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

by: Glenda Erceg

Weddings are very expensive. If you are looking for ways to cut wedding expenses you may want to consider the flowers.

Even if you want to have the flowers provided by a rather expensive florist there are ways to cut back. If you want flowers that are unique or created by a pricey florist but still need to shave a little from the floral budget you can consider fewer flowers and arrangements. Use the florist of your dreams but order less.

If you need to trim more from the floral expenses consider flowers from a local grocery store floral department. Many stores have excellent floral arrangers and they will work with you to create beautiful floral designs.

Let’s say neither of the above suggestions is going to work but you still want to have fresh flowers. You can order flowers and put the bouquets together yourself. Or maybe you have a friend or relative who could help with this project. You also could check into hiring a student who is taking classes in floral arranging. Many community colleges offer these courses and the student may also be able to purchase fresh flowers at cost.

Many people are very happy with wedding floral arrangements created from silk flowers. If you are creative you can design the bouquets yourself. You may also know someone who can help you with the arrangements. Gather your friends together for an evening of flower bouquet preparations. Have all the flowers and supplies ready, provide some food and have a flower arranging party.

Weddings are expensive but you can cut the cost and still have gorgeous flowers for your special day.

With today’s high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

“What’s most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way,” said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.

Research Findings

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

carestep1.GIF (120 bytes) Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

carestep1.GIF (120 bytes) Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

carestep3.GIF (153 bytes) Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

“Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being.”

Sharing Space

The study also explored where in their homes people display flowers. The arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors - such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms - suggesting that flowers are a symbol for sharing.

“Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room,” said Dr. Haviland-Jones. “They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.”

Source: Flowertocn

A flower is the reproductive structure of the flowering plants. The plant’s reproductive organs are contained in the flower. The function of the flower is to produce seeds. After fertilization, portions of the flower develop into a fruit containing the seeds. The role of seeds is very important in the existence of the species of plants. Seeds are the next generation for the higher plants. These serve as the primary means by which individuals of a species are dispersed across the landscape. The inflorescence is the grouping of flowers on a plant.

Flowers are also symbol of beauty and also contain various lovely fragrances. They represent your true emotions. Roses bring a smile to your face. They have long been admired and used by humans, mainly to beautify their environment. The flowers are even used as a source of food.

In Western culture, many flowers have important symbolic meanings. The practice of assigning meanings to flowers is known as floriography. Red roses are given as a symbol of love, beauty, and passion. Lilies are often used to denote life or resurrection.Poppies are a symbol of consolation in time of death. Red poppies are worn to commemorate soldiers who have died in times of war in the UK, Australia and Canada.Irises/Lily are used in burials as a symbol referring to “resurrection/life”. Daisies are a symbol of innocence.

Flowers decorations are always very much appreciated on special occasions. Flower petals, or plants are used for wedding decorations, parties, or even for cake decorations. There are many flower companies which supply both fresh flowers, and bridal bouquets. Silk flowers (http://www.classicalmesh.com/welcome.php ) are also used for great decorations. They are sewn on fabric such as shirts, or curtains and give them a unique look.

Flowers not only give good looks but also they produce lovely smell.Hybrid tea roses offer a wide range of fragrances, including licorice, spice, and other sweet smelling aromas. Even artificial flowers can have scents added to them.

Flowers are adorning the every aspect of the lives of the people in modern times.. People have sought ways to cultivate, buy, wear, or just be around flowers and blooming plants, partly because of their agreeable smell. Flowers are greatly used for a wide range of events and functions around the world.

The rose is regarded the most obvious symbol of love and romance all over the world. The Rose has the honor of being the national flower of the US. It is a flowering shrub of the genus Rosa. The beauty, fragrance and sensuality of the roses always make them a worthy addition to any garden/landscape. The roses are of four types.

1. Bush roses— Upright rose plant, bearing rose flower on top. These are of different types.Its types include hybrid teas, floribundas, grandifloras, miniatures and antique roses. The hybrid tea is famous for their color-range (red, yellow, pink, white) and fragrance. These are the most extensively grown among the rose types. Floribundas are refined from the hybrid tea roses. Grandifloras combine the best of the above two, while miniatures are tiny forms of all rose types. Old or antique roses have long heritage dating back to a time before 1867, the year of first hybrid tea production.
2. Climbing roses—These rose plants need staking and supports like trellis, fences, posts or pillars. They have long, curving canes and varied colors.
3. Shrub and Ground Cover roses— The shrub roses grow broadly upright and need the least care.
4. Tree roses— Any one of the bud-grafted rose types on a straight, steady trunk. They need sincere pruning and winter protection.
It is worthmentioning here that dried roses make great decorations. Their petals, and stems can be fixed onto greeting cards. You can beautify it more by adding your own unique touches. You can make a dried floral wreath. You can use dried roses to decorate a bowl, or container. They can also be stored to remember a special occasion. Surprisingly, the dead roses can last 6-12 months, even longer if properly maintained.

White rose flowers are beautiful in their simplicity. The white roses are of different styles. Some white rose’s are of the classic rose shape, with petals spiraling outward from the center. Other white roses have full blossoms with many petals. Some white roses only have a few petals, and look like daisies.

Benefits of roses
Roses are very beneficial from health point of view. Rose oil, rose water and rose hips benefit us in a number of ways.

Both rose oil and rose water are derived from the rose flower and are good for skin. Rose water acts as a tonic, antiseptic good for eye infections while Rose oil is used in aromatherapy. Roses are mild sedatives and anti-depressants. Rose hips (flowers swollen to seeds) are source of many essential vitamins and also fight bladder infections and diarrhea.

For more information about flower guide visit: http://www.classicalmesh.com/flower-guide.php

Flower Bouquet

Hundreds of flowers to choose from. Florists often use a wide variety of flowers when creating an arrangement.

There are various things considered before classifying flowers. The classification of flowers is done on the anatomical arrangement which is known as morphology of flower.

Classification of flowers according to the Morphology

According to Corolla
1. Sympetalous – Flowers coming under this group come with their petals joined, partially or fully.
2. Polypetalous – The petals of these flowers coming under this group are not joined.
3. Actinomorphic – The flowers coming under this group are having characteristic radial symmetry. The flower can be divided into two identical parts along any imaginary axis through centre. These are further classified as funnel shaped, tubular shaped and campanulate (narrower than tubular, a bell like shape). Poppy family, cruciform and rose family are few notable examples of actinomorphic morphology.
4. Zygomorphic – The flowers display bilateral symmetry. Only two symmetrical parts are possible along a single axis passing through centre. Bilabiate flowers, display irregular corolla with upper lip made by joining two petals, and lower lip by joining three. In Papilionaceous flowers, corolla is made up of five petals. One at the most superior position, known as standard; two side ones, called wings and the keel, two joined ones present below.

Classification Based on the position
1. Terminal – In this group, flowers or clusters of flowers arise on the ends of the axis or branches, like Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia) and Nerium oleander

2. Axillary – flowers or clusters of flowers are carried at the junction of the stem or axis and the leaf, like Catharanthus roseus (periwinkle), Callicarpa mericana (beautyberry), and Hibiscus rosa-sinensis (hibiscus)

Classification based on Flower Branches, Clusters, and Inflorences
1. Single Flower – In this group, single flower present at the tip of peduncle, an elongated stalk or branch of the main axis of the plant. The examples are tulip and Magnolia grandiflora (southern magnolia).

2. Cluster - In this, three or more flowers gathered in close formation together in simple or branched manner to enhance their conspicuousness. The examples are Ligustrum japonicum (ligustrum), Pentas spp. (pentas), Mangifera indica (mango), Pyracantha coccinea (firethorn), and Dianthus barbatus (sweet William).

3. Inflorescence – Inflorescence is the general term used for the arrangement of flowers or groups of flowers.. There is great assortment in this display among different types of flowers, but few characteristics remain same for a specific type and they are useful in their identification of species. They are further classified into the racemose type and the cymose type.

a. Racemose Inflorescences - the axis of the inflorescence continues to grow and the flowers blossom in the axes of the reduced leaves or bracts, with the oldest flower is borne at the base and the newest flowers near the growing tip.

b. Cymose Inflorescences - The development of a terminal flower stops the upward growth of the floral axis. The oldest flower is borne at the tip; with younger ones appearing lower down on the axis. The floral axis stops to elongate once the first flower opens, and so called a determinate inflorescence.

Classification Based on Blossom
1. Annual flowers – They offer a better option for a longer blooming time. Annuals come in different varieties like‘ Tender’ annuals and Stronger annuals. Some annuals can endure frost or stand up to the elements
Perennials produce brilliant flowers over a number of years. Most popular in perennial is the rose, grown in thorny bushes
2. Biennial flowers – They don’t blossom at all the first growing season and die after the second.

Flowers come in different colors, some of those colors are common but some are rare and this rarity adds their beauty and makes them even more exotic. The popularity of flowers depends on their exclusive aroma, exquisiteness or both. Some times, popularity depends on some cultural traits peculiar to that geographical region.

Rose is the most popular flower type in the world followed by other flowers such as Chrysanthemums, Tulips, Lilies, Carnations, Poinsettias, Gerberas, and Narcissus etc. Some flower types may not be very popular around the globe, but could be the most popular in their respective regions.

It is time to do some study and dig up some dirt on the many, many types of beautiful flowers you can choose from. Whether you take time to sneak through the tulips, run with wildflowers, watch the daisies grow, laze around in the glory of morning flowers or unwind in the paradise of tropical blooms, the alluring, fragrant, and never-ending range of different types of flowers is sure to keep you invigorated and smelling like a rose for seasons to come!

Source: Buzzle

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