You haven’t heard from us in a while in the blog, sorry about that!

But finally 14 February is coming!!! Valentine’s day!

So we’ve been busy preparing the best Valentine’s bouquets for you, check them out here: http://goo.gl/yqtZ9 .

You can leave a comment in this blog post if you love them or you would like to see different bouquets the next time.

We’re happy to get as much feedback as possible! Also, if you sent flowers, let us know what your loved one thought of them;).

We wish you an excellent Valentine’s day with your loved one. Make the most of it, remember that every moment is precious…

Marie Rose from the FloraQueen team

Awards are given to participants for the best gardens, floral exhibits, trees, herbs and vegetables, exhibits of educational and scientific interest, and pictures and photographs of floral arrangements and floristry. There are also special awards such as Best Show Garden, Best City Garden and Best Chic Garden.

Are you going to the Chelsea Flower Show? Tell us about your experience!

When you go plant shopping, keep in mind that not all plants are “inside” plants and more importantly, visualize each room and remember the amount of light it gets; specifically low, medium or high amounts of light.

In general, the best way for a plant to be noticed when entering a room is by placing it against a simple background. Some people like to dedicate a corner and create a small indoor garden by placing couple of plants, both big and small right next to each other.

Remember, plants are not only decorative- they can also improve the air quality in our homes.  As it seems like our already fast- paced lives are approaching super-sonic speeds by the hour, with the help of these plants, let’s try to create a clean, calm, green, happy place inside the home.

Living room,

Dracaena marginata, also known as Dragon Tree, is a very popular houseplant that needs suprisingly little attention.  It requires a minimum temperature of 15 °C (59 °F), and is more tolerant than most plants to dry soil and irregular watering.

This lovely plant holds a place in  the NASA Clean Air Study as it is an effective air cleaner and is one of the best plants for removing Xylene and Trichloroethylene gases. Note: Do not expose this plant to direct sunlight!

Other plants great for living rooms are of course palms varieties and plants like Zanzibar Gem, Anthurium and Ficus.

Dragon Tree

Bedroom,

Spathiphyllum, known as Peace Lilies, also hold a place on the NASA Clean Air Study. This plant survives best in shade, needs little sunlight and is one of the best plants to purify air. It’s a perfect plant for the bedroom as it cleans indoor air of many environmental contaminants, including benzene, formaldehyde, and other pollutants. One plant can clean up to 10 m² and it should be watered approximately once a week. If your bedroom is full of contaminants and laden with chemicals, the Peace Lilly is for you!

Note: Spathiphyllum is mildly toxic to animals when ingested, so keep an eye on your furry companion.

Peace-Lilies

Bathroom,

Our bathrooms usually have higher humidity levels from showers and baths. Here we have to look for a plant that can sustain and benefit from these higher humidity levels.  Also keep in mind the lighting; if your bathroom has low light levels, which many do, be sure to choose a plant that doesn’t need direct or high level light. Bamboo Varieties are a perfect option for the bathroom. If you do prefer a plant we suggest:

Dieffenbachia, also called Dumb Cane ;D. This plant requires moist soil at all times and high humidity levels. It will survive lower light levels so it’s a perfect plant for our bathrooms.

Dumb Cane

Kitchen,

Of course herbs like mints, rosemary, basil, thyme etc, can brighten our kitchen but indoor plants placed in the kitchen make your kitchen feel more like home. We suggest hanging plants to be placed in sunny window spots.

Chlorophytum comosum, often called the spider plant is a great plant for beginners, as it is easy to grow and is very tolerant in case you forget about her for a couple of weeks. It is also able to thrive in a wide range of conditions. So it’s a perfect kitchen plant!

Spider Plant

Epipremnum aureum, also known as the Pothos, is a perfect green kitchen decoration. The preferred temperature is between 17 to 30 °C , again great for a warm and steamy kitchen environment.  Note: It’s mildly toxic to cats and dogs so make sure you place it out of their reach, preferably on top of your kitchen furniture.

Pothos

The 2011 Spring/ Summer floral collections underline color, humor and passion which is also reflected in tropical make up colors and accessories.

So let’s have fun this season and forget about the “fashion rules”! Let’s mix floral patterns, bold colors, lets hit the streets and have fun, lets flip the hair and be fierce!

For our masculine readers;  don’t be shy and show your fashion know- how wearing a floral pattern on your tie, colorful socks or flashy T-shirts, it will surely make the fashion victims turn heads!

In case you are searching for a birthday gift for your sweetheart this year, say happy birthday with flowers: on clothing or with colorful spring bouquets!

Enough writing, let the flowers do the talking:

Flower Power 2011

Dear FloraQueen friends, my favorite word for today is FINALLY.

FINALLY the spring has arrived,

FINALLY spring flowers bring some flavor to our homes,

FINALLY we can enjoy our lunch breaks outside,

FINALLY the birds are tweeting,

FINALLY I get to write about FFD:  Flowers, Fashion and Design!

When I got to the office yesterday, the first thing I heard from my beloved FloraQueen colleagues: “Spring has arrived!”

Apparently they weren’t referencing the beautiful weather outside, rather my “spring-like” clothing! I have to admit; I dedicated some time over the weekend to organize my closet and took extra special care to say “Adieu” to my winter wardrobe and to say “welcome back” to my abundant (but never quite finished) collection of colorful, fun, spring/ summer shirts, skirts, shoes and other exciting accessories.

I couldn’t help but wonder, am I the only one on the spring kick? Or is it the fact that wherever I go or shop, whatever I read,  I see flowers?

Well I figured it out: THIS YEAR FLORAL MOTIFS DOMINATE! In the home decorating magazines, on furniture, carpets, wallpapers, boxes, fabric, clothing, bed sheets, shoes, headwear, you name it and even nail decoration!

Fun floral ideas

Maybe these images will inspire you to put little spring touches here and there while doing your spring cleaning and getting ready for Easter ;D You don’t need to go crazy. Sometimes small details like pillows in bold colors with small floral prints can make your old sofa look like new again.

If you like something more challenging and you are ready to get your hands dirty, choosing a nice wallpaper and sticking it on one of your living room or bed room walls will surely create an interesting contrast and  bring some elegance into your desired sleeping or socializing space.

Flower cookery has been traced back to Roman times, and to the Middle Eastern, Indian and Chinese cultures. In China, flower flavored teas are the hit – lotus flower, nasturtium, honeysuckle, lilies, chrysanthemums, roses and amaranth –are just a small list of the typical tea varieties that the Chinese enjoy.

Pansies flowers in a colorful nutritious salad

Using flowers for cooking not only give your dishes taste, color and a great smell, the flowers also are rich in vitamins and the caloric levels are similar to lettuce

Before you chomp away, please don’t forget, not all flowers are edible! Don’t eat flowers that have been treated with pesticides or other chemicals! Never harvest flowers growing by the roadside ;D Always remember to use flowers sparingly in your recipes especially when serving to others, not everybody digestive system works like yours!

Here a short list with flowers that are safe to eat:

:: Chrysanthemum, Magnolia and Pansies petals are often used in colorful nutritious salads

:: Jasmine and hibiscus are great garnishes for poultry and fish

:: Violets can be used in desserts and iced drinks. Freeze them in punches to delight children and adults alike

:: Tulips, the flavor varies from tulip to tulip, but generally the petals taste like sweet lettuce

:: The rose petals are mostly used for perfumes and oils. They are a great garnish for ice cream and desserts, especially chocolate. Larger petals can be sprinkled on desserts or salads.

:: Herb flowers like mint or thyme are great to accompany fish dishes.  Mint flowers and leaves are great in Middle Eastern dishes.

:: Orange and Lemon tree flowers are a unique mix when making butter

:: Lavender looks beautiful in a glass of champagne or with chocolate cake. Sorbets or ice creams look great with sprinkled lavender and give it an interesting and refreshing taste. Lavender also works well in savory dishes like rabbit or chicken.

Come on and give it a try! Design your colorful spring dish: you can start with a fresh salad with bean sprouts and various types of lettuce. Ah and nuts and raisins are always a good mix!

Spring is a lovely time and if you want to make the best of it, you may want to learn which plants and flowers are safe and which to avoid when taking your dog for a walk, or letting your cat out into the wild world of your garden.

I figure that this alone is a great reason to dedicate this post to our lovely furry friends ;D

Flowers and Plants are NOT our pet’s best friends!

Though they’re strict carnivores, cats and dogs love plants, and they will eat them even though it can make them ill. The consequences for our “hobby vegetarian” pet can range from simple vomiting to liver failures, seizures and even death. And while most animal species learn to stay away from things that make them sick, cats and dogs, for some strange reason, will eat plants and flowers over and over again! So let’s ignore the fact that our furry companions can be a little stubborn sometimes and find out how we can make this spring to a positive experience for us and for our pet.

A wide variety of plants and flowers are poisonous to cats and dogs. Some of the more dangerous are Castor Bean, Foxglove, Lily Of The Valley, Japanese Yew, Oleander, Azalea, Rhododendron and Hydrangea.

Some of our favorite flowers like Amaryllis, Daffodils, Iris, Hyacinth and Honeysuckle also are poisonous and can produce oral irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, trembling, convulsions, seizures, low blood pressure and hind end weakness.

To protect our pets, we should try to keep known poisonous plants out of their reach. That doesn’t mean we should keep our precious plants and flowers out of our homes or gardens, just simply keep an eye on it and always be on the lookout for plants and flowers that have been chewed.
If your pet couldn’t stop the craving and actually had a bite, it’s important for you and your veterinarian to know specifically what plant he or she has consumed. Since both common names and scientific names are used, make sure the identity is correct. If you’re unsure, it might be good to bring the plant to your veterinarian for identification.

Happy Spring Time!

That’s why if you recently visited our Facebook pages you probably stumbled upon a photo album called “Spring Cleaning”. Facebook fans get the opportunity to vote and tell us which of the 5 bouquets in the photo album they hate the most. At the end, the most detested flower bouquet will be removed from our website and make space for some fantastic newcomers. If you didn’t have a chance to vote, please do so; you might win an Orchid ; D

Other fun events surrounding our spring cleaning was our spring flower photo shoot.

Last Friday, a big truck arrived straight from the flower market to the FloraQueen offices filled with Daffodils, Freesias, Tulips, Lilies, Roses, Carnations and many other colourful flowers.  As the truck doors opened, I was knocked over by the wonderfully fresh smells greeting me in the middle of the street. I couldn’t wait to get in and take a picture and share with our fans and followers on Facebook and Twitter!

Two of our florists spend all day arranging flower bouquets, while the Photographer and our Product Manger were busy putting everything in scene. I was busy taking pictures of the “making of” and learning more about flower bouquet Do’s and Don’ts. All together a fun day, with fun people and of course lot of flowers.

In fact, we had so many flowers that other colleagues were waiting at the door step to take home the fresh leftovers. When the photo shoot was over the studio was filled with FloraQueen’s team picking bouquets to carry off and brighten their homes.

What a great way to start the weekend!

What’s the next step?

The next step is choosing the bouquets we think you would like, give those babies some cute names and upload them to the website. Sounds easy but needs lots of time and love, so be patient….

While making these important decisions we will also need your input, so check out Facebook often and participate in name giving and other bouquet decisions. They are for you and we need your help and trust your exquisite taste!

Do you want to see more pictures from the photo shoot, click here ;D

We all easily recognize one of the most famous flowers – La Tulipa or The Tulip, because this flower is beautiful, vibrant, and fresh. It spreads immediately good feelings.Tulips are a very popular at this time of the year; they are abundant and striking and they stand for love and affection. Often they are a part of an Easter table decoration and obviously they are a perfect in a bouquet for Mother’s Day.

Because we all seem to know the tulip so well, let’s correct one of the biggest misconceptions, namely; that the tulip was first cultivated in the Netherlands. By saying that, I am sure I lost some bonus points from my Dutch colleges at FloraQueen but facts are facts!

News flash for those of you believing that the Netherlands is the country of the tulip’s origin! In reality it is reported that this flower was originally from the Middle East and was referred to as “Lale”. From there, the Turks cultivated the tulip bulbs and in the middle of the 16th Century the tulip came to the European continent as a gift. It was so well received that Europeans, especially the Dutch, imported bulbs and plants and began to grow this glorious flower themselves.

This joyful flower was first introduced to the aristocracy and bourgeoisie and their gardeners like Carl von Linné of Prussia or Carolus Clusius, a well-known botanist in the Netherlands. They helped to create awareness of this flower across the old continent.

As a result of her discreet smell and her vivid colors, the tulip not only gives character and color to our gardens in the spring but also decorates our living areas as a cut flower in vases.

Interesting Fact & Care Tips;

• Tulips don’t know when to stop! They continue to grow in water and will curve towards the light.
• Remove Foliage from the part of the stems that will be under water in your vase.
• Cut off any white portion of the stem to allow better fluid intake. To prevent the intake of air into the stems, give them a fresh cut under water.
• The vase life of a tulip is just about a week. Recent studies have shown that floral preservatives should not be added to cut tulips as they shorten their longevity by clogging the stems. Fresh water works the best!
• Do not mix, tulips with daffodils when creating a vase arrangement; daffodils release a stem-clogging enzyme that causes other flowers to wilt, especially tulips.

On another note, if you are planning a trip to the Netherlands between now and May and you love flowers, the Keukenhof also known as the Garden of Europe, is the world’s largest flower garden and should definitely be on your “To Do List”.  According to the official website, approximately 7,000,000 flower bulbs are planted annually in the park, – which covers an area of 32 hectares. It is breathtaking in bloom.

Today let’s mix some simple ingredients and make our own cut-flower preservation solutions. Good news, it’s simple and you don’t need to be a chemistry technician to figure it out and we promise rubber gloves are not necessary!

Flower Care

Lemon power!

• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, (the acid improves water flow in flower stems)
• 1 tablespoon sugar, to help buds open and last longer
• 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach, WHAT?????? Yes, chlorine bleach keeps the solution clear ;D
• 1 quart warm water

7-it up!

• 2 cups lemon-lime carbonated beverage like Sprite™ or 7-Up™.  Do not use diet drinks as they have very little sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach
• 2 cups warm water

Vinegar shock!

• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon household chlorine bleach
• 1 quart warm water

Yes, the thought of mixing household chlorine bleach and fresh flowers sounds scary, but trust us, it works! We have asked our local florists and they confirm it works wonders and keeps the bacteria and fungi away; D

If you need more flower care information check out our latest experiment: “From the office desk to the floral oasis“. Following tips can be applied for most cut flowers.