Artistic Flower Arrangements

Flowers make a positive impact on people’s lives, particularly in the modern world where there’s less time to connect with the natural world.  Creating your own floral arrangements is a cost effective way of doing this.

Flowers enhance people’s lives both physically and emotionally and research has shown that they can moderate mood. They make people feel less depressed and anxious and improve their general feeling of life satisfaction. Seeing pretty blooms in the morning sets up a better mood for the whole day, and the positive mood spreads to other people too. Try putting fresh flowers in the kitchen area and see how they improve your mood before work.

Blooms create a beautiful and welcoming atmosphere and impact positively on our lives. This is why hotels, such as the Pembroke Arms hotel Salisbury, invest in a good florist to decorate their lobbies, and why companies will have vases of blooms in their receptions and meeting rooms.

Workplace studies have also been undertaken to show the positive effects of flora in the office. Ideas and creative output are raised and productivity improves, making plants a welcome addition to the work place. A happy workforce is good for business and encourages loyalty from employees.

People love to be given a pretty bouquet of blooms and they will usually show a genuine smile. They represent happiness and love and promote a good feeling in both the receiver and the giver.  Creating your own flower arrangements for just this sort of occasion will enhance that feeling of happiness and love.

Flowers are also used in aromatherapy treatments to affect mood. Some smells are uplifting, such as rose, and some calming.

As well as improving mood, there are also long known physical benefits.

Flowers are beneficial in the treatment of minor ailments and are used for poultices and creams Marigold is used for healing in ointments because of the anti-fungal and antiseptic properties it possesses. Gargling with a solution made from honeysuckle helps soothe a sore throat.

People use floral infusions for tea to help the body and alter mood. An example is Chamomile which is great for boosting the immune system and producing a calming effect.

Finally, some flowers provide tasty additions to our meals. Nasturtiums are easy to grow and both the leaves and flowers can be consumed. Borage and chives both have lovely flowers and are tasty herbs.

Having more blooms in your life has got to be a good thing, so why not add some more flowers to your garden and visit your local florist to see what beautiful cut flowers are in season right now. Why not go to your local florist and buy some fresh flowers? You can find them easily using a geographical internet search such as ‘florist Southampton’ or ‘flower shop Southampton’. You should find a great selection of seasonal fresh flowers for your home.

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This year our magnolia tree has more blooms than ever. Maybe the lack of a draught this year had a lot to do with it. All the trees and flowers have been lush and green. Getting up each day is such a pleasure, to be able to stand out on the front porch and looks at natures beauty.

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Weather seems to be turning a bit warmer. Some buds have started to appear on the magnolia bush. I hope the freezing temps are over, I would hate to lose the flowers. I’m looking forward to the warmer weather. Would like to get out and plant a new flower garden this spring. One that the deer won’t devour before the blooms appear. I’ll probably plant some clover in the back yard for the deer and hope that will detract them from my small garden.

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Keeping up with my tips as promised heeeeeere’s number 3:

Sometimes Single is Sensational

These days, huge flower arrangements seem to be the norm.  Everyone thinks that the bigger the arrangement the better.  Sometimes that’s true.  But, sometimes they are a little out of hand and inappropriate.  There are times when a single flower is the perfect arrangement.

Take, for instance, the single red rose.  It says more than any large arrangement can.  It says “love at first sight or I still love you.”

Single flower arrangements are simple, elegant, and stylish.  They can be placed in small vases and containers, used to float in wineglasses, teacups, and other tiny containers for smaller blooms, and used to float in bowls or big containers for larger blooms.

Single sometimes says it all.

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With the Christmas season upon us I thought some facts about Poinsettias might be of interest.  So here they are:

For example, did you know that the poinsettia’s main attraction is not its flowers, but its leaves? The flowers of the plant are the yellow clustered buds in the center. The colored leafy parts are actually bracts or modified leaves.

Red is the most popular color, accounting for roughly three-quarters of all sales nationwide, followed by white and pink. Poinsettias come in a variety of colors from red, salmon, and apricot to yellow, cream, and white. There are also unusual speckled or marbled varieties with several colors blended together. New varieties are introduced yearly with even more variation in height and colors.

Did you know that in the wild, the poinsettia can reach heights of 12 feet with leaves measuring six to eight inches across? It is actually a small tropical tree belonging to the Euphorbia plant family. Its botanical name is Euphorbia pulcherrima although in English-speaking countries it is more commonly known as the poinsettia. A native of southern Mexico, the poinsettia blooms in December and has been used in that country to decorate churches for centuries.

Here’s another bit of information. December 12 is National Poinsettia Day. The United States has observed this official day since the mid-1800s. It honors the man and the plant he introduced, Dr. Joel Roberts Poinsett, who died Dec.12, 1851.

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