Flowers& - February 2013

Flowers& FEBRUARY 2013 $5.50

www.MyTeleflora.com

The Rites of Spring Everything’s coming up...flowers! Time for garden-fresh ideas and imagination.

Celebrating the spirit of Easter Pg 26 Appreciation for admins and others Pg 38

features

FEBRUARY 2013

47 16

Grower Profile: Sun Valley Floral Farms How one California grower keeps expanding against the odds.

By Bruce Wright

24

29th Annual Flowers& Design Contest Are you ready for “The Second Time Around”?

26

Easter Parade Designs to celebrate the season of renewal.

Floral design by Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI, IMG, CAFA Photography by Ron Derhacopian

38

Thanks a Dozen Twelve spring gift ideas for secretaries and others.

Floral design by Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian

50

Shop Talk: Ribbon Revealed Today’s ribbons stand ready to help you stand out.

By Marianne Cotter

4 FEBRUARY 2013

On the Cover A topiary cross makes an outline, framed with thorny branches and barbed wire, within a garden setting that might recall Gethsemane. For more Easter designs by Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI, IMG, CAFA, see “Easter Parade” on pages 26-37.

contents 12

Focus on Design A Do-Ahead Equisetum Accent

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

14

Creative Edge Product Series: Diamond Wrap

By Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

53

Shop Profile Happy Canyon Flowers, Denver, Colorado

By Marianne Cotter

58

15

Fresh Focus

59

Tulips

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

61 62

Advertiser Links Net Effects Social Media at a Glance

By Sarah Botchick

63

Industry Events

64

What’s in Store

66

Where to Buy

68

Wholesaler Connection

13 Flowers& Volume 34, Number 2 (ISSN 0199-4751). Published monthly by Teleflora, 11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 800-321-2665, fax 310-966-3610. Subscription rates: U.S., 1 year, $66.00. Canada, 1 year, $90.00 (US currency only); Canadian GST registration number R127851293. Other foreign countries, 1 year, $102.00 (US currency only). Single issues, $5.50 each prepaid. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, Calif., and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes to Flowers&, PO Box 16029, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9871. Copyright

6 FEBRUARY 2013

©

2013 by Teleflora. Printed in U.S.A.

Flowers& Publisher

Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI rsalvaggio@teleflora.com

Editor

Bruce Wright

Art Director

Tony Fox

National Advertising Director

Peter Lymbertos

Publication Coordinator

Elinor Cohen

Contributing Editor

Bill McKinley

AIFD

U.S. Subscriptions

800-321-2665

Foreign Subscriptions

818-286-3128

Advertising

800-421-4921

On the Internet

www.MyTeleflora.com www.flowersandmagazine.com

ADVISORY BOARD Teleflora Education Specialists Susan Ayala PFCI,

AIFD,

SAO Professional Design, Loma Linda, Calif., Tom Bowling

Fairfield, Ohio, Tim Farrell

Bert Ford

AIFD, PFCI,

Mo., Hitomi Gilliam

AIFD,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Phoenix Flower Shops, Phoenix, Ariz., Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI, AZMF,

Essexville, Mich., Julie Poeltler

Lone Tree, Iowa, Jerome Raska

Tom Simmons

Kansas City,

Design Circle Events, Fitchburg, Wisc., Alex

Niceville, Fla., Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Bob Hampton AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD,

AIFD,

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, Penn.,

Ford Flower Co., Salem, N.H., Jim Ganger

Dallas, Texas, John Hosek

Jackson

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

Tucson, Ariz., Darla Pawlak Fountain of Flowers & Gifts,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, MCF,

JR Designs, Detroit, Mich.,

Three Bunch Palms Productions, Palm Springs, Calif., Gerard Toh

Sherman Oaks Florist, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Cindy Tole, Botanica Flowers & Gifts,

Greensboro, N.C., Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI, Mukwonago, Wisc.

EDITORIAL COUNCIL Marie Ackerman PFCI,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Teleflora, Oklahoma City, Okla., Tom Butler

Teleflora, Oklahoma City, Okla., Carol J. Caggiano

Jeffersonton, Va., Wilton Hardy

AIFD, AAF, PFCI, FSMD,

Palm Beach, Fla., Rocky Pollitz

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

AAF,

A. Caggiano, Inc.,

JWH Design and Consultant, West

Blue Jay, Calif., Elizabeth Seiji

AIFD,

Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Santa Monica, Calif.

Customer service: For service on your magazine subscription, including change of address, please write to Flowers&, P.O. Box 16029, No. Hollywood, CA 91615-9871, enclosing a recent address label. For faster service, call 818-286-3128; Teleflora members call 800-421-2815.

8 www.flowersandmagazine.com

focus on design Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 66.

1

A do-ahead vase treatment turns an orchid spray into an artful design.

A wired equisetum fence is a versatile design accessory that can be quickly and easily made, well in advance of other components in the completed design. The wire allows you to bend the fence and control its shape.

1. To make an equisetum fence, cut two pieces of 18-gauge wire at an angle, using wire cutters, to create a sharp, pointed tip at both ends. Use the pointed tips to pierce stems of equisetum and feed them onto the wires, one piece at a time. Push the first wire through a stem of equisetum, about an inch up from the bottom; then push the second wire through, about an inch higher. At this point you may want to add two or three more equisetum stems—but before you go much further, use a pair of needle-nose jewelry pliers to bend the wires around the equisetum at one end, which will hold them in place.

2

2. Continue threading equisetum onto the wires from the other end. You don’t have to push the equisetum all the way through every time: wait until you have three or four stems, then push them together all the way to the end. Work on a flat surface. When you’re done, you can use the wire to shape the equisetum fence at will.

3. Before placing the fence inside a clear container, you may wish to trim it as seen here, so the bottom is straight and the top goes from high to low in a pleasing diagonal line.

4. Adding clear gel cubes and a variegated dracaena leaf, along with flower-food solution, adds interest to the design and helps to support the stem of a dramatic white cymbidium with pink accents that just says, “Take me home.” b

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3

4 FEBRUARY 2013 13

creative edge Floral design by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 66.

Since customers always want red roses for Valentine’s Day, let’s find ways to offer them in a distinctive presentation with an improved profit margin. One way to do that is with Diamond Wrap from Accent Décor (a similar product, Amazing Wrapzz, is available from Fitz Design). This product comes in a variety of widths and colors; the wide widths can also be trimmed to narrower ones. Lightweight and flexible, the wrap can be fashioned into shapes by attaching it to wire (including flat wire).

Let’s dress up the roses!

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Photography by Philippe Martin-Morice

Twos and threes Below, short-stem gloriosas make the perfect companion to bundles of just two or three roses, presented in four-inch glass cylinders with Diamond Wrap armatures built to fit. The armatures hold the flowers securely without additional flowers or greens. When two-inch Diamond Wrap is trimmed to a width of four-diamond rows, it fits well with half-inch flat wire.

The two are glued together with a clear craft glue, then shaped into the armatures. The flowers are twist-tied to the structure in a couple of spots using double strands of bullion wire. In the design on the left, extra sparkle has been added with a single row of diamonds glued to the center of a monstera leaf. b

A dozen flowers arranged Above, six roses and six gloriosas are beautifully showcased against the flared dish of a short trumpet vase. To enhance perceived value, inch-wide and half-inch flat wire was covered with Diamond Wrap, using UGlu to spot-glue and clear craft glue for total adhesion. The one-inch flat wire requires six rows of diamonds, while the half-inch flat wire requires four rows of diamonds. The diamond-studded flat wire is then shaped into loops and attached to the vase with UGlu Dashes. For a final flourish on top, Diamond Wire is wrapped with a two-row strip of Diamond Wrap, secured with silver bullion. The cost of goods for the Diamond Wrap accents in this design runs around $6, but the accents add easily $25 or more in visual value.

Fancy bud vases Use your creativity and skill to prepare vase treatments well ahead of time, and you can sell fewer roses at a higher price point. At left, half-inch Diamond Wrap (or two rows of diamonds cut from a wider roll of Diamond Wrap) has been attached to Diamond Wire by wrapping the two together with silver bullion.

The result is a glorified sparkly wire that can be bent into beautiful shapes. Bear grass has also been tipped with short strips of single-row diamonds, attached with a very narrow strip of UGlu. Customers won’t find anything like this at the supermarket!

FEBRUARY 2013 15

Profile:

Sun Valley Floral Farms

How one California grower keeps expanding against the odds.

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IF YOU BUY tulips or lilies or iris, and if your wholesale supplier has an eye for quality, chances are good you have already bought, handled and sold flowers grown by Sun Valley Floral Farms. One of the largest flower growers in North America, Sun Valley today grows a wide variety of crops—from perennials like gerberas and Matsumoto asters (as seen on this page) to woody ornamentals, like rose hips and ilex. But the Sun Valley story begins with bulb crops— especially tulips, lilies, and iris—and bulb flowers remain at the core of the company’s fine reputation.

Among California flower growers—many of whom have sold their lands and shut down operations over the past twenty years, owing to increasing competitive pressure from South American imports—Sun Valley has proven a remarkable exception, expanding operations from the original location in northern California to add farms in southern California and in Ontario, Canada. What accounts for Sun Valley’s success?

Part of the secret, undoubtedly, is choosing the right crops. While production of roses and carnations has largely moved from California to Colombia and Ecuador, and cutflower imports have taken a steadily increasing share of the North American market, California’s production of tulips increased 84 percent by value and 63 percent by volume between 2003 and 2009. During the same period, gerberas, another Sun Valley crop, increased 17 percent by value and 13 percent by volume.

Pick 2 Increase Sales by 20%

Increase Salary and ProďŹ t to 20%

What you have now

800-342-2251 TeamFloral.com

grower profile Flowers from Sun Valley may be grown in one of four very different locations and in glass greenhouses, in hoop houses, in the field—or in some combination of these. At the “home” location in northern California, tulips and other bulb flowers are brought to perfection in stateof-the-art glass greenhouses, which offer maximum control over the developing flowers’ environment. In Oxnard, brilliant Matsumoto asters come to maturation in hoop houses made of heavy flexible plastic stretched over arching frames. They’re unheated but protect the plants from wind and rain—“basically big umbrellas,” explains Sun Valley CEO Lane DeVries.

Sun Valley Floral Farms Locations: northern California (Arcata and Willow Creek), southern California (Oxnard), and Ontario, Canada (St. Catherine’s) Founded: 1969 Specialties: Bulb flowers (tulips, lilies, iris, and more), gerberas, delphiniums, Matsumoto asters, hypericum, and cotinus, with many more crops including evergreens and woody ornamentals Size: 200 acres, over 500 team members President and CEO: Lane DeVries www.thesunvalleygroup.com

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HOME GROWN Why are some crops so much better than others for domestic growers? “I’ll take tulips as an example,” says Lane DeVries, Sun Valley president and CEO. With tulips, he explains, there’s a direct relationship between weight—heft—and quality. “We grow tulips from the largest sizes of bulbs available, which ends up giving us the biggest stems and flowers. Freight is obviously expensive, so other growers tend to use a lighter grade of bulbs that produce a lighter flower. On average, you will find that an imported tulip will have a weight anywhere from 20 grams up to 26 grams per stem.

“With the tulips we grow,” Lane continues, “by using the largest bulbs available—and because of the way we grow them in soil, which allows those plants to really develop well—our tulips average between 40 and 50 grams. You end up with a heavier product that has more chlorophyll in the leaves, a better shelf life in the shop, and a better vase life for the consumer.” The heavier weight contributes to the quality of the flower—but less so to the cost than would be the case for imported flowers, because California-grown flowers are shipped mainly by truck rather than by air. (For more about Sun Valley tu-

grower profile As important as the fields and greenhouses are, the measure of a great flower grower also lies in the facilities provided for postharvest processing and packing of the flowers for shipment. Sun Valley maintains 120,000 square feet of warehouse space with eight cooling rooms, each separately adjustable to provide the optimal environment for each cut-flower variety. Packing, likewise, is tailored not only to the flower but also to the customer. “Bucket-in-aBox,” for example (pictured below), is one option, preferred by some wholesale florist customers, which allows flowers to remain in water throughout their transport.

pete on Matsumotos just by having a better quality. In the last ten years, our Matsumoto crop has grown by a factor of about 20, from a tiny program to one of the cornerstones of our production in Oxnard.”

A fourth location, in St. Catherine’s, Ontario, was purchased in 2011 to allow Sun Valley to better serve customers in the Midwest and East Coast with the company’s famous tulips and Oriental lilies.

lips, see this month’s Fresh Focus, page 58.)

Climate and geography, so often touted as providing advantages for South American growers, can also give the edge to North American growers with the right locations.

The climate in Arcata, California, 275 miles north of San Francisco, is ideal for growing bulb flowers, with mild winters, cool summers, generous humidity and plentiful yet gentle sunlight. Forty miles east, in Willow Creek, a mountain canyon provides a very different microclimate, perfect for certain woody ornamentals like viburnum and lilacs.

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At Oxnard in Southern California, warmer temperatures extend the growing season for bulb flowers in winter, particularly iris and lilies. But the soil and climate in Oxnard has also proved favorable for Matsumoto asters and lisianthus. “Matsumotos are a huge crop in Colombia, but for some reason we get much bigger heads, bigger stems, and better foliage here,” says Lane. “I’ve heard customers say that a six-stem or seven-stem bunch of Matsumotos from Oxnard is comparable to a ten-stem bunch of Matsumotos from Colombia. So we’ve actually been able to com-

WHAT’S IN A NAME? Lilies are another core crop for Sun Valley, going back to to the phenomenally successful ‘Stargazer’, which was hybridized at Sun Valley in Arcata in 1974. Ten years later, construction of Sun Valley’s first glass greenhouse allowed the farm to begin providing customers with lilies year-round. The selection includes superior ‘Stargazers’ and, sometimes, brand-new varieties hybridized by breeders in Holland with whom Sun Valley partners to introduce them.

“We’re actually doing a little breeding here,” says Lane, “not with lilies but with ilex,” a crop that thrives at the Willow Creek location.

“This is definitely a crop that has grown for us. We’ll have some interesting new selections fairly soon, but not for a couple of years yet—probably in 2015.”

Whether cut flowers or berried branches, Sun Valley products typically arrive at the

grower profile

Hyacinths are among the many bulb flowers shipped from Sun Valley to wholesale florists all over North America.

Bringing Dutch expertise to the Sun Valley operation, president and CEO Lane DeVries is a fourth-generation grower, born in Holland, who walks the fields and greenhouses every day.

In this photo you can see how tulips are harvested with the bulbs still attached. “The postharvest life of those tulips hasn’t really started yet,” Lane points out. From here they go into a cooler at 35 degrees F, which slows their metabolism down even before they are cut from the bulb.

Famous as the birthplace, in 1974, of the ‘Stargazer’ hybrid lily—considered the world’s most popular Oriental lily—Sun Valley today grows more than 50 lily cultivars, including ‘Sumatra’, with its exotic dark purple sheen, seen here about ready for harvest in Arcata. wholesaler’s in sleeves and boxes clearly labeled with the brand. Indeed, Sun Valley has been a pioneer of branding in the industry, not only establishing a reputation for quality overall, but marketing particular crops with labels like Redwood Grove French Tulips— a brand name that nicely conjures the long 22 www.flowersandmagazine.com

stems of “French” tulips with the image of the tall trees special to northern California. Sun Valley has also made an effort to replace the confusing terminology applied to different types of lilies (Asian, Oriental) with labels that have a more intrinsic marketing appeal (Love Lilies and Orchid Lilies, among other

Sun Valley brands).

Veriflora, the most widely recognized “green” label developed specifically for the floral industry in North America, surely got a boost when Sun Valley became one of the first American flower farmers to apply for and win the Veriflora certification. “It seemed like a wonderful thing to do, and it was the logical thing to do, since we were already doing a lot of the things required,” Lane recalls. “It fits in with our philosophy, which is simply to be the best that we can be. As a general rule, every step of the way—the bulbs we select, the growing conditions we use, the people we hire—we strive for perfection. And obviously we don’t always get it. You’re never done perfecting. But we have a high standard to put out the best product we can, and over the years that has given us some recognition in the marketplace.”

Florists who visit the Sun Valley website will find that Sun Valley Floral Farms is the premier brand under a wider umbrella, the Sun Valley Group, which also includes Sun Pacific Bouquet and West Coast Evergreen.

The site is rich with information—so much so that it might be easy to miss, for example, the Resource Pages, linked at the bottom of the landing page, with tips on specific crops.

Interested? Have a look—if you’re viewing the digital-issue version of Flowers&, this link will take you right there: www.thesunvalleygroup.com

FEBRUARY 2013 23

The Second Time Around 29th Annual Flowers& Design Contest Or it could be the third, or fourth… but however many times she’s been married before, the “encore” bride wants—and deserves— a beautiful bouquet. It may be somewhat more modest, designed to complement

HOW TO ENTER Send a photo of a design that expresses this year’s theme, “The Second Time Around.” The design must feature fresh flowers primarily. The wholesale cost of materials must not exceed $50. So that we can see the bouquet closer up in the photo, it should be no more than three feet tall or long by three feet wide or deep.

Make sure the entire bouquet is visible within the frame of the photo.

MORE ABOUT THE PHOTO

ever qualities express

We suggest you photograph your bouquet on a simple stand (available from your local wholesaler) against a plain, neutral background. Do not include props or persons in the photo. Send only one photo.

Do not mount the photo, and do not write your name or address on the back. The photo may be either a digital photo or a high-quality print, at least 5 by 7 inches.

Digital photos must be taken at a high resolution and should be sent on a CD; digital photos must also be accompanied by a print, one with good color accuracy.

Please call us with any questions at 800321-2654, extension 3590.

the encore bride’s own style

SUBMITTING YOUR MATERIALS

a simpler gown. But there’s no reason why the bridal bouquet that stars in a second wedding should be any less elegant, romantic, and sophisticated—or what-

and personality.

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Each entry must be accompanied by a fully completed entry card (at right). Photocopies of the entry card will be accepted.

Only one submission per contestant is allowed. Sorry, we are unable to acknowledge receipt of each entry. All photographs become property of Flowers& and will not be returned. Send to: Flowers& Design Contest, 11444 West Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064.

JUDGING Winners will be selected through two phases of judging: Phase 1 A preliminary screening by a panel of expert judges determines the 10 finalists. Entries are judged anonymously, according to the originality, color harmony, balance, mechanics, and overall design of each arrangement as well as on how well they meet the requirements of this year’s theme. Finalists are notified of their status as such by May 30.

Phase 2 The original photographs of the top 10 entries are featured in the August issue of Flowers&. Once again, the designers’ identities are not revealed. Voting by number, the magazine’s readers choose the first-, second-, and third-place winners from the 10 finalists’ designs, using a postage-paid ballot card included with the August issue. The winners are announced in the November 2013 issue of Flowers&.

DEADLINE Entries must be postmarked by Saturday, March 30, 2013.

CASH PRIZES

1st Place:

$1,000

2nd Place:

$500

3rd Place:

$250

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FEBRUARY 2013 25

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

For product information,

26 www.flowersandmagazine.com

â–¼

Floral design by Bert Ford AIFD, PFCI

see Where to Buy, page 65.

EASTER PARADE Designs to celebrate the season of renewal.

For product information,

â–ź

Floral design by Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI, IMG, CAFA

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

see Where to Buy, page 66.

CALVARY CALLAS A profusion of white callas, a classic Easter flower, graces this tribute to the three crosses of Calvary, suitable for home or church. Julie painted the plain white-pine crosses with Design Master Just For Flowers™ Black Cherry to harmonize with the burgundy hypericum that is also featured in the base, along with variegated pittosporum. The whole is made in an 18-inch Floral Foam Raquette Holder. The ends of the Raquette are covered with aralia leaves, pinned into place. As an optional final touch, a mini calla is lightly knotted and hung on one of the two outer crosses.

FEBRUARY 2013 27

THANKS A DOZEN EASTER

PARADE

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BUNNY LOVE What says “Easter” better than pink jelly beans and yellow Peeps? The candy is layered between an outer cylinder vase with a six-inch diameter and an inner Mini Bunch vase; other combinations of an inner and outer vase would work. To see the first step, turn to the photo on page 37. The candy colors serve to underscore a bouquet of pink spray roses and yellow craspedia in the inner vase. A boa of yellow “chick” feathers makes a fluffy collar.

SHADES OF PALE A column of speckled plastic eggs shows through a clear glass Bunch vase and nicely underscores the bouquet that sprouts from the vase, in a light and soothing palette of white, pale blue and green. Julie made a hand-tied bouquet of the gerberas and gypsophila, wrapped with light-blue aluminum wire (visible at the back of the vase), and held it against one corner of the vase while she filled the rest with the eggs. Swirls of midollino and light green Retro Flower Pins in the centers of the gerberas complete the design.

FEBRUARY 2013 29

EASTER PARADE

BUTTERFLY BLUE A jeweled butterfly hovers over a nest created in vibrant greens, blues and purples. Julie covered the outside of a six-inch clear plastic Lomey tray with chartreuse reindeer moss using pan glue. She nestled the moss-covered tray inside a light-green Lomey wire collar, stretched far enough to hold the tray and make a low rim around the perimeter, with lily grass woven through it here and there.

A chunk of wet foam inside the tray is surrounded with more reindeer moss on the sides, then filled with flowers: ‘Green Trick’ dianthus, ‘Green Athos’ spray mums, and ‘Blu Bom’ dyed dendrobiums. A compact cluster of beaded wire adds a gleaming, smooth texture to the surface of the design, while purple Mega Beads on wire shore up the sides.

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CARROT TOP Bunched baby carrots and orange gerberas make a perfectly paired complement to Teleflora’s Cuddle Bunny vase. Julie started by pinning the carrots into foam; she left enough of the top stem to secure them, but replaced most of the foliage with Johnson grass, since the real carrot tops wilt quickly. Then she added lily grass and the orange gerberas. The tallest stems get some extra support from aluminum wire; lily grass is knotted around them, joining the gerbera stems in a profusion of green lines. A forelock of pink polka-dot plant adds a final touch.

FEBRUARY 2013 31

EASTER PARADE

EASTER HAT A pair of eyelashes and a jeweled flower make a face—and suddenly the flowers sprouting above the face are transformed into a hat. It helps to include some feathered rhinestones, Mega Beads, and loops of flat cane, along with succulents and burgundy carnations. Callas, ti leaves, and dracaena make foliage plumes; the ti leaf is trimmed along the outside with a pair of pinking shears for a couture touch.

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SHINING THROUGH Here’s a floral gift with an afterlife as a treasured keepsake. The cross, made of vintage glass, comes on a stand that also holds a candle behind it, to shine through the cross. Julie has temporarily replaced the candle with a 4Ÿ-inch Gathering Vase. To match the rose color of the cross, she covered the black cast-iron stand with sparkly holograph tape (for a how-to, see page 37). Finally, she added Diamond Wire to the cross, just for decorative value, and filled the vase with roses, dusty miller, and pink Mega Beads.

FEBRUARY 2013 33

EASTER PARADE

EGG HUNT Eggs and other treasures half-hidden in wheat grass evoke the childhood joys of Easter. The pink gerberas and agapanthus are in water tubes; the craspedia and lavender will last well out of water and even begin to dry naturally. The profusion of round shapes and lively detail, including fluffy chicks, Mega Beads, and tiny translucent flowers (Retro Flower Pins), is framed with curls and swirls of Mega Wire.

Green sisal fluffs the box border, while crayons on picks add yet another kid quotient.

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RESTING CROSS A Teleflora Crystal Cross nestles in a bed of sinuata statice and purple reindeer moss; the cross is held in place with silver flat wire. Arching tulips bend over it from either side, held in place with little twists of beaded wire; sprigs of fresh lavender complement the texture of the basing. When the flowers are gone, the cross can be removed and stood upright, a valuable gift.

FEBRUARY 2013 35

EASTER PARADE SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE The Vintage Bottle Collection from Syndicate Sales is now available in colors, which harmonize beautifully with flowers and accessories. Green hydrangea, pussy willow, scabiosa, freesia, wax flower and gladiolus are enhanced with tiny adhesive gems, a cross necklace, a jeweled butterfly, wired wool, Retro Flower Pins, blue-bead bracelets, jeweled pavĂŠ pins (among the waxflower blooms), and loops of aluminum wire adorned with speckled plastic eggs.

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CREATING A CANDY VASE WITH PEEPS AND JELLY BEANS To create the design seen on page 28, Julie combined an outer cylinder vase with a six-inch diameter and an inner Mini Bunch vase—but other combinations of an inner and outer vase would work: for example, six-inch and four-inch square vases, or even a four-inch cube with a votive cup. Begin by pushing the inner vase down into the jelly beans. If the bottom of your outer vase is uneven at the bottom, the jelly beans will help stabilize the inner vase and keep it from rocking.

Then, add Peeps in rows. Take care not to tear the Peeps, or the white marshmallow on the inside of the candies will show.

A CANDLE HOLDER BECOMES A FLOWER VASE The cross seen on page 33 comes with a black cast-iron stand designed to hold a candle, which shines through the glass cross. To incorporate flowers, simply switch out the candle with a 4Âź-inch Gathering Vase, or any appropriate vase of a similar size. Deliver the candle with the flowers, along with a note explaining that when the flowers are gone, they can be replaced again with the candle. The cast-iron stand looks beautiful on its own but can also be covered with removable holographic tape for a custom look in harmony with the flowers and the cross itself. b

FEBRUARY 2013 37

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thanks a

Dozen

Twelve spring gift ideas for secretaries and others.

For product information, IN THE PINK

â–ź

Floral design by Kevin Ylvisaker AIFD, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

see Where to Buy, page 66.

Butterflies attached with UGlu to bright pink midollino seem to hover

over a bouquet of flowers in a range of pinks, from pale blush to deep rose.

Working from the inside out, Kevin added the tulips, ranunculus, carnations and spray roses to the foam. The butterflies can be attached to the midollino in advance, but should be added into the arrangement at the last minute, as the humidity inside a floral cooler can cause the midollino to bend and sag.

TALL TAILS

Using a preformed cylinder of floral foam makes construction of this

design quick and easy. The equisetum not only lends height but also helps to support the mini gerbera stems. Kevin wrapped the equisetum around the cylinder of foam using rubber bands to hold the equisetum in place; then he covered the rubber bands with one-inch Flat Wire in strong pink. The wire is held in place with UGlu Strips. The equisetum-covered cylinder then slips inside a clear glass cylinder vase. Another rubber band, covered with one-inch flat wire, pulls the bundle of equisetum together at the top.

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TAKING THE CURVES The heads of yellow tulips face every which way, tucked under loops of midollino. Together the midollino and the tulip stems create a thicket of graceful curves.

Kevin placed the tulips and midollino first, then covered the floral foam in the pot with ‘Green Trick’ dianthus and spider mums.

Over time, the tulip stems will lengthen and twist, but within the structure already created. “That’s part of the fun of tulips,” says Kevin.

LASTING ELEGANCE With its roots still in soil, a phalaenopsis orchid will last even longer. Kevin covered the soil with floral foam and the foam with moss, Florigene carnations and purple Mega Beads on wire to reinforce the color of the orchid.

When the carnations are gone they can easily be replaced with more moss. The orchid stem is supported with purple mitsumata, which precisely matches it in color. The range of values, from the light lavender of the vase to the deep purple of the mitsumata, intensifies the rich color of the flowers.

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The combination of red, blue and

ROOTS AND LOOPS

purple already makes for an interest-

Callas are increasingly avail-

ing and powerful color story. Here,

able and popular as house-

each color is reinforced with the

plants. Here, Kevin washed

clever use of accessories. To begin,

the soil from the plant’s roots

the soaked foam is covered with two

and rhizomes and made

layers of red Filato paper. The paper

them part of a high-fashion

is pinned to the foam with blue flat

presentation. He filled the

wire, while the intense purple of

clear glass trumpet vase

Florigene carnations is emphasized

partway with Deco Sand,

with flat-wire flowers, which Kevin

wrapped the calla roots with

fashioned using a section of PVC

yellow beaded wire, lowered

pipe as a template for the petals, as

them over the Deco Sand

seen below.

and stabilized them by pour-

WIRED FOR COLOR

ing in a little more of the

HOW TO MAKE FLAT-WIRE SPIRALS AND FLOWERS

sand (and water, of course).

To make a spiral, start by making a

of half-inch flat wire in matte

little twist in the wire using needle-

gold (using a PVC pipe to

nose pliers. This becomes the center

get nice round, even loops)

of the spiral. Once you have the tight

and tucked the wire around

center of the coil, it’s easier to keep

the base of the plant.

For additional support of the calla stems, he made loops

spiraling by hand. When the coil is as wide as you want it to be, turn the end of the wire at a right angle to the coil and snip the wire, leaving about an inch of “stem” so you can use the spiral as a pin, as seen at left.

To make a flat-wire flower, cut a length of about three feet. At the center of the wire, shape the petals of the flower individually using a section of one-inch PVC pipe. Twist the two long ends of the wire together to make the stem.

FEBRUARY 2013 43

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WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS A square of yellow Rainbow Foam at the heart of this design makes the mechanics even easier and reinforces the sunny monochromatic color scheme. Kevin first lined the round design container with wool fabric, then added the soaked Rainbow Foam, the oncidium orchids, the carnations, and finally the lemons (on wood picks). Yellow beaded wire is swirled among the orchid blossoms and wrapped around one of the lemons for a touch of gleaming elegance.

THAT’S THE TICKET Even without a pair of free passes to a movie theater, this cute and clever “purse” would make a fun gift. The new preformed purse shape in floral foam from Smithers-Oasis makes it easy. Kevin added a decorative strap around the middle of the purse, using black one-inch flat wire, silver flat wire, and individual black Mega Beads; he inserted the wire right into the foam and secured the beads with UGlu. He created the handle by twisting together silver and black flat wire.

Finally, he filled the foam with white and green spray mums, white spray roses and, as a final touch, black corsage pins.

44 www.flowersandmagazine.com

FEBRUARY 2013 45

CHOCK FULL For the secretary (or other gift recipient) with a sweet tooth, chocolate nibbles are scattered into this design in a way that suggests fun and whimsy. The bars are elevated on sticks, while individual wrapped chocolates are attached here and there with UGlu. Take the chocolates away and you still have a beautiful arrangement in a trendy color scheme of lime green and burnt orange.

LINES AND CIRCLES The round pink forms of gerberas, ranunculus, and a single rose glow against a background of curving green lines. Kevin built a support structure inside the clear glass bowl by breaking green mitsumata into smaller sections and placing them in the bowl along with curled segments of one-inch flat wire. He used this structure to support the flower stems and four blades of lily grass. The effect is simple yet intriguing, open yet sheltered.

46 www.flowersandmagazine.com

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FEBRUARY 2013 47

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GOLDEN ARCHES Nothing could be simpler: fill a long, low glass rectangle with crushed glass, add water mixed with flower food, insert yellow roses and loops of midollino, and—ta-da! The crushed glass holds everything in place beautifully. This design could of course be repeated in almost any color of the rainbow.

GREEN LIGHTNING Green mitsumata, placed upsidedown, makes a striking contrast and accent to a bowl of hot pink and orange roses. At the base, ‘Green Trick’ dianthus and green reindeer moss echo the bright color of the mitsumata.

Kevin achieved a fully rounded effect in this design by using a four-inch floral-foam sphere, elevated on a layer of flat foam at the bottom of the ceramic bowl. b

FEBRUARY 2013 49

ShopTalk:

CHECKS PLEASE Ribbon can add instant chic or a personalized touch with black and white checks, a tape-measure design, or rubber stamps applied to linen, canvas, or burlap. Ribbons by D. Stevens LLC at www.dstevensllc.com.

RIBBON REVEALED With ever-evolving fabrics, finishes and textures, today’s ribbons stand ready to help you stand out.

By Marianne Cotter 50 www.flowersandmagazine.com

RIBBON DAZZLES. WHETHER it’s doublefaced satin wrapped extravagantly around the neck of a vase or wired burlap worked structurally into the body of an arrangement, ribbon offers a sure-fire way, not just to enhance, but really to dramatize a floral arrangement. Still, many florists miss one opportunity after another to make the most of these versatile materials that are constantly being improved for ease of use and updated to complement current trends.

While ribbon is a mainstay at the design table in most shops, many florists shy away from using it for day-to-day arrangements.

Why? Some claim it’s the extra time it takes to add ribbon, or the cost of adding another material to a bouquet already laden with expensive flowers, or even the notion that ribbon cheapens the flowers.

Simply not true, says Donna Stevens of

TRENDS ON TAP Whatever the colors and textures of the moment, they’re sure to be available in ribbon. Today burlap is among the best sellers, along with sheers and metallics. Ribbons by Reliant Ribbon at www.reliantribbon.com.

PHOTOS ON THIS PAGE: UBLOOM.COM

D. Stevens, LLC, a Phoenix-based ribbon design and manufacturing company. “While the wrong ribbon is expensive and devalues a bouquet of flowers,” she says, “the right ribbon used artfully makes a bouquet infinitely more desirable.”

THE MISCONCEPTION OF COST The perceived costliness of ribbon is perhaps the greatest barrier to a florist using it successfully and competitively. Florists who are looking to stretch their dollar often opt to eliminate ribbon as an unnecessary extra. But when you cost it out and factor in the added appeal of a yard of ribbon, you may find that the ribbon pays off in many ways. Ribbon, in fact, when the cost is correctly calculated, is often cheaper than flowers. “A lot of florists have gotten away from using a satin bow for funeral work, but when compared with fresh

product it’s actually more economical,” says Albert Carpenter, southeast sales representative for Reliant Ribbon. “If you use four or five feet of ribbon at 20 cents a yard with a bow it adds a dollar to the cost, which is cheaper than adding flowers.”

And the effect can be breathtaking.

“Add a black-and-white striped ribbon to a simple arrangement and get an eye-catching, trendy look in seconds flat,” says Stevens, who cautions not to overdo. “It only takes a touch. Use just enough ribbon to make a statement, to accomplish the on-trend look that’s going to wow.”

That restraint, when applied strategically, is exactly what makes ribbon affordable and stunning. Current trends favor simplicity. “It used to be about complexity, with huge fluffy bows around vases,” says Stevens. “But now people want the double-edged satin, which is

more liquid, with a simple tied effect.” Ergo, shorter lengths of ribbon make a bigger impact.

RIBBON AS A FLORAL SIGNATURE Florists commonly attach cards to their arrangements, but using ribbon in a signature way is another means of defining your shop to the person who receives the arrangement, especially considering that many of today’s ribbons can be printed or stamped. “I knew a florist who didn’t do a whole lot of advertising,” says Carpenter, “but she would look in the paper on Sunday for job promotion announcements and send an arrangement with her custom-printed ribbon that said, “Congratulations on Your New Job.” It was a great way to showcase her work to a potential new client.”

In addition to printing, stamping can be FEBRUARY 2013 51

RIBBON

NOT YOUR GRANDMA’S BURLAP Still reminiscent of its humble origins, trendy burlap today comes in every color and in playful designs like these by D. Stevens LLC at www.dstevensllc.com. done on linen, canvas, or burlap ribbon, which allows these trendy, natural ribbons to go out with special messages. “BerwickOffray/Lion has a new product called Twill Tape that can have sentiments printed on it like ‘Get Well,’ ” says Jean Gaul, the company’s senior product manager. “Florists can tie it on a card or package or flowers for a personalized message.”

The signature looks you can create with ribbon can also set you apart from mass retailers. “There are so many ways ribbon can add appeal,” says Carpenter. “If you just use enough to wrap it around the vase you’re only using a yard and a half, which is not that much money to embellish your products.

You could establish a signature look for your shop.”

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WIRED FOR STRUCTURE Wired and monofilament ribbons are leading the trend toward incorporating geometrical shapes into arrangements. “The look is very modern and architectural,” says Gaul. “Ribbons are woven with soft wire that is easily shaped, and it comes in colored finishes.” Wired burlap is one such product that has the strength and structure for this style of arranging. “In some instances they don’t use ribbon at all, but rather wired shapes to create the structure: wire balls, spirals, winged effects, or square shapes that come right out of the arrangement rather than coming out of the vase.” Wired structural ribbons also travel well and hold up in the cooler.

back, hang a mirror, make napkin rings, tie it on a wine glass, wrap a package, add to a photo frame.”

When doing home décor projects, florists today are finding themselves working in rooms with expansive square footage due to the expanding footprint of the American home. To match the task, they are turning to wider fabrics to scale their work to the larger home. And because there are so few fabric stores today, the availability of wide fabric ribbons is hugely important to florists as an alternative for home décor and events. “It’s hard these days to find fabrics to use on the table or as a backdrop,” says Stevens. “The wide fabric ribbons help fill this gap.”

In the end, florists must take every opportunity to promote the appeal of ribbon directly to customers. They won’t imagine it themselves. If you doubt the selling power of ribbon, Albert Carpenter suggests putting two identical arrangements in the cooler side-byside, adding ribbon to one. “Just watch which of the two people gravitate toward,” he says.

Don’t be surprised when the be-ribboned arrangement is the first to find its way to the cash register and out the door. b

SELLING RIBBON AS PROM BLING Prom work presents a great opportunity to appeal to young men and women who may be using the services of a florist for the first time. “The prom is the fastest-growing and most profitable niche in the floral and ribbon industry today,” says Carpenter. “Trends are changing so that the more blingy the wristlet is, the better they like it. This allows florists to really upsell ribbon, jewels and other pieces.” The same is true when designing a boutonniere for the young lady’s date. And who’s to say they won’t remember you when the time comes to plan a wedding?

While the basic wristlet comes unadorned it is now available in many different colors and designs. From there the florist uses her imagination to glue ribbons and jewels to create a standout piece. “At Reliant we serve this market with 1,750 different prom items from wristlets to ribbons and jewels,” says Carpenter.

RIBBON FOR HOME DÉCOR AND EVENTS Ribbon is a creative asset for florists who get involved in room décor, whether it’s holiday home decorating, wedding receptions or special events. “Using ribbon is like adding a pretty scarf to a great dress,” says Stevens.

“You can be so creative with it. Use it for a tie

PHOTOS: UBLOOM.COM

BURLAP IN THE BOUQUET Perhaps the moment’s trendiest ribbon manifestation is burlap, an earthy material that has evolved beyond its coarse, rural roots into a more refined fabric that finds expression in remarkable variety. “It’s a look that favors repurposed materials with a slightly vintage feel,” says Gaul. “Very Americana, but not the flagwaving type. It works with simple everyday objects that spur people’s creativity. Burlap is used with very humble embellishments like twine and rusted metals.”

While natural is the best-selling color, all manner of colors and widths and thicknesses are available. Expect to see new burlap varieties as manufacturers continue to expand their lines into the spring. As burlap moves up the trend ladder into high-end design it is

taking on new partners, especially fabric and wire. Burlap now comes combined with lace, taffeta, plaids and velvets, or—to extend the idea of natural—with sinamay and raffia.

Burlap is no stranger at weddings, either, particularly those that embrace an outdoorsy theme. Florists use burlap in the bride’s bouquet as well as in the decorations and on the table.

THE PERFECT ACCENT Ribbon can underscore the elegance of black and white or make flower colors pop. Ribbons by Reliant Ribbon at www.reliantribbon.com.

shop profile

By Marianne Cotter

Photography by Windimagery, LLC

A desire to evolve keeps this flower shop on the move.

THE NAME THAT Kay Hall chose for her flower shop—which is located in the Happy Canyon Shopping Center on Happy Canyon Road in southeast Denver—was all but inevitable. “I wanted a name that said what it is and where it is,” recalls Kay who opened Happy Canyon Flowers 28 years ago after many years of working for other florists. While the shop has jumped spaces a few times as the business grew, it has never left the Happy Canyon Shopping Center, a prime location that borders two of Denver’s most affluent neighborhoods, Cherry Hills Village and Greenwood Village.

Despite its great location, the shop had humble beginnings. When a 900-square-foot space opened in 1984, Kay, whose children

were in middle school and high school, was ready to strike out on her own. “I knew there was more out there for me,” she says. “I just had that drive and passion for the industry. So when a space opened here I knew I could do it.” Unfortunately, the landlord didn’t agree. He didn’t want another flower store in the shopping center as two previous ones had failed. “I pursued it and they let me in on a five-year lease,” says Kay. Kay was successful enough that within five years she moved into a 3,000-square-foot space in the same shopping center, a space she stayed in for 23 years before moving into the current 5,200-square-foot shop in November 2011.

Kay’s infatuation with flowers began in her own backyard under the tutelage of her father, Ceylon. During the time they spent together in the garden he shared his vast knowledge and appreciation of nature, which became the foundation of Kay’s future. Without knowing it she may have passed the passion down to her youngest son, Kendal, who joined the

Over Happy Canyon Flowers’ 28 years in business, Kay Hall (at far left) has taken the shop from a 900-square-foot boutique to a 5,200-square-foot emporium. shop as general manager and business partner in 1996.

“It’s funny because I used to work for Mom in various shops she worked at before she had her own,” says Kendal. “I helped during school summer breaks with weddings and receiving Christmas inventory, that kind of thing. So I had that touch of experience since I was in about the seventh grade.”

But he was not bitten by the flower bug, at least not then. When he was twenty-four Kendal moved to California and worked as a corporate trainer for about ten years. Then on a visit home, he was struck by how fast his mother’s business was growing. “I saw that Mom could use the help in controlling the growth as well as helping to run the busiFEBRUARY 2013 53

Happy Canyon Flowers ness,” he recalls. “I joined her in 1996.” Kay has another son and daughter, and three wonderful granddaughters who lend a hand when the need arises.

As in many successful floral businesses, Kay and Kendal have established a division of labor between the business and creative responsibilities. “My role is more on the business side,” says Kendal. “Kay oversees the floral aspect, meaning the flowers, plants, and permanent botanicals—the creative part. I keep an eye on the bookkeeping and financial aspects including product buying and receiving, the sales staff, as well as the visual merchandising of the store.” Twice a year they do their buying at the major gift and merchandise shows, sourcing artificial flowers in Dallas and gifts in Dallas and Atlanta. “We jump into New York every couple of years as well,” says Kendal.

European style If the shop has a house style, Kendal refers to it as European. “We are always looking

for what’s next,” he says. “We get frustrated with the redundancy of what we did just last year. Our customers know they’re going to get something of the highest quality. You could call it European design.”

This past spring the pair traveled to England and Amsterdam. “That trip was full of inspiration,” says Kendal. “It’s great to see the latest design trends as they’re being created.

Europe has always been a leader in design, whether it’s fashion, home, or floral. While some of the design is so far out of the box it wouldn’t translate here, we can still find inspiration and adapt the techniques and trends to our sensibilities.”

Growing into gifts

Happy Canyon Flowers Denver, Colorado Owners: Kay Hall and Kendal Hall Niche: Highly diversified shop includes full-service, European-style flower business plus an extensive line of gifts, accessories and furniture Employees: 14 total, 8 full-time Square Footage: 5,200

54 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Over the years, Happy Canyon Flowers has steadily increased its line of gifts, gradually adding one category after another, until today gifts account for a full 50 percent of the store’s business. The selection is expansive, ranging from personal items like jewelry, scarves, and candles to special categories like baby and toddler items on up to full-sized furniture pieces including upholstered couches, chairs and ottomans, lamps, and wall décor. “The shop has more or less evolved into a lifestyle store,” says Kendal.

While business expansions often require a large capital investment, Kay and Kendal avoided the risk of assuming a business loan by taking baby steps instead of making a sudden leap. “You don’t have to turn into a gift shop or a home accessory store overnight,” says Kendal. “It’s really about introducing something new and seeing what happens. My advice for getting started is not to buy deep in any specific category. Just start out with a few items and as they sell you’ll be able to do more purchasing. It’s an evolving process that can grow as customers become aware of your offerings. We’ve noticed that floral and gifts or home décor really complement each other well.”

Last November when Kay and Kendal moved into their current 5,200-square-foot space they were able to let their imaginations run wild with the merchandising of gifts. The result is a collection of what Kendal calls departments without walls: vignettes set up around the store that showcase different product lines. Customers can stroll through the baby department set up with displays of clothes, toys, and plush animals…and then on to the personal accessories section with jewelry, scarves and handbags, then over to tabletop displays with coffee table books, scented candles, lotions, elegant dinnerware

collections, even men’s gifts. The furniture in the shop is not just for props or display.

Major furniture pieces are used to create interior room settings in which each piece is for sale.

The foray into furniture was almost accidental. In the beginning, Kay started by bringing in antiques from her home to use as props to create a more intimate feel. “I ended up selling more of those pieces than I intended to,” she recalls. At one point she picked up several lamps at Target to use on the floor and was surprised when people offered to buy them. “I told them to go to Target,” she laughs, “there might be a few left.” But that was her “aha” moment, and she didn’t hesitate to continue bringing in couches, chairs, ottomans, lamps, and other home décor items and to create room vignettes that customers found inviting and inspiring.

In fact, if Kay and Kendal have a philosophy, it’s to provide an appealing environment that will touch the customer on a personal level. “We think that when a customer enters the store they need to feel something,” explains Kendal. “Everything we sell, we sell on emotion. There’s not a single item in this shop that a customer needs, but many things a customer wants.” By creating a showroom

Flowers and gifts and home décor coexist beautifully at Happy Canyon, which “has more or less evolved into a lifestyle store,” says Kendal Hall, with an extensive showroom that invites browsing for everything from spa products to baby clothes.

At right, the shop’s customized van wrap serves as an attention-getting “marketing vehicle” in the literal sense. It was produced from an image of a wedding bouquet created for a family member at Happy Canyon Flowers.

that invites browsing with creative vignettes, unique gift items, natural floral and plant products, ambient music as well as splashes of the unexpected (read on), customers want to linger and take it all in. “The environment we create helps us sell the product,” Kendal says. “Oftentimes, customers tell us our shop is a retreat from the hustle and bustle of their day, and we have to agree. We’ve created a tranquil and inviting shopping experience.”

TeamFloral When TeamFloral launched its floral consulting service in 2007, Happy Canyon was one of the first shops to come on board. Among other aspects of the service, TeamFloral sends a floral business expert into a shop to work with the owners, analyzing the business and creating a strategy for greater profitability. Kay and Kendal worked with TeamFloral’s Dan McManus as their business coach for four years.

“It was one of the best experiences professionally we’ve ever had,” says Kendal. “Dan McManus helped us to identify the areas in our business that were challenging, and then helped us see exactly what we needed to do to become profitable. With his help we learned how to control our cost of goods and

Happy Canyon Flowers brought it down from 40 percent to about 30 percent, which is quite good. We were early TeamFloral clients, so we’ve enjoyed five years of benefits.”

Kendal found that the business insights of working with Dan and TeamFloral were invaluable. “He gave us such a clear understanding of where our missing profits were,” says Kendal, “plus a wealth of ideas on how to become a more profitable shop. The sales training for our staff was also helpful. Working with Dan we increased our average floral order by $15 in less than three months.”

As a matter of fact, Dan was instrumental in Kay and Kendal’s decision to expand into a larger space. “We consulted with Dan when we were contemplating our new space,” recalls Kendal. “He was able to help us take the emotion and fear out of growth and show us the facts. He’s been a great cheerleader and coach. Without him I don’t think we would have made the step into our new space.”

While they have completed the process The chassis of a 1931 Model T (below), spilling over with flowers and plants, creates an attention-getting conversation piece on the show floor at Happy Canyon.

Fresh flowers naturally fill the busy workroom as well—and the striking walk-in cooler, with walls painted chartreuse green.

56 www.flowersandmagazine.com

and achieved their goals, Kay and Kendal miss the one-on-one time with Dan. “Having him here proved to be the most informative,” says Kendal. “He has such a depth of knowledge. He really dug into our business. If anyone is just barely surviving in this economy, Dan McManus is the one to call, that’s for sure.”

A tale of two Fords Surprisingly, Happy Canyon Flowers has two serendipitous connections with the Ford Motor Company. Their delivery van, a Ford Transit Connect, appears on the Ford website thanks to its spectacular floral wrap. “It’s a customized wrap from 3M,” says Kendal.

“We took an image of the floral bouquet from my niece’s wedding and blew it up.” The van is, in the most literal sense imaginable, a marketing vehicle. “I’ve got to say, it’s just amazing how many people point at the van as it passes,” Kendal says, “and how many people call the phone number on the van and place an order.” He also finds it very exciting—and flattering—that The Ford Motor Company saw a picture of the van during the design stage from a company called Original Wraps, which is the official company that works with Ford to wrap vehicles, and they called and asked if they could put it on their website.

The second Ford is an original 1931 Model T that sits on a platform on the showroom floor, a riot of flowers and plants spilling from every window and door. An impulse purchase by Kay, who found it showcased in an artist friend’s garden and bought it on the

spot, it came along at just the right time—last November when they were expanding into the larger space. “Before we even started to design the new store we had to pull in this car,” recalls Kay. “So for six weeks the workmen were literally rolling the Model T around the shop as they finished each area.” As if that wasn’t drama enough, they subsequently placed a crystal chandelier right next to it.

“It’s very eclectic and fun,” Kay says.

Boutique weddings Among the many wise choices she’s made over the years, Kay took the unconventional tack of deciding that Happy Canyon would forego the big, sprawling, expensive weddings to concentrate its talents on more intimate affairs “with just the bride and up to five or six bridesmaids with corsages and boutonnieres,” says Kay. “I just feel that boutique weddings are more our niche than the large events.”

Kay, who has done many large weddings in her career, made her decision to scale back based on both the business numbers and the desires of her very loyal staff. “My people really don’t want to spend Friday night, Saturday night or Sunday setting up and taking down a wedding,” she says. “And when I analyzed the hours and costs that go into a large affair, it just wasn’t worth it.”

The loyalty Kay and Kendal feel toward their staff is reciprocated. “We are blessed to have a very low turnover,” says Kendal. “One of our senior designers has been here for 17 years, another one for seven years.” When the time comes to recruit a new designer, they

literally hang a sign on the door. “People who are in the field know about our shop,” says Kendal. “We have a tremendous amount of traffic and word gets around.”

They bring in people who are experienced in European-style design. “We have them make a few things for us and we try to see if there’s a good personality mix as well as a talent base. We can generally pick up on that pretty quickly,” adds Kay. “Within a week we can tell whether or not the talent is inborn and if there are possibilities there. But we don’t require any education in floral design. After we hire them they go through extensive training.”

The product speaks “We’ve been blessed over these 28 years not having to spend a tremendous amount of money on marketing,” says Kendal. “For us, marketing is about word of mouth and people seeing the product. Our drivers always carry business cards because they are constantly asked where the flowers came from. Most of all, we always make sure our flowers are the prettiest in the office, the hospital room or the funeral home. We let the product market the shop. During the order process we ask each new customer how they heard about us. It’s amazing how many say they either received a bouquet from us or saw our flowers somewhere.”

Nor do Kay and Kendal feel they’re in competition with the grocery stores. “We know that our products are the freshest you can get, our designs are the most creative, our service is impeccable, and our staff is the best in the business,” he states. “It’s a tall

order for the competition to follow. We have lots of repeat business.”

Happy holidays With fourth-quarter sales accounting for roughly 40 percent of the annual revenue, Happy Canyon makes the most of the season. “We have a holiday open house every November to kick off the season,” says Kendal. “Over two days we enjoy an attendance of over 500 customers. The store is completely transformed for the event and remains decorated throughout the season.”

Customers who visit the store for the open house are treated to a holiday party. “In addition to a catered lunch we also have traditionally had a gift for each customer (usually an ornament, candle or other small treat) as a thank-you for supporting us throughout the years,” says Kendal. In the past two years, however, the shop has created programs that allow customers to partner with the shop in making charitable donations. In 2011, Happy Canyton let its customers know that instead of providing lunch, they were going to donate the catering costs to a local food bank. “The support was overwhelming,” says Kendal, “and we broke all sales and attendance records.” This past Christmas, the shop offered generous discounts based on customers’ donations of toys or cash to another local charity. Again, the response was very positive. “We just feel it’s important to enlist the customers’ help in giving back to the community, and those initiatives have been very well received,” says Kendal.

Another source of revenue during this

season is custom décor services, which have grown steadily each year. “We have accounts that spend anywhere from $800 for a simple set up to $20,000 for a complete transformation,” says Kendal. “We have one staff member devoted to that service for two months out of the year.” She’ll pull staff from other departments to help with the actual installations, usually between one and seven extra people.

“Christmas décor has a very short window,” cautions Kendal, “so proper planning and product availability is critical.”

Actually Happy Canyon Flowers has a total of three open houses each year. Besides the Christmas open house in November, they celebrate the store’s success with an anniversary open house in March and a Harvest Days open house in September. “Open houses are a great way to get customers excited about each season’s new merchandise.

We have a visual merchandiser on staff who keeps the store, products, and displays new and fresh.”

What’s next?

While Happy Canyon is thriving in its 5,200-square-foot space, the future may hold another expansion when more space opens up in the shopping center. “We’re in the ‘just dreaming about’ stage of possibly opening another shop that is just personal accessories,” says Kendal, who finds that earrings, necklaces, bracelets, scarves and handbags are so profitable in the flower shop they seem to warrant a shop of their own.

So, as ever, the Happy Canyon experience will continue to evolve. b

FEBRUARY 2013 57

fresh focus

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

In the case of tulips, familiarity breeds appreciation.

MANY OF YOUR customers can only identify a handful of cut flowers by name—but one of those flowers will surely be tulips. With their simple shapes, silky sheen, long leaves and graceful stems, tulips are among the best known, and also among the best loved, of all cut flowers.

What does it take, then, to turn your customer from a tulip lover to a tulip connoisseur? Maybe, not much. The first step is to make sure you know all about tulips yourself.

The next could be to set up a display in the shop—or a series of labeled photos on your Facebook page—that encourages customers to ask questions and start a dialogue.

The investment of time is well worth it.

While tulips remain the ultimate symbol of spring, and are at their peak from January through May, nowadays they are also available Tulip year-round. Some of Tulipa spp the off-season tulips are specifically geared to Vase life brides—among the most 3 to 7 days avid flower fans in your Bunch size market, hungry for knowl10 stems edge and appreciative of yours.

What’s your type?

To begin, it helps to develop your tulip vocabulary. The most basic distinction among tulips is into three categories: standard, long-stem, and novelty tulips.

Many people, inside the industry and out, refer to standard tulips as “Dutch” and longstem tulips as “French” tulips—but these are clearly misnomers. “Standard tulips” sold in North America are as likely to come from growers in California or Ontario as from Holland—and they may or may not have been grown from Dutch tulip bulbs. Likewise, not all long-stem tulips are grown in France.

58 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flowersand

LONG-STEM or “French” tulips may not be grown in France—in fact, the long-stem tulips sold by your local wholesale florist in North America are more likely to come from California. Seen here are, from left to right, ‘Grand Style’, ‘Maureen’, and ‘Roi du Midi’, all marketed by Sun Valley Floral Farms under its Redwood Grove French Tulips label. Photos on these two pages are courtesy of Sun Valley Floral Farms at www.thesunvalleygroup.com.

STANDARD tulips may also be referred to as “Dutch”—although, again, they are not necessarily grown in Holland or even from Dutch tulip bulbs.

This broad category includes such varieties as, above from left to right, ‘Isle de France’, ‘Jumbo Pink’, ‘Kung Fu’, and ‘Orange Princess’, among many others, in every color of the rainbow.

NOVELTY tulips include a number of overlapping categories, from Rembrandt tulips, with their streaked or striped petals, to parrots, so called for the feathered appearance of their ruffled flower heads. Examples seen at left include ‘Grand Perfection’, ‘Monarch’, and ‘Rai’, all offered by Sun Valley Floral Farms.

Dutch growers commonly refer to six or seven out of many different tulip categories, based mainly on the flowering season, says Lane DeVries, the Dutch-born CEO of California-based tulip grower Sun Valley Floral Farms (profiled in this issue, starting on page 16). In Holland, he explains, “French” tulips are called “single late tulips,” referring to the single row of petals on the bloom (typical of most tulips) and the fact that in field conditions, long-stem tulips are among the latest-blooming varieties. Sun Valley has branded its own production of these tulips “Redwood Grove,” thus evoking the long, graceful stems with a mental image of towering redwood trees. Most SLTs, or “French” tulips, are sports of an original variety called ‘Maureen’—which is still very much in production, prized for its pearlescent, solid white petals as well as for the length of its stems.

Bright pink ‘Renown’, pinky-gold ‘Dordogne’, and deep orange ‘Avignon’, with a shimmery rose glaze, along with many others, are all— perhaps surprisingly—sports of ‘Maureen’.

All the single late tulips tend to have large flowers with a distinctive oval shape. They may be cross-bred with Darwin tulips, another category known for its long stems, with large, pyramid-shaped blooms.

The term “novelty” refers most often to parrot tulips, with their wavy or curly, ruffled petals and bright particolored hues—reminiscent, indeed, of exotic tropical birds. Related terms include Rembrandt tulips, a label applied to any tulip with streaks and stripes of contrasting hue, and viridiflora tulips, striped with green.

Also classified among the novelties are fringed or crispa tulips. The best known of these is white ‘Honeymoon’, popular for weddings. Double tulips, with more than the normal six petals, may also be referred to as peony tulips. Lily-flowered tulips are easily recognizable by their long, pointed, reflexed petals, which give the blooms a striking hourglass shape; they are often edged in contrasting colors.

All of these terms are descriptive, rather than scientific, and overlapping. While you would never want to throw jargon at a cusFEBRUARY 2013 59

fresh focus tomer without explaining it, these terms are mostly intuitive and many are known to avid gardeners.

From the soil At least as important as knowing about tulip types and terms is to understand tulip quality. Quality begins with the bulbs, which tulip growers purchase from bulb suppliers in Holland, France, Chile or New Zealand. Larger, higher-quality bulbs are more expensive, but they make all the difference to the quality of the cut flower that results.

Normally the bulbs are held for a time in cold storage before they are brought into a warmer greenhouse to sprout and flower. A flower bulb is designed by Nature to store energy—but only for so long, and only under certain conditions, according to Lane at Sun Valley. Lane argues for a basic distinction between soil-grown and water-grown tulips.

In Holland, tulips are often grown hydroponically—in water with nutrients added, but no soil. “Water-grown tulips are kept dry before they go into the greenhouse,” says Lane. “The tulip is forced directly from a dry bulb into a flower. At Sun Valley we plant the bulbs in soil first, then bring them into the greenhouse,” he explains. “It takes more infrastructure to do it that way, but it gives the bulb a chance to develop its root structure during its period of hibernation, so later on it holds the energy really well.” The result is a beefier stem, healthy dark green foliage, and a flower that colors up nicely and holds up well in the vase. The difference is particularly evident, says Lane, at the end of the season, from Easter through Mother’s Day. Other factors also make a difference, of course. Slow growth, accomplished with relatively cool temperatures, contributes to a stronger tulip (and, of course, to the cost of growing it). Even under ideal circumstances, tulips in the greenhouse develop rapidly; they must be harvested twice a day to make sure they don’t open too far. With the bulbs still attached, the flowers are moved into a cold room to arrest their development.

Like other bulb flowers, tulips are susceptible to hormonal imbalance once they are cut from the bulb. Tulips from Sun Valley and other best-quality growers are treated with a postharvest hormone, another important practice to prevent leaf yellowing.

“We ship 100 percent of our tulips up60 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flow-

right,” adds Lane. “We are strong believers in this because of the geotropism of the tulips. If you ship them flat they tend to want to bend.

Many years ago we made that move.” Some tulips are shipped dry, others in water, depending on the shipping circumstances and the customer’s preference.

care tips tulips

• Select stems with the flower buds

In and out of season

closed and about half colored. Avoid

How does the natural tulip season get stretched to winter, fall and even (perhaps surprisingly, the most difficult of all) summer? While spring tulips are grown from bulbs produced in the northern hemisphere, fall tulips are grown from bulbs produced in the southern hemisphere, in Chile and New Zealand. “The fall tulips start in September and continue through Christmas,” explains Sun Valley’s Ginny Wyche. “Right at Christmas we add in tulips grown from bulbs that come from France, and also a few of the Holland varieties” that can be coaxed into early bloom with strategic early cooling.

Dutch bulbs produce blooming tulips for Sun Valley from January through May. Then, to produce tulips for harvest in June, July, and August, “we take soil-grown northern hemisphere bulbs that have developed a good root system,” says Ginny. “We shrink wrap them and put them in a low-oxygen cooler like they use for apples. That’s how we hold them, suspended to where they’re not losing their energy, for the late season.

After years of experiments, we know what varieties work well. The target market for those tulips is weddings.”

Although tulips remain the quintessential spring flower, they do have something going for them in the fall and for specific holidays.

Compared with flowers produced from perennial plants, like roses, bulb flower crops are highly “programmable”—meaning, the harvest can be timed and the volume increased, depending on how many bulbs you bring into the greenhouse and when. A single rose plant produces a predictable number of flowers per month over a period of years. With tulips, not only can growers increase production to meet demand at Valentine’s or Mother’s Day, but they can also grow orange and yellow flowers right up to Thanksgiving week, then switch to red and white for Christmas. That adaptability is good news for you and for your customers, since it means a greater abundance of truly fresh flowers in the colors of the season than would otherwise be available. It’s one more reason to be grateful for tulips—and to cultivate their acquaintance. b

stems with yellow leaves, a sign of excessive age or poor shipping conditions.

• Remove the lower white portion of the stem for better water uptake and place stems in a flower-food solution.

For maximum vase life, use a flower food specifically designed for bulb flowers.

• Keep the plastic sleeve on the bundle during hydration and conditioning to help reduce stem curvature. Or, to straighten already curved stems, gently straighten the stems and wrap the bunches tightly in newspaper prior to hydration.

• Store tulips in a 34 degree F cooler, providing good light for flower color development.

• Tulips are strongly geotropic, bending away from the earth, and mildly phototropic, bending towards a light source. Plan designs to accommodate for these curvatures.

• Tulips continue to elongate (grow) after they are placed in designs. Some varieties may stretch up to two inches, while others will barely elongate at all. Wiring, slitting the stem, or other physical measures will not prevent this post-harvest elongation.

• Do not place tulips together in a bucket with daffodils, as daffodils exude a toxic chemical when freshly cut that will severely shorten the vase life of tulips.

advertising links

Small Is Beautiful The diminutive charms of muscari.

Among the many beautiful flowers typically grown from Dutch flower bulbs, muscari is perhaps one of the most easily overlooked—in a very literal sense. The tiny flowers are perched on stems that are themselves at most 12 inches and often as few as four inches tall.

The traditional blue color is of course receding, rendering muscari even more inconspicuous.

And yet, once noticed, it rewards attention with its exquisite shape, a range of hard-to-find hues, and, sometimes, a delicate scent. Indeed, the genus is named for its musk-like fragrance. The common name grape hyacinth is easily understood from the flower’s resemblance to an upside-down grape cluster.

Muscari is available from December through April, mostly in blue, but also (usually by special order) in white, deep blue, and purple.

Select stems with the bottom three to five layers of flowers open, with the remaining blossoms well colored. For maximum impact, use grape hyacinths in groups or clusters, with other flowers and containers that are scaled to their fairylike proportions.

For easy access to many of our advertisers’ websites, go to www.flowersandmagazine.com and click on the Advertisers link.

AURORA WORLD INC..................................................................1 888-AURORA2 www.auroragift.com/xe/?mid=retailer

CHRYSAL AMERICAS ................................... INSIDE FRONT COVER 800-247-9725 www.chrysalusa.com

FITZ DESIGN, INC.....................................................................11 800-500-2120 www.creationsbyfitzdesign.com

HOPE GLASS ...........................................................................23 888-618-5870 www.hopeglass.com

IBULB ........................................................................................8 www.lilyoccasions.com

JETRAM, INC. ..........................................................................23 800-551-2626 www.jetraminc.com

MAC TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT CORP. ................................9 800-893-9833 www.aabw.us/info

NORTHEAST FLORAL EXPO ........................................................25 800-352-6946 www.northeastfloralexpo.com www.flowersplantsinct.com

RELIANT RIBBON ........................................................................2 973-881-0404 www.reliantribbon.com

ROSEVILLE FARMS .....................................................................7 800-370-9403 www.rosevillefarms.com

ROYAL FLOWERS ........................................................................3 800-977-4483 www.royalflowersecuador.com

SEMINOLE ...............................................................................25 800-638-3378 www.seminoleds.com

SMITHERS-OASIS .......................................................................5 800-321-8286 www.oasisfloral.com

SYNDICATE SALES ................................................... BACK COVER 800-428-0515 www.syndicatesales.com

TEAMFLORAL ...........................................................................17 800-342-2251 www.teamfloral.com

TELEFLORA .......................................................................10, 21 Photos courtesy of iBulb, a foundation set up to promote and support the Dutch flower bulb sector at www.ibulb.org.

800-421-2815 www.myteleflora.com

TEXAS STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION .......................................23 800-375-0361 www.tsfa.org

WORLD FLORAL EXPO (HPP EXHIBITIONS) .....INSIDE BACK COVER 011-31-20-662-2482 www.worldfloralexpo.com

FEBRUARY 2013 61

net effects

By Sarah Botchick

To succeed at internet marketing, first target your efforts.

“Failure to plan is planning to fail.” This quote is often attributed to Ben Franklin. To succeed in internet marketing you need to plan. In order to plan, you need specific goals. Begin by asking three questions: 1) Where are you now? First, analyze sales reports to see which aspects of your business are thriving, which are surviving, and which are declining.

2) Where are you going? Which areas of your business do you want to focus on? Set specific goals: a 20% increase in wedding business, for example.

3) How do you get there? Compare the various internet marketing and social media platforms to see which ones will best support your goals.

Just as you wouldn’t advertise wedding flowers in a magazine about construction tools, you don’t want to waste your social media efforts by spending your time in the

Platform

Type of Social Media

Total Users

Facebook Social networking 1 Billion

wrong place. The accompanying chart gives a quick overview of the more popular social media platforms and possible ways florists can best use them.

SOCIAL MEDIA AT A GLANCE Understand these terms and concepts: Social networks (examples: Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn): On these websites, users “connect” with their friends and share thoughts, events, photos and more. This is the most popular type of social media site for both personal and business use. These sites let you get to know customers and their needs, while customers get to know you.

Blogs: In a blog (short for web log), the author writes short entries, called posts, on specific topics. Blogs are great tools for inbound marketing and search engine optimization.

Microblogging (example: Twitter): After blogs were popular for a few years, some decided they took too long to read—and microblogging was invented. Twitter, for example, enables only posts that are 140 characters or less.

Photo and video sharing sites (examples: YouTube, Instagram): Just what the name implies. Generally, however, these sites do not allow much in the way of conversation or commentary.

Curation (example: Pinterest): On these sites, a user creates her own museum of sorts, to showcase items that interest her and

to share these items with friends and followers. Interestingly, Pinterest users spend more time on that site than on any other social network. And when they do purchase from a link on Pinterest, they spend a lot more money: 2 to 2.6 times as much.

THE SOCIAL MEDIA BOUQUET As you can see, different forms of social media have different characteristics, including different user demographics. Just as a line flower has a different purpose than a filler flower in a floral design, Facebook serves a different purpose than Instagram in your social media plan. You need a combination of social media tools that match up to your business goals.

If you would like to do a little research on your own, try googling “social media statistics”—or, go directly to either of the two sites where I did my research for the chart (cited in the next paragraph). Then match what you find out with your business goals to see which social media complete the puzzle best.

Note: All numbers quoted came either from www.google.com/adplanner or from www.pewinternet.org and were current as of November 2012.

Sarah Botchick is Marketing Director for Pioneer Imports & Wholesale in Berea, Ohio and the owner of Stellar Marketing & Consulting (www.stellarmarketingconsulting.com). b

Daily User Statistics

Male/ Female Top Age Dominant?

Groups

Possible Uses and Benefits for Florists

Targeted Marketing Examples for Florists

552 million

Even

18-24; 25-34

Building connections with customers

Everyday & sympathy

Google+

Social networking 170 million 625,000 new users/day

Male

25-34; 18-24; 35-44 Reaching young men

Valentine’s Day

Twitter

Microblogging

140 million 400 million tweets/day

Even

18-29

Short, quick info bits to your customers

Holiday reminders

Pinterest

Curation

20 million

Not available

Female

25-34; 18-24

Sharing formal photos of your work and learning your clients’ taste

Bridal and interior design work

80 million

5 million photos uploaded/day

Even

18-29

Casual, fun pictures of your work, your shop, your employees

Prom

Instagram Photo sharing

Linked In

Social networking 187 million Not available

Even

30-49

Join groups of local professionals

Corporate gift & event work

Tumblr

Microblogging

80 million

Female

18-24

Similar to Instagram—with words!

Holidays & prom

YouTube

Video sharing

800 million 4 billion views/day

Even

18-24; 25-34

“Cooler Cam” shop videos, venue videos

Seasonal, weddings & events

62 www.flowersandmagazine.com

66 million daily posts

industry events For the most recent additions to Teleflora Unit Programs, go to www.MyTeleflora.com and click on Design Education to access the Floral Event Calendar in the Unit Program section.

National and International March 11-12, Washington, DC SAF Congressional Action Days, Capitol Hill. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org.

June 19-25, Dallas, TX Holiday and Home Expo, Dallas Market Center.

Call 800-DAL-MKTS or visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com.

March 5, Evansville, IN

March 3, Albuquerque, NM

Indiana Unit, Spring Holiday Designs with Kevin Ylvisaker, Zeidler Wholesale. Call Roger Wininger at 812-936-2640.

New Mexico-WesTexas Unit, Prom and Body Flowers Designs with Tom Bowling, DWF Albuquerque. Call Carol Rose at 505-473-9212.

March 10, Pierre, SD

March 3, Tupelo, MS

South Dakota Florist Association, program includes Bagging Big Profits with Gerard Toh, Ramkota Hotel. Call Dave Engelmeyer at 605-775-2999.

Mississippi Unit, Sympathy Designs with Cindy Tole, Magnolia Wholesale. Call Kevin Hinton at 800-748-9848.

March 8-10, Springfield, IL

Northeast Louisiana Florist Association, program includes Everyday Designs (3/3) with Alex Jackson, West Monroe Convention Center.

Call Christine Cosby at 318-368-9272.

AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) National Symposium, Paris Hotel. Call 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

Illinois State Florist Association, program includes Wedding Designs (3/10) with John Hosek, Crowne Plaza Hotel. Call Frankie Peltiere at 314-481-1501.

July 10-17, Atlanta, GA

March 13, Garfield Heights, OH

Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, Americasmart. Call 800-ATL-MART or visit www.americasmart.com.

Ohio Buckeye Unit, Sympathy Designs with Bert Ford, Nordlie, Inc. Call Linda Boardman at 330-923-9747.

July 13-16, Columbus, OH

March 20, Flint, MI

OFA Short Course, Greater Columbus Convention Center. Call 614-487-1117 or visit www.ofa.org.

Michigan Unit, Prom Designs and Body Flowers with Tom Bowling, DWF. Call Waneita Bovan at 810-686-4950.

July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA

March 22-24, Green Bay, WI

California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.

Wisconsin/Upper Michigan Florist Association (WUMFA), Annual Convention, program includes Profitability and Selling Techniques (3/24) with Vonda LaFever, Radisson Hotel & Conference Center. Call Jenni Rodriguez at 414-755-6290 or visit www.wumfa.org.

June 28-July 2, Las Vegas, NV

July 18-23, Chicago, IL Chicago Market, Merchandise Mart Plaza. Call 312-527-7561 or visit www.shopchicagomarket.com.

August 17-21, New York, NY New York International Gift Fair, Javits Center Piers 92 & 94. Call 800-272-SHOW or visit www.nyigf.com.

September 18-21, Phoenix, AZ SAF Annual Convention, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org.

October 2-4, Bogota, Colombia Proflora, Corferias. Visit www.proflora.org.co.

Central Region March 1-3, Grand Rapids, MI Great Lakes Floral Expo, program includes Hands-On Workshop (3/2) and Wedding Designs (3/3) with Julie Poeltler, Amway Grand Hotel, DeVos Place. Call Rod Crittenden at the Michigan Floral Association at 517-575-0110 or visit www.greatlakesfloralexpo.com.

April 21, Cape Girardeau, MO Lewis & Clark Unit, Sympathy Designs with Vonda LaFever, Baisch & Skinner. Call Justin DeGonia at 573-785-4562.

April 24, Lansing, MI Michigan Unit, Green and Blooming Plants with Jim Ganger, Hyacinth House. Call Deb Custer at 734-455-7377.

Northeast Region March 8-10, Groton, CT Northeast Floral Expo, Mystic Marriott Hotel. Call the Connecticut Florists Association at 800-352-6946 or visit www.northeastfloralexpo.com.

South Central Region February 22-24, Little Rock, AR Arkansas Florists Association, Flower and Garden Show, “Home Grown Goodness,” State House Convention Center. Call Bill Plummer at 501-208-2882 or visit www.arflorists.org.

March 3-4, West Monroe, LA

March 5, Tulsa, OK Oklahoma Unit, Wedding and Prom Designs with Joyce Mason-Monheim, Greenleaf Wholesale.

Call Patsy Terry at 918-251-7484.

April 7, Kensett, AR Arkansas Unit, Everyday Permanents with Julie Poeltler, Betty’s Wholesale. Call Wendel McCorkle at 870-777-6667.

July 12-14, Mesquite, TX Texas State Florists’ Association, Annual Convention. Call Dianna Nordman at 512-834-0361 or visit www.tsfa.org.

Southeast Region March 8-10, St. Simons Island, GA Georgia State Florist Association, program includes Floral Trends (3/10) with Joyce MasonMonheim, Sea Palms Resort. Call Randy Wooten at 912-383-6223.

April 11, Carolina, Puerto Rico AIFD Southern Conference: Explore Beyond the Shore, Verdanza Hotel. Call 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

Western Region March 14, Seattle, WA Washington State Puget Sound Unit, Wedding Designs with John Hosek, Northwest Wholesale.

Call Sharrai Morgan at 360-385-5428.

April 7, Missoula, MT Montana Big Sky Unit, Wedding Designs with Alex Jackson, Missoula Event Center. Call Leslie Darling at 406-892-7617.

July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.

FEBRUARY 2013 63

what’s in store

FRESH AND EASY With its fresh green color and flared neck for easy designing, the glass vase that holds Teleflora’s Simply Sublime Bouquet (nationally advertised for Easter 2013) supports any bouquet with elegant simplicity. Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.myteleflora.com.

IT’S HIP TO BE SQUARE Flowers and butterflies take on a distinctive look on a square Mother’s Day balloon from burton + BURTON, new for 2013 and priced to retail for $3. Call 800-241-2094 or visit www.burtonandburton.com.

64 www.flowersandmagazine.com

HOLD EVERYTHING For those who need their hands free with their tools at hand, the Totty Belt is a stylish yet practical accessory, featuring a variety of pockets, loops and compartments. The handstitched belt also features a hidden inner pocket for items such as keys or money.

Visit www.tottybelt.com.

PETAL TO THE METAL Nature-inspired sculptures by Metal Perspectives include this manzanita tree with hand-painted brass leaves, 51 inches wide, priced to retail at $299. Contact the company at cs@metalperspectives.com.

NEW COLORS IN FLAT WIRE Now you can use OASIS wide Flat Wire in five new colors: Apple Green, Strong Pink, Purple, Red and Black, all available in both halfinch and one-inch widths. Contact your local wholesaler or visit Smithers-Oasis online at www.oasisfloral.com.

NATURALLY VERSATILE It’s the perfect base for adding flowers to create a wall decoration for weddings or everyday. The Pocket Wreath from the eGrapevine Store comes in sizes ranging from 12 inches high (with a four-inch-deep pocket) on up to 36 inches; custom sizes are available. Call 800-364-2530 or visit www.egrapevinestore.com.

BUNNY LOVE Plush bunnies couldn’t be sweeter than these two from Aurora’s Miyoni™ line of high-quality, affordable plush toys. The bunnies are available in two sizes, eight and ten inches. Call 888-287-6722 or visit www.auroragift.com/xe/?mid=retailer.

IT’S A WRAP The Arrive Alive Bouquet Wrapper® can hydrate and wrap 30 to 40 bouquets per minute! It automates the wrapping of bouquets using Chrysal’s Arrive Alive® system that keeps bouquets hydrated with a foam pad wrapped in a plastic bag.

Call 800-893-9833 or visit www.aabw.us/info.

FEBRUARY 2013 65

where to buy For more information on merchandise featured in Flowers&, contact the supplier directly. Direct links to most suppliers can be found on the Flowers& website, www.flowersandmagazine.com. Use the links under “Advertisers in this Issue” or the link to our searchable, online Buyers’ Guide at the top of the Flowers& home page.

ON THE COVER Wire topiary cross, Pacific Wire.

Birch planter, Accent Décor.

FOCUS ON DESIGN, pages 12-13

Bunch vase, Teleflora.

Mega Beads, Smithers-Oasis.

Deco Cubes, JRM.

CREATIVE EDGE, pages 14-15

Diamond Wrap and Guru vases, Accent Décor.

Flat Wire, Diamond Wire and UGlu, Smithers-Oasis.

Flutterzz feathered rhinestones, Fitz Design.

Flat cane, Smithers-Oasis.

Satin Collection container in pink, Teleflora.

SHINING THROUGH, page 33 Hope Glass Candle and Cross Gift Set in Rose color, Hope Glass.

Design Bandzz holographic tape, Fitz Design.

Diamond Wire, Smithers-Oasis.

4¼-inch Gathering Vase, Syndicate Sales.

EGG HUNT, page 34 Chicks, RAZ Imports.

Retro Flower Pins, Mega Wire and Mega Beads, Smithers-Oasis.

RESTING CROSS, page 35 Crystal Cross, Teleflora.

Decorative wire, Smithers-Oasis.

Reflective purple plastic tray, Syndicate Sales.

EASTER PARADE, pages 26-37

CALVARY CALLAS, page 26 Floral Foam Raquette Holder, Smithers-Oasis.

Just For Flowers spray dye in Black Cherry, Design Master.

EASTER HAT, page 32 Bouquet Jewels enameled plumeria flower (BJ2609) and 66 www.flowersandmagazine.com

WIRED FOR COLOR, page 42 Filato paper, Accent Décor.

Flat Wire in blue and purple, Smithers-Oasis.

Glass cube, Teleflora.

ROOTS AND LOOPS, page 43 Half-inch Flat Wire in matte gold and yellow beaded wire, SmithersOasis.

Deco Sand in yellow, Accent Décor.

CHOCK FULL, page 46 Fiberglass Rhapsody Planter in lime, Accent Décor.

SHADES OF PALE, page 29 Bunch vase, Teleflora.

Midollino, Accent Décor.

Retro Flower Pins, Smithers-Oasis.

CARROT TOP, page 31 Cuddle Bunny vase, Teleflora.

LASTING ELEGANCE, page 41 Kimora vase and purple mitsumata, Accent Décor.

Mega Beads in purple, SmithersOasis.

Moon carnations, Florigene.

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, page 44 SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, Circular Design Container in page 36 Bamboo Green, Container Source.

Vintage Bottles, Syndicate Sales.

Rainbow Foam and beaded wire, Cross necklace, Bouquet Jewels Smithers-Oasis. butterfly, Bouquet Jewels roseWool fabric in yellow, Accent colored Royal Pavé pins, and blue Décor. bracelets, Fitz Design.

Uptown adhesive-backed acrylic THAT’S THE TICKET, page 45 gems, Lion Ribbon.

Oasis floral foam purse form, Wired wool in pink, Accent Décor. decorative wire, and Lomey corsage pins, Smithers-Oasis.

BUNNY LOVE, page 28 Mini Bunch vase, Teleflora.

BUTTERFLY BLUE, page 30 Bouquet Jewels butterfly, Fitz Design.

Lomey tray, Lomey Wire Collar, and Mega Beads, Smithers-Oasis.

TAKING THE CURVES, page 40 Midollino in yellow and Alto Pot in matte white, Accent Décor.

LINES AND CIRCLES, page 47 Mitsumata, Accent Décor.

One-inch Flat Wire, SmithersOasis.

THANKS A DOZEN, pages 38-49

IN THE PINK, page 38 Havana Pot, Accent Décor.

Midollino in pink, Smithers-Oasis.

TALL TAILS, page 39 Oasis floral foam cylinder, Oneinch Flat Wire and UGlu, SmithersOasis.

GOLDEN ARCHES, page 48 Moderne Vase, crushed glass, and midollino, Accent Décor.

GREEN LIGHTNING, page 49 Mitsumata, Accent Décor.

Textured ceramic pot, UCI. Four-inch floral foam sphere, Smithers-Oasis.

Accent Décor.

Call 800-385-5114 or visit www.accentdecor.com.

Container Source.

Call 800-499-6128 or visit www.containersource.com.

Design Master Color Tool.

Call 800-525-2644 or visit www.dmcolor.com.

Fitz Design.

Call 800-500-2120 or visit www.creationsbyfitzdesign.com.

Florigene.

Call 954-438-9892 or visit www.florigene.com.

Hope Glass.

Call 888-618-5870 or visit www.hopeglass.com.

JRM Chemical.

Call 800-962-4010 or visit www.soilmoist.com.

Lion Ribbon.

Call 800-551-LION or visit www.lionribbon.com.

Pacific Wire & Supply.

Call 800-344-9286 or visit www.etopiary.com.

RAZ Imports.

Call 800-443-3540 or visit www.razimports.com.

Smithers-Oasis.

Call 800-321-8286 or visit www.oasisfloral.com.

Syndicate Sales.

Call 800-428-0515 or visit www.syndicatesales.com.

Teleflora.

Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.myteleflora.com.

UCI (Unlimited Containers, Inc.).

Call 888-880-8998 or visit www.unlimitedcontainers.com.

emporium ACCESSORIES

EMPLOYMENT

ARTESIAN DESIGNS

light-weight plastic decorative Columns These affordable, portable custom height columns are great for special events such as wedding or banquets.

SCHOOLS

! " !

In our third decade of performing confidential key employee searches for the floriculture industry and allied trades worldwide. Retained basis only. Candidate contact welcome, confidential, and always free.

1740 Lake Markham Rd., Sanford, FL 32771

%

" ! ! " ! " # ## $$$ ! " !

EQUIPMENT

The #1 Selling • • • •

Light-weight Portable!

Decorative Roman Columns Great For Special Events!

Leave White or Paint Any Color!

Flower Stem Cleaning Machine

Give me a call 866-461-7978 if you need additional info.

www.artesiandesigns.com Established 1962

WHIZ STRIP

Swan Bud Vase

661-702-1977 www.whizstrip.com

4800 Dahlia, Denver CO 80216 800-858-9854; 303-388-7377 Classroom or Home Study Courses Visit our website for more info

Hand Blown Glass

www.floralschools.com approved by Co. Dept. of Higher Ed.

Call Don Hauslik 800.537. 0273

South Florida School of Floral Design 1612 S. Dixie Hwy • Lake Worth, Florida 33460-5856

1-800-585-9491 www.floralinstruction.com

FREE SAMPLES

DBC WHOLESALE

NEW CLOSEOUTS ADDED WEEKLY

For information about advertising in Emporium call Peter Lymbertos at 800-421-4921

E-mail: floridaconnect@live.com Licensed by the Commission for Independent Education, License #403

WEDDINGS John Toomey Co

(800) 421-0052

Wedding Aisle Runners Rentals & Sales UPS Shipments

White Cotton Runners

410-734-7800

FEBRUARY 2013 67

wholesaler connection

ATTENTION

The following leading wholesale florists are distributors of Flowers& magazine.

ARIZONA

KANSAS

PENNSYLVANIA

PHOENIX Conroy Wholesale Florist The Roy Houff Company

WICHITA Valley Floral Company

PITTSBURGH Keystone Ribbon & Floral Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company

CALIFORNIA

LOUISVILLE The Roy Houff Company

FRESNO Designer Flower Center INGLEWOOD American Magazines & Books OAKLAND Piazza International Floral SACRAMENTO Flora Fresh SAN BERNARDINO Inland Wholesale Flowers SAN DIEGO San Diego Florist Supplies SANTA ROSA Sequoia Floral International

KENTUCKY

LOUISIANA

SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

TENNESSEE

MASSACHUSETTS

TEXAS

BOSTON Jacobson Floral Supply

DALLAS American Agroproducts, Inc. HOUSTON Pikes Peak of Texas Southern Floral Company LUBBOCK Lubbock Wholesale Florist

WARREN Nordlie, Inc.

MINNESOTA

NASHVILLE The Roy Houff Company

PENSACOLA Hall’s Pensacola Wholesale Oscar G. Carlstedt Company

MINNEAPOLIS Koehler and Dramm ROSEVILLE North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

GEORGIA

MISSOURI

OMEGA Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist

ST LOUIS LaSalle Wholesale Florist

NEW YORK

HAWAII

CAMPBELL HALL Henry C. Alders

NORFOLK The Roy Houff Company RICHMOND The Roy Houff Company

OHIO

WASHINGTON

FLORIDA

HONOLULU Flora-Dec Sales

ILLINOIS CHICAGO Bill Doran Company The Roy Houff Company NORMAL The Roy Houff Company PEORIA HEIGHTS Bill Doran Company WHEELING The Roy Houff Company

BEREA Pioneer Wholesale Company DAYTON Nordlie, Inc. NORTH CANTON Canton Wholesale Floral PARMA Cleveland Plant & Flower Company

UTAH SALT LAKE CITY Ensign Wholesale Floral

VIRGINIA

TACOMA Washington Floral Service

Join the

Flowers& Wholesaler Program for extra profits every month!

• Sell Flowers& in your store • Select any quantity— no minimum • Our buy-back policy makes it risk-free

CANADA BURNABY, BC Signature Floral Supply (division of Kirby Floral Inc.)

MALAYSIA SELANGOR Worldwide Floral Services

SINGAPORE Worldwide Floral Services

68 www.flowersandmagazine.com

WHOLESALERS:

SOUTH DAKOTA

BATON ROUGE Louisiana Wholesale Florists LAFAYETTE Louisiana Wholesale Florists

MICHIGAN

FLORAL

Call Elinor Cohen at 800-321-2665 Visit us online for a taste of Flowers& quality.