Summertime!

I know it is already the middle of June but I can not believe that it is already summer. Maybe it is because it is unseasonably chilly yet, here in Ohio. Maybe it is because I haven't really done many of the summery things yet. Maybe it is because the summer growers haven't started making their rounds yet. I don't know but I am having a hard time registering this time as "summer." But summer means quite a few things when you work in the flower business

Summer in the flower business means weddings. We have lots of weddings coming up and June is a very popular time for weddings since it is perfect for outdoor locations.  It is also a good time for business parties.

Another sign that it is summer is having our local growers return. we have several local growers that are able to come all year round because they have hot houses to grow flowers in. We also have several that still have plantings outside who start coming towards the end of June. It is so much fun to look through their vans and pick out stunning dahlias, sunflowers, zinnias, and so much more. Sometimes they even bring vegetables by. It is so great to finally be able to get summer flowers that are grown right here in the Toledo area.

Summer also means that garden flowers are out. People who stop by the store look for interesting vases or for tips on how to arrange flowers at home. People are also looking for sunflowers. Sunflowers seem to be one of the most popular flowers of the season. They are bright and cheerful and come in various sizes, shades, and styles.

Summer is truly an interesting time to work in a flower shop. There is so much to see and do. There are so many interesting flowers that are coming in. I think there is so much for us to look forward to!

What summertime thing are you looking forward to the most?

Oh Carnation!

"Oh, Carnation!"


A colleague and I used to say that in the backroom when we would accidentally snap a flower. We would put the broken flower in a bud vase and clean more flowers. But every time we snapped a flower or dropped a bucket of water, that same floral curse would pop on our lips. "Oh, Carnation!"

I feel in many ways carnations have a bad reputation as being a cheap flower or a funeral flower. A flower that is used to fill out an inexpensive arrangement. When I ask a customer if there is anything specific that they want for their arrangement, frequently they say, "I'm fine with anything as long as there are no carnations in it."

But I've got to say don't let these Plain Janes of the flower world fool you. While they may seem like spinsters compared to the beauty of a rose (I personally think that roses are divas... but I am in the minority on this), carnations can be dressed up. And let me tell you when they are, they are sparkling, vibrant, and oozing sophistication like Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady (or anything that she was in really).

We have had several weddings that have used the deep purple Moonvista carnation as part of their bridal bouquet. One bride even did her entire bouquet with Moonvista carnations. It was stunning. The purple is so deep that it looks like velvet or the deep purple of the sky when the moon starts rising in the evening. It's a rich, soul-penetrating purple.

Look at the bridal bouquet to the right and tell me that that is not gorgeous. Can you believe that those are carnations? I know I took back every unkind thing I said about carnations when I saw how a carnation can reach its full potential.

They are beautiful in an understated sort of way. They defy current perceptions and trends. They are Audrey Hepburn who embodied grace and elegance but was also a little gawky and silly.

Audrey on her wedding day.

Now I don't say "Oh, Carnation!" because I snapped a flower or tripped over a bucket or slipped in the cooler. I say it because they are beautiful.

What flower do you love but feel that it gets a bad reputation?

What celebrity would that flower be?

Jennie

Staffer

DSF

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