A rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colours. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound, with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets. The plant’s fleshy edible fruit, which ripens in the late summer through autumn, is called a rose hip. Rose plants range in size from compact, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 7 meters in height. Species from different parts of the world easily hybridize, which has given rise to the many types of garden roses.

The name rose comes from French, itself from Latin, rosa, which was borrowed from Oscan, from Greek ρόδιόν rhodion (Aeolic υρόδιόν wrodion), from Old Persian wurdi “flower” (cf. Avest. warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr).

Attar of rose is the steam-extracted essential oil from rose flowers that has been used in perfumes for centuries. Rose water, made from the rose oil, is widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The French are known for their rose syrup, most commonly made from an extract of rose petals. In the United States, this French rose syrup is used to make rose scones and marshmallows.

Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.

Tulips are terrific, but for me, there are two flowers that say spring more than any others: lily of the valley and grape hyacinths, both of which grew in various spots around my childhood home.

Hyacinth flowers are nicely fragrant and easy to arrange — a few handfuls in a tall square vase or a small tin bucket is cheerful and charming. The poet Robert Burns said of this flower, "The hyacinth's for constancy, wi its unchanging blue." Hyacinths, like tulips, were extremely popular in 18th-century Holland and about 2,000 varieties were cultivated there.

According to flower lore, the Greek god of the sun, Apollo, named the flower in honor of a beloved boy who died at the hands of Zephyr, the god of the west wind. The boy apparently was pretty buff because the hyacinth represents sport or play in "flowerspeak" or the language of flowers. So if you want to surprise your favorite athlete why not try a hyacinth bouquet?

The hyacinth, a spring bloom that's bound to delight, is perfect for the sports fans in your life.

In her book, The Flower Shop, author Sally Page offers this secret: "When you trim the bottom of a hyacinth, leave as much of the bulbous stem attached as you can; something within this part of the plant helps the hyacinth stay strong and straight. And, since the fragrance of a hyacinth gets stronger the older it gets, be careful not to throw them away too soon."

I would add to that: be careful when handling the hyacinth — their stems, though thick & chunky, are more delicate than you may think, a bit like celery. So, if a stem gets bruised or bent, the flower is going to have a hard time standing up in your bouquet. If you are buying them, inspect the stems and, once you purchase, treat them gently. They will not disappoint!
 

Today's post is from expert florist Matthew McDonald of Bookshelf Florist and Gifts in Gaffney, SC, www.bookshelfflorist.com.

When it comes to flower arranging, a simple look will take you far. Yesterday, I discussed the simple elegance of a container of ten tulips or an iris or three in a vase. And I talked about tapping the floral glory of your own back yard with blossoms and blooms such as hyacinths, forsythia, cherry or peach blossoms, camellias and the flowering shrub spirea.

Go for greens
And don't forget greens, which also spring to life at this time of year. Acuba (with its yellow speckled leaf), red tip, and other shrubs as well as the ever-popular magnolia are just a few. Magnolia trees are primarely found in the Eastern North Americas, Central Americas and West indies. Curly willow can add height and a bit of character while the acuba can be used as a filler for your arrangement.

There are many other shrubs in your area that are not in the Southeast. Try placing a cutting in a vase (remember to remove foliage from below the water line for all arrangements or cuttings) and see if they will last. Some green shrubs do not tolerate being cut, thus wilting or sagging.

Green shrubs allow you to have foliage at the base of the arrangement or mixed in higher as you would with roses. It is always nice to have something different and not the traditional leatherleaf fern. If you are arranging flowers and greens, remember: there is no perfect arrangement and what you may like someone else may not.

Color, form, flower type
If you use one color, try the same flower or different flowers of the same color. By choosing different flowers of the same color you add texture and depth.

That said, using different colors in an arrangement is fun so try using the colors in a color palette. Primary colors such as red, yellow and purple along with white may look better together than pink, bright yellow and orange. In designing, remember to place flowers so they form a triangle. Using odd numbers of flowers is always best.

The flowers' lifespan depends on many factors. Heat as well as bacteria in the water shortens the lifespan. I change my water every other day and keep my arrangements in a cool place, out of the sun.

When using tall stems, use a taller vase. A good rule of thumb is the arrangement should be 1-2 times the height of a vase. So if the vase is 12 inches tall, my arrangement is 24 to 36 inches high.

The next time you have a luncheon you might want to float a camellia bloom in a low container or saucer, three or more add a great simple look and are a great conversation starter, try it you will be amazed.
 

Today's post is from expert florist Matthew McDonald of Bookshelf Florist and Gifts in Gaffney, SC, www.bookshelfflorist.com.

With spring in the air, flowers and nature come to bloom to awe and inspire us.

There are many possibilities for flower arranging when you have fresh flowers growing just outside your door. From the fragrant hyacinths, showy iris, ever-popular tulips, to the flowering shrub spirea with beautiful white blooms on its long stem.

Spireas are among the easiest flowering shrubs to grow. Spireas have over 80 species, some of which have dozens of varieties. They are a member of the rose family and are tough plants. All spirea have small leaves and fine, twiggy branches.

There are two distinct kinds of spireas: the bridal wreath type, with clusters of white flowers on arching branches in spring; and the smaller, shrubby, much lower-growing type, which has pink, red or white flowers clustered at the end of upright branches from late spring through to fall. Spireas prefers partial to full sun. Spireas are tolerant of many soils except extremely wet. The plant also likes mulch and summer watering.

There is something for everyone and every taste. Let's not forget the forsythia, cherry or peach blossoms, camellias and the many other greens. A long-lived evergreen shrub, the camellia plant is a beloved Southern shrub with graceful blooms that have been enjoyed by gardeners for years. Camellias are well suited for part shade but are not available everywhere in the US.

When arranging, we often think of many different flowers in an arrangement. However, the simplicity of one type of flower or a single flower can be as elegant if not more elegant. Take for example a vase of ten tulips, which is simple in its design while an iris or three in a vase can be eye catching due to their unique look.

While on the subject of iris and tulips, these flowers, as well as hyacinths, are bulb plants and when given or received as a potted plant can provide years of enjoyment if they are planted outside once they have bloomed out.

I hear too often of people discarding the bulbs instead of planting them in the ground due to their busy schedule…etc. With the many different colors of hyacinths such as I have in my yard, and daffodils, tulips as well as other flowering plants, It truly makes a show.

For those of you looking for that larger, more grand, statement the forsythia or spirea is an excellent choice. The forsythia with its yellow blossoms on the stem in a tall container/vase is great for filling that large area. I have used it numerous times for church arrangements.

Come back tomorrow for Part Two!
 

Easter is this Sunday and I'm looking forward to sharing Beatrix Potter’s Peter Rabbit with friends over the weekend.

Full of fresh spring flowers, this bouquet is one of my favorites. Afterwards, it can be filled with cookies.

Peter Rabbit’s literary legacy stretches back more than 100 years, to 1902, when Potter published “The Tale of Peter Rabbit.” In 1903, Potter showed that she was a keen merchandiser as well as a gifted artist by making Peter the first patented soft toy; he’s now the oldest licensed character. 

 

A rose is a perennial flower shrub or vine of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae, that contains over 100 species and comes in a variety of colors. The species form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. It is a common error to refer to roses having thorns. But thorns are modified leaves, whereas these sharp protrusions on a rose are modified epidermal tissues (prickles). Most are native to Asia, with smaller numbers of species native to Europe, North America, and northwest Africa. Natives, cultivars and hybrids are all widely grown for their beauty and fragrance.

The leaves are alternate and pinnately compound, with sharply toothed oval-shaped leaflets. The plant’s fleshy edible fruit is called a rose hip. Rose plants range in size from puny, miniature roses, to climbers that can reach 20 meters in height. Species from different parts of the world easily hybridize, which has given rise to the many types of garden roses.

The name originates from Latin rosa, borrowed from Oscan from colonial Greek in southern Italy: rhodon (Aeolic form: wrodon), from Aramaic wurrdā, from Assyrian wurtinnu, from Old Iranian *warda (cf. Armenian vard, Avestan warda, Sogdian ward, Parthian wâr).

Attar of rose is the steam-extracted essential oil from rose flowers that has been used in perfumes for centuries. Rose water, made from the rose oil, is widely used in Asian and Middle Eastern cuisine. The French are known for their rose syrup, most commonly made from an extract of rose petals. In the United States, this French rose syrup is used to make rose scones.

Rose hips are occasionally made into jam, jelly, and marmalade, or are brewed for tea, primarily for their high Vitamin C content. They are also pressed and filtered to make rose hip syrup. Rose hips are also used to produce Rose hip seed oil, which is used in skin products and some makeup products.

Find more photos like this on Flower Museum Sanctuary

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Lotus flowers are amazing and have strong symbolic ties to many Asian religions especially throughout India. The lotus flower starts as a small flower down at the bottom of a pond in the mud and muck. It slowly grows up towards the waters surface continually moving towards the light. Once it come to the surface of the water the lotus flower begins to blossom and turn into a beautiful flower.

Within Hinduism and Buddhism the lotus flower has become a symbol for awakening to the spiritual reality of life. The meaning varies slightly between the two religions of course but essentially both religious traditions place importance on the lotus flower.

In modern times the meaning of a lotus flower tattoo ties into it’s religious symbolism and meaning. Most tattoo enthusiast feel that the a lotus tattoo represent life in general. As the lotus flower grows up from the mud into a object of great beauty people also grow and change into something more beautiful (hopefully!). So the symbol represent the struggle of life at its most basic form.

Lotus flower tattoos are also popular for people who have gone through a hard time and are now coming out of it. Like the flower they have been at the bottom in the muddy, yucky dirty bottom of the pond but have risen above this to display an object of beauty or al ife of beauty as the case might be. Thus a lotus flower tattoo or blossom can also represent a hard time in life that has been overcome.

Lotus flower and peonies are also two flowers that are very popular among Japanese tattoo artists and they make a great compliment to Koi Fish tattoos. Ironically enough the two koi fish and lotus flowers can often be found in the same pond in front of a temple. The Koi fish is a symbol typically for strength and individualism.

Chris is an avid tattoo enthusiast, as well as an observer and writer of the tattoo scene. He has run numerous tattoo related website business in the past. However, now he provides great tattoo information in the form of articles and web pages for everyone to enjoy free. Check out this page for more on tattoo sleeve designs, or here for awesome Free Star Tattoo Designs.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Ryerson

The life expectancy of cut flowers is not long – as a matter of fact, the flowers are dead the moment they are cut. You can keep them preserved by hydrating them daily and some blooms may last up to two weeks after you receive them for a Valentines Day flower delivery. Take these tips to get the most out of your flowers:

Cut the ends

Before you put them in water, cut the ends of the stems. This will allow them to freshly hydrate. Remove any water feeding tubes that are usually attached to fresh flowers and place them in cool, fresh water. Never use hot water as this will rob them of their color. Cutting the ends of the stems is the first step you need to take when it comes to preserving the life expectancy of cut flowers that you may receive in a Valentines Day flower delivery.

Use Flower Food

Most florists will include flower food that can be placed in the vase to help preserve the flowers. This is just a preservative that will make them last longer and not really a food, but it works well to keep them in bloom. Take advantage of the flower food that is included in your flower delivery.

Change Water Daily

You want to use fresh water to preserve your fresh flowers. If you change the water daily, you will find that your fresh flowers stay in bloom for a longer period of time. Cutting a bit of the stems each time can also increase their life expectancy. Taking care of your flowers on a daily basis will let them stay in bloom for much longer than if you just ignore them.

The more you look after your cut flowers that you received for Valentines Day, the longer they will last. The flowers will start to open and then dry after a few days. Keeping them in a cool environment will also extend their shelf life. After you have enjoyed the beauty of your Valentines Day flower delivery, you may wish to further care for the flowers by drying them and then using them in a dried flower arrangement.

Roses and carnations are two flowers that last the longest and can last for two weeks if you take care of them. Other flowers do not last quite as long, with the most exotic flowers being the first to die – some of them not lasting more than a week after the Valentines Day flower delivery.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Bill_Brennan

article by, Rhonda Havlock

It’s a new year and Valentine’s Day will soon be upon us as evidenced by the multitude of winged cupids and chocolate hearts we’re starting to see everywhere.  In addition to these sweet reminders, when we think of Valentine’s Day we usually think of roses.  Roses are everywhere for this holiday.  The rose itself is a beautiful perennial flower with over 100 species that can grow on shrubs or vines, and comes in a multitude of beautiful and sometimes vibrant colors.  Throughout the centuries they have inspired love, poems, songs, and perfumes.  They have been used in everything from beauty produces to health aides, and can be found natively from Asia to the United States.   In short, the rose is a pretty popular flower. 

When selecting the right roses for your loved one this year, you might want to consider the flower color.  Each one has its own meaning to convey.

 

RED:               Romance, passion, true love, desire.

 

PINK:              Grace, elegance, gentleness & beauty.  Sweetness

 

LAVENDER: Enchanted love, love at first sight, splendor

 

PURPLE:       Magnetism, opulence, majesty

 

YELLOW:       Friendship, loyalty, luck

 

WHITE:           Pure love, innocent love, reverence, humility

 

ORANGE:      Fascination, enthusiasm, energy, friendship

 

Although the colors each have their meanings, no matter which flower you pick, they are beautiful, fragrant reminders of your love and appreciation for the recipient, even if you’re just buying them for yourself.  So grab a huge box of chocolate, a vibrant array of multi-colored roses and have a fantastic Valentine’s Day. 

article by Brandon Masters

A lot of money is spent in this country to reproduce fragrances for perfumes and air fresheners. The majority of these manufactured fragrances have alcohol and other additives that can actually irritate the membranes in your nose. Nature has done it the best and these are some of the most heavenly fragrances you’ll ever smell.

 1) Hyacinth! This highly fragrant flower is actually a member of the lily family. Lily’s tend to grow much larger than the hyacinth but if you look closely at this flower you will see that the clusters of these blooms are tubular in shape just like the lily. Hyacinths have been a popular garden flower since the 17 hundreds because of the brilliance of there color (of every shade) and because of the incredible fragrance they have. Whether you have them planted out doors or in a pot in your home, this beautiful flower will brighten up any space and give off a constant heavenly fragrance, but, it is not overpowering. I just can’t imagine a perfume that smells any better than this. And men, instead of giving her some fresh cut flowers, try giving her a hyacinth plant. It will last longer and she can replant it again next year if she wants to put it in a garden.

2) The most fragrant flowers are the pure white Casa Blanca and the dark pink Stargazer lily. They are absolutely beautiful, but beware; the fragrance they give off is so strong, that, one bouquet of lilies can fill up an entire room. Don’t place them where you are going to sit for any length of time unless, that is what you want. They don’t do well in direct sunlight or drafts so place them in a more diffused lit area. If you replace the water every couple of days and add flower food plus a new snip of the ends, you’ll have a long lasting, beautiful fragrant arrangement.

3) Tuber roses are not actually roses. Like the hyacinth, a tuber rose has a stem with clusters of flowers that are all white. Once again, the smell is fantastic. I once picked off one little petal from the cluster and put it in my car. A few hours later I return to my vehicle and was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful it smelled. My children noticed it as well. It was the perfect natural air freshener.

4) Gardenias! These flowers that bloom on trees have a very short life after they are cut, but for the little time you have them in your home is worth it. Generally gardenias are made into a corsage for special occasions, but if you don’t want to do that, you can place the flower in a low dish of water and then just leave them alone to do their work.

5) There are some roses that have been bred for their fragrance such as the peach colored Oceana rose or the Sterling Silver rose (which is actually purple). Each of these have a light perfume to them. Any of the purple roses have a wonderful smell.

You can order any of these flowers from your local florist. If they don’t have them on hand you can ask them to order some for you. In most cases, if you place an order before noon, you should be able to pick them up later in the afternoon.

Rather than putting chemicals in the air, you may want to get some flowers now and again and enjoy nature’s perfume.

Enjoy!

Willie is a freelance writer and researcher and is dedicated in bringing information on health related issues and other topics. www.gardeningandflowers.com