Greens – A Florists Staple

Posted on May 29, 2012 by

Greens are a necessity for every florist! They add fullness and character to designs and the colourful flowers placed within them pop brightly against the neutral green background.

When creating your own arrangements you can look to your garden for the perfect greenery. Look for greens with texture, interesting shapes & shades of green.

BoxwoodHere are some of the popular greens that florists use:

Boxwood – Dark & thinly branched with small oval leaves. Very hardy and is great for creating unique and romantic wedding bouquets, table centerpieces & flower arrangements.

Emerald

Emerald – Makes a wonderful decorative filler. Adds an unusual look to commonplace designs. Has a palm leaf shape with a “feathery” look.

Jade

Jade – One of my favourites due to its interesting colour and attractive leaf shape. Adds beauty to just about any style of arrangement.

Leatherleaf

Leatherleaf – A very popular green amongst florists due to its full triangular shape which provides an ideal background for showcasing flowers. The foliage is dark green and branches symmetrically from a central stem.

PittisporumPittisporium – Long lasting foliage available in green and variegated. Both colours have a very shiny texture & it’s very popular for wedding work.

Plumosa

Plumosa – Compact and has lace-like, flat,light green leaves. Within the floral trade there are two sizes available, tips and long. Interestingly it is related to the asparagus spears that we eat!

Tree Fern

Tree Fern – A dark green, fluffy fern and is commonly called “Tiki”. Tree fern has soft, feathery shoots around a central stem. This airy look makes it perfect filler, enhancing the beauty of flowers. With its fine, lacy texture it is especially great for small or oriental style arrangements.

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Red Tipped Photinia

Posted on May 27, 2012 by

Photinia Tree

Red Tipped Photinia Tree
Photo credit: davesgarden.com

Photinia is in the genus of deciduous and evergreen east Asian trees and shrubs widely cultivated as ornamentals for their white flowers and red fruits; in some classifications includes genus Heteromeles. From the family Rosaceae; rose family (a large family of dicotyledonous plants of order Rosales; have alternate leaves and five-petaled flowers with numerous stamens).

Suitable for zones 7a & up this plant makes for a lovely shrub, hedges or if left alone will grow quite tall, sometimes up to 30ft or higher.

 

Photinia Hedge

Red Tipped Photinia Hedge
Photo credit: gardens4you.co.uk

It’s best planted in full sun with plenty of air circulation and has average water needs. If kept too wet it can be subject to fungus leaf spot which is commonly considered a death sentence. If you see fungus leaf spot on your Red Tipped Photinia spray it immediately with a fungicide & make sure to thoroughly clean your pruners before pruning the next one to help prevent spreading of the disease.

It’s important to note if you live in Texas that the Red-Tipped photinia appears on the Texas invasive list.

Photinia is well known for its glorious red foliage which adds colour to your garden in the winter months. In the spring it produces masses of pretty white blooms with an intoxicating scent. A beautiful addition to your garden!

Photinia Shrub

Red Tipped Photinia Shrub
Photo credit: jardiland.com

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New Varieties for 2012 – In Video!

Posted on May 25, 2012 by

Earlier this month I posted my top picks of the new plant varieties for 2012. This time your in for a much larger floral treat! Sit back and enjoy these great videos featuring many more new 2012 plant varieties from several different growers.

 

To see more head on over to youtube.com and search for Spring Trials 2012

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Largest Living Wall inside an airport in North America – Edmonton International Airport

Posted on May 23, 2012 by

The Edmonton International Airport (EIA) has recently undergone a vast expansion and has turned to green décor options. The airport now boasts of a 1420 sq ft area dedicated to a Living Wall (also referred to as a Vertical Garden, Green Wall, Bio-wall or Plant Wall).

EIA Living Wall

Over 8000 plants and 32 species have been artfully designed over 3 separate wall spaces to recreate the whimsical clouds found in the prairie sky and paintings done by the famous Canadian Group of Seven and Emily Carr.

EIA Living Wall - Front View

“The designs are as true to the originals as botanically possible. The species are planted accordingly to the patterns but as the walls grow and mature the ‘paintings’ will evolve on the ‘canvas’, thus producing a verdant masterpiece that is ever-changing.” – Mike Weinmaster, Chief Designer at Green over Grey – Living Walls & Design

EIA Living Wall - High View

This living painting is one of the largest Living Walls in Canada and the first to be built into the interior of a North American airport.  The wall is built out of 100% recycled materials and will aid in reducing carbon dioxide in the terminal.

EIA Living Wall - Full Side View

Departing and arriving passengers will be able to breathe in the fresh air as they stroll though the airport to their next destination.

EIA Living Wall - Watering

For a time lapse video on the constructions of the wall visit:
http://youtu.be/DS8SMviwFYw

We have written about Green over Grey and their incredible living walls before, I love what this company does! Check out more of their amazing work:
http://funflowerfacts.com/2011/11/22/living-art-the-vertical-wave-of-the-future/

All information and photos are from:
http://www.flyeia.com/expansion2012/artsier/living-wall.aspx

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The Ever Popular Peony

Posted on May 21, 2012 by

Peonies symbolizes nobility, value and peace; however, they can also signify shame.

The name originates from Greek mythology- Paeon was a bright student learning under the god Asclepius. Zeus turned Paeon into a flower to save him from the jealous Asclepius.

PeonyThe peony comes from the genus Paeonia and is a member of the Paeoniacea family. The number of species range from 25 to 40. They are classified into five different flower forms; single, semi-double, Japanese and anemone. Two close relatives are the tree peony and the fern leaf peony.

Garden peonies bloom from spring to early summer. According to The Peony Bloom Time Project headed up by Michael Denny, a professor of economics at the University of Toronto, the peony bloom season can last up to 6-8 weeks. Visit http://bloomdate.paeonia.com/ for information on how to extend your peonies blooms.  The fragrant flowers are deer resistant and drought resistant. They are native to Asia, Europe and Western North America (Zone 2), but are now grown across the globe.

Flower cultivators grow peonies for commercial use in New Zealand and Chile, which has extended the availability to florists of fresh cut peonies from spring to early-winter. The sweet fragrance and large blooms of the peonies have led the flower to be in high demand for brides and is a very popular wedding flower.

The petal colour varies from white, to blush, to lavender, to magenta. Modern cultivators have produced peonies in yellow, coral and bright red.  Check with your local florist for the availability in your area. They are available in the tight bud (round hard ball stage) or the fully bloomed flower. The delicate blooms have a large petal count and open to be approximately 5-6 inches.

Garden peonies tip: Ants are drawn to the nectar of the peonies. Want to bring your blooms inside? Fill a container with water and submerge the freshly cut bloom upside down in the water. This will kill all the ants while not harming the blooms.

Click for more Peonie Info

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Londons Olympic Blooms

Posted on May 19, 2012 by

What used to be a predominantly neglected industrial area is now London’s newest pride & joy – Olympic Park. The final wildflower meadows were seeded a few days ago and should be in full bloom by the opening of the games, creating a sea of gold around the Olympic Stadium.

Wild Flower Meadows at Olympic Park - London 2012

Photo credit: london2012.com

There has been a lot of hard work involved to take this neglected industrial area and transform it into this 250 acre public park. The largest urban park created in Europe for more than 150 years that is intended to be a sustainable, bio-diverse & beautiful area. The annual and perennial wildflower meadows alone cover over 10 hectares of land, that’s larger than 10 football fields!

Annual wildflower meadows near the Olympic Stadium have been sown with tickseed, cornflowers, corn marigold, star of the veldt, Californian poppy and plains coreopsis. In the last two years the meadows were sown as test runs to ensure that plans don’t go awry. They needed to perfect irrigation, cutting back & late sowing to ensure all will be in full bloom for the opening ceremony. The idea is that all of the wildflower meadows surrounding the Olympic stadium will be blooming a glorious gold colour simultaneously, effectively wrapping the stadium in a blanket of gold. All of these blooms attract butterflies and bees, an important step in ensuring they will be self sustainable in the future.

Perennial meadows were created 2 years ago so they would have plenty of time to take root and establish themselves in time for the games. These meadows contain a mixture of thyme, calamint, origanum, viper’s bugloss, wild carrot, musk mallow, several species of geraniums, devil’s bit scabious, red clover and great burnet.

Aerial View of London's Olympic Park

Aerial View of London’s Olympic Park – Photo credit: guardian.co.uk

The Wildflower meadows are only a part of the extensive landscaping that has taken place over the last few years. 4000 trees, 300,000 wetland plants, over 150,000 perennial’s & bushes and 15,000 square meters of lawns were completed last Autumn. There is also the riverside garden which has been arranged into 4 different regions; Europe, Americas, Asia & the Southern Hemisphere.

The Royal Horticultural Society has created the Great British Garden, which overlooks the stadium featuring gold, bronze and silver areas. This garden boasts a ‘de Coubertin oak’ grown from an acorn that came from a tree planted in 1894 as a thank you to the people of Much Wenlock for inspiring the founding of the Olympic Games.

All of this has a great impact on the environment creating a new habitat for many different species from otters to toads, bats to moths and eels to snakes! And of course countless butterflies and bees. Even though this is one huge urban park there won’t be a shortage of seating for park revelers, benches and seats have been built into the park in such a way that you’ll never be more than 50 meters away from somewhere to sit. Provided of course that some one else hasn’t beat you to it!

To learn more about Olympic Park visit the official web site: www.london2012.com

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Birds of a Feather Flock Together

Posted on May 17, 2012 by

Birds have been popping up in home decor, contemporary art, popular literature, fashion and floral design. The same bold beautiful feathers that are inspiring current trends have also caught the eyes of floral designers. Flowers and feathers alike have visual appeal, so it’s no wonder the two have come together. The product is amazing, larger than life floral bird sculptures!

White Peacock

This white peacock sculpture was created for a wedding in southern France last year. It features all white flowers, including Cymbidium and Phalaenopsis Orchids.

Peacocks

Created as part of the Spring Renaissance Event at the Covent Garden in London, these two peacocks stood at approximately 7.6m high and were made entirely of potted plants. The sculptures were designed to grow for a month. At the end of the month, the sculptures where disassembled and the potted plants donated.

Flamingo

Flamingo, anyone? This long neck sculpture is a great idea for a baby shower arrangement. The entire bird is covered in flowers, starting with ivy leaves wrapped around the legs, pink peonies and pink carnations covering the body and is finished off with individual pink petals layered on the neck.

Parrot

This parrot sculpture does true justice to the real bird! Bright green button pompons, purple and pink carnations, orange petals covering the beak and layered leaves creating the tail. So fun!

Chicks

These chicks, made from hydrangea, are so adorable! Definitely the smallest of the birds, but my favourite.

Swan

Last but not least, this extravagant swan table centerpiece was designed for a wedding. The swan was made with all white flowers, including Phalaenopsis orchids and white roses. There are more flowers than table space!

Put a bird on it

Looking for an easy way to keep with the bird theme? Put a bird on it!

All images from www.prestonbailey.com
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We are Dependant on Flowers

Posted on May 15, 2012 by

The most important thing that a plant does is to flower. Without flowers we would not have fruits, crops and of course seeds to begin the following year. In the past, experiments have proven that plants can adjust the timing of their flowering in response to environmental conditions like, light, temperature & nutrient availability. But not much is known or understood about what causes plants to make flowers instead of leaves, until now.

Flower GardenA research team from the National University of Singapore has discovered how this happens. A protein has been identified that is essential for the flowering process under normal light conditions. (the teams findings are published in the online, open access journal PLoS Biology).

The study took 5 years to complete, during that time more than 3 million samples were studied. This enabled them to identify a molecule that they dubbed FT-INTERACTING PROTEIN 1. They found that plants with non-functional versions of this molecule flowered much later under normal light conditions. When the gene was introduced to these plants their flowering time was restored back to normal. This suggests that the key to flowering is controlled by light and implies that this gene could be used as a marker for classic plant breeding and genetic modification for desirable flowering traits with an aim of increasing crop yields in changing environments.

View the original story at esciencenews.com
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Canada – A Biodiversity Treasure

Posted on May 13, 2012 by

Ottawa’s botanists have completed a new book; Official Plant Emblems of Canada, A Biodiversity Treasure that explores our provincial flowers in a funny, intriguing and sometimes gross way!

Official Plant Emblems of Canada

The book Official Plant Emblems of Canada eschews high-brow science for plain language in an attempt to explain the natural world to its readers.

Biology and politics also met back in 1999 when Quebec replaced it’s first official flower, the white lily. They switched to the blue flag iris which is natural in Quebec, whereas the white lily is not a native.

Though written by members of Canada’s agriculture staff this book is not the dry, boring stuff of biology text books. Instead it’s written in plain English and stuffed full of interesting facts of each provinces native plants and trees. Sometimes funny, sometimes intriguing and yes, sometimes just plain gross!

A must have for all plant enthusiasts you will find many tidbits of information such as:

  • The Alberta Rose has a 2nd official name “the Wild Prickly Rose” (no political joke intended!)
  • Nova Scotias provincial berry, the blue berry won’t ripen after being picked
  • Nunavut’s emblem the saxifrage is used by the Inuit for upset stomachs, but use to much and diarrhea will set in
  • Prince Edward Island chose the lady’s-slipper orchid as its official flower without realizing there are different species of it. In 1965 the legislature chose the pink lady’s-slipper and put an end to this political crisis!
  • Newfoundland & Labrador is home to the pitcher plant, it eats insects & there aren’t too many flesh-eating plants around

Of course along with the fun facts there is genetic information, loads of pictures & it covers the entire country from coast to coast. Ernest Small, one of the authors said “We felt it was hard to ask voters to protect biodiversity unless they know what lives in our country in the first place” so they decided to start with the provinces & territories official flowers and trees and cover the whole country that way.

The large, hardcover book sells for $49.95 and is published by Public Works and Government Services Canada, Agriculture Canada will market it. The Authors are: Ernest Small, Paul M Catling & Brenda Brookes.

Original Story and Picture Credit
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New Gardens at the Ruins of Ancient Rome

Posted on May 11, 2012 by

In an attempt to reconstruct the area around the ruins of ancient Roman Palaces, Italian

Gardens in Ancient Rome

View of a Petunia bed planted in the inner courtyard of the Flavian Palace built in 92 AD.

Archaeologists have created new flower gardens in the same areas where scribes told tales of luxurious gardens created in imitation of the gardens of the ancient Greeks.

Now visitors can see gardens of purple petunias, white leadworts and medicinal vervain amongst the ruins of courtyards & shrines.

The emperors ensured their palaces & residences were beautified with amazing gardens that showed off their wealth and power. Theirs were cities where nature was welcomed, unlike the concrete jungles of today.

A partial reconstruction of Italy’s first botanical garden has also been created, complete with several plant species that had just been discovered in America and brought to Rome by Christopher Columbus.

The only thing they couldn’t do was re-create the many fountains that dotted the area due to the difficulty of pumping up so much water. Makes you wonder how the ancient Romans did it in their time, without the technology we have today.

Original Story & Picture Credit
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