Negin Flowers Blog

This summer is coming and again we have been promised a barbecue summer! I can’t wait (even though I have already booked my Turkey Golf Holiday) I think they mean it this time, the past few times when the weatherman has promised a barbecue summer we have been given rain, thunder and dark looking clouds. But this time is different, it’s time to get the barbecues out and get the coals ready.
I have been frantically looking for the perfect barbecue, I have been in every barbecue shop, loads of barbecue websites and have seen loads of barbecue designs, I particularly like these barbecues from Hayes Garden World (they have a Garden centre in Ambleside and are famous for garden benches and garden furniture). Hayes’ barbecues are pretty well priced from what I have seen on the highstreet and from other barbecues websites. The trouble is that I don’t know which one to settle on!
Some barbecues are compact, others are huge and quite a few are in between. I think I’ll go for a mid range barbecue, and hopefully I’ll get a few years out of it. I suppose you need to think of your garden or where you’ll put the barbecue – I have my BBQ area ready, I’ve paved a nice part of the garden in preparation. I was initially thinking of having a barbecue as a permanent feature of the garden, like a built in barbecue made of bricks but our poor weather has given me second thoughts and I have since moved away from that idea. There’s no point in having a permanent barbecue taking up space in the garden when we might not even get to use it.
Hayes have loads of barbecues to choose from, each one very different from the other. So my plan is to buy one of their barbecues, get some meat and get cooking. I’ll maybe throw a BBQ party and use some barbecue recipes from my new Jamie Oliver Book!

Alstroemeria is named after the Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. This South American flower’s seeds were among many collected by von Alstroemer on a trip to Spain in 1753. Get to know these wonderful flowers and you will find a great workhorse that is easy on the budget. Many flower lovers would like to travel to Australia, and then buy flowers in Australia.

Alstromeria are in the Amaryllidaceae family and are related to the onion, daffodil, agapanthus and nerine. There are hundreds of A. alstromeria, which are commonly called alstromeria or Peruvian Lily. Readily available in ample supply year-round, alstroemerias come in a wide range of colors, including white, pink, yellow, salmon, red, lavender, orange, bronze and bicolors.

If purchased fresh alstromeria will give you 6-14 days vase life, depending upon the cultivar and at home care. Avoid buying flowers with yellowing or transparent leaves; these are signs of ethylene damage and age.

Alstromeria are very versatile flowers which are gaining in popularity as feature flowers and are often used as mass flowers. A simple, do it yourelf, arrangement of a dozen or so stems of alstromeria cut at the same length and placed in a clear glass vase will have a stunning, yet homey feel.

Alstromeria are easy to cultivate on the coast and grow well in full sun in loamy soil. Apart from that, rose is also a good choice for decoration, but never forget to compare rose prices as the prices will vary a lot across the internet.

We all love plants, no matter it is trees or flowers. They give us the sense of relaxation when they are planted in our garden. Some of us even love some gardening activities at our backyard. This is a kind of entertaining activity for many of us. There are many kinds of plants that we would love to have in the backyard. We love to plant some flowers. We love to enjoy the beauty of those flowers. We also love to play some trees. For us, the trees have many functions. It could be used for many things.

One of the functions of the tree is;  it could be used as the “canopy” for the backyard. It means, we could have some activities without being burn by the sun. It could be used as the “lungs” of the house. The trees, especially some kinds of evergreen trees will produce many oxygen in the day and the fresh oxygen would be good for us.

The screening trees will be perfect to hold the sun shine, especially in some tropical zones, when the sun shines 365 days a year. To get the trees, we may visit the tree nursery center. They have many kinds of trees that we plant it to our backyard. We would be able to get many benefits of the trees. If you ever want to buy garden trees online for screening trees, don’t froget to make comparison and understand the species before you make any decision.

You have to attend an important event, party or a wedding. You find that you are already running late and you reveal yourself that you forgot to buy a gift! What should you do? You can purchase a beautiful bouquet of flowers! Flowers have long been considered a beautiful and inexpensive gift for all age groups. Even if someone does not like flowers, they are enough to bring a pleasant feeling and a wonderful smile on the face. The floral industry has been on the rise lately and you can now have the reliable option of ordering fresh flowers online. This is extremely useful if you need to send flowers overseas, to a loved one. For example, if you live outside Columbia and you need to send flowers to Columbia, you can easily search online for various colombia florists, who can send flowers to your loved ones, in your name.

Recently, one of my infinite Gucci sneakers-fan friends has come up to me and told me a story he experienced the day before.
Well it really attracted my attention during the whole story and that’s why I want to share it with you guys. Without further ado, here it goes:
“As a traditional practice, we the Turkish people usually leave our “gucci sneakers” behind the entrance door of our houses.

That’s being said, it means we usually do not enter to our homes with footwears put on. Unfortunately, my mate had done this at the day of the incident, too. Having lunch at that time, my friend wasn’t aware of the two gypsies wandering inside the apartment building, maybe for begging some food or money from the residents.
To their surprise, they should have seen the pair of yummy Gucci sneakers, which belonged to my friend and had cost him 550 bucks not long ago. Probably knowing these facts, they stole the beauties.

After the lunch, no sooner realizing the absence of his sneakers, than my friend cries in pain. They sent for police and explain the details about the Gucci men shoes which my friend owned. In the mean time, the gypsies rushing towards their houses, start off an argument about whom to wear the shoes first, or whom they would belong to. The argument goes harsh and they keep on fighting with each other on the street, while the stolen goods were smiling them somewhere near the street. Soon after the patrols come and arrest these gypsies as they were informed about some valuable sneakers being stolen just a few hours ago.”

My friend, then, meets with his stuff and never leaves them anywhere further away than 2 meters =).

If you have the time this season, why not try your hand at making your own holiday centerpiece? I have done this the last few years, and it’s great fun!

You and your Market Florist should have all the materials you need:

• Lined basket, dish, or bowl, slightly smaller than your finished centerpiece size
• Block of floral foam, trimmed with knife to fit your container, if necessary
• Large, clean basin or sink filled with 8” of cool water
• Firm-stemmed greens and flowers of your choice, stems trimmed to 3” to 4”
• Fruit, seed pods, cones, branches – choose your favorites!

Step 1: Set floral foam, writing side up on top of water, and allow it to soak and submerge until completely wet. Don’t forcibly submerge or place under running water.

Step 2: Place foam into container and drain sideways into sink to remove excess water.

Step 3: Add greens.

Step 4: Add flowers. Once stems are inserted, don’t pull back out, or sustaining moisture will not contact the stem end.

Step 5: Add any other embellishments, such as branches and fruit, as desired.

Step 6: Set on your holiday table and enjoy

Step 7: Pat yourself on the back; you did it!

Be sure to give the centerpiece a drink using a watering can or a clean baster every couple of days, and remove dying flowers and greens as they expire. If you need advice, your Market Florist is happy to help.

Happy Holidays!

These simple care tips will help extend the life of your holiday poinsettias and wreaths, so that they last throughout the season.

Poinsettia Care Tips:
• DON’T place plants near cold drafts or excessive heat, such as appliances, fireplaces or ventilating ducts.
• DON’T expose plants to temperatures below 50° F. Poinsettias are sensitive to cold, so avoid placing them outside during the winter months.
• DON’T over-water your plant, or allow it to sit in standing water. Always remove a plant from any decorative container before watering, and allow the water to drain completely.
• DON’T expose your plant to chilling winds when transporting it.
• DON’T fertilize your plant when it’s in bloom.
• DO place your plant in indirect sunlight for at least six hours per day. If direct sun can’t be avoided, diffuse the light with a shade or sheer curtain.
• DO provide room temperatures between 68 – 70° F. Generally speaking, if you are comfortable, so is your poinsettia.
• DO fertilize your plant AFTER THE BLOOMING SEASON with a balanced, all-purpose fertilizer.
• DO use a large, roomy shopping bag to protect your plant when transporting it.
• DO water your plant when the soil feels dry to the touch.

Wreath Care Tips:
• DO keep the wreath away from heaters, fireplaces, dry air vents, or other heat sources.
• DO mist with simple water daily.
• DO all misting outside, or in a place where water will not cause any damage.
• DO be sure to get water on the stems as well as the needles.
• DON’T mist while the wreath is exposed to direct sunlight if possible.

Some may consider flowers a luxury, but with a little know-how you can make your special purchase worth every penny! Here are some simple suggestions to keep your flowers gorgeous:

• Make sure you buy flowers when you’ll have time to process them. Their stems will dry out if they’re left out of water too long.
• When you get them home, trim the stems before placing them in a vase. This removes the portion of the stem that has dried in transit, and reactivates the drinking passages for the flower. Remove all greenery that will be below the water line.
• For lasting power, remove the flowers from the vase every day or so and do the following: wash the vase if the water is cloudy, place fresh water in the vase and trim at least half an inch off the bottom of the stems, and remove any flowers that are past their prime. You may want to have a second dry vase on hand to preserve the arrangement’s design while you freshen up your flowers.
• Display your flowers in an area free of heat sources or direct sunlight. Avoid your kitchen if you have any produce out in the open. Gases released by produce can shorten the life of your flowers.

If you have questions about keeping your flowers fresh, chat with your Market Florist. We love to share our tricks to maximize your floral dollar!

What does the approach of autumn mean to you? I have two grade-school-age children, so autumn means all the typical school checklist items: new school supplies, backpack, bigger clothes, and reviewing what they forgot over the summer! Does this sound familiar? This time of year, there’s plenty to do on the home front!

As a florist, it’s also an exciting time, because for most people, the turn in the weather means a return to routine and spending more time indoors. And that means more chances for me to create designs that folks will share and enjoy in their homes and workplaces.

Summer is lovely, with its abundant gardens and wildflowers everywhere. But I love the warm colors of fall best, as well as the joy and challenge of finding interesting combinations taken from nature’s color palette.

As I continue to work with flowers, I’ve grown to appreciate the beauty of late season seed pods, just as much as the flower’s lush, more recognizable form in high season. And I am always amazed how many hardy flowers persist until the frosts come.

In Oregon, we are fortunate to have a mild transition into fall, easing us beautifully into the colder months. So get those checklist items done, but remember to look around and take part in the visual feast! And visit your Market Florist for floral designs that celebrate the beauty that comes from local farms as we welcome autumn.

August is just around the bend, and that means sunflower season! Bold and cheerful, sunflowers are a staple of the American flower repertoire, and it doesn’t appear that will change any time soon.

Far from trendy, the sunflower has been a cultural constant in the Americas since 1,000 B.C., when it was first cultivated as a food source. Few flowers have enjoyed such consistent popularity as a source of both food and beauty for so many centuries.

Sunflower seeds, oil, butter and shoots all make healthy additions to one’s diet. Our Market Produce department recently began carrying sunflower shoots, which add a tasty touch to salads.

I love the sunflower for its range of sizes and colors. From petite, one-inch heads to ones so giant they need heavy-duty staking, the sunflower is always full of surprises. Its many shades include: red, black, orange and many variations of yellow.

My children have always enjoyed sunflowers for the almost instant gratification of growing a huge plant without all the stress and constant care that other flowers demand. From time to time, we’ll even get a surprise sunflower that has sprouted from a fallen squirrel-feeder. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Have you ever heard of phototropism? It refers to the sunflower’s ability to turn its face to follow the sun’s movement across the sky. Throughout history, this trait has been the inspiration of myths and stories about loyalty, dependability and adoration.

Want to show someone you are a forever-faithful companion? Give a gift of fresh, local sunflowers, and watch the recipient’s face light up with warmth and happiness, just like the flower itself.

Sunflowers are at their peak right now. So visit your Market Floral, and pick up a bunch!