For one of our team, this week has seen a short, impromptu and pretty much whirlwind trip to Adelaide, for family reasons. While there, he simply couldn't resist a visit to the local flower market, so we thought we'd share the experience - and a couple of pictures - with you. Those of you who have been to Aalsmeer or Westland will see from the pictures that this visit to Adelaide Flower Market has certainly been different to our visits to these other markets in recent months.
What was probably most striking about this market was the personal service from knowledgeable wholesalers, and taking the opportunity to chat to them about the market. In some ways, it was rather reminiscent of many of the visits to local markets in younger years, bringing back some amazing memories of the early morning starts and the general buzz and excitement of going, so a very worthwhile visit to have made!
17 Mar 2011
Our March twitter winner, Saint Patrick's Day and Mother's Day
Congratulations to our Twitter; #randomfollower March competition winner - Vicki, who has won a bespoke Clare Florist hand-tied bouquet. Here is what she had to say upon recieving her flowers:
'These are the BEAUTIFUL flowers that I won from ClareFlorist! Aren't they gorgeous, guys?! They asked me what colours I like and my favourite flowers so they could personalise it for me. I was so speechless though that I just said 'UHHH, I like purples, pinks, yellows and iris'! Not very helpful but they came up trumps! Thanks you so much! xxxx'
Thank's Vicki, the team here are so pleased that you like them!
Irish eyes will be smiling today - Thursday 17th March is St. Patrick's Day!
We'd like to send our best wishes to all of our friends from Ireland on their special day. Click on the green shamrock to see Saint Patrick's Day on our Special Dates page.
Mother's Day in the UK is on Sunday 3rd April this year. Mother's Day or Mothering Sunday is the time when children pay respect to their Mothers – often by presenting them with a card and a gift and as the day falls during spring, a gift of Spring Flowers is often given; by way of a thank youfor all their love, attention, kindness and affection that they have shown throughout the year.
So there is still plenty of time for you to order your magnificent Mum some fabulous fresh flowers from our gorgeous Mother's Day Flowers collection.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
25 Jan 2011
25th January - Burns Supper
Robert Burns, born on 25th January 1759. Rose from humble beginnings to become 'Scotlands favourite son'
His work is celebrated worldwide...
So pour yourself a wee dram and pipe in the haggis and celebrate a nations favourite...
Address to a Haggis
Fair fa' your honest, sonsie face, Great chieftain o the puddin'-race! Aboon them a' ye tak your place, Painch, tripe, or thairm: Weel are ye wordy of a grace As lang's my arm.
The groaning trencher there ye fill, Your hurdies like a distant hill, Your pin wad help to mend a mill In time o need, While thro your pores the dews distil Like amber bead.
His knife see rustic Labour dight, An cut you up wi ready slight, Trenching your gushing entrails bright, Like onie ditch; And then, O what a glorious sight, Warm-reekin, rich!
Then, horn for horn, they stretch an strive: Deil tak the hindmost, on they drive, Till a' their weel-swall'd kytes belyve Are bent like drums; The auld Guidman, maist like to rive, 'Bethankit' hums.
Is there that owre his French ragout, Or olio that wad staw a sow, Or fricassee wad mak her spew Wi perfect sconner, Looks down wi sneering, scornfu view On sic a dinner?
Poor devil! see him owre his trash, As feckless as a wither'd rash, His spindle shank a guid whip-lash, His nieve a nit: Thro bloody flood or field to dash, O how unfit!
But mark the Rustic, haggis-fed, The trembling earth resounds his tread, Clap in his walie nieve a blade, He'll make it whissle; An legs an arms, an heads will sned, Like taps o thrissle.
Ye Pow'rs, wha mak mankind your care, And dish them out their bill o fare, Auld Scotland wants nae skinking ware That jaups in luggies: But, if ye wish her gratefu prayer, Gie her a Haggis!
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
10 Dec 2010
Christmas Flowers
At Yuletide there are many popular Christmas flowers that we use to honour and mark the festive season. All over the world flowers and plants form a major part of Christmas decorations by adding colour as many of these Christmas flowers happen to bloom around the months of December - coinciding with the Christmas holiday season. Plants and flowers such as; holly, ivy, mistletoe, Christmas Roses (Helleborus) and Poinsettia.
In many Western cultures, holly is used in Christmas wreaths and is used to symbolise truth. Ivy was believed to have magical powers as it remains green during winter and it symbolises eternity and resurection. Mistletoe was believed to have healing powers and was used as an antidote for poison, infertillity and to ward off evil spirits, it was seen as a symbol of peace. The Christmas Rose is a celebrated English plant that is regarded as a true Christmas flower. It is sometimes called the Snow or Winter Rose and it blooms during the winter months in the mountains of central Europe. The Poinsettia is known as the flower of the holy night and due to its magnificent red colour during the festive season it is extensively used as decoration and it's star-shaped leaf pattern is said to symbolise the star of Bethlehem.
All of our Christmas flowers and Christmas bouquets, all available for delivery to any address in the UK, they make make perfect presents and Christmas gifts and they will certainly show that special person, family, friend and loved ones just how much you care and appreciate them.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
25 Nov 2010
Flowers and Perfume
Perfume is the mixture of essential oils and aroma compounds, fixatives and solvents used to give the human body, living spaces, animals and objects a pleasant scent. The aroma compounds that make up a perfume can be artificially manufactured or taken from plant or animal sources. Perfumes have existed since early human civilisation.
Flowers and blossoms have long been used in the making of perfumes - as a source of essential oils and aroma compounds. Flowers and blossoms are the largest source of fragrant compounds or aromatics used in perfumery. These include the flowers of several species of roses, jasmine and freesia as well as narcissus and scented geranium (to name but a few).
A common technique for obtaining aromatic compounds from plants, flowers and blossoms is the process of distillation - Where the raw material is heated and thefragrant compounds are re-collected through condensation of the distilled vapour.
Once extracted the various pieces of the 'perfume puzzle' are put together. The person who makes up a perfume is called a perfumer. The perfumer will blend all of the essential components to assemble a perfume, this is anything from ten to hundreds of different ingredients.
The proper preservation of perfumes involves keeping them away from sources of heat and storing them where they will not be exposed to light.
How to make perfume from flower petals:
You will need...
Fresh flower petals - rose or lavender are a traditional choice
salt
large bowl
metal pot or saucepan
distilled water
muslin cloth
funnel
glass bottle for keeping the finished perfume in
Four simple steps to make you own perfume...
1)Remove the moisture and fragrance from the flower petals - Place the petals into the large bowl and sprinkle some salt over them. Give this a good mix with a spoon (it doesn't matter if the petals get damaged as this can actually assist in the process). Leave to rest for about an hour.
2)Boil the petals - Put the rested petals into the metal pot or saucepan and add a couple of cups of distilled water to them. Bring this mixture to the boil on a stove or cooker, once boiling, reduce the heat and partially cover with the pan lid and leave to simmer for 2-3 hours. Then remove from the heat and allow the petal mixture to cool.
3) Strain the petal mixture - Place the muslin cloth inside the funnel and pour the petal mixture through into the bowl. Give the left over petal mixture retained in the muslin cloth a good squeeze so to get all of the petal essence.
4) Transfer the perfume into a suitable bottle - Use a funnel to pour the extracted petal fragrance (perfume) into a suitable bottle. Enjoy!
This perfume will last for only a few weeks as it contains no preservative. If the perfume begins to look funny or mouldy, do not use and throw it away.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
5 Nov 2010
Guy Fawkes Night and Diwali;
This year Diwali (the beginning of the Hindu New Year) will be celebrated on the 5th November, thus coinciding with Guy Fawkes Night - So expect there to be fireworks!
We are all familiar with Guy Fawkes Night or Bonfire Night as it is sometimes known. It is the annual celebration to mark the failed gunpowder plot of the 5th November 1605.
Remember, remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot, I know of no reason Why the Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot.
As for Diwali; In India, the beginning of the Hindu New Year is celebrated in the festival of Diwali, which operates according to the lunar calendar. Lasting for five days during the new moon period that ends the month of Ashwin, Diwali is an official public holiday in India and is of great significance to the predominantly Hindu population. It is often referred to the Festival of Lights or Deepavali.
Traditions involve decorating homes with lights, setting off fireworks and handing gifts to friends and family. Flowers are also central to Diwali celebrations and those who observe the festival will often make rangoli's from various different types of flowers. The rangoli is essentially a geometric floor design, which often comprises floral arrangements including carnations, roses and orchids of various colours, that is used to attract the attention of Goddess Lakshmi.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
27 Oct 2010
The Clare Florist Flower Quiz
I thought that this week I'd set a little quiz to see how knowledgeable you all are on all things flowery. All of the questions are flower related, so lets see how many you can answer.
As they say in all good pub quizzes - please no mobile phones and no google. I hope you enjoy this and good luck... Oh and I've left some clues in some of the links in the questions.
Question 1)What were the series of civil wars (1455 - 1485), that were fought for the throne of England between the The House of York and The House of Lancaster called?
Question 2) The monarch of which nation sits on the 'Chrysanthemum Throne?
Question 3) The spice saffron comes from which type of flower?
Question 4) What is the 'art' of Japanese floristry called?
Question 5) Name the 3 artists who painted these famous floral still life paintings?
Question 6) What are the best selling cut flowers around the world?
Question 7) What part of the world do the flowers in th picture below originate from?
Question 8) What flower am I?
"Display me on your table; expensive and exotic. I have a sophisticated colour scheme, my spots and streaks can be really quite hypnotic!"
Question 9) What flower changes colour from blue to pink according to the amount of acid in the soil?
Question 10) What is Clare Florist's best selling bouquet?
Well that's the end of the quiz, I hope you enjoyed it. I shall post the answers up on next weeks blog. Why don't you go to our facebook page and leave us your answers?
You never know there might even be a prize for the correct or most amusing answers!
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
22 Oct 2010
Halloween and All Saint's Day:
Next week - October 31st sees the annual 'Holiday' festival of Halloween and then on the 1st November the Christian holiday; All Saint's Day.
Halloween traditions include; dressing up as ghosts, ghouls and witches, apple bobbing, trick or treating, making pumpkin Jack-o-lanterns and having bonfires to scare away evil spirits. It is one of the oldest celebrations in the world - dating back over 2000 years.
The link between Halloween and All Saint's Day is in that when Christianity came to Britain and Europe, the 1st of November became a dedicated day for saints who did not have their own celebrated day - They performed a mass called 'All Hallows mass' the night before, this was known as 'All Hallows E'en' and this subsequently became Halloween or Hallowe'en (correct spelling.) it is believed that the colours of orange and black are linked to Halloween due to orange having association with harvests and black being associated to death.
All Saint's Day traditions include; the taking offlowers to the graves of dead relatives, lighting candles and visiting the graves of deceased relatives and the offering of prayers and flowers to those passed away.
The Feast of All Saints is a holy day of the Church honoring all saints, known and unknown.
On All Saints Day, we celebrate these saints of the Lord and ask for their prayers and intercessions.
The whole concept of All Saints Day is tied in with the concept of the Communion of Saints. Christians have been honoring their saints and martyrs since at least the second century AD.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
15 Oct 2010
October Flowers and Prizewinners
October Prizewinner:
Firstly congratulations to our October, second Tuesday of the month twitter #randomfollower prizewinner: Jackie from Lancs. Who very kindly had her winning bespoke bouquet sent to her mum. Here she is with her prize (and a very cute dog). Well done Jackie - and your Mum too!
October Flowers:
The Birth flower for October is the marigold (or Calendula).
The flower meaning of the October birth flower - the marigold; is sorrow or sympathy and the colours for the October birth month flowers should be Yellow or white.
Birth month flowers are usually the specific flowers that are traditionally given to a person the month that person is born.
The Marigold's flower meaning is "winning grace." Once considered the most sacred of flowers, in India it was placed around the necks of holy statues.
The Marigold is found through Europe, the United States, and western Asia. Marigolds are good cleansers and can be used as remedies for bee stings and can be used by cooks as a spicy seasoning or colouring for food.
For fantastic prize winning opportunities, fabulous flower information and magnificent offers and product news!
8 Oct 2010
Some are red, none are blue, look at the Roses we can deliver to you!
I thought that this week I would pick a particular flower variety and give you wonderful readers some (hopefully interesting) facts and information about it.
So on with The Rose...
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 multitude of colours. The rose is one of the most popular and comonly sold florists' flowers. Around 150 million rose plants are purchased by gardeners worldwide every year. The largest rose garden in the world is found in Cavriglia, Tuscany, Italy. It is the home to over 7500 different species of roses.
Roses are ancient symbols of love and beauty. A bouquet of red roses is often used to show love and affection - especially as a Valentine's Day gift.
The rose is the national flower of England and the USA and is the symbol of the England Rugby team (and Union).
It is also the provincial flower of Yorkshire and Lancashire in England.
A wonderful Photographic study of Rose flower translucence.
The 'White Rose' was a World War II non violent resistance group in Germany.
And finally... A famous rose quotation:
"What is in a name? That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet". - William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet; act II scene ii.
