Flower Factor: A Lifestyle Blog From Aboutflowers.com

The holiday of love can be a stressful event. Couples together for years are on the hunt for a new twist on the flower gifting. Those in a new relationship are wondering how to send the correct message without being over-zealous or too remote. Singles raise their hand and ask, “What about me?” There’s no need to be a Valentine’s Day amateur. Everyone can feel like a Valentine’s gifting pro with a little help from your flower friends.

Flowers can convey a gentle caress, a big bear hug, a simple “you’re special,” or a grand “I love you.” Which message is correct for you? Florists around the world are at the ready to help you navigate the flower world to find the perfect floral gift with just the right amount of romance and unique creativity.

Let’s start at the beginning with young love (no matter the age). A bright palette of sunshine hues is sure to make the recipient smile. Male, female, young, old – everyone likes to receive flowers. Add a creative wrap at the base and you are on-trend with textured style.

Photo Courtesy Florists’ Review magazine

Read More

The origins of Valentine’s Day can be traced back to both ancient Roman and ancient Christian traditions. The holiday is associated with the Roman Lupercalia (a fertility festival) and to Christian Saint(s) who had romantic legends associated with that name.

Valentine’s Day is most often perceived as a celebration between lovers sending each other tokens of affection. While men buy mostly for romantic reasons, women use Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to show they care to mothers, friends, children, as well as their sweethearts. Women even treat themselves on Valentine’s Day.

Flowers, hearts and cupids are traditional symbols of love and affection. While the heart is an essential part of our circulatory system, it has long been associated with our emotions and has become symbolic of love and romance. Cupid, known through mythology as the god of love and desire, has come down to us as a chubby little cherub who likes to shoot arrows that inflame desire. Your florist can incorporate hearts and cupids into your Valentine’s Day gifts.   Read More

Roses are the most popular flower in the United States and giving roses is a favorite way to say, “I love you.” Last Valentine’s Day, an estimated 250 million roses were produced for the holiday. While red roses are the No. 1 floral gift purchased for Valentine’s Day, there are hundreds of varieties of roses to choose from with many different and exciting characteristics that make each of them unique, such as color, stem length, petal count, and fragrance to name just a few.

Last September during the Society of American Florists’ Outstanding Flower Varieties Competition, there were 67 types of roses showcased. Here is a look at the three roses that earned Best in Class recognition. This is the final chapter in a three-part series.

Best Standard Rose: If you’re a classic romantic, you can’t help falling in love with ‘Black Pearl’. No, this is not Johnny Depp’s ship in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. This ‘Black Pearl’ is a sophisticated rose with smooth, velvety crimson petals and can bloom for up to 2 weeks.

Read More

For floral table decor, bridal bouquets, floral jewelry and more, go gaga for the Pantone Color of the Year 2017 “Greenery.” This choice is so versatile and complementary to so many other floral color palette inspirations. Pantone describes Greenery as “a refreshing and revitalizing shade, symbolic of new beginnings.” Florists are excited to see this color hit the forefront, as green is a way to add freshness and impact to floral designs.

Read More

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.

Read More