Roses are the most popular flowers in the world. But, sometimes it can be refreshing to send someone a bouquet with flowers that looks just like a roses.
Roses are the most popular flowers in the world. But, sometimes it can be refreshing to send someone a bouquet with flowers that looks just like a roses.
Hydrangeas are showy and stunning but can also be quite temperamental and wilt very easily. In this blog post we’ll show you how you can help bring your hydrangeas back to life.
Hydrangeas are one of the few flowers that needs tons of water. Even the name hydrangea comes from the Greek word ‘hydor’ which means water! As soon as your hydrangea is feeling low on water it will let you know, in the most dramatic way – it will wilt.
The stem of the hydrangea is woody and flower that has woody stems have harder to get all the water they need. Usually, it’s enough cutting flower stems at an angle but hydrangeas and all flowers with woody stems needs an extra cut upwards in the centre of the stem. This helps the hydrangea suck up more water.
When cutting hydrangeas (and all flowers) make sure your scissors are sharp enough, as cutting flowers with slightly blunt scissors can cause damage to the end of the stem which leads to less water intake for the flower. Now, once you have a bit of background knowledge let’s start..
Materials you will need:
Hydrangeas (wilted or droopy)
Boiling or very hot water
Heat-proof vase
Sharp scissors
Step 1.
Boil your kettle with water.
Step 2.
Cut 1-2 inches of the hydrangea stem, at an angle. Then continue cutting upwards into the centre of the hydrangea stem.
Step 3.
Fill the vase with the hot water.
Step 4.
Place the hydrangeas in the vase filled with hot water.
Step 5.
Leave in a cool, shaded place for minimum of 4 hours. Preferably overnight.
Looking for flowers with same day delivery? We at LOV Flowers are happy to announce we now deliver same day within London! Simply place your order before 1pm Monday to Friday.
If you need your flowers sent anywhere else in the UK, then choose our free next day flower delivery.
Also read: How to plant and care for Queen Anne's Lace
Milkweed has quickly become one of the most popular plants to grow in our gardens. Apart from being a very easy plant to care for, it is also a host plant of monarch butterflies. And, who wouldn’t want a garden or patio filled with butterflies?
History of Milkweed
The milkweed plant, scientifically called asclepias, is native to North America, where it was used as food and medicine. When cooked, the milkweed leaves resemble spinach or kale, and its flowers were harvested and steamed like broccoli.
Keep in mind if you were to try this at home, the milkweed can cause mild toxicity if ingested raw and do not rub your eyes when handling milkweed as the sap can cause irritation. On the positive side it’s high in Vitamin C and Beta Carotene.
Flower Meaning & Symbolism
Milkweeds symbolise remembrance, dignity, and freedom, which is a lovely message to have planted in your garden. The genus name comes from the Greek god of medicine, Asclepius, because of the plants medicinal properties.
Shape & colour
Each individual flower on the milkweed has five-parted sepals and five-parted petals. The corona usually has five upright hoods, which are brightly coloured.
The milkweed plant has gorgeous sprays of fragrant flowers in colours that range from white, red, purple, and green.
Growing Milkweeds
There are three main types of milkweed plants that are great choices to plant in your garden. Common milkweed, Swamp milkweed and Butterfly weed.
The best place to plant milkweed is in a spot with full sun as they need at least 6 to 8 hours of sun per day. They’re also self-seeded so best to plant them in a place that’s protected from the wind which will help prevent them spreading too quickly.
Most milkweed can grow in all types of soil except for the Swamp milkweed, that requires moist, humus-rich soil. The best time to plant milkweed from seeds is in the autumn, however if you have purchased starter plants, then plant them in the spring when the cold and frost have passed.
Milkweed need little to no looking after and most species aren’t bothered by pests, heat or drought. Even fertilization isn’t needed. However, removing withered flowers can result in new buds.
Looking for flowers with same day delivery? We at LOV Flowers are happy to announce we now deliver same day within London! Simply place your order before 1pm Monday to Friday. If you need your flowers sent anywhere else in the UK, then choose our free next day flower delivery.
Looking for fresh flowers for your home? Use code HELLO10 at checkout for 10% off your first order!
Your Ultimate Carnation Flower Guide
Carnations are known to have a bit of a bad reputation of being an “old fashioned” flower or a flower only suitable for funerals. But lately the carnation is making a comeback and we can definitely see why. Scroll down to find out why the carnation is the floral designers new best friend.
History & origin
The carnation dates back more than 2000 years and it’s not surprising that they are deeply embedded in symbolism and flower meanings. Carnations originates in the Mediterranean region and is one of the oldest cultivated flowers and has been known since Greek and Roman times.
The flower got its scientific name from the Greek botanist Theophrastus who named it dianthus, a combination of the Greek words dios, which means divine or God and Anthos, the word for flower.
In the Victorian age, the popularity of the carnation reached its peak, although it never became quite as popular as the violet. Still, it was one of the Victorians favourite flowers.
Carnation colours
Carnations comes in a lot of different colours and shades, even bicolour. The most popular colours are white, pink, red, orange, purple, yellow and lavender. In short, all colours under the sun apart from blue and black.
Symbolism & flower meanings
When the carnation was first discovered the most common colour was pink and shades of pink so it’s no surprise the general symbolism of carnations are ‘devotion’.
Nowadays carnations are an expression of love and gratitude and are often given to mothers on Mother’s Day. Each colour also have their own meaning.
Pink carnations symbolise gratitude
The original pink carnation that was discovered first symbolise gratitude and is the most common flower send to mothers on Mother’s Day.
White carnations symbolise purity and good luck
Some people associate white carnations with funerals but in fact, white carnations mean purity and good luck. A perfect flower to send someone that’s starting a new job or for the newly engaged!
Yellow carnations symbolise disappointment and rejection
Yellow carnations are very pretty but for some reason they represent disappointment and rejection. Therefore they are best to send someone you need to apologise to or even as a sympathy flower.
Red carnations symbolise admiration & affection
Red carnations are lovely fluffy red flowers that looks fantastic in Christmas arrangements and in garlands running down the middle of the dining table.
They also work really well as a alternative for roses on Valentine’s Day for those few who prefer something else then premium roses from their loved ones.
Planting & growing carnations
The best time to plant carnations is during a transition season like spring or autumn when it’s not too hot and not too cold. Carnations needs at least four hours of sunlight per day so think about that when choosing where to plant them.
They also like a well-drained soil, not too soggy and a mix of compost to ensure the soil is extra fertile.
Once you’ve chosen a sunny spot in the garden, plant your carnation seeds in the soil with about 30 cm apart. Usually carnations start growing straight away and you should see something at the surface of the soil within a few days.
Make sure the plan get a lot of water in the first few weeks of growing so they can establish their root system. Once your carnation is blooming, you’ll need to prune it to promote new growth.
Fun facts about carnations
Carnations are the birth flower of January
Carnations are the official flower for 1st wedding anniversaries
Carnations are edible and can be used to decorate cakes and salads with
Carnations are the national flower of Monaco, Spain, and Slovenia
Types of carnations
Single head carnations
These are the most common type of carnations that has one large fluffy bloom on a long beautiful flower stem.
Spray carnations
Spray carnations are stems with cluster-like mini stems that resembles small posys and look really nice in vase arrangements.
Dwarf carnations
Dwarf carnations are usually the type you get in gardens and looks really lovely in hanging baskets.
Looking for flowers with same day delivery? We at LOV Flowers are happy to announce we now deliver same day within London! Simply place your order before 1pm Monday to Friday. If you need your flowers sent anywhere else in the UK, then choose our free next day flower delivery.
Looking for flower delivery with carnations?
Also read: Symbolism & Flower Meaning of Lisianthus
Everything you need to know about Lisianthus
Lisianthus is a delicate perennial flower that’s often favoured by floral designers and florists when creating flower arrangements and bouquets. It’s a versatile bloom and brings a classy and elegant feel to most bouquets.
In this post we’ll list the most important things you need to know about lisianthus including how to grow your own.
History & origin of lisianthus
The lisianthus originates from North America where you can find it growing in desert riverbeds and in prairie regions. In Texas, Nebraska, Nevada and Colorado they call this plant the prairie gentian.
The modern day lisianthus was in fact created in Japan by flower breeders in the 1930s. They developed and crossbred the prairie gentian into the cut flower that we know and adore today.
The lisianthus flower symbolise gratitude and appreciation which makes it a perfect addition in a thank-you bouquet.
Lisianthus colours & shape
As we mentioned the lisianthus flower is very versatile. It comes in a range of colours such as white, blue, purple, lavender, pink, yellow, as well as bicolour combinations of those hues.
Apart from its colour, the lisianthus flower also comes in different shapes. For example single form, where the flower simply have one ring of petals around the center, or a double form with several rows of petals.
Planting & growing Lisianthus
The first thing to think about when deciding to grow lisianthus is to plan ahead and invest some time. This plant can take a long time to grow from seed, sometimes as long as up to 20 months. The seed of this plant is also so fine and dust-like that it can be difficult to sow just a few plants at a time.
Lisianthus plants needs full sun, so pic a spot where the plant can get at least six to eight hours of sunlight a day. If you live in a very hot area, the plants will benefit from some afternoon shade, if possible. The important thing is that the lisianthus gets consistent sunlight.
Choose a planting site with well-drained soil. Containers or raised beds are ideal. The richer the soil is the better, the lisianthus loves soil that is rich in organic matter. The soil should however be well-draining, to avoid the roots from rotting.
Water the plants frequently but do not overwater and never allow them to remain soggy. Overwatering your plant can encourage fungal diseases to develop.
Lisianthus flowers need a constant stream of nutrients to be able to produce well-branched plants with lots of blooms. Feed your plant at least once per month with a fertiliser that has one and a half times the amount of potassium as nitrogen.
Fun facts about lisianthus flowers
Long lasting cut flower and can last over two weeks in a vase!
Often mistaken for roses and are a great alternative when giving a romantic gift or in bridal bouquets.
Can grow up to 3 ft tall!
The scientific name for lisianthus flowers are Eustoma, although they’re called ‘lizzies’ among us florists.
Different types of Lisianthus
We’ve already mentioned the vast variety of the lisianthus flower and there are also many different cultivars of lisianthus, distinguished by their colour and size.
Balboa lisianthus
This variety is full of blooms, with dozen flowers per plant all in shades of blue.
Flamenco lisianthus
Most florists prefer using double-flower lisianthus in our arrangements, but this type of lisianthus is very tolerant to the heat which can be helpful in wedding arrangements during the summer months.
Eco Blue lisianthus
This is a tall lisianthus variety that can grow up to 34 inches tall and has dark blue flowers that blooms from midsummer right up to winter.
Sapphire Pink Rim lisianthus
This is a more compact and shorter type of lisianthus, about 5 to 6 inches tall. It is bicolour, usually white with pink edges.
Maurine lisianthus
The maurine lisianthus is a semi-dwarf variety that’s heat tolerant which makes it a perfect plant to grow in pots on your terrace and patio.
Looking for a flower delivery with Lisianthus? Our letterbox flowers can be delivered with Same Day Delivery within London or Next Day UK wide.
Also read: Flower of the month - Tulips
Just like the fashion industry follow seasonal trends that changes from year to year, so does the floral industry. Read about the hottest floral trends of 2020/2021.
We get many enquiries about weather or not we can include fresh flowers when setting up a Christmas tree in clients homes. Fresh flowers would understandably be the ultimate decor to include in your tree. But unfortunately it's easier said than done.
We love to incorporate natural elements in our autumnal and Halloween décor to give it a rustic and inviting feel. Unlike Christmas wreaths that has a green wreath base made out of pine, we think that a natural twine or rattan wreath base works best for autumn wreaths and gives it that organic look.