SWEET WILLIAM: is a short lived perennial plant, in the Carnation family, that grows up to 3 feet with a dense cluster of 30 flowers on top of stem, flowers are 2-3cm with a spicy, clove scent. 10 stem bunch. Colors range in white, pinks, red-burgundy, purple, lavender and variegated varieties. Use in bouquets, personal flowers, ceremony and reception designs. good for loose flowers CARE: remove all leaves which will be below water line, fresh cut with sharp knife or shears and place in prepared bucket or vase, refrigerate or keep in cool area. TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in all weathers. FREESIA: Small trumpet shaped flower, 1/2”- 1”, in clusters (with buds) of 6-8 on stems of 8” to 12”. Found in yellow, red w yellow, white, pinks, purple and lavenders, some with fragrance, bunches of 10. Use in all bokays, personal flowers, table and vase arrangements, ceremony and reception pieces (not recommend for very large pieces) and as loose cut flowers. CARE: remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with sharp knife, remove side budded stems to for later use, and place in prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: do well in most climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes. BOUVARDIA: an evergreen flowering shrub native to Mexico and South West US. In language of flowers, means enthusiasm. Clusters of 9-15, trumpet shaped flowers on stems of 10-15”, single and double,bunches of 10. Used mostly in white, colors include red, pink, orange and yellow. Use in all bokay and personal flower work, Reception, limited use in Ceremony designs. CARE: remove damaged leaves and leaves that will be below water line, fresh cut with sharpe knife, and place in tall prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in cool to warm climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes. HEATHER: a low, mounting shrub with very small, bell shaped flowers on thin, short stems around a woody stem with small, pointed leaves. Colors range from white to deep rose to mauve/purple, bunches of 5-10 stems. Use stems and branches in all areas of wedding, bokays, personal flowers, ceremony, reception. Seasonally available. CARE: remove any leaves and broken stems and any leaves that will be below water line, give fresh cut to fresh stems with sharp knife or shears and place in prepared container. Keep cool. Fresh can be dried by hanging upside down in cool place. Dried should be stored upside down when not in use. Can be sprayed with floral spray to change or enhance color. TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in all climates. IRIS: name comes from the Greek word for rainbow, also the name for the goddess of the rainbow-Iris. A medium to large flower (3”-4”) on stems of 18”-20” (some varieties as tall as 3 ft), can also be found as doubles (two flowers per stem). Found in white, yellow, blue, purple, and bicolored, bunches of 10. Suitable for all bokays, personal flowers, ceremony and reception pieces and decorations. CARE: separate leaves from stems if damaged, fresh cut with sharp knife or shears and place in prepared container. Closed blooms can be forced by very gently peeling back outer covering and placed in hot water with extra preservative. Keep in cool place to open, then keep refrigerated. TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in medium to cool climates, keep misted in hot climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes for use TULIP: considered one of top 5 flowers for bouquets. Placed in the Lily family, have been cultivated in southern Europe and Asia since the 10th century-introduced to the west in 16th century. Delicate bell shaped flowers 2 to 5 inches in size on stems of 10 inches (domestic) up to 28 inches (imported varieties), bunches of 10. found in a large range of colors (no blue) and flower textures. Use in all bokays, some personal flowers, ceremony and reception designs. Seasonally available in most areas. CARE; remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with knife on stem, lightly pierce stem below flower head w knife point 1/8 inch, this will help keep flower head from dropping over. Place in prepared container. keep cool, keep refrigerated in hot climates TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in medium to cool climates, keep misted in hot climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes for use ANEMONE: known as “Wind Flowers”, a spring-summer-autum variety of blooming plant, prized for the dark, black center of some varieties. the flower, 2-21/2 inches, has 4-27 petals on a stem of 6-8 inches, single and double varieties. Found primary in red/scarlet, crimson, blue, purple and white bunches of 10. Use in okays, personal flowers, and reception designs. their small size limits their use in large ceremony pieces CARE; remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with knife on stem. Place in prepared container. keep cool, keep refrigerated in hot climates TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in medium to cool climates, keep misted in hot climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes for use SCABIOSA: native to Africa, Europe and Asia the genius is in the Honeysuckle Family, also known as Pincushion Flowers, the dried seed pods are also used in design work. The flower is 2-3 inches across, each head containing multiple florets. Stem are 10-15 inches, bunches of 10. Found in soft lavenders, red, cream, white and pink. use in bokays and personal flower designs, ceremony and reception. CARE: Remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with sharp knife, remove side budded stems to for later use, and place in prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: Do well in most climates. Loose cut flowers should be on water tubes. FOX TAIL MILLET: an annual grass that is generally grown for human food has found its way into design work, both fresh and dried. Slim, vertical, leafy stems which reach 4-6 feet. the seeded head is a dense cluster, 8-10 inches long-about 1 inch across, of seeds less than 1/8 inch in size. found in burgundy/red and green- fresh, bunches of 10. Use in all bridal flowers, personal flowers, ceremony and reception designs. CARE: remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with sharp knife, and place in prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: flowers do well in most climates. HYPERICUM: a small flowering shrub that grows to 4-5 feet, commonly called St. John’s wort, some are called tutsan. Many of the plant species are considered a nuisance. It is the berries produced that are used in design work, the berries are poisonous if eaten. Found in white, green, red/pink and black, bunches of 10 stems. Use in all bouquet and personal work, ceremony and reception designs. CARE: Remove damaged leaves, fresh cut with sharpe knife, remove side budded stems to for later use, and place in prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: Do well in most climates. BACHELOR’S BUTTONS: more commonly called Corn Flower. Summer blooming plant grey/green in color with long-narrow leaves, stems of 16-35 inches, single flower head about a inch in size. History dates back to 1800s a native of Europe, cultivated and used in teas and herbal medicine. Prized in gardens for its rich blue color. found in blues, purple, pink, white and black (a very dark maroon). Use in all bouquet and personal flower work, ceremony and reception designs CARE: Separate stems and leaves, give fresh cut with shape knife and place in prepared container. Keep refrigerated. TEMPERATURES: Flowers do well in cool climates to warm weather LOVE IN A MIST: Nigella is an annual plant that grows 20-36 inches tall with thin, thread-like leaves. Flower has 5-10 petals of blue, white, yellow or pale purple, seed pods are also used in design work-both fresh or dried. Prized in gardens since Elizabethan times. Use in all bouquet and personal flower work, ceremony and reception designs. CARE: Remove damaged leaves and those below water line, fresh cut with sharp knife, remove side budded stems to for later use, and place in container. Keep refrigerated or in cool place. TEMPERATURES: Do well in cool to warm climates. BIRDS OF PARADISE: native to South Africa, commonly called Crane flower. One variety is grown commercially, Strelitizia reignae, a dense plump of banana leaf-like leaves from which grows a stem of 2-3 1/2 feet with a large flower of orange and blue spiked petals of 4-5 inches. bunches of 5. Flower petals are wired for bouquet and personal flower work, use stems in all ceremony and reception designs. CARE: Give fresh cut to stems with shears or smash if too thick or woody, and in to prepared container. Keep in cool place. TEMPERATURES: Flowers do well in cool to hot climates |