Let’s Celebrate Women’s Day - March 8th

The 2014 theme for International Women’s Day is: “Equality for women is progress for all”.

For more than 100 years, March 8th has been set aside to recognize women for their achievements.  It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women.  This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is Inspiring Change by calling for: 

• greater awareness of women’s equality
• more women in senior leadership roles 
• equal recognition of women in the arts 
• growth of women-owned businesses 
• increased financial independence of women 
• more women in science, technology, engineering and math 
• fairer recognition of women in sport

Inspired and wondering how you can celebrate Women's Day?  With Flowers, of course!  It doesn't matter if you are a man or a woman to join in on the celebration - it is perfectly acceptable for a man to give flowers to the women in his life, as well as, women to share flowers with their friends, family and co-workers.  This holiday is different from Valentine's Day, it’s not about Romance, it's more about "Loving, Honoring and Respecting" the women in your life.  The flowers you decide to share can be much more artistic, exotic and local as well.  And, there's so many wonderful flowers you can share - many with their own special meanings.  Take the Protea King for example, this amazing flower’s symbolic meaning represents transformation, daring courage or resourcefulness – qualities that may remind you of a woman in your life? 

 So make a difference, think globally, act locally and give the gift of Flowers!

The Gift of Flowers

Flowers are and always will be one of the Greatest Gifts of Nature!  It's no surprise when we think of holidays like Valentine's Day or Mother's Day that flowers are among the first things that come to mind - they always bring so much joy and cheer to sweethearts, family and friends!  However, this month we discovered another gift that flowers are bringing to the lives of students at John Muir High School in Pasadena, CA - The Gift of Education!

Meet Mud Baron, Director of Muir Ranch CSA (Community Supported Agriculture).  Since summer 2011, Mud and an incredibly dedicated team of volunteer teachers and students have been converting 2 acres of the John Muir HS campus into an urban farm.  Any student of Muir can participate in hands-on learning at the Ranch by enrolling in one of three classes or applying for the after school internship program.  The vision is for the Ranch to be integrated into every discipline taught at Muir High School, including science, math, English, art, and environmental studies.  Muir's mission is to teach their students important business and life skills, provide them with meaningful employment, and improve access to fresh, affordable, locally-grown produce and flowers!

In January, Mud started an indiegogo crown funding campaign to raise $10,000.00 so they could expand the farm and create a 'Pasadena Rose Garden' featuring David Austin Roses as well as develop a floral busness social enterprise.  Pasadena doesn't have a proper, public rose garden or actual arboretum so Mud decided to combine their working farm with a public garden as a way to expand the school's garden program. Currently Muir Ranch employs about a dozen students year round and would like to double that in 2014. They needed $10,000 to buy and install more shrubs and expand the current irrigation system.  In addition, they want to improve their website and marketing materials that will eventually aid the students in their social enterprise efforts.  So, all of us here at Resendiz Brothers decided to jump in and contribute to the cause by donating some South African and Australian Native plants to the school's garden if they reached their campaign goal of $10,000 by the deadline on January 13th. Which they eventually surpassed at $11,540 with only eleven hours to spare!  Congratulation Muir Ranch! 

Protea, Banksia, Pincushions, Waxflower and more will soon become a part of this exciting new floral enterprise.

Mud's truck was filled to the rim and prepared for a quick trip to Pasadena.

He found a new friend - Arlan, our rooster, who was ready to help cleanup any lunchtime  leftovers.

  Mud even decided to try his hand at designing with Protea - definitely a new experience for this 'Dahlia Man'! 

Looking Good!

Oh yeah - there's always a little time for social media too!

"The act of giving something to others is an art of flowering your heart" - Vinayak

Waxflower - Fabulous February Flowers

When it comes to flowers there's no month quite like February.  Yes, I know what you're thinking.  Well of course, February 14th is Valentine's Day and everyone knows it's a big flower holiday.  That's true, but there's really much more to February than Valentine's Day. It's the month when we harvest our most extensive array of gorgeous flowers.  We see Protea, Banksia, Pincushion, flowering Leucadendron, Berzelia, blooming Grevillea and an amazing assortment of Waxflower, it's floral bliss - so much to choose from.

However, if I have to pick out a February Favorite I'd definitely say Waxflower wins my heart!  The season has just begun and the first varieties to be harvested are the Hybrid's with their large colorful blooms and crisp green foliage.  These gorgeous fillers have a lacy spring flair with a sweet scent and they mix with most any flowers and foliage.  However, more and more these days I'm starting to see them used in some very special ways and often featured all on their own - in floral crowns, boutunorniers, bouquets and simple vases.  Here's just a few examples of how these gorgeous clusters of blooms can make a sweet impression (photographers unknown). 

Pantone Colors for Spring 2014

As a flower farmer I'm constantly surrounded by color - it's what I live and breathe every day. Whether I'm deciding what new plants to put in the fields, what flowers to harvest for a particular arrangement or what pictures to use in a newsletter or blog - color is always a big consideration. And so naturally, when I came across this list of Pantone Colors for Spring 2014 I began to think about how the spring flowers and foliage I grow fit into this color scheme.

Yes, Dazzling Blue, Pantone's top color pick for Spring 2014 is a beautiful, I love blue - only there's no real blue Proteaceae.  However, when a Beautiful Scarlet pincushion is mixed with a Dazzling Blue flower the color combination is fabulous!

When it comes to the flowers I'll be harvesting this spring, Cayenne, Celosia Orange and Freesia are the perfect fit.  Cayenne, the color of Pincushion Spider, is a delicate sweet shade and is ideal for any spring arrangement or bouquet.

Celosia Orange is a spicy shade of orange and full of energetic color!  Pincushion Chicago is my choice for this palette.

Freesia is a 'cheerful sunshine' color that blends wonderfully with most any color and is certain to evoke warm and joyful feelings.  Pincushion High Gold does just that!

What's your top colors for Spring 2014 and what flowers will you choose to bring them to life?