Make Weekly Flowers Your New Year's Resolution

As the clock strikes midnight and we welcome a new year, it’s time to reflect on our aspirations and set resolutions that invigorate our minds and souls. This year, I propose a delightful and uplifting resolution: making weekly flowers a staple in your life. Here’s why this simple habit can transform your year. 

• Boost Your Mood: Numerous studies have shown that being surrounded by flowers can significantly enhance your mood and overall well-being. The vibrant colors and delightful scents can bring joy to even the dreariest of days, helping to combat stress and anxiety.
  
  
• Mindfulness Practice: Taking the time to choose, arrange, and care for your flowers encourages mindfulness. It brings you into the moment and allows you to appreciate the beauty of nature.
  
  
• Home Decor: Fresh flowers add instant beauty to any space. Whether you display them on your kitchen table, nightstand, or desk, they elevate the ambiance and can motivate you to keep your space tidy and inviting.
   
• Connection with Nature: In our fast-paced, tech-driven world, we often forget to connect with nature. Incorporating flowers into your weekly routine reminds you of the changing seasons and the beauty that surrounds us. It’s a small but powerful step toward nurturing gratitude for the natural world.
   
• Unleash Creativity: Arranging flowers can be a creative outlet. Experimenting with different combinations, colors, shapes, and textures allows you to express yourself artistically.

As we step into the new year with hopes and dreams, let’s embrace the simple yet profound joy of weekly flowers. This small ritual can turn into a cherished tradition, ultimately creating a more vibrant and mindful life. So, make your resolution to bring beauty and serenity into your world every week. Here’s to a year filled with joy, creativity, and beauty!

Hello Yellow

Yellow is upbeat and modern, shining with optimism and joy, the color of gold, sunshine and energy. Bright yellow is psychologically the happiest color in the spectrum. Yellow advances from surrounding colors and enlarges any space. It mimics a sun-filled space, creating feelings of liveliness and good cheer.

It's pincushion season here on the farm, and we're putting the spotlight on some of the beautiful new yellow varieties being harvested. To help you distinguish between the infamous High Gold and the newer cultivars, we put together this handy chart and some close-up shots to view below.

High Gold

Jacqueline

Conocarodendron

Yellow Goldie

Hawaii Yellow

Yellow has historically been used to kindle joy and inspired positivity.

For the Love of Peach

If there is ever a shade that soothes our souls it is the color peach. With its origin in nature, the peach is something of a comfort. It also gives a feeling of joy, although not quite as high-spirited as orange.

The color story is a wonderful combination of a lively yellow paired with soft pink. When mingling the two colors, equal parts of each shade should be used to obtain a true peach color. Adding a splash more of pink produces a peach hue that has deeper red tones, while adding more yellow to the mixture produces a peach hue with more orange tones.

Peach is known to be a superb color for communication, it also has influence on good etiquette and tranquility. It is a shade that gives you refuge, as it does not let you delve into agony or disappointment. Peach brings a wealth of positivity, always invigorating us in the most difficult moments.

The peach palette works well in interior designers, especially when combined with flowers. It is a combination of orange, yellow and coral shades, which allows you to grasp an unlimited number of design possibilities. Peach can be used as an accent or background and combines well with the blues. You can also blend it with mint-green and gold for a chic and feminine palette.

January Articles of Interest

IN THE GARDEN
Tricks to grow proteas away from their home

Growing proteas, pincushions and leucodendrons is a challenge in our part of the country, as the care you render to your usual garden plants here is rejected by the protea family.

For instance, feeding proteas with fertiliser as you would any other plant may be likened to letting a child loose in a sweet store. Unlike other plants the protea plant cannot control its uptake of nutrients - gorging itself to the detriment of the plant growth and sometimes leading to its demise.

Read more here.
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5 flower trends expected to surge in popularity in 2021

'Receiving or giving flowers and making your home beautiful will continue to be important next year,' says Larry Walshe, celebrity London florist and founder of Bloom.

'Following two national lockdowns, we have all learned that flowers are not just a luxury, but rather a necessity that bring joy, pleasure and a boost to wellbeing. The use of plants and flowers in the home is beneficial for both our physical and mental health, thanks to the air-purifying qualities of blooms and their ability to help reduce stress and anxiety.'

Take a look at the flower trends set to surge in popularity...

Read more here.
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Valentine’s Day Traditions from Around the World

The 24 hours of affection known as Valentine’s Day originated in Europe more than 1,500 years ago as a Christian feast commemorating the martyrdom of Rome’s St. Valentinus. However, the earliest known mention of Feb. 14 as an actual celebration of love occurs in 1375 AD within medieval poet Geoffrey Chaucer’s Parliament of Foules, a work that cites the 14th as the day both birds and humans are most likely to find mates.

American Valentine’s Day expressions of endearment include everything from greeting cards, love letters, and heart-shaped chocolates to a dozen roses, teddy bears, and balloons. It’s a day of marriage proposals, weddings, and nights dining out. But the United States isn’t the only country to celebrate romance. Nations around the world have spent centuries developing their own unique ways to mark love’s holiday. Here’s how some countries across the globe celebrate the day of love.

Read more here.

Flowers for Our Frontliners

Frontline workers like doctors, nurses and first responders are working extremely hard during this Covid-19 crisis, and we’re all looking for ways to show our appreciation. We’ve seen many examples of companies and even individuals who are discovering their passion is leading to a new purpose… the Gift of Giving. For those of us who are passionate about flowers, we can offer a gift of joy with a stress relieving benefit as well.

That’s exactly what our friends at Floral Fresh Inc. in Sacramento, CA have been doing… giving gifts of flowers to healthcare workers. The first delivery was to St. Joseph’s Medical Center in Stockton and the following was to Sutter Medical Center in Sacramento. Then last week, 350 Protea bouquets were delivered to the staff at UC Davis Medical Center. This is all being done through a special GoFundMe campaign set up by Flora Fresh called “Flowers for Our Frontliners”.

"The message is to show our appreciation and gratitude for their compassion to be nurses and physicians, people on the front line…not just dealing with the COVID-19 but every day they are out there," said Allan Nishita, owner of FloraFresh.

This GoFundMe fundraiser has currently raised $9,743 of its $50,000 goal. All donations are being used to purchase fresh flowers and greens from farms, like ours, and then Flora Fresh delivers them to a new hospital every week! They are extremely passionate about giving back to the amazing healthcare heroes that are fighting the Coronavirus and hope to continue doing so until there is finally a vaccine! They have seen firsthand the positive impact and joy that flowers bring to our healthcare professionals during this unprecedented time. Let's help spread the word about this wonderful campaign so Flora Fresh can continue to spread the beauty to our courageous healthcare workers!

GoFundMe website:

Flora Fresh Facebook:

Flora Fresh Instagram:

Waratah

Waratah. Think Gorgeous! They’re a diverse group of flowers that are part of the Protea family. The name Waratah, an Aboriginal name for “beautiful” comes from the Eora people, the original inhabitants of the Sydney area. The botanical term for this flower is perfect, seeing that the blooms are big and visible from far away... Telopea which comes from the Greek word “Telepos” literally means “seen from afar”. Anyone who has seen a waratah in the field would agree with the suitability of the name.

The large red blooms stand out amongst the green of the bush, and the shrub stands tall, strong and erect with long, leathery leaves. Each waratah flower is actually comprised of a group or cluster of flowers. Exactly how many depends on the species… ranging from as few as 10 to as many as 240 individual flowers, surrounded by a circle of floral bracts.

For those who believe in the special healing power or essence of flowers, Waratah represents hope where all seems hopeless, offering the necessary life support and courage needed during dark times. It offers strength and courage to cope with crisis and will bring survival skills to the front. Whatever the Waratah’s magical and spiritual properties maybe… there’s no doubt these beautiful flowers will bring cheer and joy to anyone’s day.

Flower News: November’s Stories of Interest from Around the World

5 Ways to Make Your Wedding Flowers More Sustainable

We’re pumped to see businesses and couples alike becoming more conscious of the environmental impact of weddings, and floristry is one area where this has become a real priority. And before you start picturing foraged posies and native-everything (not those things aren’t awesome) let us assure you that sustainable practices can still mean high end floral design.

Read more here.
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An Autumnal Boho Wedding with Rust Bridesmaids Dresses, Spicy Fall Florals, and Copper Details

There’s something about Fall color that is just truly magical. Burnished yellows, spicy rust tones, pumpkin orange and coffee really bring the warm and cozies to a wedding day! When Chels and Danté began planning their lavish Fall wedding at Giracci Vineyards, they knew they wanted every detail to represent them. Based on their vibrant and fun personalities, we’d say their color palette choices were spot on!! With the help of Weddings by Cortney Helaine, they planned a boho fête that was full of lush fall florals, macramé decor, copper details and the cutest rust bridesmaids dresses!

Read more here.
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How to Dry Protea

Dried flowers add long-lasting beauty to any decor and can be made into keepsakes for weddings, anniversaries or birthdays. Drying your own flowers at home saves money and allows you to preserve flowers from your garden that otherwise would wither and die. Protea is a large, exotic flower available in many vibrant shades, such as dark pink, blood red, bright yellow and caramel. Once dried, the colors will fade over time, leaving behind tan flowers which look gorgeous in wreaths or bouquets.

Read more here.
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Relieving Stress During the Holidays

While a wonderful season, the holidays can sometimes bring on as much stress as joy. From shopping, to organizing the guest lists, to putting up the decorations, our growing to-do list can add to our feelings of overwhelm and worry about how we are going to get everything done. According to a recent poll, 68 percent of people feel stress on a weekly basis, and 32 percent experience stress daily.

It’s important in these hectic times to step back, breathe, and take opportunities to have a moment of calm, so we can enjoy the holiday festivities, rather than stress over them.

Read more here.

The Day of the Dead

Just like witches, black cats and pumpkins are typical symbols of Halloween, skulls, orange marigolds and monarch butterflies are associated with Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. However, this annual fete, is not a Mexican version of Halloween. Though related, the holidays differ greatly in traditions and ambience. Whereas Halloween is a night of terror and tricks, Day of the Dead festivities unfold over two days in a burst of color and life-sustaining joy. Sure, the theme is death, but the intention is to show love and respect for deceased family members.

Día de los Muertos originated in Mexico and Central America where native tribes had specific days when they honored their loved ones based on whether the deceased was an adult or a child. When the Spanish arrived, this ritual of memorializing the dead became two holidays: All Saints Day on November 1st and All Soul’s Day on the 2nd. Día de los Muertos is typically celebrated on the 1st as a day to remember children who have passed away, and the 2nd to honor adults.

These ancient tribes believed that death was part of the journey of life. Rather than death being the end of life, families view death as the beginning of the cycle of seasons and new life. This cycle is often associated with the cyclical nature of agriculture, like crops grown from the ground where the last crop lies buried.

The Day of the Dead is an occasion to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. It is believed that the souls of the dead return to visit their living families in homes, businesses and cemeteries. And as with many celebrations, the days are filled with music and dancing. The ofrenda, is the most recognized symbol. This temporary altar is a way for families to honor their loved ones and provide them what they love while on their journey.

2019 Color of the Year: Living Coral

It's an annual announcement: Come early December we all eagerly await for the experts at Pantone to release the Color of the Year, forecasting a shade that they believe will set the tone for the year ahead.

It looks like 2019 is going to be brighter, more vibrant, and a bit tropical. Or at least, that’s the mood being set by Pantone’s Color of the Year 2019: Living Coral. It’s described as an animating and life-affirming coral hue, with a golden undertone that energizes and enlivens with a softer edge. It’s meant to symbolize the human need for optimism and joyful pursuits, as well as the “desire for playful expression,” says Pantone.

"Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral emits the desired, familiar, and energizing aspects of color found in nature. In its glorious, yet unfortunately more elusive, display beneath the sea, this vivifying and effervescent color mesmerizes the eye and mind. Lying at the center of our naturally vivid and chromatic ecosystem, Pantone Living Coral is evocative of how coral reefs provide shelter to a diverse kaleidoscope of color." In choosing the color of the year, Pantone looks at everything around us. They look to see what people are doing in art, fashion, beauty, film and entertainment industries. Influences may also stem from new technologies, materials, textures, and relevant social media platforms. When I learned of Pantone’s 2019 choice, I began to contemplate what flowers we grow might emulate this awesome color. Here are my coral inspirations...

Leucospermum Sunbrust

Grevillea Flowers

Leucospermum Spider

Halea bucculenta

Christmas Bush