Flower Factor: A Lifestyle Blog From Aboutflowers.com

What a year! We had a blast showing the country how good it feels to give and receive flowers through “Petal It Forward.” We showed how flowers are a small, yet powerful gesture for recognizing achievements. We celebrated exciting wedding and event party trends, a long romantic Valentine’s Day weekend and even Super Bowl Sunday. Thank you to our contributors for sharing their expertise. And a great big thanks to YOU for reading and sharing our ideas on all things floral.

And now, please enjoy this trip down memory lane as we look back at the top Flower Factor posts of 2016:

Flowers Create Connection: In response to new data reaffirming the science behind flowers’ ability to improve moods and lessen anxiety, the Society of American Florists and florists nationwide hit the streets on October 19 in 234 cities in all 50 states to hand out tens of thousands of flower bouquets to busy commuters. This “Petal It Forward” effort was meant to not only brighten the day of those receiving the bouquets, but recipients were also given a second bouquet to share with someone who needed a lift.

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At some point in all of our lives, we have to face the hardship that accompanies the death of a loved one. Perhaps someone you know is going through this difficult time right now with their family.

The memorial service, funeral, celebration of life, or “goodbye party” as my mother-in-law wished it to be called, is a time to honor and remember an individual and what they mean to others.

Flowers are an integral piece of the memorial process because they have an almost-magical way of conveying emotion that can’t always be expressed in words. Meaning has been associated with flowers and plants for thousands of years, which explains why they have always been present at farewell rituals.

Today, florists are able to incorporate specific flowers or personal items into a custom floral design that can be as unique as the person it represents. It brings personal aspects of an individual’s life into the beautiful floral creation. This can be cathartic for close friends and family, but also shares the history and passion of the individual with others in attendance.

A special hat and lariat might be incorporated to remember a rancher. A fishing pole and lures built into the casket flowers or standing easel for an avid fisherman. Personalizing floral expressions doesn’t just have to be from the family. Members of an organization or society may send their emblem or symbol in floral form to the service as a collective remembrance from the group.

So if you’re searching for a way to highlight a loved one’s personality, hobby or career, let flowers help with the talking. It’s amazing what they can say. Read More

Flowers can be a great source of comfort to those grieving the loss of a loved one. They brighten and warm a funeral or memorial service setting, adding beauty to an otherwise somber occasion. Flowers also offer a comforting diversion — something to talk about or look at during the visitation. Professional florists can create highly personalized sympathy tributes that depict an aspect of a person’s essence, and this trend of personalization is becoming more and more prevalent in commemorating the life of a loved one.

Contestants in the Society of American Florists’ last Sylvia Cup Floral Design Competition were told that the most recognizable and oldest patron of Studio 54 passed away, and they were asked to create a memorial design piece called, “Let’s Dance the Last Dance Tonight,” for the fictitious Celebration of Life, keeping in mind, she only wore gold. Here is a look at the memorial pieces that got the judges talking.

First Place: Complex swirls of gold snakeskin wire converge with dramatic folds of flax, creating fabulous line movement and the illusion of a shooting star. The celestial being takes flight from a hand-tied bouquet of green hydrangeas, midnight callas and protea in a clear glass footed cylinder. A stream of gold chains and a stream of green hanging amaranthus flow from the bouquet.

First Place by Jacob McCall, AAF, AIFD, FSMD, design director at The Elite Flower in Miami, Fla. Entry sponsored by The Elite Flower

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My mother collected turtle figurines. She had hundreds of them. For her service, I placed figurines that she loved from the grandchildren in and around her casket spray and in other floral tributes. Everyone was delighted with the hunt for turtles.

Many years ago, my friend’s father, an avid ice fisherman, died. My friend asked me to make the casket spray for the service, as I knew her father well. He loved fishing, and we collected ice fishing poles, a small bait bucket, an ice hole scooper and fishing hats — one said, “I fish with Grandpa” — to display in the floral tribute. We placed the hats in the center of the design with the fishing equipment sprinkled around. The design included cattails, branches, twigs and moss. Flowers in front hung down with small branches and greens to resemble under the water. We tied small fish onto the ice fishing poles with monofilament line. It was designed for Grandpa.

The tribute drew an overwhelming response from guests at the service. Everyone wanted to know who created it. So many were asking me questions about the design, I was embarrassed to be the center of attention instead of Grandpa. I went outside and debated internally if I should leave.

My friend came out to find me, and I told her my concerns. She said in a nice way, “What makes you think this is about you?” Read More

Have you heard the phrase, “Say it with flowers?” There is a reason for the phrase — flowers really do help people say things that are often difficult to put into words. One of the hardest things to say is, “I am so sorry for your loss.” Words don’t seem to be enough. As a florist, there’s a special skill in listening to another human being express to you the need to tell someone how they feel. We are turning those feelings into flowers. When we do it well it makes us feel that we chose the right profession because we’re helping another person. Every story can be told with flowers when it comes to sympathy design. Read More