Autumn Flowers

Autumn is with us again with all its warm colours.See our new designs on http://www.jackiephillipsflowers.com/html/autumn_flowers.html

Flowers realy do make you feel happy

This is something florists have always known and lots of our customers also comment on how we are a happy shop. No matter how down you feel working with flowers soon cheers you up.

Until now there was not any scientific reason or research to prove that flowers could actually affect your mood and make you happy. However now there is a scientific backing to the claims about the flower power. Researchers at a USA University after doing a 10-month study came to a conclusion that there is a linkage between flowers and moods.

The researchers have discovered that there is an instant effect on a person's mood when you receive flowers. You break into a smile involuntarily irrespective of your age or your temperament.

Even those who were feeling low and were in a depressed mood felt good almost immediately after receiving a gift of flowers. No wonder, we have the tradition to take flowers when we go to see someone in the hospital. Flowers have a healing touch. They make people feel more optimistic and look at the brighter side of life.

Science hasn't discovered anything new. You've always known this about flowers from personal experience. Science has only strengthened your opinion with solid proof. Flowers make us happy and remove the tension making us more creative. In return, the least you can do is take good care of them when you receive them so that they'll last a long time.

I have been on Facebook several months now and can see the benefits of it for keeping in touch with friends (its original intent). But now its driving more and more to businesses Im getting a bit lost. Ive found out how to create a page for my business but dont see how they are linked?? Have also found out how to get friends to follow this Blog. But again dont see how this will appear of Facebook. Presumably once you have +4 frieds following it something appears on Facebook which may point more floowers to the blog. But what and where??
Have also installed an RSS News Feed on my blog but how do I get the posts to appear on my Facebook - do I have to link each post??

Are there any experts reading this who can answer these three questions in a way that I can understand

New Hippeastrum Galaxy Grp Challenger

Until now the Hippeastrum Top Ten has not included a white and green cultivar. However, with the arrival of the ‘Challenger’ this could well be set to change.
A bicoloured Hippeastrum is often viewed as rather exclusive and this is true to some extent.

The Challenger has exceptionally large white flowers with their pale green centres. The flower diameter is no less than 21 cm. Other attractive features include the upright flowers, sturdy stems and the bud presentation in the box as well as a vase life of two weeks. In short, this is a quality product with stylish looks.

It is available from the Dutch auctions from October to the end of April. The term ‘Galaxy Grp’ is a collective name for all single flowered cultivars with a flower diameter of at least 16 cm.

Family
Hippeastrum is a member of the Amaryllidaceae family.

Varieties
Hippeastrum has recently been subdivided into 9 cultivar groups:

• Group 1: Galaxy Group
• Group 2: Diamond Group
• Group 3: Colibri Group
• Group 4: Double Galaxy Group
• Group 5: Double Diamond Group
• Group 6: Double Colibri Group
• Group 7: Spider Group
• Group 8: Butterfly Group
• Group 9: Trumpet Group.

Hippeastrum and Amaryllis are often mentioned in the same breath, as though they are two names for the same genus. The flower commonly referred to as Amaryllis is in actual fact the Hippeastrum. True Amaryllis is a summer bulb plant reminiscent of a lily. Amaryllis was first found in the Cape Province in South Africa and there is only a single variety, i.e. Amaryllis belladonna. Since Amaryllis belladonna flowers before the leaves appear, its English name of 'naked lady' is quite appropriate. Hippeastrum is a winter plant from the tropical regions of South America, specifically the Andes mountain regions of Chile and Peru. The group consists of more than 75 varieties and belongs to the Amaryllidaceae (= Narcissus) family. The plants of this family grow in the region of South Africa that has winter rains, where they flower in early autumn (March/April) and produce leaves in winter (June/July). Hippeastrum and Amaryllis can easily be differentiated by looking at the stems: the stem of Amaryllis is solid while the stem of Hippeastrum is hollow. A further difference is that the seeds of Hippeastrum are black while those of Amaryllis are green. Hippeastrum produces flowers several times in a year while Amaryllis only flowers once.

Care tips:

• Slant cut the stems and stand in fresh water. It is advisable to cut a small piece off the stems every two days to achieve maximum vase life.
• Moving the flowers into a different vase or replacing the water in the vase will not impair their vase life.
• Do not forget that the hollow stems of Hippeastrum are filled with water. Drain them above the vase when moving them.
• When using Hippeastrum at an angle it is advisable to push a stick into the stem to prevent it from bending. It would normally take 10 to 14 days before this occurred.
• Hippeastrum grows taller as the flower opens. Ensure there is plenty of space above the flower ( 20 cm) to accommodate this growth.
• Hippeastrum does not need cut flower food but can tolerate it.
• Remove dead blooms to maintain the ornamental value.


Top 15 Hippeastrum

1. Diamond Grp ‘Red Lion’
2. Galaxy Grp ‘Mont Blanc’
3. Galaxy Grp ‘Christmas Gift’
4. Galaxy Grp ‘Liberty’
5. Galaxy Grp ‘Ferrari’
6. Galaxy Grp ‘Rilona’
7. Galaxy Grp ‘Ambiance’
8. Galaxy Grp ‘Minerva’
9. ‘Royal Velvet’
10. Galaxy Grp ‘Hercules’
11. Galaxy Grp ‘Desire’
12. Galaxy Grp ‘Benfica’
13. Double Galaxy Grp ‘Nymph’
14. Colibri Grp ‘Pygmee’
15. Galaxy Grp ‘Apple Blossom’

New Gerbera Captiva

Fifteen Dutch flowers exporters chose ‘Captiva’ as the winner in the ‘large flowered’ category from a selection of some eighty Gerbera varieties. This is entirely understandable in view of the flower’s vivid yellow colour and refreshing looks. The uniform diameter of the flowers also creates a balanced picture. The product is easy to work with thanks to its sturdy stems and is ideal for a wide range of bouquets and arrangements. The general consensus was that this was a valuable addition to the current assortment it is also noted for its good vase life of up to a good two weeks after harvesting.

Family
Gerbera is a member of the Asteraceae family. The first Gerberas came to the United Kingdom from South Africa in 1887 and were cultivated there. Later breeding moved to the French Riviera. After 1950 the Netherlands led the way. The parents of today’s Gerbera were natives of South Africa, e.g. the Transvaal and Cape Province. Gerbera production exploded after 1975. This was due to the use of tissue culture propagation, good cross breeding and efficient pest control. Gerbera is available all year round with a peak in spring. In recent years a great deal of work, including the use of extra lighting, has gone into improving the quality of Gerberas. The benefits include a longer vase life, longer stems, larger flower diameters and more intense colours.

Varieties
The Gerbera assortment is very extensive, both in terms of depth and width. The development of varieties with a good vase life has promoted the flower’s popularity among consumers. Previously the assortment was subdivided by flower type: single flowered, double flowered and black centred types. Currently the assortment is subdivided into large and small flowered types (mini Gerberas or Germinis). If the diameter at the narrowest point is less than 9.5 cm the flower will be assigned to the mini Gerberas.

• Always use clean vases and fresh water.
• If the vase holds only Gerberas a little bleach can be added to the water (3 drops per litre of water). If they are part of a mixed bouquet it is better to use cut flower food.
• Gerberas always grow upwards. Remember this when using in a vase or arrangement.
• Gerberas only need a shallow layer of water. If the water level is too high the water can creep up the stem and cause the stem to die off at the edge of the vase.
• Add a couple of drops of bleach every two days when replacing the water in the vase.
• If the Gerberas have started to droop, take them from the vase, slant cut a piece off the stems (these must be white and not brown inside) and replace them in the vase. They can now absorb water once more and will straighten up again.
• Always use a sharp knife to cut the stems of Gerbera rather than secateurs. Gerbera has a fairly soft stem. The walls of the vascular bundles are also quite soft and are easily damaged if the stem is cut with secateurs.
• Never stand Gerberas above a radiator or in direct sunlight. Also remember to avoid draughts.
• Gerbera is sensitive to ethylene. This is released by ripening fruit and found in exhaust gases.


Top 15 Gerberas, large flowered
1. 'Optima'
2. 'Red Explosion'
3. 'Serena'
4. Classic Fabio Orange
5. 'Ruby Red'
6. Dino
7. 'Bellezza'
8. 'Heatwave'
9. Pink Fantasy
10. 'Candela'
11. 'Ecco'
12. Classic Fabio
13. Classic Fabio Gold'
14. 'Mexx'
15. 'Pinky Eye

Explanation of the name
A certain Mr. Jameson discovered the subtropical plant in Transvaal. Actually a Gerbera variety had already been discovered in 1737 by Gronovius, a botanist in Leiden who named the plant after his colleague Gerber who came from Jutland (Denmark).

Most popular colours
The flower comes in every conceivable colour. Nowadays even some dyed varieties are available. Flamed and blue Gerberas are particularly popular in England and France. These are also expected to become popular in some Southern European countries.

New Freesia Red Beauty

Red Beauty’ is the latest ‘super model’ among the Freesias. Her secrets of success are her looks, and a heady fragrance.
Freesia is the ideal flower for adding fragrance to a mixed bouquet. In the case of ‘Red Beauty’ the fragrance is strikingly heady and pleasantly sweet. The fragrance is hardly there when the flower is closed but as soon as the first buds open ‘Red Beauty’ is transformed into a merciless seductress. Naturally the fabulous sparkling red colour and well filled, double flowers also play a part. When fully open Beauty has a diameter of 5.5 to 6 cm.

Other advantages are her good vase life, her sturdy stem and the upright comb. This ‘Red Beauty’ is an absolute super model among Freesias.

Family: Freesia is a member of the Iridaceae family.

Varieties
The Dutch flower auctions differentiate between two types of Freesias: the single and double flowered varieties. The single flowered varieties account for the greatest proportion of supply to the auctions.

Top 15 Freesia (double flowered)

1. ‘Volante’
2. ‘Yvonne’
3. ‘Purple Rain’
4. ‘Honeymoon’
5. Versailles
6. ‘Marianne’
7. Cassis
8. ‘Blue Bayou’
9. Grandeur
10. Grace
11. ‘Priscilla’
12. ‘Zephyr’
13. ‘Empire’
14. Orangina
15. ‘Duet’


Tips for care

• Allow Freesias to take a good drink of fresh water, while still in their wrapper.
• Cut about 3 cm off the stems.
• Fill a vase with fresh water and add some cut flower food. If possible use cut flower food for bulb flowers. This additive stops the flowers from drooping when they continue to grow in the vase.
• Freesias are sensitive to ethylene, which accelerates the ageing process in these flowers so that fewer flowers will open. For this reason Freesias should be kept away form sources of ethylene such as ripening fruit or exhaust fumes.

Explanation of the name
Freesias were discovered in South Africa. The plant was named after German physician Fr. Freese, a fellow student of Chr. Fr. Echlon (1795-1868) who first discovered the plant. Echlon collected many plants in the Cape Colony. Freesias were sometimes called 'Cape lily of the valley'. Although this name never caught on it does indicate where the first varieties were found.

New Celosia

Celway is the name given to a new series of Celosias that has been available since April 2009.
It is a Celosia spicata with flower spikes. The unusual detail in the Celway series is it’s the first spicata to be propagated from seeds. What is more important perhaps is the fact that at its launch the series already came in seven colours. These are purple, red, terracotta, orange, salmon, lemon and white.

They can be used in both cool summer bouquets and warm autumn bouquets. The attractive, fuzzy plumes always create a party feeling. Another advantage of the Celway Celosias is their relatively small leaves, which allow the stems – generally 70 to 75 cm long – to be processed with ease. There is also nothing wrong with their vase life which is up to 10 days after harvesting. The flowers are available until October.

New Rose

Djoena™ has virtually everything that might be expected of a romantic rose: a generous bud, a soft pink colour, a traditional flower shape and delectable, long, sturdy and almost thornless stems. ‘Eye-candy’ and ‘pure passion’ both aptly describe this rose.

The name Djoena™ was not chosen randomly. Classic, pastel coloured roses are immensely popular with Russian consumers who were the target group. Of course this does not mean that other European buyers will not also fall for the charms of this rose. It is a rose that could have been created specifically for use in traditional wedding flowers and mixes fantastically with white flowers. Rosa Djoena™ is available all year round lengths of 70 to 90 cm.

The rose is a member of the Rosaceae family.

Varieties
Roses come in a number of types: large flowered varieties, small flowered varieties and floribundaor cluster flowered roses (American: sweetheart roses). A differentiation is also made based on whether roses are grown outdoors or under glass.

Top 15 large flowered roses

1. Grand Prix
2. Passion
3. Avalanche+
4. Red Naomi!
5. Aqua!
6. Akito
7. Marie-Claire!
8. Vendela
9. Belle Rose
10. Mariyo!
11. Ilios!
12. Happy Hour
13. El Toro
14. La Belle
15. Duett

Care of Roses: There are ten golden rules for cut roses. It is important to stick to the following tips to ensure you get maximum enjoyment from your bouquet of roses:
1. Ensure roses are fresh when you buy them. The stems and flower buds must be firm and upright. They should not droop.
2. If possible buy roses whose buds are just opening. Roses whose buds are completely closed run the risk of not opening.
3. Put your roses into water as soon as possible after purchase and never leave them for hours to dry out in an overheated car. It is best to buy them at the end of your shopping trip.
4. Ensure the vase is really clean and contains no residues of other bouquets.
5. Before putting the roses into the vase, slant cut five centimetres from the ends of the stems using a very sharp knife to avoid damage.
6. There is no need to remove the thorns. If you do wish to have them removed, leave the job to your florist.
7. Remove all leaves that could hang in the water. They will decay and block the stems so that the flowers will no longer be able to "drink" properly.
8. Cut flower food is available from your florist and gives the roses extra strength and energy as well as keeping the water clean longer.
9. Keep roses away from ripening fruit. This produces ethylene gas, which accelerates the ageing process of the flowers.
10. Use glass vases, these are easier to keep clean than pottery vases, as they have no pores in which bacteria can collect and breed. In addition glass vases allow you to see when the water is dirty. Bacterial contamination

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