BLOOMINGDAYS FLOWER SHOP

Changing the Phrase In Lieu of Flowers

2012-01-15T10:18:00.000-08:00

Copied from Society of American Florist, letter to funeral directors...
Alternative Phrases to “In Lieu of Flowers”

The Society of American Florists recognizes memorial donations as a
worthwhile cause in remembering loved ones, and simply suggests
donation requests be done without a negative reference to flowers.

Choosing one of the suggested alternative phrases eliminates the
expression “in lieu of flowers” and achieves three important goals: It
honors the family’s request for a charity, meets the high standards of
good taste and decorum, and does not dictate to friends the manner in
which they express their sympathy.

Memorial contributions may be made to …
The family suggests memorial contributions be sent to …
Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to …
Memorials may be made to the charity of your choice.
As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be
sent to …
The family has designated … for memorial contributions.
Remembrances may be made in the form desired by friends.
Flowers are welcome; Contributions may be sent to …

Funeral home laziness

2011-11-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

I had a funeral order this morning, and had called funeral home for time of delivery, they told me I need to be there by 9am on sunday, great... no sleeping in for me. I successfully arrived at the Garden of Memories funeral home at 8:30am, signed in the arrangements in there book and put floral pieces in there garage and off to work i went. I received a frantic phone call at 10:45am from the florist in new york that had sent me the order, the sender was IRATE, flowers were not there, I told her impossible, they had been there since 8:30am, I then called funeral home and was put on hold for 15minutes while they searched for the flowers, Not like searching was needed, they ARE IN THE FLOWER ROOM!!!!! Finally they were found but I ask why does it take 2 hours to put flowers in a service, They upset the family and flowers arrived after service started when they had been there the whole time and someone was too LAZY to check the back room. Wouldn't you think that checking the flower room would be important before any service starts much less within 2 hours???? duh!
That irks me and i am sure they blamed me, and told the family it arrived late.
but the funeral home requires signing in when you arrive, so they wont be able to get out of that one....
Funeral homes charge alot for services, please make sure you get what you pay for, clearly the service was VERY poor for this service.

DISGRUNTLED WOMEN WHO RECEIVE FLOWERS

2011-02-25T13:52:00.000-08:00

It's amazing to me, how year after year women are getting worse and worse with their attitudes towards gifts given to them, especially flowers. We just got over a super hectic and crazy but successful Valentine's day and even thought we work our tails off, there is always the few recipients of flowers that feel it is their duty to ruin the florist or drivers day with their rants and raves..... take for instance calling in and changing your husbands order completely the day before the holiday and demanding discounts and attention or else....stating that since he has no idea what you want and you surely could not stomach what he in good faith ordered for you,God forbid! or the woman who receives flowers yet is not satisfied since it should be something else or from someone else and lastly the recipient who receives flowers and complains when they are left at her door have died and chocolate melted, who also can't comprehend that she is NOT the only customer we have but all in all we offer a complete exchange, and come to find out flowers are dead,after 5 days but the chocolate box has not even been touched, she just wanted to get us back to her house to insult my driver (who was completely innocent and UN-knowing of any problem). I ask, is your life so petty that all you have to do is complain about flowers ruining your day???? If so, please take that time, to volunteer at a local hospital and get to know people who are REALLY having a bad day!

2010-06-15T15:55:00.000-07:00

Sending Flowers to a Man compliments of aboutflowers.com
Men love to get flowers for the same reason they send them - to be recognized. Everyone likes to feel special.

A good indicator of when it might be appropriate to send flowers would be to consider his favorite occasions for sending them. Does he send flowers for birthdays, or perhaps as a thank you? Don't forget that no reason is often the best reason!

Just as women love receiving flowers for no reason at all, a surprise floral gift will surely catch his attention too.

The Best Designs and Colors for Men
•Men are stimulated by color and are visually oriented. Research shows that men prefer vivid colors such as yellow, orange and red.

•Flower arrangements that are contemporary, linear styles or natural styles are best. Other favorites might include green or flowering plants.

•Tell your florist that you want flowers for a man and ask for specific suggestions. If your recipient has a hobby, perhaps you could highlight that. For example, if he is a golfer, tuck in a box of golf balls. If he is into cars, add an auto magazine or two. Your florist can offer creative suggestions for flowers that are sure to please.

CRAZY BIRTHDAY REQUEST....

2010-06-07T11:51:00.001-07:00

LOCAL FLORIST VS 800 NUMBER

2010-04-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

Problems I see arising more often is the misconception given to the consumer that 800 number florists are local and delivering their items for FREE. First off nothing is free.. These order gathers are taking orders pretending to be located in the area you want your delivery, however they are not..they are just taking your order and charging your card, they in turn send it to a local florists for a different amount, they discount their fees, which of course, may have not be told to you, we in turn take out a delivery fee, which has most of the time has been included in the price of the arrangement you have chosen, but you were not told, (ex $39.99 arr is really $30-32.00). Please be assured you are paying ALOT more, and you are killing the small locally owned business who has to service these because society in whole feels it the best way to order flowers. Do us a favor, make sure when you call or place an order on line that you use a florists in the town,ask then where they are located, ask to speak to a designer, In a google search most order gatherers are listed first, they have the big bucks. I try to explain this to customers that call with problems, but they dont understand, do us a favor,keep our industry with the moms and pops... they will be upfront with costs and size of your items, plus you will get a better knowledge of when your order is going to be delivered, Personal service is what it used to be, call Bloomingdays, ask for me, Christine the florist!!

2010-02-09T17:24:00.000-08:00

2010-02-09T17:22:00.001-08:00

PLEASE MAKE SURE TO VISIT US ON-LINE FOR YOUR VALENTINE'S GIFTS ....

Poinsettia Care Tips

2009-12-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

Poinsettias are one of the longest-lasting
blooming plants available to consumers.
To choose the perfect poinsettia and keep it
blooming all year long, follow the care tips
listed below:

Choosing the perfect poinsettia:

.
Pick a plant with small, tightly
clustered buds in the center.
.
Look for crisp, bright, undamaged
foliage.
.
Avoid plants displayed in drafty or
crowded areas.

To keep the poinsettia blooming:

.
When surface soil is dry to the touch,
water thoroughly. Discard excess
water in the saucer.

.
To prolong color, keep a temperature
range of 60 degrees for night and 72
degrees for day. High humidity is
preferable.

.
Place plant away from hot or cold
drafts, and protect from cold winds.

To rebloom for the next season:

.
During winter, continue to follow
holiday upkeep tips.

.
March 1 (St. Patrick’s Day): When
bracts fade, cut stems back to eight
inches above soil line.

.
Continue to water regularly.

.
Lightly fertilize with a
balanced all-purpose plant food
every three to four weeks.

.
When temperatures are warm,
place plant outdoors; first in indirect,
then direct sunlight. Avoid
temperatures below 50 degrees
throughout the summer.

.
July 4 (Independence Day): Cut back
new growth stems. Repot if needed.

.
Early September (Labor Day):

Move plant inside. Provide six or
more hours of direct light.

.
October 1 through December:

Confine plant to complete darkness
for 14 hours, giving it 10 hours of
natural light daily. This will set
the buds and cause bracts to color.

Poinsettia Toxicity Myth

The poinsettia is the most widely tested
consumer plant on the market today,
proving the myth about the popular
holiday plant to be false:

.
Scientific research from The
Ohio State University has
proved the poinsettia to be
non-toxic to both humans and pets.
All parts of the plant were tested,
including the leaves and sap.

.
According to POISINDEX, the
national information center for
poison control centers, a child
would have to ingest 500-600
leaves in order to exceed the
experimental doses that found no
toxicity.

.
A study from the Children’s
Hospital in Pittsburgh and Carnegie
Mellon University found that out of
22,793 reported poinsettia
exposures there was essentially no
toxicity significance of any kind.
The study used national data
collected by the American
Association of Poison Control
Centers.

.
As with any non-food product,
however, the poinsettia is not
meant to be eaten and can cause
varying degrees of discomfort;
therefore, the plant should be kept
out of the reach of young children
and curious pets.

The
Poinsettia

History and Legend

Provided by:

Poinsettia Care Tips

Society of American Florists

Toxicity Myth

1601 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314

(703) 836-8700
www.aboutflowers.com

History and Legend

2009-12-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

Joel Robert Poinsett, who was an
amateur botanist and the first
ambassador to Mexico, first
introduced poinsettias to the
United States in 1825. He
introduced the plant to the United
States when he brought some cuttings
to his plantation in Greenwood,
South Carolina.

December 12 is National Poinsettia
Day, an official day set aside to enjoy
this symbol of holiday cheer. It was
established upon the death of Mr.
Poinsett to honor him and the plant
he made famous. He died in 1851.

Poinsettias are native to Mexico, where
they grow wild. The enchanting legend
of the poinsettia dates back several
centuries, to a Christmas Eve in Mexico
when a little girl named Pepita had no
gift to present to the Christ child.
Her cousin Pedro urged her to give a
humble gift. So, on her way to church
she gathered some weeds she found
along the road. As she approached the
altar, a miracle happened: The weeds
blossomed into brilliant flowers. Then
they were called Flores de Noche Buena

– Flowers of the Holy Night. Now they
are called poinsettias.

AWARD

2009-09-30T09:33:00.000-07:00

I AM HAPPY TO ANNOUNCE, I HAVE JUST RECEIVED AN AWARD FROM FTD FOR TOP 1000 MEMBER IN THE US.....

2009-09-09T17:23:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all for all for a Terrific Good Neighbor Day...

FTD GOOD NEIGHBOR DAY!!!

2009-09-08T14:44:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow, Wenesday Sept 9th is FTD Good Neighbor Day. Please stop by Bloomingdays Flower Shop where we will be giving away 1 dz roses to each person that comes in, all we ask is that you keep one and give the other dozen away to friends to promote good will. Please join us, 1441 E Fletcher Ave #200... Bay News Nine will be here... will you be the lucky customer picked for the interview???? We'd love to see our customers and meet new ones!!!! See you tomorrow~~~

FLORAL SCENT SOOTHES STRESS??

2009-08-16T09:37:00.000-07:00

Floral Scent Soothes StressLinalool May Explain Some of Aromatherapy’s Stress-Reducing Benefits
By Jennifer WarnerWebMD Medical News
Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD
July 24, 2009 -- Sniffing your way around the local farmer’s market may offer some of nature’s best aromatherapy to reduce stress .
A new study shows that linalool, a floral scented compound found in many foods and flowers such as oranges, grapes, mangos, lemons, basil, and lavender, may suppress stress -related chemical and gene changes in rats.
Inhaling the linalool caused a reduction in the level of stress-induced immune cells in the rats’ bloodstream as well as downgraded the activity of more than 100 genes that go into overdrive during stressful situations.
Researchers say inhaling the scents of certain plants has been practiced since ancient times to reduce stress, fight inflammation and depression , and induce sleep , and these results represent some of the first scientific evidence to back up these stress-reducing claims.
Good Reason to Stop and Smell the Flowers
In the study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, Japanese researchers exposed a group of laboratory rats to the scent of linalool during a stressful situation and then monitored changes in their blood chemistry and gene activity. The test group was compared to rats who were stressed the same way but without linalool exposure and rats who were neither stressed nor exposed to linalool.
Although levels of two stress hormones, ACTH and corticosterone, increased in the stressed rats exposed to linalool scent, the results showed that linalool exposure was linked to a return of two types of stress -related immune cells to near-normal levels compared to the stressed rats who were not exposed to linalool.
In addition, inhaling linalool was linked to reduced activity of 109 genes that kick into high gear in response to stress.
Researcher Akio Nakamura of the Technical Researcher Center at T. Hasegawa Co. Ltd. in Kawasaki-shi, Japan, and colleagues say the findings could form the basis for additional study using blood tests to identify effects of odorants.
SOURCES: Nakamura, A. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, May 20, 2009; vol 57: pp 5480-5485. News release, American Chemical Society.© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

2009-08-12T15:29:00.000-07:00

FLOWER OF THE DAY...

Alstroemeria

Common names: alstroemeria, Peruvian lily, Inca lily
Description: The main stems of these cut flowers are 2 to 3 feet long and branch into four to six short pedicels; each holding two to four flower buds.
Colors include yellow, apricot, orange, salmon, pink, red, mauve, lavender, purple, cream, white and bi-colors. Alstroemeria typically last one to two weeks.

2009-08-12T15:17:00.000-07:00

Tip of the Week
If a friend is having a party, send a floral arrangement to her home before the party starts. She'll appreciate your personal touch.

NEW DESIGNS

2009-07-31T09:02:00.000-07:00

IT'S 5'O CLOCK SOMEWHERE

2009-07-22T10:54:00.001-07:00

TOP STORY: July 15, 2009

Smith & Hawken Dies on Vine, Closes Stores
After failing to find a buyer for Smith & Hawken, parent company Scotts Miracle-Gro is shuttering all 56 stores of the 30-year-old upscale home and garden chain by the end of the year. The Web site is no longer taking orders.
In 2004, the Marysville, Ohio-based lawn and garden giant bought Smith & Hawken. Scotts' decision to close the business comes after sales dropped 22 percent in the first two quarters of the fiscal year. The closure leaves 700 employees out of work, the home and garden industry minus one competitor and at least two entrepreneurs fairly pleased.

thoughts??

2009-07-22T10:47:00.001-07:00

do men like to receive flowers???

FLOWER SHOP DESIGNS

2009-07-22T10:10:00.000-07:00

I would like to share my designs with you, every day. I will also be sharing thoughts,trends,taking questions and asking for your input on what you would like to see.