Clare Florist Blog

Weird and wonderful flowers – Kniphofias

Our weird and wonderful flowers blog each week takes a look at a species or two of flowers that the majority of people would not have any clue even existed. From rare and exotic species to ones which have evolved highly unique mechanisms to increase their chances of survival, each week we bring you a highly unique and interesting plant to help increase your interesting flower knowledge. Today were going to look the colourful and dramatically unusual kniphofias.

The Kniphofia genus have many common names such as Red hot poker, Tritoma, Torch lily or poker plant all of which are based on its unusual bright, colourful and rocket shaped flowers. Originating from South Africa this plant has been introduced to many countries and now grows wildly in parts of North America, New Zealand, Australia and as a garden plant in Europe to name a few and is an absolute favourite of humming birds. This plant is visually very impressive and requires a lot of space, with its beautiful cascading flower flowers flowing from red through orange and finally yellow it’s a definite head turner and not to difficult to grow.

In terms of its growing temperature it’s a pretty versatile plant and can survive in temperatures between –10^oC and ~35^oC but in the winter months may need some added mulch give it a warm winter coat. Its space requirements are considerably larger than your ordinary plant; growing to between 2-5 feet high and 3 feet wide it can be quite a space taker in your garden but its all worth it for its sheer uniqueness. It requires plenty of sun and water in the summer months and can bloom from May to October if conditions of optimal.  If your looking for a challenge over the spring try growing one of these, I am sure no one else in the area will be doing so.

5 Vegetables to Grow over the winter

If you love growing your own vegetables, or wish to begin doing so, winter may not seem like the best time to do so, its cold, its dry and its gloomy but there are a number of hardy vegetables out their that will grow even in these unfavourable conditions. Growing vegetables in winter allows you to get a jump start on your growing season and the only thing to bear in mind is that if there is a frost predicted a layer of compost or mulch over the top will keep them insulated and alive.

Spring Onions

Spring onion varieties such as the White Lisbon are winter hardy and are greater in winter salads. A fast growing crop which if planted in late autumn will be ready to harvest in mid spring.

Peas

Pea varieties such as Kelvedon Wonder and Meteor will give you those extra few weeks head start over other growers due to their winter hardiness. Plant in the late autumn for a crop next spring, weeks before other growers.

 

Perpetual Spinach

A variety of spinach which is great for winter. Grows well in tough conditions, through regular harvesting and de-flowering this variety can continue to crop all the way till summer.

Shallots and Onions

Varieties such as  Electric and Echatlote Grise are probably the easiest crop to grow over the winter as they basically take care of them selves. Plant early as it wont be ready to harvest until the summer.

Broad Beans

Plant the Aquadulce Claudia variety for some autumn growing and a harvest a month earlier than everyone else.

Christmas Flowers - The meaning of the Christmas Rose

As we get closer to Christmas (only 26 days now) we will be taking a look at all those different types of foliage we associate with Christmas, from poinsettia to Christmas trees, each one is stooped in symbolism and tradition that is really quite interesting. Today we will look at the Christmas rose, Helleborus niger.

The Christmas rose is, ironically, not even a rose but a member of the buttercup family. It gets the common name, Christmas rose from its resemblance to wild roses with its large flat flowers on short stems, it produces white and occasionally pink flowers standing around 9-12 inches in height. Its natural habitat can be found up in the mountainous regions of Switzerland, Bavarian Germany, Austria, Northern Italy and Croatia but can grow in any well drained garden soil and is hardy even in the most shaded of areas. It is a true Christmas plant as it flowers in the depths of winters to early spring but don’t be going off looking to pick it as it is highly poisonous and even touching it can cause skin irritations.

The Christmas rose is another plant that is steeped in history, tradition and folklore. The plant is heavily associated with Christianity and the birth of Christ through a little Sheppard named Madelon. The legend goes that Madelon was tending to here sheep one cold and wintry night, three wise men and a group of Sheppard’s passed by her snow covered filed bearing gifts for the Christ Child, the wise men with frankincense, gold and myrrh and the Sheppard’s bearing fruits, honey and doves. Madelon became saddened that she didn’t have any gift for the newborn kind, not even a simple flower and began to weep. An angle looking down saw Madelon tears and came down to here aid and brushed away the snow to reveal a beautiful white flower with tips of pink, our Christmas rose.

A lovely legend of the spirit of Christmas for a beautiful flower.

Weekly Round Up - Misteltoe, Winter plants, Black flowers and Thanksgiving

Flower meanings – Christmas Mistletoe

As we get closer to Christmas (only 33 days now) we will be taking a look at all those different types of foliage we associate with Christmas, from poinsettia to Christmas trees, each one is stooped in symbolism and tradition that is really quite interesting. Today we will look at Mistletoe.

Mistletoe is an incredibly interesting plant in both how it survives and the vast amount of legend and folklore that surrounds it..........................

 

Tips for Tuesday – Caring for your indoor plants

Winter hasn’t really set in yet, those bitter cold temperatures of last year haven’t surfaced and the frosts have been rather non-existent, the central heating isn't up to 100 and the windows and doors may still get opened once in a while without the military precision required in winter.  All of these factors affect how indoor plants survive during the winter and to make sure that their lives go on, the way we care for them needs to be adjusted too. Here are a few basic tips to keeping your house plants alive this winter....................................

 

Weird and Wonderful Wednesday - Flor de Muerto: the flower of the dead

Our weird and wonderful flowers blog each week takes a look at a species or two of flowers that the majority of people would not have any clue even existed. From rare and exotic species to ones which have evolved highly unique mechanisms to increase their chances of survival, each week we bring you a highly unique and interesting plant to help increase your interesting flower knowledge. Today were going to look at the closest nature has come to producing a black plant the Mexican perennial, Flor de Muerto - the flower of the dead.................................

 

 

Thanksgiving Flowers and Centrepieces

This Thanksgiving holiday many families will sit down at their table ready to devour as much turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie as is feasibly possible. Another tradition that is kept alive by many families and makes the day complete is the tradition of a centrepiece, or cornucopia, a decoration that pays tribute to this special day............................

Thanksgiving Flowers and Centrepieces

This Thanksgiving holiday many families will sit down at their table ready to devour as much turkey, stuffing and pumpkin pie as is feasibly possible. Another tradition that is kept alive by many families and makes the day complete is the tradition of a centrepiece, or cornucopia, a decoration that pays tribute to this special day. The cornucopia is filled with fruits, vegetables and fresh natural flowers of the types of harvestable food that were available to the pilgrims when they first celebrate this holiday.

It’s generally filled with autumn colours and flowers such as deep reds, fiery oranges and warming yellows of traditional thanksgiving flowers such as chrysanthemums, sunflowers and gerberas but other flowers such as daisies, lilacs, daffodils and dahlias can be used and are a wonderful way of making your centrepiece stand out and be remembered.

Below is a selection of some traditional and rather untraditional table centrepieces; some off these are simply amazing others are just ridiculous!

A healthy Turkey alternative

Crafty Turkey

I'm not even going to comment

A More traditional centrepiece, except the basket is made from break

Another very crafty and creative centrepiece

Your not wrong, it is indeed made of cheetos

Its a centrepiece of potatoes, nothing more, honestly.

A very traditional one to finish

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!

 

 

Weird and Wonderful Wednesday - Flor de Muerto: the flower of the dead

Our weird and wonderful flowers blog each week takes a look at a species or two of flowers that the majority of people would not have any clue even existed. From rare and exotic species to ones which have evolved highly unique mechanisms to increase their chances of survival, each week we bring you a highly unique and interesting plant to help increase your interesting flower knowledge. Today were going to look at the closest nature has come to producing a black plant the Mexican perennial, Flor de Muerto - the flower of the dead.

 

The Lisianthus Nigrescens is the blackest flower in the world. As you have probably noticed, black flowers don’t appear in the wild to frequently as it is a very rare trait to find in any plant that isn’t the result of crossing two species together. In Mexico however, this plant is a common perennial and can be found growing on roadsides, embankments, pine and oak forest floors in various states. It gets its name as the flower of the dead partly due to its black nature, having black petals, fruit, leaves, seeds and pollen but also because it is planted around graves during funerals.

 

It’s drooping, bell shaped, tubular flowers hang downwards from 2 metre stems in what could be described as a wilted and unhealthy looking state. The flower is able to achieve its black colour as it absorbs both UV and the visible light spectrum completely, and is the only flower known to do so. This however leaves researchers a little stumped, how does this flower attract insects or birds to spread its pollen if it doesn’t have any colours that they can see. Since colour is one of the main tools that flowers have to attract pollinators to them how does the L. nigrescens attract pollinators? The answer researchers gave when attempting to answer this question “The problem of how this flower might attract the pollinators when it totally absorbs in both the UV and the visible [light] remains to be explained."

A truly mysterious flower.

Tips for Tuesday – Caring for your indoor plants

Winter hasn’t really set in yet, those bitter cold temperatures of last year haven’t surfaced and the frosts have been rather non-existent, the central heating isn't up to 100 and the windows and doors may still get opened once in a while without the military precision required in winter.  All of these factors affect how indoor plants survive during the winter and to make sure that their lives go on, the way we care for them needs to be adjusted too. Here are a few basic tips to keeping your house plants alive this winter.

Watering

• Watering is the single most important thing a plant needs but is also the single biggest killer.

• Keep the soil moist and wait until it has almost dried before rewatering. One easy way to check is push your finger an inch into the compost, if its wet, its ok.

• In the winter your plants will need watering less than during spring and summer as they go into a dormant phase with less active growth. Adjust any watering schedules to only water when necessary.

• Water from above direct to the soil and also allow the water to drain away. Leaving the plant over watered can rot the roots and the plant will die.

• If the plant is still growing or flowering maintain watering to suit its needs.

Feeding

• Reduce feeding over the winter period while the plants have reduced active growth and do not feed plants that are resting.

• If the plants are still growing and flowering keep feeding the same.

Pruning

• Remove dying or dead flowers, leaves and other foliage by pinching them off with your thumb and forefinger.

Cleaning

• Sitting around the house all day plants like all other objects will aquire dust. Build up of dust is not only rather ugly but it can prevent the plants from growing properly

Bugs and pests

• Keep your eyes peeled for bugs on the stems, tufts of white fluff at the base and yellow speckling on the leaves. All three of these are signs common pests have got to your plant and are doing it some harm. Remove with organic soap sprays or rubbing off with some cotton wool.

   

Flower meanings – Christmas Mistletoe

As we get closer to Christmas (only 33 days now) we will be taking a look at all those different types of foliage we associate with Christmas, from poinsettia to Christmas trees, each one is stooped in symbolism and tradition that is really quite interesting. Today we will look at Mistletoe.

Mistletoe is an incredibly interesting plant in both how it survives and the vast amount of legend and folklore that surrounds it. From the earliest times mistletoe has been regarded as a magical and sacred plant in European culture being thought to give protection against poison, grant life and fertility, and as a mild aphrodisiac.  Bringing mistletoe into the home is the survival of traditions from the ancient Celtic druids, the Greeks and many other pre-Christian cultures. In the Middle Ages and later, mistletoe was hung above the entrances to doors, stables and from the ceiling to prevent the witches and other evil spirits entering the home. The traditions of kissing under the mistletoe is anther story entirely but can be traced back to the Greeks.

Kissing under the mistletoe can be first associated with the Greek festival of Saturnalia and later with primitive marriage rites in the belief that it could bestow fertility. In Scandinavia mistletoe was seen as a way of making peace between enemies or fighting spouses would kiss and make up. In the late eighteenth century the kissing ball, a ball of mistletoe, trimmed evergreens, ribbons, and ornaments, would be hung up and any young lady who stood underneath it could not refuse to be kissed. If the lady received a kiss it could blossom into a deep romance or a long lasting friendship. However if the lady remained unkissed she could expect not to marry the following year. In modern times a lot of these traditions have been lost, but the fun and festive nature of catching someone of guard under the mistletoe is rather humorous. One meaning that still has some significance is that a kiss under the mistletoe between two loved ones is a promise to marry as well as a prediction of happiness and long life, so be aware couples!

 

Why are those flowers so colourful?

One of the reasons we love flowers is down to their colour, it’s the evocative reds in the rose, the calming blues of lavender and the bright yellows of the daffodil that reinforce the feelings we have when we see these flowers. Why is it that flowers are these bright and vivid colours? What is responsible for creating the different coloured roses and carnations and how did all this variety come to be? For the answer we shall have to look inside the flower as the answer lies within the flowers genes.

Just like the colour of peoples skin, which is caused by various levels of a special pigment called melanin, more melanin = darker skin, less = lighter skin. The various colours in flowers come from three pigment types, anthocyanins, carotenoids and chlorophylls. Anthocyanins mainly produce reds, pinks, blues and purples; carotenoids are what are responsible for the colours in tomatoes and carrots, giving a variety of yellow, orange and red; lastly chlorophylls are responsible for giving flowers, plants, trees and pretty much anything that is green in colour. The different levels of pigments are controlled by the plants genes and DNA which affect the overall colours that appear in the flowers. 

 

These bright colours however aren’t just to make the flower look pretty, they have evolved to take advantage of the fact that animals, birds and insects are attracted to bright colours and can be used to help the plants reproduce, the end goal for all species. As well as bright flowers these plants will also have sweet offerings, whether it is fruits or nectar that encourage creatures to land on the flowers where by particles of pollen become stuck to the creature which will be brushed off as it goes from plant to plant. If the flowers were dull, plain or unattractive there pollen would be spread much less than those that were bright in colour as they would attract less creatures and thus, over time would die out as the competition became more and more dominant from the attractive bright flowers.

 

Flower Facts for Thursday

With us being close to the end of the week, our brains are tired, were looking forward to the weekend and in need of some mental stimulation. Here are some facts, figures, challenges and general fun to keep us all occupied for one more day.

Flower Facts

• It is estimated that there are approximately 250,000 species of flowering plant on Earth, only around 85 percent of which have so far been catalogued.

• The sap of the daffodil contains sharp crystalline structures that make them unpalatable to grazing animals like sheep and cattle. Ingestion of daffodils in humans can lead to severe nausea and sickness and in some cases death. Stay away from those daffodils.

• Tulip bulbs can be used in place of onions for cooking.

 

• A rare plant called Puya raimondii from the Andes in South America has over three thousand flowers and in excess of 6 million seeds!

Jokes

• Why do potatoes make good detectives?   (highlight text below to reveal answer)
  
  • Because they keep their eyes peeled!
  
  

• What vegetable do you need a plumber for?   (highlight text below to reveal answer)
  • A leek!

Riddle

• What vegetable can you throw away the outside, cook the inside, eat the outside and throw away the inside?   (highlight text below to reveal answer)
  • Corn!