Did I get your attention? Sorry, I just couldn’t resist! When I was a little girl, we called them “brains”. We would gather them into huge piles and either throw them into the woods or throw them at each other.

I know what you are probably thinking, “That must have hurt!” It did but it never slowed us down. Still don’t know what I am talking about? I am fondly remembering the grapefruit sized, green, brain-like fruit that my siblings and I used to collect by the dozens each fall. 

I ended up having two boys and when they were little they did the same thing I did years earlier; they threw them at each other. Of course I yelled words of caution but it never slowed them down either.Around that time I started to collect the “brains” and used them for fall decorations in my house. Hedge apples have a pleasant smell and they are said to act as a natural insect repellant, although I am not sure if this is a proven fact.

I would gather several of them and place them into a carved wooden bowl or a natural looking basket. Next came the fun part, gathering the other things to go into my display. It varied each year but I would take a walk and collect natural grasses, colorful leaves or whatever captured my fancy. I would bring my “loot” home and create a unique looking arrangement each time. They even look great by themselves too. One year I dumped an armload of them into a wooden crate and placed it next to my front door for a colorful fall display.

Fall has always been my favorite season, and collecting my next batch of “brains” is something I always look forward to. Several days ago while I was out gathering some, it occurred to me that I didn’t even know the real name of these funny looking green orbs. After a little bit of searching I discovered they are called Hedgeapples and these non-edible, non-poisonous fruits come from a tree called the Osage Orange Tree.

As you read this article, you are either shaking your head saying, “Oh yeah, I know what she is talking about.” or quite possibly you have never seen a hedgeapple in your life. Either way, this autumn collect a few “brains” and create a beautiful fall display of your own! 

Source: http://www.flowers-and-garden.com/decoratingwithbrains.php

When I was choosing flowers for my beach wedding, I wasn’t really aware the meaning of various flowers are, which I’m sure every bride would go for whatever suits their like which compliments their style. It’s about time for every bride to know these various meaning of every flowers for your wedding, and they may be simple to look at before making into a gorgeous bouquet, but every flower shop will do everything they can to make them as unique as possible.

Roses:
No other flowers symbolize love better than roses. Roses are available all year round and come in a great variety of colors to match any wedding theme. Among the most popular colors are white, red, yellow, pink, orange, lavender, and hot pink

.

Alstroemeria:
These beautiful “south of the border” flowers are native to South America, specifically to Chile and Brazil. They primarily bloom in the spring and summer and can be found in sunny yellow, milky white and rich red colors.

Asters:
These gorgeous flowers, whose heads are shaped like stars, are perfect for late summer and fall weddings as they bloom abundantly during these months. Asters are similar in appearance to daisies and are available in white, purple, lavender, pink and red

.

Bells of Ireland:
These unusual green flowers are a favorite for summer weddings. Mix bells of Ireland together with hypericum berries for a one of a kind festive centerpiece.

Birds of Paradise:
True to their name, birds of paradise give an impression of exotic birds. Known as an ornamental flower, this exquisite combination of a tall green stalk, bright orange sepals and purplish-blue petals stands beautifully on its own. It is a perfect flower to use for weddings with tropical themes.

Calla Lilies:
Calla Lilies come in classic, pure white as well as occasionally in two-toned shades such as white with pink, butter with cream, or yellow with gold. They are time-honored wedding flowers and are available for enjoyment all year round.

Chrysanthemum (aka Pompons):
As their name suggests, these festive flowers look like a flowering pompon. A fun and cheerful flower, pompons are celebrated annually at the Japanese “Festival of Happiness.” Pompons are available in a variety of colors and are perfect for contributing to the happiness of weddings all year round.

Hypericum Berries:
These unique, full flowers, similar to berries, are available in wonderful earthy tones such as green, brownish red, yellow, pink, and red. Hypericum berries are most widely available in the summer.

Hydrangeas:
These blooming flowers look beautiful on their own or mixed with other flowers. They come in white, blue, natural pink and purple tinted. Hydrangeas are great for spring and summer weddings.

Larkspur:
These tall white, blue, and pink flowers burst into bloom in the springtime which makes them ideal for an April or May wedding (though they can be used throughout the spring and summer as well).

Liatris:
Tall and ornamental, these flowers are a popular choice for summer wedding centerpieces and bouquets. As an added effect to a romantic event, their rich purple color attracts beautiful butterflies.

Lilies:
Lilies are large flowers with three petals that come with three petal-like sepals. They are most commonly available in the summer. Lilies come in a range of color such as white, yellow, orange, pink, red, purple, bronze and even nearly black. Their petals are often marked with spots, brush strokes and picotees. Not only are lilies a lovely flower to use at your important affair, but they give off a fragrant aroma and create a rich and sweet ambiance.

Mini Callas:
Mini callas are elegant flowers, perfect for bouquets and centerpieces. They are available throughout the year and come in a variety of colors such as white/cream, yellow, orange, pink and mauve. Weather conditions also play a part in their pigmentation and you can often find slight variations in colors of mini callas.

Statice:
While most commonly found in shades of pinks and violet or purple, statice is also available in blue, yellow, white, red, orange and apricot. It is most frequently used to enhance summer and early fall weddings.

Snapdragons:
With their beautiful petals, these tall Mediterranean flowers are reminiscent of an exotic paradise. Snapdragons are widely available in the summer in a crisp white color. They are also available in other colors, including shades of pink or yellow.

http://www.mydreamwedding.ca/uploads/Image/Kyla/8111.jpg

Wedding flowers are one of the essential parts of a wedding, and silk wedding flowers are a great way to make sure you have great flowers at your wedding without breaking your budget. Why would you buy silk wedding flowers instead of real ones?

Of course the head always says real flowers. It’s traditional, it’s real, real flowers are the only wedding flowers that will do it. Silk wedding flowers are, well, artificial.

However when the head stops ruling and reality starts to be heard, there are some very good reasons to use silk wedding flowers.

Why would you choose to buy silk wedding flowers rather than traditional real flowers? Here’s 6 reasons why.

1. Lets get one thing straight. Silk wedding flowers look just as good as real flowers. There is an impression that silk flowers look a little tacky, just a little bit cheap and poor quality.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Modern silk flowers look exactly like the real thing. A viewer cannot tell the difference between silk flowers and real ones when looking at them unless they either feel them or subject them to serious scrutiny.

2. Unlike real flowers, silk wedding flowers don’t wilt. They don’t have petals falling off from time to time and they don’t sag. Silk flowers look as good at the end of the wedding as they do at the start of the wedding. You can’t say that for real flowers.

3. And whilst real flowers are pretty much finished a few days after the wedding, a bride can keep her silk wedding flowers for years if she wishes to preserve the memory of her wedding day.

4. Real wedding flowers are very expensive. If you haven’t shopped for flowers yet just have a look at the price of real wedding flowers and you’ll be surprised at how expensive they can be. Silk flowers, on the other hand, can be extremely cost competitive. Particularly if you buy them in the right place.

Because unlike real wedding flowers you can buy silk wedding flowers online. Yes, you can ORDER real flowers online, but if they come from too far away they won’t be looking so great after delivery. With silk flowers, on the other hand, you can order online and get your silk flowers extremely cheaply, and they won’t come to you all damaged and wilting.

5. It’s possible to have the exact flowers you want, in the right colors, regardless of the season. With real flowers you’re a little dictated to by the season. If the flower you want isn’t in season, or the color isn’t in season, you’re stuck. But with silk flowers you’ve got a complete choice of flowers regardless of the season.

6. Silk flowers retain value. Now of course you may want to keep them as I’ve suggested, however many don’t. If you don’t want to keep your flowers you throw them out, if they’re real ones. They’ve usually had it. But silk flowers keep indefinitely, and can be resold.

Convinced? Silk wedding flowers are the way of the future.

Flower arrangement with basket is one of a expression form of flower arranging art, with important function of formal flower arrangement, it has strong practicability and commercial value, also portable. As using a support of basket, it could create various unique art styles different from other kinds of flower arrangement; it possess creative features of itself as same as according with common rules of art creation.

There are many kinds of flower baskets, there are wicker, bamboo, grass, plastic and metal material baskets; Basket forms have turned to air and wall type included from floor and tabletop type, therefor flower baksets also include hanging baskets and wall hanging baskets. At present, there are high body basket, round flower basket, square wineglass shape basket, line shape basket, smooth mouth basket and broken mouth basket, handle basket or handleless basket, boat shape basket and crescent hanging basket, suspension single basket and ringer flower basket with several flower baskets infolded. In a word, the diversity of the flower basket provides most advantageous conditions for flower basket enriches people’s life and beautifies the enviroments. But we should admit, different flower baskets have different styles and various uses, such as wicker baskets, have rigid quality, heavy color, uninhibited bold style and usually have large engraved patterns in body; Bamboo baskets,

with fresh color and modest shine, are the most useful flower baskets presently; Grass baskets have soft quality, gentle colors and natural shines, embodied with bright colors and exaggerated figures, if them could matched with the enviroments well in the modern rooms.

The above three kind of flower baskets, all are flower baskets weaved by hand and are pure natural material basket commonly, thus comtain strong emotion elements. At this point, plastic baskets and metal baskets are inferior to natural material flower baskets.

With harmony colors and rich layers, flower arrangement with basket is natural and lively, can display flower arranging’s line beauty and a kind of rhythm sense. Regular flower arrangings with basket used on etiquettes, need shapely flowers, regular flower branches and full patterns; Lyric flower baskets used to decorate scenery and mood, should choose flowers with flexible branches and picturesque flowers, this kind of flower arranging could use your imagination freely, ramantic and changeble.

The adornments of the flower basket are very important, usually ribbons and greeting cards are familiar. Also we could choose different adornments for different celebration occasions, as we could choose ballons, toys and candies for childrens, and choose cakes, candles or greeting cards for birthday greeting.

Along with the stand levels of people’s material and cultural life improving, the flower basket will welcomed by more and more people, it will play a more and more important pole in people’s life beautification.

Flower Arrangement with Cylinder

Flower Arrangement with Cylinder is a kind of flower work which use cylinder and tubular flower vessel. There are metal, glass, ceramic, plastic and bamboo materials cylinder receptacles, but during the history of flower arrangement in our country, the using of bamboo canister for flower arranging are more popular. In Japan’s flower arrangement ikebana, flower arrangement with cylinder has taken a very important place. It is said that the flower arrangement with cylinder was introduced into Japan from China in 8th century to 11th century.

The flower arrangement with layered cylinder can adopt a two-layer bamboo cylinder with a hole upside and a window downside, which having unique features and natural flavors. Also the flowers could be arranged in a “downing” shape upside and a “uping” shape downside, smaller upside and larger downside, it called “two-layer flowers”. So it could not only display the dynamic balance beauty between the flowers’ size and wave of up and down, also show the features of the flower vessel. In order to match the height of the bamboo cylinder’s up and down layer, hanging shape flowers and vine shape flowers are used commonly, but it’s unnecessarily to use two or more kind of flower materials with flowers on.

It’s should be noticed that the flower branches upside layer and downside layer should sprayes out to the right and left side separately, also attentions should be paid on the control of flower materials’ quantity, length and directions, as to achieve a balance between up and down, thus make the whole work brisk and interesting, also balanced.

Except for the flower arrangement with layered cylinder, there are single-cylinder, combined cylinder(also called high-low cylinder or vertical-across cylinder), hanging pattern and boat pattern flower arrangement.

Potted Cut Flower

Potted flower arrangement refers to assemble potted plants and flowers with branches art and make them as a harminious whole, it’s a larger type of plant artwork decorated in yards and gardens, it could be placed on the two side of the garden aisles, or putted on the balcony, wall corner and sidewall, it’s natural and beautiful. For example it’s very suitable to deck our indoor halls with a cut flower setted with a small foliage potted plant.

For one hand, potted cut flower could saving the time of scissoring branches and leaves through the using of the various plants planted in garden, afterwards matched and interspersed some flowers based on the composed picture, so as to make it into a finished whole; Second, the viewing time could be extended much as long as to replace few fresh flowers; Thirdly, based on seasonal, holiday and guests welcoming demands, new works could be recreated by the recombination or partly adjustment on the original potted flower, in this way materials and time could be saved, also could break the singularity of flower varity in family, and creat surprised episodes constantly.

When we plan to arrange a small potted flower, we usually put the small potted plant in a untransparent container, aside from a beauty exterior, the container should contains water and have large mouth thus an amount of flower branches could be arranged in. If a larger potted plant adopted, pls notice that there should have a shelting piece for the flower pot, thus make the whole work natural and attractive.

The picture above named “My Beloved Hometown”, the golden pachystachys flowers in which is a potted cut flower.

Source: articlebase

Are flowers the key to a woman’s heart? According to consumer research, the answer is yes. The fact is most women truly enjoy receiving flowers, be it on a special occasion or for no reason at all. In return, the men who send them are as good as guaranteed to have made a lasting impression. A gorgeous bouquet doesn’t just say “I love you” or “I’m sorry” – it can say anything you want it to. Flowers are certainly romantic, but they can also give off a multitude of different vibes to suit mothers, close friends or family members. Undeniably, flowers are a pick-me-up for any female.

Let’s face it; the art of giving flowers is not exactly a strong point of the male species. However, with our guy’s guide to flowers, men can use these tips and advice on how to pick the perfect bouquet to send his intended message to the women in his life.

The first step is picking a recipient. Do not limit your options. Any of the leading ladies in your life would be ecstatic to receive a bouquet out of the blue. When sending flowers to a romantic partner, it is advised to keep her favourite flowers in mind. You may even choose blooms which signify important stages in your relationship – sending the flowers you had at your wedding would certainly be a thoughtful and meaningful choice.

For a platonic female friend, think bright, bold and beautiful. Wildflowers are unique and fun, and an ideal way to let someone know they’re on your mind in a casual manner. When it comes to family, a flowering plant or something with subtle colours should do the trick every time.

What about design, you ask? Well, while it is always advisable to trust your florist, do not be afraid to make decisions on your own. The 3 most important aspects in floral design are type, colour and texture. For an exciting and usual bouquet, why not include several different colours of the same flowers for a rainbow effect. An arrangement of multi-coloured roses would be both stylish and pretty.

Alternatively, create a fresh bouquet of blooms of different varieties in various shades of her favourite colour. This monochromatic look is a sure winner. Your other option would be to mix both colours and types, resulting in a contemporary and adventurous look to take her breath away.

As for the message in the card that accompanies the flowers, always speak from the heart and keep it simple. Honesty always prevails and she will appreciate the sentiment.

Whatever you decide, always remember to be spontaneous. As mentioned earlier, receiving flowers for no reason at all is a sure way to brighten up the day of the people you care about. Not only will you score brownie points for surprising her, you will also have made her very happy.

As is often said, size doesn’t matter. The same goes for flowers. Do not be fooled into thinking that a bigger bouquet gets a bigger reaction. A small, tasteful bouquet can make as much of a statement as a larger sized one; the trick is to pick the appropriate size for the occasion that truly expresses your sentiments.

Now you’re ready to put these helpful tips into use. Send some flowers today. Then sit back, relax and watch the smiles grow on the faces of your loved ones.

Source: StreetDirectory

Some women and most men see Flowers as wasteful gifts: she prefers him to splurge on tangible goods that can be paraded around; and he prefers to impress with tangible goods that she can parade around.

After all, fresh flowers wither in a matter of days, don’t they? True, but honestly, you are still better off with flowers.

Here are several reasons why:

• Flowers are an intelligent woman’s  real best friend. 
  Intelligent women would rather have roses on their tables than diamonds on their necks. A sole stalk, according to several scientific findings, is able create passion, to soothe, to cheer, to beautify…with its very presence. Like a true friend, flowers improve moods and create intimateness. A diamond, in all of its indestructible nature, can only look pretty perched on a slender finger. There is a reason why we do not have bimbos for best friends.

• Flowers are easier on the wallet
  Flowers, unlike diamonds and designer goods, are easier on the wallet. 
  Honestly, for much fewer hundreds of dollars, flowers can produce the same (perhaps more positive) reaction for the receiver. Everyone remembers the first time s/he receives flowers.

• Flowers do more than what you paid it for. 
  Giving flowers not only show that you love him/her; it shows that you have the initiative to dedicate effort and time in choosing a perfect bouquet.

• You can never go wrong with flowers. 
  But you can go wrong with chocolates (“are you trying to get me fatter than I am?”), cut /colour/clarity/ carat weight of diamonds (“this is not Tiffany’s Lucida diamond ring!”), and designer goods (“this is Pucci not Gucci!”).

• Flowers save time. 
  Now, you can purchase a bouquet and have it delivered without having to step out of your house – at an e-florist. Simply enter your budget.

• Flowers speak the language of love more fluent than anything else. 
  Flowers say more than just “I love you”. It says “I respect you”, “I am willing to shed all masculine ego to carry these flowers to you”, “I am thinking of you even when you are not around”, “You are beautiful”, “You are special”, “You are important”…

• Flowers are friendlier to the environment than diamonds. 
  Have you not watched Edward Zwick’s movie –> Black Diamond (2006)?

Flowers are a way to let someone know you care, so it is no wonder that sending flowers is such a popular way to commemorate events, from the birth of a new baby to Valentine’s Day. In fact, flowers are also the top choice for letting someone know you’re sorry. However, not all flower bouquets are as nice as the rest. Before you send someone flowers, you may want to do a bit of research. 

Before you do anything else, take some time to think about the type of flowers that this person enjoys. While most people love red roses, there are a few who prefer colorful wildflower bouquets or exuberant sunflowers instead. 

Next, take a look at the different arrangements available. Some come in beautiful vases or include collectibles as part of the arrangement. Others come in simple vases that let the flowers shine. 

After you choose the flowers you want, it is time to send them to that special someone, right? Well, while you may be ordering from a reputable florist, that florist may not be the person actually choosing, arranging, and delivering the flowers. Instead, when flowers are being delivered to someone some distance away, the florist passes the task of filling the order onto a local florist. Ask who will be doing the actual delivery and find out if that florist has a good reputation. 

Once you send the flowers to the recipient, don’t be afraid to follow up. Many times, a disappointing bouquet is delivered, but the person who received it may be afraid to offend the giver, and doesn’t say anything. If you mention that you want to be sure the arrangement looks fresh and that it contains the proper number of flowers, the recipient will probably be much more forthcoming about the condition of the bouquet. If it sounds like there is a problem, follow up with the florist where you placed your order and the florist who filled it. After all, the person getting your bouquet should get what you paid for. 

Finally, you may want to consider sending a very different type of flower, a living plant. This way, your gift will continue to remind that lucky someone of the event the flowers were sent to commemorate long after a fresh bouquet would be a distant memory. If you are sending flowers to someone with a black thumb, you may want to try sending a dried floral arrangement instead.

Source: by: Gray Rollin

The beauty of flowers is that they’re so versatile – it’s hard to think of an occasion when they aren’t an appropriate gift and let’s face it, if you’re stuck for a gift idea, flowers are always a reliable fall-back solution. The only problem is that for most of us the world of flowers can be a mysterious and daunting one; not everyone is blessed with a florist’s expertise so knowing what to choose can be a bit of a challenge. 

For those who don’t necessarily fancy themselves as a budding Alan Titchmarsh, don’t be put off. Well chosen flowers really are a great way of expressing a whole range of sentiments from gratitude to congratulations to love. So have a look at the following tips and hopefully you’ll feel a bit more confident about choosing the right flowers to say exactly what you want to say. 

Romance – If you’re trying to woo someone or perhaps hoping to inject a bit of good old fashioned romance and spontaneity into your relationship or marriage, flowers are still one of the most effective tools of seduction. The obvious choice here are roses, the red rose in particular is still associated with love (it’s traditionally symbolic of passionate love) more than any other flower and as such still makes a good, classic choice. For something a bit different though there are plenty of attractive alternatives – Lilies, Daisies, Orchids and Wildflowers for instance are all associated with conveying a message of love. 

Congratulations – Obviously you’re looking to express something of the celebratory spirit here so consider going for bold, bright and contrasting colors that you feel really communicate a sense of fun and playfulness. 

Thank you – One of the most common sentiments behind floral gifts - flowers are ideal for expressing gratitude. There aren’t really any definitive rules here; the most important thing is that they convey a sense of sincerity and perhaps feel like you’ve put some personal thought into your choice. A casually arranged selection of some complementary flowers of your choice should be fine. Pink carnations are traditionally the floral symbol of gratitude. 

I’m sorry – There are few more consistently effective ways of getting out of the dog house than with flowers, somehow a floral gift makes it almost impossible for anyone to hold a grudge for too much longer. Go for arrangements of delicate warm tones and put a bit of thought into an accompanying note. 

Get well – Flowers can convey a sense of deeply felt empathy so they make the perfect gift to let someone know your thinking of them. Ultimately what flowers you choose will come down to a personal decision but you could bare in mind a couple of possible approaches: You could go down a couple of different routes here. Either stick with something restrained and tastefully serene or why not go for a more positive, uplifting message with a bold, vibrant arrangement. Bare in mind that ultimately flower-buying is a personal thing so don’t feel too bogged down by these suggestions. 

You still can’t go far wrong with flowers as a gift for almost any occasion. For those to whom the world of flowers remains a mystery, this brief guide should provide you with a few tips to cover all your gift buying needs.

Source: Katie Brown

For me, flowers are one of the most important aspects of a wedding. They bring color, life, and aroma to a wedding. They help make table settings more beautiful, and can transform a formerly dull space into a beautiful personality-filled one. Yet they can also be confusing for a beginner, and a budget breaker for many, as well as an excuse to spend your wedding sneezing for some. Before you order your flowers, check out these sites.

Source: About