I’m now back on US soil…feels good after floating and sailing for the past 10 days.  In a recent post, I wrote about cruise ship flowers and expressed my disappointment with the lack of professional expertise and design skills of the hired floral personnel on the ship.  It really does a disservice to the floral profession and customers when non-trained individuals are employed as designers when it is quite apparent they lack the necessary skills to deliver quality products and creative designs.  Floral design skills do matter!

The floral industry trade groups and organizations really should take this one under their wings and develop some floral training standards, requirements and certifications to work in the field.  I initially fought this idea as a floral boutique owner arguing that there are some extremely creative people out there that can out-design many who have taken floral design education courses.  Even though this is true, I’ve come to realize is that all it takes is for one poor designer to ruin the perception of the importance of flowers and their positive impact on people’s lives.  Floral design skills do matter!

It’s the poor experiences that can cause customers to put down the florist field, and minimize the effect that flowers can truly have on people’s emotions.  They will look for alternative means to celebrating special occasions or substitute different items in place of flowers.  Floral design skills do matter! 

Fortunately, those who truly care to learn and be a part of this incredible field will take the time to receive the proper training to excel in floristry.  There are numerous educational opportunities available to enhance one’s skills including courses offered through this site.   In my next post I will write about the flower designs that I observed on the ship and highlight the the areas that indicate the lack of proper training and floral knowledge.  I do this as a way of providing further education to the public, the viewers of my site, and to provide good design information to help improve floral design skills.  Remember, floral design skills do matter!

Until then, please remember to enjoy your flowers (or someone else’s)…and take the time to learn as much about flowers, their proper care and good design skills if you intend to share your trade with others.

Wow, I’m currently on an 8 day cruise in the Western Caribbean.  My 12 year old daughter and I left on Saturday February 13th.  We started in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and arrived yesterday in Cozumel, Mexico.  The weather actually wasn’t so cooperative for the first two days (Sunday and Monday).  However, today the weather has been gorgeous with a lot of sunshine and warmth.  Just what the doctor ordered to chase away those winter blues.  I was also expecting some amazing looking cruise ship flowers.

This post is about my experience here on the cruise ship with respect to the fresh flowers that were sold to passengers for the recent Valentine’s day celebration.  My post title definitely provides you were a precursor to what I’m about to describe.

To my utter disbelief, the roses available for purchase were not high quality at all.  It was very evident that the staff and floral personnel in the on board flower shop (which is shared with "candy", if you can believe it) are not professionally trained floral personnel.  I felt really terrible for the unsuspecting passengers (wives, girl friends, partners and significant others) who were going to be receiving the flowers ordered by their special someone.

First of all, the dozen of arranged roses on display looked very amateurish in terms of design.  The vase was a basic vase, and of the type typically used by lower end florists who don’t consider the vase an important part of the overall arrangement and design.    A good florist can actually minimize any potential negative perception of a vase through a beautiful display design.  Sadly, that was not the case here on board.

The roses were way too short for the height of the vase that was used.  In addition, the greenery was not prepped correctly and there were leaves and petals of the greens below the water line.  This is an absolutely "no-no" when it comes to flower arrangements as that will clearly cause bacterial growth problems in the water and cause premature death of the bouquet.

I found myself mentioning to my daughter how disappointing it was for me to see the arrangement on display and that perhaps I should consider coming to work on a cruise ship doing the professional floral arrangements.  After all, I love to travel and I love to design flowers!  Maybe I’m on to something in my future….  Well, for now, I’m enjoying the freedom to travel and do as I please so I’ll pass on that option for now.  I would suggest saving your money on those cruise ship flowers unless you are certain the staff is qualified to deliver the quality flowers to your room or function which will last for most of (or the entire) cruise.

I’ve got some great new courses coming online soon, so please come back often and look for my new offerings.  You will love all of the video trainings I’ve already filmed which are in the editing process and soon to be published online and on CD/DVD for your enjoyment and personal/professional development.

The one day of the year where you anxiously await that call from your sweetheart that they received the most gorgeous flower bouquet or arrangement is rapidly approaching.  This year Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday.  This poses some unique challenges for florists since it is not a typical delivery day, and it is going to likely be the busiest day of the year for the florist.   Follow the 10 tips below to help make the day go smoothly for everyone involved.  Remember you can order special Valentines Day flowers from the links on this page (in left margin, just above this post, or at the top menu option).  

As a florist who has been through the entire Valentine’s Day craziness more than a few times, there are some things that you can do to help make the day go smoothly for everyone involved, including yourself.  Here are some tips to help you and your sweetheart to have an extra special day this year:

1. Take advantage of placing your order as early as possible – many times florists will offer a discount to those who plan ahead. 
2. Choosing the right flowers is important – Roses are the traditional flower choice, however Lilies, Orchids, and Tulips are also quite popular choices.  If going with a mixed arrangement, then it is suggested to choose an arrangement with any of these flower types as they are considered "special" flowers for your Valentine.  Try to stay away from daisies, carnations, and other "less expensive" flowers for this occasion.
3. Arrange for delivery to the restaurant where you are having lunch or dinner, if possible.  This will make it extra special.  Your Valentine will certainly appreciate the recognition in front of other people.
4. Remember that you will get what you pay for.  Do not skimp on the price of flowers for this ONE day of the year.  It is recommended to plan on at least $75 for a beautiful bouquet or arrangement, plus delivery charges. 
5. Unless ordering well in advance, it is suggested that you choose a flower bouquet or arrangement from the offerings available at your florist.  The easiest way to do this is by ordering flowers online and choosing from the pictures of arrangements available.  If you want a unique or custom arrangement, then you should call the florist directly to discuss your requirements.  Keep in mind that unique arrangements require more handling and will typically cost more.  Your sweetheart will only be receiving your flower arrangement so it will be considered special and custom to them no matter what choice of arrangement you make. 
6. Keep in mind that if your sweetheart will be receiving their flowers in an area where other Valentine’s are receiving their flowers too, then you will want to make sure that the flowers you order make an impact upon delivery.  Specifically, it is not recommended that you order small bouquets or arrangements because most others will be receiving larger bouquets or arrangements.  Your sweetheart will want to be feel at least as special, if not more, as the next person.  The size/display of the arrangement is the first impression and will make an impact on how special your sweetheart feels.
7. Provide complete and accurate contact delivery information along with telephone numbers.  It is important to provide any special delivery instructions if required.  Giving the florist backup telephone numbers is also suggested.
8. Please have the florist repeat back to you the order information to insure that everything is correct. 
9. Sometimes deliveries on Valentine’s Day do not go as planned – for instance the recipient may not be at the address where expected, weather challenges, accidents, emergencies, etc.  Please understand that a florist has no intention of not fulfilling your order on purpose.  If something should happen and there are delivery problems, then it is likely due to something beyond a florist’s control.  So please be patient and contact your florist for assistance.  Florists are very customer focused and want to get it right "out of the gate" and if there are problems they really are genuinely interested in making it right for you.  Please work with them in a calm and patient manner to resolve any issues – you’ll likely get more from the florist (above & beyond the original desires) in the end.   
10. For this one day of the year, do not deliver the flowers in person.  This is the one day when a Valentine LOVES to receive a surprise delivery from the florist.

There are common situations, challenges or issues that seem to occur every year on Valentine’s Day.  I’ve seen, heard, and experienced it all on Valentine’s Day.    To help minimize any problems and to help the florist make your order go smoothly please keep these tips in mind when placing your order. 

I wish you and yours the most beautiful Valentine’s Day ever!

Valentines day planning – hmmm, now that is probably a dirty word phrase at this time of the year for florists.  This is one day of the year that florists learn to love even though they probably hate it, and it is just around the corner.  February 14th will be here in just a few weeks.

Most florists are impacted in a major way each year by this one day.  The reason there is a love-hate relationship with this day is because it is literally THE most profitable day of the year for florists, even though it is perhaps the most challenging day to deal with from a planning, operations, and customer service perspective.  Valentines Day business typically represents about 1/3 of a florists annual revenues.  This is the reason that Valentines day planning must begin much sooner than mid-January, and hopefully begins immediately after last years Valentines Day.  The biggest task is to minimize expenses while maximizing revenues.

Due to the extreme increase in business volume that must be handled in a very short period of time (i.e., one day), proper Valentines day planning is crucial to insure success as a florist.  A successful Valentines Day translates into positive cash flow for a florist which can then be used to cover the slower months of the year – typically the summertime.

Valentines day planning is extremely important on many different levels.  Of course, the pre-ordering of flowers is perhaps one of the most fundamental steps to prepare for an incredibly busy day.  However, there are other critical components that are also super important including staffing, customer service, delivery support, floral supplies, and order processing (offline & online).  A breakdown in any one of these areas could negatively impact the results of the one day that a florist must count on being successful. 

It is common for florists to work major overtime for 5 days prior to Valentines day, and not uncommon to work 36+ straight hours beginning the day before Valentines in order to bring it all together to insure a smooth running day on Valentines.  I clearly remember my first Valentines day at the flower shop that I had purchased 10 months earlier.  I was very excited about the day and what I would experience.  I dreamed of that day and planned as best I could given very little information about the day from the previous shop owner.

Together with my experienced staff, I ordered my flowers and hired extra experienced staff to help with floral design and flower deliveries.  Orders started coming in at the beginning of February and I was so looking forward to this phenomenal day that I had been "warned" about.  Before I knew it, THE day had arrived.  I was up the night before until 3am, and back at the shop by 6am.  I had prep’ed as much as I could given my experience and anticipation of how the day would be.  I didn’t realize that office workers would be knocking at my door at 7am – I still had last minute things to take care of.  Oh my gosh, was I in for an incredible journey that day!

I’ll save the "lessons learned" from that day for another post.  Just please, PLEASE know that everything an experienced florist tells you about Valentines Day planning is true.  You must listen and ask questions so as to better prepare yourself for this one amazing day of business.

Recently I posted a brief status update on the fabulous blooming amaryllis bulbs here in my home and that I would follow up with some training on amaryllis pollination.  I first planted them back in mid- November and they began to  bloom during Christmas week in December.  These gorgeous blooms have brought much joy and pleasure to my home for almost a month now and believe it or not I still have one more bulb that is getting ready to bloom.  I’m very curious to find out what color the blooms will be, because I neglected to note the color on each container when I planted them…oops!    I’m hoping for white this time as I’ve had bright red, pink, and pink/white.

In this segment, I will teach you how to hand pollinate the amaryllis blossoms so that you can get some great seeds to grow new amaryllis bulbs.  Amaryllis pollination techniques is extremely simple and yields great results.  Keep in mind that it takes anywhere from 3 to 5 years to grow a suitable amaryllis bulb from seed, however it will produce magnificent blooms for many years when taken care of properly. 

I will provide the amaryllis pollination video demonstration of the technique below, however it is important to understand the female and male reproductive parts of the blossom so that you know why the steps are done in the manner they are done.  The good news is that it is very easy to determine the female and male parts of the blossom. 

The pistol is the female part of the blossom and the stamen is the male part of the blossom.  The easiest way to tell the difference is by lookin at the "stems" coming out of the center of the blossom.  There will always be 6 similar looking shorter filaments protruding out from the center of the blossom, and 1 longer stem.  The longest stem is the female sexual part of the blossom and the tip of the pistol is called the stigma.  The 6 shorter filaments with dangling "anthers" on the end of them are the male parts of the blossom.

The blossom is sexually mature from a male perspective when the yellow pollen dust appears on the anthers – they are the dangling sections of the male part of the blossom (at the end of the stamen filaments).  They are not hard to miss as there are 6 of them.

The blossom is sexually mature from a female perspective when the stigma (the tip of the pistol) has split into 3.  The end of the stigma will open and spread apart with 3 pieces bending out and backwards slightly.  The 3 pieces of the stigma folding out and backwards will be a white color.  This signifies that the blossom is ripe for pollination and fertilization.

To hand pollinate the blossom, you will use a soft bristled paint brush (a water color paint brush is ideal).  Take the brush and lightly wipe the anthers (male part of the blossom) to gather some pollen onto the bristles and then lightly tap or touch the opened stigma areas (the 3 opened parts) to apply the pollen to the female part of the blossom.    Once you have done this you have achieved amaryllis pollination. 

It is okay to use the pollen from the same blossom to fertilize the female part of that blossom.  It is also okay to use pollen from a different blossom for which this would be called cross-pollination.  Cross pollination will result in mixed colored blossoms of bulbs germinated from the seeds of a blossom that had been cross pollinated.

Alright, that is all there is to amaryllis pollination – hand pollinating technique.  Happy fertilization of your amaryllis plants!  You can watch a demonstration video below.

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Happy New Year 2010!  I hope you had a most enjoyable Christmas season with family and friends.  I had an opportunity to spend quality time with my kids, visited my mom and helped her with some things she needed help with, then caught up with some long lost friends from high school that I haven’t seen in close to 30 years.  It was a great trip and I’m glad to be back home here where I can focus on helping all of you to develop your florist skills further in 2010!

To get the year started – take a look at the pictures below that provide you with an update on the status of how well my amaryllis bulbs have done this year.  I hope yours grew just as well.   When I arrived back from my holiday travels, I walked into my house full of some gorgeous blooming amaryllis bulbs.  These flowers are so beautiful and are the perfect plant to grow during the shorter days of winter to bring some happiness and color into your home.  Before you know it, spring will be arriving and in the meantime you get to enjoy the colorful blossoms of the amaryllis bulb.  Click the "continue reading" link to see some amazing pictures of my bright red amaryllis blossoms. 

Just 7 weeks ago I shared with you instructions on how to plant and nurture the amaryllis bulb for perfect blossoming during the holidays and into January.  When planted correctly they grow very quickly and are fun to watch the blossom stalks to appear and grow tall with the bud on the tip of the stalk.  Some days it seems like they grow 2-3". 

So, I thought I would provide an update for you on how my amaryllis bulbs have turned out.  Enjoy the pictures below.  In the next phase of these amazing bulb flowers, I will record a training video on how to pollenate the blossoms in order to get seeds for future bulbs.  Did you know it takes 4 to 5 years to grow an amaryllis bulb from seed before it will begin to bloom?  Growing amaryllis bulbs is so much fun!  Watch for the amaryllis pollenation video coming soon.

The first bulb to bloom was a pink one and it has two blossoms.  It opened during the 6th week of growing.  Then, the second bulb began to blossom with the brightest red flowers – just gorgeous.  Check out the pictures below: 

Merry Christmas to all of my students, their family and friends!  I’m taking some good quality time to spend with my children and will be visiting upstate New York to see mom and the rest of my family.  I will also reconnect with some long lost high school friends.

With the upcoming new year quickly approaching, I also wanted to let you know that there will be many good changes coming to the Royal Bouquet Florist website.  Most importantly there will be many new courses offered – both to the casual "at-home" floral enthusiast who wants to learn how to create gorgeous floral arrangements simply along with specific courses for the "work-at-home" flower lover who can learn how to parlay their creative skills into a money making venture by offering their floral design services to others.

There will be special emphasis on video courses that are filmed in a casual manner in my home!  This is so that I can show everyone out there how to "do what the florists do" but doing it at home!  Everyone can learn how to design amazing looking floral arrangements right in the comfort of their own home.  I especially enjoy showing people how to transform a pretty looking wrapped bouquet from the local store into a FANTABULOUS looking flower arrangement.

Definitely look for some very exciting new courses and videos in 2010.  My focus will be on video demonstrations showing exact step-by-step "how to’s".

Peace & much love to all.

While reading through the Sunday paper recently and browsing the sale circular advertisements I came across a very nice full color fold out advertisement from a local florist.  It included pictures of beautiful holiday flower arrangements and gift baskets which customers can order in time for the upcoming Christmas holiday.  One arrangement in particular caught my attention because it was very similar to one that I’ve created.  You can access the video that I produced which will teach you in step by step fashion how to create a similarly looking bubble bowl arrangement to the picture above.  Just click the "Buy Now" button above to gain access to this incredible training.  In less than 30 minutes I will have shown you exactly what to do to create a beautiful arrangement.  Christmas flower arrangements are always so pretty and add to the excitement in the air around this special holiday time period.  Bubble bowl flower arrangements are quite popular and make perfect table adornments.

As for the price of the bubble bowl flower arrangement being offered in the advertisement at $45.99, it is a fair price for the design shown.  That is a minimum price for a Christmas flower arrangement offered at the florist.  The cost of this bubble bowl flower design at the florist includes the flowers, the bubble bowl, the greens, the labor costs associated with the professional design, overhead expenses, and of course the advertising.  Delivery cost is additional.

Compare the "florist price" of $45.99 to the do-it-yourself price of $9.99.  This is a savings of $36!  The do it yourself cost is based upon purchasing a fresh holiday flower bouquet at your local store for $9.99 and designing your very own arrangement in a vase that you already have at home.  If you need a bubble bowl vase, then you can purchase one at your local arts & crafts store for under $4, like Hobby Lobby or Michaels.  For the greens, go out to your backyard and clip some small branches from your bushes or evergreens – they will be perfect for the arrangement. 

Once you have all your flowers, greens, and vase begin by designing your very own Christmas flower arrangement by following simple design techniques.  Remember to create a grid pattern using transparent tape across the vase opening and then to "green" the vase before adding the flowers.  For flower placement, start with the focal flowers first and design using the "power of 3".  This means to place 3 focal flowers at 3 different angles followed by 3 supporting flowers, 3 more different supporting flowers, and ending with 3 filler flowers.  The total design process time should take approximately 30 minutes from start to finish (or less). 

Do you need help with creating the Christmas flower arrangement?  Not sure where to begin?  Do you want step-by-step instructions along with a demonstration video showing you exactly what to do in what order?  If yes, then sign up for the holiday bubble bowl arrangement video training here on this site.  I’ve created it specifically to enable you to create a beautiful design in less than 30 minutes and for under $10.00.  The techniques you will learn in this video can be applied to most any other bubble bowl arrangement, not just limited to a holiday design.  When you sign up for this video training series you will be given immediate access to the video training.  I guarantee that when you follow my steps as demonstrated in the video you will be able to create your very own beautiful bubble bowl design in under 30 minutes of time!  Secure your copy of the video today by clicking the BUY NOW button above.

It is a common site around the holidays to see the gorgeous blooms from Amaryllis plants.  They make a beautiful addition to your home or office and look especially nice when grouped together.  At holiday time, amaryllis plants are available from multiple sources.  The best places to get high quality amaryllis plants is from a local florist or garden center.  Larger chain stores will typically carry the amaryllis plants too, however quality can be sacrificed for lower prices.

In addition to stores having already planted amaryllis bulbs, many will also carry amaryllis planting kits.  These kits are boxes that contain everything needed to plant the bulb yourself at home. Learn how to plant and grow an amaryllis bulb in the short video created by Royal Bouquet Florist.  Just click the picture or choose Video Training above. 

Amaryllis bulbs are extremely easy to grow inside, especially for the holidays, when following just a few simple tips.  Perhaps that is why so many people enjoy growing them indoors.  Typically, Amaryllis kits (boxed kits usually include the bulb, planter, and plant material) are marketed and sold in stores beginning in late fall – just in time to grow for blossoming during the upcoming holiday season.

The word Amaryllis comes from the latin word amarysso which means “to sparkle”.   The flower blossoms are brilliant and dramatic and absolutely make a statement in any room they are placed.  The bulb will produce one or two stems about 24 inches in height with the lily shaped blossoms occurring at the top of the stem.  Common colors of the flower blossoms are crimson red, pink, salmon, white, and a mixture of any of those colors.

Expected growing time from bulb to flowering blossoms is generally 6-8 weeks.  Thus it is best to begin planting the bulbs by mid November to insure blossoming during the upcoming December holiday period.  The amaryllis is a native plant to South Africa and warmer climates that experience wet and dry periods.  The bulb won’t survive a frost and therefore should be planted indoors or pulled up from the ground before the first frost hits.

The amaryllis bulb can be grown to produce gorgeous blooms for many years when taken care of properly.  In some cases, the bulb may produce two flowering periods each year.  However, they must go through a growth cycle and a dormancy cycle.  

There are multiple options available for consumers or businesses to order flowers including ordering them through this website at the link at the top of this page titled "Order Flowers Online".  You can also order flowers directly or indirectly from the applicable flower sources.  Depending upon whether you are ordering floral arrangements or ordering flowers in bulk will determine which suppliers to choose from.   In either case, there are numerous choices for ordering flowers from suppliers.

The options for ordering flower arrangements to be sent to another person or for functions or parties are quite vast and include both online and offline suppliers.  In many cases, the offline suppliers also provide solutions to order flowers online too.  

To directly order flowers in the offline arena one telephones or visits a local florist for assistance.  The local community florist operates a small business with focus on providing excellent customer service and quality products to local clientele.  They may also offer the ability to order flowers sent anywhere around the world as long as they are a member of at least one of the major floral wire-service companies (like FTD, Teleflora, 1-800 Flowers, etc.).

For ordering flower arrangements online, it is quite easy for a consumer to order flowers from any of thousands of florists that come up in the search results.   Most of the top listed companies in the search results  will be the major floral wire service companies such as FTD, Teleflora, 1-800 Flowers, or the big names in internet florists like ProFlowers, etc.  So if you’re looking for a small business, or a local florist which accepts online orders, then scroll down through the listings until you locate one that meets your needs.  Keep in mind that you may have to use more specific search criteria terms to narrow the list down.

Ordering flowers in bulk typically means that they are not pre-arranged or pre-designed and will require someone to prep the flowers and arrange them as required once they are received.  These flowers are shipped in boxes either to the local airport for pick-up, local supplier for pick-up, or directly to an address as specified by the person placing the order.  Similar to consumers that order flower arrangements, there are both online and offline solutions to order flowers in bulk.

In some cases, the same supplier can be used to order flower arrangements or flowers in bulk.  For instance, the local florist can order flowers in bulk and offer them at retail pricing.  However, ordering bulk flowers from a flower wholesaler and getting wholesale pricing is the most common method.  This can be a bit tricky for most though because many wholesalers require a business tax ID and trade references.  

There are options other than the wholesalers requiring tax ID information.  It is possible to order flowers in bulk from an alternative wholesale supplier such as wholesale clubs like Sam’s, BJ’s, or Costco in the US.  However, you will be required to have an active paid membership to the wholesale club in order to take advantage of that option.  Other alternative wholesale suppliers can be found online – again, just use the search capability and with a little bit of research there’ll be numerous options for ordering flowers in bulk.

As described above, it is very easy to order flowers from many different supplier options through both offline or online methods.  Since both methods are proven, either choice will work well to order flowers.  If you prefer having a local contact, then working with a local florist or wholesaler is your best choice.  Otherwise, there are very good internet suppliers as well.  Keeping your options open enables you the best options for suppliers from which to order flowers.

There are several different styles of classic and contemporary floral designs.  They each typically follow a geometric form. One geometric form that is used for floral designs is the rectangle.  The horizontal flower design typically follows the rectangle form.  It will look fantastic on a rectangular or oval table or platform, although it will look good displayed on other shapes too.

Whether you are hosting a dinner party at home, have a rectangular or oval table at the office needing some adornment to “finish” off the room, or even a mantel piece with a spot for some fresh flowers, a horizontal flower design is a perfect choice.  This arrangement form is a favorite for dinner tables or in environments where people will be seated across from each other, or on platforms where flowers need to be shorter so as to not hide whatever will be behind them.

With some great tips, guidance and planning anyone can create a horizontal flower design at home.  It actually is a fairly easy project which can be completed in under 30 minutes.  Of course, if you don’t have time at home to create your own, then please visit your local trusted professional florist to purchase a fabulous horizontal arrangement.

Here are some quick tips to creating a horizontal arrangement at home:

• Choose a container that is low in the height dimension
• Provide a nice “green” base first using several types of “greens” or plant material
  
• Keep the height dimension of the design to no more than 1 ½ times the height of the container
  
• If the container will be hidden by the greens and floral material, then the length dimension should provide balance and be in proportion to the length of the table or platform it is placed (not too short and not too long)
  
• If the container will be visible along with the horizontal design (typically as is the case in a contemporary design), then the length dimension should be no more than 1 ½ times the length of the container
  
• Consider having multiple “sections” or individual horizontal flower designs which are placed together on very long tables or platforms, making it look like one longer horizontal flower design
  
• Several horizontal floral arrangements placed at different sections of a long rectangular table is a great alternative to one very long design
  

Of course there are more tips and guidance than presented above which are required to perform the actual arranging of the flowers.  As a beginner, I recommend enrolling in the free online course offered on this site which is titled “Introduction to Floral Design 101” (just click the link and you’ll be taken to the page to request access to the course).  This course will provide you with over 45 minutes of instruction of the basics and fundamentals to begin creating gorgeous floral designs.

Learning the art of proper flower arranging involves instruction from experienced floral designers. This can be obtained from professional florists that provide a mentorship program, by reading books authored by professional floral designers, watching video training courses by experienced floral designers, or by attending any of the many choices of floral schools offering educational opportunities.

Introduction to Floral Design 101 is a complementary course provided through this site. There is no cost to take this course and it is provided to beginner’s as a way to learn the basic concepts of floral design. You will be given immediate access to the course by requesting it here:
The learning process for flower arranging is ongoing effort, however learning the basics really doesn’t take all that long. There are simple design fundamentals and techniques that are used and applied to pretty much every flower arranging project. Once the basics have been learned and mastered, then there are more advanced skills that can be learned.

It’s okay in the beginning to copy or duplicate another flower arrangement. In fact, this is the learning process that is recommended before beginning to develop your unique style and introducing your own creativity. This way you can learn how to master the basics and gain some experience before moving on to something that involves a bit more creativity.

In many cases, the creativity skill is acquired over time through personal experimentation, the observation of arrangements created by other floral designers, or by attending advanced flower arranging courses.

The most amazing designs are the result of the floral designer’s creativity. This creativity is the ability to work with the basic fundamentals of flower arranging and then to experiment by integrating new material, tools, or objects into the designs. I like to term this – “designing outside of the vase”.

Flower arranging also provides a therapeutic value to the floral designer. This is a hidden benefit that most people do not realize. Studies conducted by leading universities have shown that flowers truly have a positive impact on people’s emotional well-being. Perhaps that is why I love to be around and work with flowers on a regular basis. It’s a natural “pick-me-upper” and “feel good” thing to do.

Lastly, if  you like variety and new challenges then you will enjoy flower arranging.  Every design project will be different and helps keep the activity enjoyable. Having a floral mission and fulfilling it through creative means is by far and above one of the most exciting things about working with flowers.  Even the simplest or small designs can be incredibly fun to create.

It is incredibly easy to transform flower bouquets at home for more than 50-75% less than the cost of a similarly florist created design.  Flower lovers will love the fact that you can pick out flower bouquets for under $5 each and bring them home to create a magnificent flower arrangement at home.   In most cases, purchasing 2-3 flower bouquets is all you would have to purchase in order to create an amazing floral arrangement at home.  So, for under $10 you end up with something that is fresh, made by you, and beautiful to look at every day for over a week.  An inexpensive way to brighten the surroundings at home and provide emotional enhancements to your well-being.

I especially enjoy creating wonderful centerpieces for my dining room table.  In fact, the picture you see in this post is from a recent style that I created from 2 flower bouquets that cost me $3.99 each!  If you would like to learn how to create this centerpiece through simple and easy steps, then be sure to look for the video training instruction and demonstration that I made while creating this horizontal flower arrangement centerpiece.

It all starts with having fresh flower bouquets.  You will want to work with healthy, fresh flower bouquets and take great care of the flowers throughout the design process.  This also includes proper maintenance once the arrangement has been completed.  Combining healthy fresh flower bouquets with proper maintenance enables the design to last for many days.

Before buying flower bouquets, I suggest that you read a recent post titled – “Buying Fresh Flowers – Learn How to Determine Freshness”.  That particular post will teach you exactly how to search out the freshest flower bouquets and also what to look out for when selecting flowers at your local market.  As just communicated above, it all starts with having the freshest flowers – so make sure you know how to choose the best ones!

If you are wondering where I find my flower bouquets to bring home, it is at a local grocery store that receives fresh flower shipments every day or from a local florist.  If bought at the local grocery store, then I do take great caution in selecting the right flower bouquets because even though they receive fresh shipments every day, they do not remove previous days shipments from the displays.  If I need a more upscale feel to the design or it is a very special occasion, then I will buy from the local florist.  This way I can purchase the exact fresh flower bouquets that I need to create my design.

It does cost more when purchasing from a florist, however it is due to the fact that I’m buying premium flowers.  Still, the total cost will typically be under $50 and I end up with one most magnificent creation in the end.  Well worth it for those special occasions!  And, don’t forget that you can hire the florist to create your design for you if you are short on time or are willing to pay for their expertise.

It is incredibly easy to transform flower bouquets at home for more than 50-75% less than the cost of a similarly florist created design.  All it takes is the ability to choose fresh bouquets and some guidance from a knowledgeable teacher.  Look for my video training course on how to transform flower bouquets into very pretty centerpiece designs at home.  Through simple design techniques and demonstration, you will learn how to create a gorgeous centerpiece in less than 30 minutes.

Recently while on a business trip to Phoenix, I took one afternoon to visit the magnificent Phoenix Botanical Gardens located in the Papago Park right in Phoenix.  It was a fun day and I got to experience the Sonoran Desert with it’s native natural desert flowers and plants up close and personal without having to leave Phoenix.  I’ve even created a brief video below of this trip.  Click the picture to watch video.

On the drive there, there were the very striking brown rocks, hills or mountains – I’m not sure what the Arizonian’s refer to them as.  They were very pretty to look at and I had to keep shifting my focus back to the road as I was trying to capture the scenery and arrive to the gardens safely.  You’ll see what I mean in the video with the part of the trip driving there (smile).

Upon arrival to the gardens, I picked a perfect parking spot directly under a tree.  This was a wise choice as I later learned because it helped to keep the temperature down inside the car.  After spending in excess of 3 hours walking through the sonoran desert park returning back to a hot car would not have been too much fun since I drank my entire water bottle that I brought with me.

As far as the wonderful experience inside the botanical garden, it didn’t fail to deliver.  I definitely experienced – you guessed it – Cacti and more cacti!  Cactus plants grow and thrive in the arid climate of the Sonoran desert.  There are many natural desert flowers and plants that I wasn’t even aware of until this visit.  It is pretty amazing how the plants have adapted over time to survive the heat of the day and the coolness of the night.   Of course, the saguaro cactus was quite fun to see – there are a lot of them, and actually you don’t have to visit the botanical garden to see them as they grow abundantly everywhere in the Desert soil.

I would say that one of my favorite memories of the Phoenix Botanical Garden is seeing the saguaro cactus.  Up to this point I had only seen them in movies, television programs, or in pictures and had always through they were pretty “cool” looking.  And, they were!

Did you know that the Arizona state flower is actually the saguaro blossom?  That is quite fitting for the natural desert flowering plant that flourishes there.  You will absolutely remember the saguaro cactus when you visit the area.   They remind me of desert scarecrows – don’t you think they resemble people as they grow tall and have “arms” growing out the sides of their trunks?  Hehe … I think so.

My favorite plant aside from the saguaro cactus was the palo verde trees.  I loved the fact that they have green colored bark and teenie tiny leaves with two stems.  The whole tree is just a beautiful natural blend of soft green against the brown background.  They provide a sense of softness to such a harsh environment.  I bet they look incredible when in blossom – a complete burst of yellow so I have learned.

I took a lot of pictures and several video’s and will be posting a collection dedicated to my trip out west.  For those who have an interest in flowers and plants, I would highly recommend a visit to the Phoenix Botanical Garden.  Remember to bring a bottle of water, or you may also find drinking fountains located throughout the garden grounds too.  You may also want to wear a wide brimmed hat and bring sunglasses (which I forgot).  Plan on at least 1.5 hours to walk through the garden paths – and do some research ahead of time if you are looking to visit when most of the plants are in blossom.  My visit was in October and there were very few in blossom.  This was a fun, unique, and wonderful botanical garden visit.

Click here to watch the brief video of my trip to the Phoenix Botanical Garden:

So, it’s another Friday…yippee, yay! I say treat yourself, or someone special, to a nice floral bouquet to kick-start the weekend on the right footing. Add that burst of freshness and color to your life. It will provide a sense of renewal, energy, and reminder to make the most of the upcoming fantastic weekend.

As a floral shop owner, Friday’s are not just another busy day. It is a day to assess that week’s activities, sales, and upcoming projects for the next week and beyond. Part of this assessment includes analyzing and evaluating the inventory of flowers remaining in the cooler. Left over flowers make perfect stems for creating a lovely floral bouquet which can be sold as Friday specials.

A good florist plans to have 95% plus of their flowers consumed each week, with minimal waste. Keeping waste down to a minimum means lower expenses and higher profits. However, even the best of the best sometimes can not predict nor achieve such a high rate of consumption each week due to external factors and circumstances beyond their control.

An even better florist will find a way to utilize 99% of their flowers each week no matter what the circumstances or external factors may be. This includes the ability to find creative ways to move flowers left in the cooler on a Friday to make room for the fresh deliveries in the upcoming week.

One way florists do this is by creating pre-made floral bouquets and placing them in buckets to be sold as “grab-n-go” pieces. This approach is a great strategy, especially on Fridays. The “grab-n-go” floral bouquet is extremely convenient for the busy person that doesn’t have extra time to wait for a custom creation.

Offering a beautiful floral bouquet, that is pre-made with special wrapping to people on Friday’s is a smart strategy to move any left over flowers for the week. The customer is still getting fresh flowers because they have been treated properly and stored correctly to insure longevity. A floral bouquet from the florist will last longer than those purchased elsewhere just by virtue of the fact that the flowers have been taken care of properly.

So, I say – TREAT YOURSELF SPECIAL on Friday! Purchase a nice floral bouquet from your local florist.  You deserve it, and you will enjoy the floral bouquet for the entire weekend.