What do the different flowers mean?

Every flower has a meaning!

The language of flowers dates back to the days before education was a common thing.  Because so many could not read or write, people used to send each other a small bouquet to give a message to another.  Imagine secret lovers sending a hand written note and being caught out.  Much safer to send a small posy using flowers to give a message, they could be easily disposed of or denied if necessary.

The Forget-me-not meant (believe it or not!) forget me not, fern meant fascination, the white lily was for sweetness, Passionflower was for faith etc.  The meaning of the flowers was commonly known, and this way, feelings could be conveyed to a person quickly and easily.  Imagine how it would have felt to receive a posy of candytuft (Indifference), buttercup (homliness) and ivy (friends)  that would certainly have got the message across – something similar to being dropped by text today! But to receive a bouquetof Myrtle (love) white clover (think of me), Red roses (love) and water lily (purity of heart) would have almost made you burst with excitement!

Today, some of the flowers meanings have changed slightly, and in Australia, we do not have some of the English flowers available to us, so we make do with what we have! We tend to use colour more as a guide, although different flowers are also chosen for different occasions.

Send a small bunch of gerberas to someone you want to cheer up, or ask out, or a bunch of pink roses (friendship)for someone you are just getting to know, or go all out for the one you love with a beautiful bouquet of red roses to tell her or him you love them.

The meanings change over the years, and you will find that flowers like calla lilys that were commonly used as a death flower, are now a popular wedding flower, as is the oriental lily.

Traditionally, pastel shades and whites were used for funerals, but, with today’s tendency to treat a funeral as a celebration of a life rather than it being strictly a sad occasion, more people are choosing to send bright flowers as a cheerful tribute to the life of the person they loved. If you look under roses on our website, the meanings of the different colours is listed for you.  That way, you can make the RIGHT decision!

I’ve got Friday on my mind!

Can I send a bouquet of roses to my girlfriend on Friday?

It doesn’t matter what day you order flowers, you can specify which day you would like them to be delivered.  The old song Monday I’ve got Friday on my mind says it all really.  If you have had a really great weekend and you would like that to continue, just order your flowers for whichever day or date you would like you special someone to receive them.

What could be nicer than to receive some flowers with a beautiful message of love, and to receive them just before the weekend, when you know you will have the time to enjoy them.

How do I care for my flowers?

How do I care for my flowers?

If you are the lucky recipient of a bouquet of flowers, you can ensure the longest life of those flowers with just a little time and effort.  Your flowers have been looked after at the florist shop, we have stripped any leaves that may be in water, we have treated the water with flower food, and we have kept them at a temperature that suits the flowers you have received.  Now all you have to do is to trim approx 1 cm from the base of the stems, and place them immediately into room temperature water.  Then, if you change the water daily, and cut the stems every couple of days, and remove any falling flowers, you will ensure that your bouquet will last as long as they can.  A single drop of bleach in the water will also help to stop the water from going slimy and smelly.

Terrariums

Terrariums are experiencing a comeback.

Fitting right in with the vintage and retro themes, terrariums are making a huge comeback, as cool table centrepieces, low care gifts,  and fun items to make yourself.  They are also being used as bombonierres for weddings.  They don’t have to be big or even in any special types of jars.  In fact, sometimes the more obscure the container ( ie old preserving jars, or milk/juice bottles) the better.  They can be made to sit on your table or bench, or to hang out in your patio.  The ideal types of plants to use are indoor plants which do not grow to a large height.  We have been using succulents to make gorgeous sculptural hanging terrariums in spherical tealight holders.  They have been hugely popular because they are the perfect size for a gift. Look around to see what you could use or pop in to get one of our great vases to make your own.

Succulent Terrariums

Latest Trends from Europe

What are the latest trends from Europe?  The Europeans are leading the way in innovative design and using flowers in new and interesting ways.  The look this year is soft and friendly, yet bright and powerful – with a strong tendency towards contrast, and the element of surprise.  Such strong contrasts can be softened using natural materials such as cork, hessian, timber and bamboo.  To keep a good texture mix, ceramics, concrete and stainless steel can also be used.  Great news for anyone building at the moment as the current trends in housing lean this way anyway, so a modern yet soft look is easily achievable.  With our gorgeous old Queenslander style homes, these arrangements give a “traditional with a twist” edge to your home and can change the whole look of a room.

Imagine a teal ceramic vase, soft pinks and greens in your flowers, and a flourescent orange twisty branch breaking away on both sides!  Extremely eye-catching!

November is Here!

Hi everyone! Well summer is fast approaching and we have some great new stock in to make your home look and smell great.

New scented flowers, spheres, and curls in frangipani and lotus make great gifts, or just display them in your home in vases, baskets, or pots. Also, if you want to have the whole house smelling great, we now stock the concentrated oils which you can use to top up these gorgeous beauties, or sprinkle around the house.

Also a whole new range of glass vases and plates have just arrived.  They went so quickly last time we had them in, that I would advise popping in soon to have a look.  Ideal as Chrissy  presents, they look a million dollars and cost only a few (dollars)!

Just in time for Christmas, we also have a whole new range of Bella Donna Silver for lovers of fine silver jewellery .  Get a present for someone special – and maybe a little something for yourself!

If you like what we do here at Floral Notes we would love to know.  You can go to our Facebook page or just pop into the shop and say hi.

Get those creative juices flowing!!

Come in and put together your own potpourri arrangement using our great range of baskets, vases and pots, or bring something from home that you can breathe new life into.

Flowers for Men

We all know that women like flowers but what about men?

It can feel like a pretty hard question to answer because men usually don’t tell us what kind of flowers they like or what kind they would like to receive, but as times are changing it is more socially acceptable to give flowers to men at their birthday, promotions, get-well-soon, and Father’s day.

Men seem to prefer strong shapes and bold colors and our natives and tropical flowers often catch their eye while they are in our shop. Contemporary arrangements with strong clean lines and a natural look are great for guys. We use vases with strong features and clean colours to complement arrangements for men.

Flowering plants such as Orchids are long lasting, and with a little care will flower repeatedly in the coming years.  All the men in my family love their orchids ( for any of you who know my father-in-law, you may know he has approx. 8000 orchid plants!)At Floral Notes we supply a great range of potted orchids, next time you need a gift for your special man call us.