting directly on the bottom of the vase impeding water flow.

Leaves that will be below the water line in the container must be removed. Leaves sitting in water will deteriorate and rot. Decaying leaves make a good medium for bacteria and fungi, which will plug the vascular system preventing hydration and eventually causing death. DO NOT remove all leaves along the stem length, the flowers require the leaves as part of their hydration process. Always be “gentle” during the removal of leaves, gashes or breaks in the stem surface are “open wounds” where bacteria may enter. Try using a soft, but impenetrable glove for the removal of rose thorns and foliage.

4) Last but not least

Check the water level daily and replenish as needed. If the water becomes cloudy, it should be completely exchanged for fresh. As the water level gets low, you must re-fill vases with fresh solution made with correct proportions of Fresh Flower Food and water.

NOTE For roses, this process can be performed on Day 1 (when you first purchase product), on Day 3, and again on Day 5, doing so will help you obtain maximum vase life.

Now, enjoy your flowers!

On the occasion of Valentines Day when we think about flowers for a loved one, roses come to mind immediately!

The very word rose evokes images of love, romance, affection and a variety of feelings. Flowers, especially roses, can easily communicate the feeling of love when words are inadequate to express our innermost emotions. They are the perfect flower for Valentines Day!

Most women love roses! No matter the color, whether it’s a dozen, a single rose or even if they are mixed with other complimentary flowers. You just can’t go wrong when you choose roses for Valentines Day!

Here at Grower Direct we understand roses like no one else! Browse through some of our links:

Rose Gallery – Some beautiful roses waiting to be admired!

Rose Bouquets – Some of the bouquets you can purchase from Grower Direct

Rose Information – Find out what you need to know!

Have a look through our wonderful collection of flowers for this romantic occasion. We know you will find the perfect flowers for your sweetheart this Valentines Day!

Visit your Calgary flower shop today and get your Valentine’s Day flowers from Velda’s Grower Direct.

Whether you need to deliver your gift of flowers for Christmas right here in Calgary or across Canada. Maybe you have friends and family throughout the United States or anywhere across the world, your Calgary Florists at Velda’s Grower Direct can can get your flowers delivered.

We deal with only the finest florists worldwide to make sure your Christmas flower delivery is not only beautiful but also gets to its destination on time.

Poinsettia’s are the worlds favourite Christmas Plant, in fact poinsettia’s account for 1/3rd of all potted plant sales & most are sold in a 6 week period!

For information on other Christmas flowers such as Holly or Mistletoe visit our page on Traditional Christmas Flowers.

Have a look through our extensive collection of Calgary Christmas Flowers for sale today.

Your Calgary Flower Shop would like to share some fun facts about poinsettias.  After all it is the Christmas season and nothing says Season’s Greetings like a Christmas poinsettia.  Don’t forget to contact  your Calgary Florist during the holiday season.

The flowers of a poinsettia are the small, cup-like structures called cyathia at the center of the red “petals,” not the red “petals” themselves. These are actually modified leaves called bracts.

The poinsettia goes by a number of names in different countries:

• In Spain as “Flor de Pascua”, meaning Easter Flower
• In Mexico and Guatemala as “Noche Buena”, meaning Christmas Eve.
• In both Chile and Peru, the plant is known as “Crown of the Andes”
• In Egypt it is referred to as “Bent El Consul”, “the consul’s daughter”, referring to the first U.S. ambassador to Mexico, Joel Poinsett.

In the United States, December 12 is National Poinsettia Day. This official day has been observed since the mid-1800s. It honors the man and the plant he introduced. Poinsett died Dec.12, 1851.

Big Spring, Texas is known as the “lighted poinsettia capital”.When the Comanche Trail Festival of Lights began the dam at the big spring held four huge poinsettias made of construction rebar welded together in the shape of a poinsettia flower, each was made up of 5 leaves. The leaves were decorated with red Christmas lights. The four poinsettia flowers present anyone entering Big Spring from the south with an incredible sight. In succeeding years more flowers were added to the dam and inside the park until Comanche Trail Park has a total of eleven lighted flowers on the dam and countless flowers inside the park, making Comanche Trail Park the Christmas Poinsettia capital.

The Ecke family of Encinitas, California, had a virtual monopoly until the 1990′s on commercially grown poinsettias owing to a technological secret that made it difficult for others to compete. However, in the 1990s, a university researcher discovered the method and published it, opening the door for competitors to flourish. Yet even today The Paul Ecke Ranch in California grows over 80 percent of poinsettias in the United States for the wholesale market and about 90% of all the flowering poinsettias in the world originated there.

Would you believe that last year more than 65 million were sold in the United States? Poinsettias accounted for one-third of sales of all flowering potted plants. In economic terms, that’s $237 million out of a total of $781 million in sales of all flowering potted plants! An even more amazing statistic when you consider that the vast percentage of poinsettias are sold within a six (6) week period each year!

Red is still the most popular color, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all sales nationwide, followed by white and pink. Poinsettias come in a variety of colors from red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white. There are also unusual speckled or marbled varieties like “Jingle Bells” and “Candy Cane” with several colors blended together. New varieties are introduced yearly with even more variation in height and colors.

In the wild, the poinsettia can reach heights of 12 feet with leaves measuring six to eight inches across.

Poinsettias are generally priced according to the number of blooms. The more blooms, the more expensive the plant.
According to the University of Illinois, 80% of poinsettias are purchased by women, and 75% of Americans prefer red poinsettias to white.

There over 110 varieties of poinsettia varieties to choose from.

In 1992, the poinsettia was included on the list of houseplants most helpful in removing pollutants from indoor air. So it seems they add more than just colour to a home or office at Christmas.

Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) are originally native to an area known as Taxco del Alarcon in Southern Mexico. The plant was cultivated by the Aztec Indians who referred to it in their language as Cuitlaxochitl (from cuitlatl=residue, and xochitl=flower) meaning “flower that grows in residues or soil. The colourful bracts were used by the Aztecs to make a reddish purple dye and a a fever medicine was derived from the poinsettia’s milky sap (known today as “latex”).

The plant’s association with Christmas appears to have began in 16th century Mexico, where a legend tells of a girl who was too poor to offer a gift for the celebration of Jesus’ birthday. The story relates that the girl was inspired by an angel to gather weeds and place them in front of the church altar. Bright crimson “blossoms” sprouted from the weeds and became beautiful poinsettias. After the Spanish conquest and the introduction of Christianity, poinsettias began to be used in Christian rituals. During the 17th century, Franciscan friars in Mexico used the plants in their Christmas celebrations. The star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolize the Star of Bethlehem, and the red colour represents the blood sacrifice through the crucifixion of Jesus.

Poinsettias were first introduced into the United States by Joel Robert Poinsett (1799-1851) who served in the South Carolina and U.S. Houses of Representatives and was appointed as the first U.S. Ambassador to Mexico. Poinsett although having attended medical school had a deep passion for the science of botany. Poinsett had plants sent to his home in South Carolina where he maintained hothouses and he began propagating the poinsettia plants. Later he distributed plants to horticultural friends and botanical gardens. Mr. Poinsett is also known for founding the institution which we know today as the Smithsonian.

The poinsettia has a history with the American public. In the 1830′s, the future Christmas plant’s popularity spread throughout America. The poinsettia’s original scientific name euphorbia pulcherrima, or “very beautiful, ” did not suit the adoring public. “Painted leaf” and “Mexican fire plant” sufficed until the plant was named poinsetta pulcherrima, or “poinsettia”, in honor of Ambassador Poinsett. Congress even deemed December 12 National Poinsettia Day to commemorate the date of Poinsett’s death.

In the 20th century the Ecke family of California has been instrumental in the development of today’s poinsettia which bears an entirely different appearance than those cultivated by the Aztecs or Mr Poinsett. Poinsettias in nature will develop and grow with a somewhat weedy open appearance, the Eckes’ developed a grafting technique to get every seedling to branch, resulting in a bushier plant.

Initially poinsettias lasted only a few days in the home. All had red bracts. Today’s varieties are more compact, durable, and long-lasting. Red, pink, white, gold, marbled, and variegated varieties are now available. When sending flowers for Christmas, poinsettias can delivered earlier in the festive season than a Christmas flower arrangement and with a little care will last for months.

When you need your Christmas Flowers call the team at Velda’s for your Calgary Christmas Flowers.

Every year on November 11, Canadians pause in a silent moment of remembrance for the men and women who have served, and continue to serve our country during times of war, conflict and peace. More than 1,500,000 Canadians have served our country in this way, and more than 100,000 have died. They gave their lives and their futures so that we may live in peace. So this Thursday, please do not forget the ones that have fought and who are still serving today.

Sincerely,
Velda Paynter
Grower Direct Store #11

Memorial crosses honour fallen soldiers.

The number of crosses erected alongside Calgary’s Memorial Drive over the weekend more than doubles last year’s display.  In 2009, the first year of the project, the Calgary Poppy Fund put up about 670 crosses, each inscribed with the name, rank and date of death of service person. But at a flag-raising ceremony on Monday morning, Calgary’s war dead were commemorated in a field of nearly 1,500 wooden crosses.

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/calgary/story/2010/11/01/calgary-memorial-drive-crosses-remembrance-day.html#ixzz14nwwMsSS

Why should this flower delay so long
To show its tremulous plumes?
Now is the time of plaintive robin-song,
When flowers are in their tombs.

These were the opening lines of Thomas Hardy’s famous poem ‘The Last Chrysanthemum’ about the flower which blooms in the fall and brings cheers to people in the colder region after all the others surrender to the cold. Chrysanthemum like roses bloom in a variety of colors wherein red symbolizes love, white stands for truth but these flowers in general symbolize cheerfulness and optimism.

Chrysanthemum which belongs to the Asteraceae family has many myths and mysticism around them. It is perennial flowering plants usually associated with the dead and finds its popularity at the funeral or other sorrowful events and was traditionally thought to be an invitation to a slow death.

These flowers originated in China they were worshiped as one of the four noble plants along with bamboo, the plum, and the orchid. There were myths that drinking water from a stream that flowed between Chrysanthemums help people live for 100 years. It has this popularized Chrysanthemum tea, wine and medicine among the Chinese.

Chrysanthemum has been widely cultivated throughout the Far East for more than 2000 years. In ancient Japan Chrysanthemum are also known as ‘flower of happiness’ could be grown by the noble man. The flower meant love and truthfulness to the Japanese. The throne of the Emperor of Japan has the flower carved in it.

Velda’s Grower Direct is your local Calgary Florist.  We specialize in providing top-notch flowers in Calgary and offer city-wide delivery.  Visit us online or call our SE Calgary Flower Shop at 403.569.2023

If you love flowers as much as we do – this is the app for you!  Your Calgary Flower Shop has a new iPhone app that can make getting your next batch of roses fun and exciting.

Fun Flower Facts contains a wealth of information about flowers and their care along with a lot of fun facts, tips & trivia. You can even order & send flowers from anywhere in the world right from your shiny new Iphone! Never miss an anniversary or birthday again!

Top Ten reasons why you should get Fun Flower Facts for your Iphone:

10. Did you know the worlds oldest living rose bush is over 1000 years old? – It’s in the app!
9. Need to know how to look after your Gerbera Daisies? Roses? other flower varieties? – It’s in the app!
8. Want to learn how to create spectacular flower arrangements? – It’s in the app!
7. Guys – are you clueless about getting flowers for your gal? – It’s in the app!
6. Forgot your Moms birthday & need to send flowers fast? – It’s in the app!
5. Need to know which flower is associated with your anniversary? – It’s in the app!
4. Do you know the meanings of a specific flower? – It’s in the app!
3. Planning a party? Want some fresh ideas? – It’s in the app!
2. Are you aware of the medical benefits of flowers? – It’s in the app!
1. It’s FREE

Download your Calgary Florist iPhone app today from Grower Direct.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner now is the time to order flowers in Calgary for yourself, your family and friends! We have an incredible selection of beautiful Autumn flower arrangements & table centerpieces that will enhance the decor of any room or table. All of them in nature’s glorious Autumn colours.

The FTD® Bright Autumn™ Centrepiecement

The FTD® Bright Autumn™ Centerpiece spins the magic of the Fall season with each sun-kissed petal to set your gathering space aglow with blooming beauty. Two taper candles are surrounded by a gorgeous arrangement consisting of Asiatic Lilies, gerbera daisies, and roses with Peruvian Lilies, cushion poms and assorted greens to create the perfect addition to your Autumn celebration.

Give us a call at your Calgary Flower Shop for your Thanksgiving flowers.

Birthday Flower Ideas That Make Ordering Flowers Easy by Marjorie Brown

Buying flowers for someone should be a fun and relatively easy experience. The Internet makes it easy to place an order from the east coast and have the flowers delivered the same day to a friend or relative on the west coast. Despite the ease with which we can order flowers, it can still be a time consuming process at times. There are so many options and so many decisions to make. If you are not a flower aficionado the choices can seem endlessly frustrating. What kind of flowers should I order? What colors should I choose? How big should the bouquet be? Where do I start?

One idea that can make deciding on a birthday flower bouquet much easier and more enjoyable is to focus on the flowers that are associated with recipient’s birth month. Not only does that make deciding on what flowers to include in the birthday flower bouquet but it personalizes the bouquet as well. The following guide will give you a starting point when picking flowers for your birthday flower arrangement:

• January: Carnation or Snowdrops – Colours are black, dark blue or red (note that carnations are traditionally red but you will often find them in a variety of colours)
• February: Violets or Primrose – Colours are violet, sky blue or yellow
• March: Daffodil or Jonquil – Colours are white, yellow or light blue
• April: Daisy or Sweat Pea – Colours are yellow and red
• May: Lily of the Valley or Hawthorne – Colours are yellow, red and green
• June: Rose or Honeysuckle – Colours are red, white, cream (note that roses are traditionally red but come in a vast variety of colours as well)
• July: Larkspur or Water Lily – Colours are green, russet and red
• August: Gladiolas or Poppy – Colours are orange, red and light green
• September: Aster or Morning Glory – Colours are brown or deep blue
• October: Calendula or Cosmos – Colours are white, yellow and varied
• November: Chrysanthemum – Colours are dark blue, red and yellow
• December: Narcissus or Holly – Colours are indigo, green, greenish-blue

Once you have a starting point by using one of the flowers associated with their birth month then you can add additional flowers or greenery that compliment the birth month flowers. If you are not sure what flowers will go well with the birth month flowers then ask your flower consultant for suggestions when you place your order. By using the flowers associated with your friend or family members birth month, you can customize their birthday flower bouquet and make the gift more personal. We all love to receive flowers, but knowing that someone took the time to really put some thought into what flowers to send in the birthday flower arrangement makes the gift not just beautiful but special as well.

After her retirement as a School Principal, Marjorie Brown started collecting different types of flowers. She likes see the fresh flowers growing beautifully in her garden. She writes down all her experiences and wants to share this to everyone.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Birthday-Flower-Ideas-That-Make-Ordering-Flowers-Easy/1703960