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!

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.

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

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.

Certain types of flowers are used to celebrate Easter, one of the holiest of days on the Christian calendar; they are commonly referred to as Easter flowers. These flowers are colorful, and they are symbolic of rebirth and the Resurrection. They are perfect reminders of Easter and the upcoming spring season. Common flowers used for Easter include lilies, hyacinths, azaleas, tulips, daffodils, and narcissus flowers.

White lilies tend to be the most popular and traditional Easter flowers, and they are commonly used to decorate churches around the Easter season. These flowers originated in Japan, and Americans started to grow them in the 1940′s. White lilies are known to symbolize the renewal and purity that is associated with Easter.

Hyacinths are flowers that are typically used for Easter bouquets and arrangements. They exist in a variety of pastel colors that are perfect for Easter, including pink, purple, and blue. They also come in white. These flowers grow to be eight to twelve inches tall on average.

Azaleas are popularly given as hostess gifts at Easter dinners. They bloom naturally right around the Easter season, and they come in many beautiful colors including pink, white, orange, and red. Azaleas are seen as symbols of Christ’s rising again, as well as of rejuvenation and good wishes.

Tulips are other common Easter flowers. These beautiful flowers are symbolic of spring’s rebirth and of perfect love. Tulips are popular parts of Easter floral arrangements and come in more than 150 species. They also come in a wide array of colors.

Daffodils are bright yellow Easter flowers that are shaped like trumpets. They are symbolic of rebirth, eternal life, and friendships. Where daffodils are concerned, it is thought that new flowers are born from bulbs that appear to be dead, thus making the flowers living examples of rebirth. Furthermore, a legend suggests that daffodils first bloomed during Christ’s Resurrection. Daffodils are the main Easter flowers used for Easter decorations in England.

The narcissus was the initial flower connected to Easter in many parts of Europe. People in the Alps in fact have thought of the flower as being a representation of Easter for generations. Furthermore, the narcissus is a very popular flower in Germany.

There are many beautiful Easter flowers available that signify the rebirth of Easter and spring. Whether they are used as decorations or given as gifts, lilies, hyacinths, azaleas, tulips, daffodils, and narcissus flowers all symbolize the holiness and beauty that encompass Easter. They furthermore characterize the rebirth of Easter and of spring.

Would you enjoy the convenience and fast delivery from Easter flowers Calgary Alberta shops?  Friendly and professional Calgary florists  can help you arrange the most beautiful bouquets.

Easter is associated with memories of parades, family gatherings, church services, chocolate bunnies, gift baskets, egg decorating, and the famous Easter Lily. They are very popular for Easter gifts, and their unique trumpet shaped blossoms symbolize life, purity, hope, and the spiritual meaning of Easter along with the promise of Spring.

The Easter Lily was originally bought into the United States by a World War I soldier Louis Houghton and then made their way across North America. What was previously known as the Bermuda lily was first brought to the southern coast of Oregon in 1919. Houghton distributed an entire suitcase of the hybrid lily bulbs to various friends and family.

This lily proved to really thrive in the climate there. It was similar to the flower’s native Ryukyu Islands of Japan. By the year 1945, there were over a thousand growers on the west coast harvesting these bulbs to sell. There are only about two full weeks during the year when these flowers are commercially available. Easter lilies are estimated to be the fourth largest potted plant crop in the United States, following the poinsettia, mum, and azalea.

History, mythology, and art are filled with stories and images that speak of the beauty and majesty of the elegant white flowers. One of the most famous Biblical references is in the Sermon on the Mount, when Christ said, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they toil not, neither do they spin and yet Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Lilies are often called the “White-Robed Apostles of Hope”. Lilies were discovered in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ died on the cross. During the Easter season, churches line their altars and envelop their crosses with a multitude of Easter Lilies, to signify the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the hope of eternal life.

Another concept associated with the pure white lily is that of womanhood. In some early paintings, the Angel Gabriel offers pure white lilies to the Virgin Mary, and this symbolizes that she will be the mother of Jesus. Other paintings show saints bringing vases of white lilies to Mary and the divine child. According to the legend, the flowers were formed when Eve cried repentant tears upon leaving Eden, and the tears became lilies. The point of this legend is that true repentance leads to beauty.

Established through the centuries as a symbol of purity, grace, and the regal lifestyle, the white lily is a suitable reminder of the greater meaning of Easter. These flowers grace millions of homes and churches every year, embodying joy, hope, and life; whether given as a gift or displayed proudly in one’s home, the Easter lily remains a beauteous reminder of how Easter is a time for celebration and rejoicing. So when you purchase Easter baskets for your loved ones, don’t hold back with decorated eggs and chocolates, but be certain to include a few Easter lilies as well!

Hello everyone and welcome to Velda’s Grower Direct official blog site.

Having a blog is sort of new for me and using it to connect to you is also something I have always wanted to do.  Finally I have realized it is the right time to make this happen.  I understand how important it is to have a social networking or blog as part of our way of connecting with the community here in Calgary.  Thanks to the guys at Ulistic for all their help and hard work to make this happen.  They sure are the Calgary SEO or Calgary Search Engine Optimization guys to use in Calgary for social media consulting and all this Internet stuff.

As a long time Calgary business owner on 17th Ave SE and member of the Grower Direct family, I have served loyal clients for a long time with the best flowers for loved ones and especially that special occasion.

Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and for all the guys out there, make sure you order your Valentine’s Day Flowers from us and we will make sure they get to your sweetheart in time.

Thanks for visiting

Velda