Gladiolas

Every day we have flower related discussions with our customers at the shop. Many times our conversations are held in front of our flower cooler. Our customers graze their visual senses at the many varieties and colors on display and then stop at the tall bucket of Gladiola blooms and confess their feelings about how these majestic blossoms remind them of funerals. Although it is true that Gladiolas are generally present at memorials, they have so much more to offer than just condolences.

Gladiolas have their origions from Africa. Gladiolus, comes from the Latin word gladius meaning "a sword". Although many people think they are related to the lily family, they are not. Surprisingly, Gladiolas are related to the Iris family. One look comparing Iris and Gladiola foliage and you too will be convinced on the relationship. Some of the best Gladiolas we get in, come from Florida. They are shipped to us overnight barely showing any petals or colors. Gladiolas are sensitive to fluoride in the water.  If you ever noticed a brown or "burn" tip of the leaf, that is the effect of the fluoride. The fluoride will not shorten their life but eventually you wont even notice once the blossoms begin to unfold. Gladiolas are also geotropic in that they bend away from gravity. Thus, they are best used in a vertical vase design to prevent the spike tips from curling up. Make sure the vessel you choose holds plenty of water because Gladiolas consume volumes of water. Using a clean knife, angle your cut and carefully place them in your vase. (go to care and handling for more instructions)

For those of you who have tall ceilings at home or office, try a vase of just Gladiolas. They have a vase life of 7-14 days (depending on the temperature of the environment) and the volume of color they give is just magnificent. We generally snap off the very tip to encourage the other blooms to open. They offer a warm grand display for you and your guests at entrance ways, half walls and kitchen islands. It is a different style you may be used to but i guarantee you will love it as much as we do.


See you at the shop, the view is great!

Charles
Chantilly Floral

Sunflowers

Sunflowers

Nature never ceases to amaze me. This week we are featuring sunflowers. Sunflowers are native to the Americas.  Thus, our Sunflowers are brought in from local farmers, crops in California and even some farms in South America. It all depends on availability. However, what I find most interesting about Sunflowers is that they can be used in phytoremediation to naturally extract toxic ingredients from soil, such as lead, arsenic and uranium. Sunflowers were used to remove contaminates from a nearby pond after the Chernobyl disaster and are also being used in response to the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

It is funny how many commercial farmers growing commodity crops, discard the Sunflower as just a weed and yet it can be so important to help in environmental recovery efforts.

Look for our special this week....... Sunflowers

Charles
Chantilly Floral

Alstroemeria- did you know?

Alstroemeria or Peruvian Lily, are probably one of the most popular flowers for our customers. The customers at Chantilly Floral seem to like ther lasting capabilities, colors and textures.  But did you know, perhaps the most fascinating- and telltale- morphological trait of Alstroemeria and its relatives is the fact that the leaves are resupinate, that is, they twist from the base so that what appears to be the upper leaf surface is in fact the lower leaf surface. This very unusual botanical feature is easily observed in the leaves on cut flowers. Stop in and we will show this very unique distiction.

Wednesday we are featuring Alstroemeria as a special in the floral department at Chantilly. We have chosen a very specific farm in South America to send us the supply for our feature this week and we hope you will stop in and try a bunch or two. When I bring them home, I generally choose a lower vase. That way, as the flowers open, they slowly fill the vessel upon bloom expansion. Follow our guidlines for flower care and do not be surprised if your alstroemeria last more than two weeks! Maybe, they will become your favorites too!


See you at the store!

Charles

Featured This Week...Chrysanthemum

This week we are featuring Green Spider Chrysanthemums. Chrysanthemums originated in China and migrated early in the 8th century AD to Japan. There is a national "festival of happiness" in Japan dedicated to the flower. Today, the Chrysanthemum is cultivated year-round in Holland and South America. The Green Spider Chrysanthemums we are featuring this week are imported from Columbia. We enjoy them because they are a strong cut flower which travels extremely well and has superb keeping qualities. As with many flowers, the best care is using a sharp knife to cut the stems after you prepare a clean vase of warm water with preservative.

Try mixing these in a vase with some clippings from your garden. I know my wife likes to use foliage from our peony bush to a vase of flowers from the store. Enjoy the week with a buch of Green Spider Chrysanthemums!

Charles
Chantilly Floral Boutique

A Little Extra Care

Enjoying Flowers During The Summer

The warm weather is particularly tough on flowers. When temperatures fluctuate, as the do between air-conditioned rooms and the summer outdoors, flowers get stressed. Stress reduces vase life of fresh cut flowers. They also get stressed if they are given home made additives such as bleach water, aspirin, or penny-infused solutions rather than a commercially produced solution that has the acid, nutrients, and germicides the flowers so desperately need. Without the germicide, the flower stem gets plugged, preventing the bloom from drinking and sapping the buds of the energy needed to open and last in the vase.

Here are some tips to help get the most from your fresh bouquets.

1. make sure your vase is clean.
2. use cool water instead of warm and mix your preservative completely. if you do not have some, stop at our store and we would be happy to give you a complimentary package.
3. cut your bouquet stems on an angle using a sharp knife. dull knives or cutters smash stems or produce ragged cuts, intensifying the amount of cells released into the solution. this releases enzymes, carbohydrates and amino acids when cut and causes a feeding frenzy for bacteria.
4. keep your vase full. a bouquet of roses, chrysanthemums, dahlias and sunflowers can easily go through a vase of water on a hot day.
5 when you change your water, never combine an old solution with a new one.
6. keep your bouquet out of direct sunlight and other heat sources such as the TV.
7. if you are gone during the day and won't be home to enjoy them, move them into the refrigerator or a cool basement for the time you are gone.

Try these tips, but most of all, use your packet of solution. it really makes a difference!

next week we will discuss care for specific varieties!

see you then.

Charles

Chantilly Floral Boutique