Flowers& - October 2013

Flowers& OCTOBER 2013 $5.50

www.MyTeleflora.com

In Time of Grief TENDER TRIBUTES AND SYMPATHY GIFTS PG 28 CALIFORNIA GROWN: A SPECIAL REPORT PG 14

features

OCTOBER 2013

28 14

California Grown What’s new in fresh cut flowers from the Golden State.

Text and photography by Bruce Wright

28

Sorrow and Comfort Tributes for the service, artfully themed.

Floral design by Elizabeth Seiji AIFD Photography by Ron Derhacopian

44

Gifts of Remembrance Sympathy designs for the home, each with something extra.

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

4 OCTOBER 2013

On the Cover To emphasize the cross and highlight the silver gleam of Teleflora’s Silver Cross Vase, Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI added rhinestones to the cross and silver leaves to the bouquet of roses and fresh lavender. For more sympathy designs from Julie, see pages 44-57.

contents

10

Focus on Design Creating Value with Foliage

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

12

Creative Edge Product Series: Tulle

By Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

20

11

22

Fresh Focus Callas

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

26

Net Effects Pay-per-click: Friend or Foe?

By Sarah Botchick

58

Shop Profile Edwards Floral, McKinney, Texas

By Marianne Cotter

62

Where to Buy

64

What’s In Store

65

Industry Events

67

Advertiser Links

68

Wholesaler Connection

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Flowers& Volume 34, Number 10 (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 OCTOBER 2013

©

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

Flowers& Publisher Editor Art Director National Advertising Director

Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI rsalvaggio@teleflora.com Bruce Wright Tony Fox 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

AIFD,

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

Fairfield, Ohio, Tim Farrell AIFD, PFCI,

Gilliam

AIFD,

Kansas City, Mo., Hitomi

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

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

Essexville, Mich., Julie Poeltler Iowa, Jerome Raska

Tom Simmons

AIFD,

Dallas, Texas,

Surroundings Events and Floral, Verona, Wisc., Alex Jackson

Fla., Joyce Mason-Monheim

AIFD,

AIFD,

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

AIFD, PFCI,

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, Penn., Bert Ford

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

John Hosek AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

AIFD, PFCI,

Niceville,

Tucson, Ariz., Darla Pawlak

AIFD, PFCI,

Fountain of Flowers & Gifts, Lone Tree,

AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, MCF,

Blumz... by JR Designs, Detroit, Mich.,

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

Garden Trade Services, 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 62.

1

1. Fill a long container with foam and add a fence or wall of foliage to the back. Depending on the foliage, a stake behind the spine of each leaf may be required to make it stand straight up. In place of ‘Xanadu’ philodendron, you could also use strelitzia, calathea, or croton foliage. Sprigs of ivy on the sides extend and soften the horizontal line.

2. Angled flax leaves offer another technique for creating drama and selling space.

3. Fill the foam in front of the leaf background in the normal way, back to front, left to right. With the striking foliage in place, it takes very few other materials to complete the design.

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A foliage background is one way to create maximum impact at minimum cost.

A design like this one is perfect for any location that requires a dramatic, one-sided arrangement. The long, low container gets you halfway there; a fence of upright ‘Xanadu’ philodendron and angled flax leaves does the rest.

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OCTOBER 2013 11

creative edge Floral design by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD

Photography by Philippe Martin-Morice

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 62.

With the popularity of vintage styles, tulle—a material that has been popular in many eras of the past—is making a comeback in bridal work.

As with any retro trend, the manner in which the material is used this time around has a fresh twist.

Flower power bouquet This bouquet begins with a traditional tulle pompom. Wrap eight-inch-wide tulle ribbon around a 10-inch piece of cardboard 20 or more times, then slip the rounds of tulle off the cardboard and twist-tie them in the middle with thin silver wire. Cut open the looped ends of the tulle to create a poufy sphere. Use thicker wire to give the pouf a bouquet handle. Make a separate, disk-shaped backing of tulle by taking a circle of hard cardboard (about six inches with a one-inch-diameter hole in the middle) and wrapping tulle around it. The handle of the tulle bouquet slips through the disk backing, along with wired and taped stems of hydrangeas and daisies, nestled in the tulle. The flower-shaped confetti are glued back to back onto the tulle to create a floating effect: an “illusion,” which, by the way, was another name for “tulle” back in the day.

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Fan bouquet Below, a graceful, fan-shaped armature was created using a silver Lomey Wire Collar, augmented with silver Diamond Wire. This structure was further embellished with silver chain and crystal beads at both ends, and covered with sheer tulle to create a transparent decorative form. A small bouquet holder was embedded inside the armature. A draping garden mix of clematis, scabiosa, lysimachia and veronica, along with phalaenopsis orchids and garden spray roses, is complemented by white delphinium blossoms glued front and back to the dangling silver chain. b

Romance bouquet Above, an under-collar of tulle and lace gives this bouquet a vintage feel reminiscent of the Gatsby era. The bouquet is made in an Oasis Grande Wedding Belle holder with a straight handle. A framework of one-inch silver flat wire, covered with tulle, provides a supporting outline for silhouettes of tulle-backed curtain lace stretched over Diamond Wire. A floral cascade is enhanced with antiqued nickel chain and trimmings of crystal and pearls. In addition, a vintage crystal brooch on the collar provides a meaningful personal memento of the generation past. The bouquet is composed of flowers in soft pastels, including ‘Eden Romantica’, an artisan garden spray rose, complemented by mini callas, callas being a favorite of the art nouveau era.

OCTOBER 2013 13

Over two days of optional farm tours, convention participants could visit eight flower farms, all within driving distance of Santa Barbara, where this year’s convention was held. The second day of tours ended with lunch in a tent erected right in the middle of flower fields, blooming with sunflowers and stock, at Ocean View Flowers in Lompoc, California.

CALIFORNIA GROWN Why buy flowers from California?

This summer’s California Floral Convention offered plenty of good reasons.

Text and photography

by Bruce Wright

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IF YOU TALK FOR LONG to Lane Devries, current chair of the California Cut Flower Commission (CCFC), you’re likely to hear this statistic: when Americans are asked where the flowers they buy come from, 85% say they don’t know—but 55% say that if they did know, they would prefer to buy American.

Not surprisingly, Lane and others see a marketing opportunity there for Californiagrown flowers, which currently make up

about 75% of all the flowers grown in the United States. It’s not even that we need to buy fewer flowers from abroad, Lane argues. With flower buying overall in the U.S. lagging behind general economic growth since 1989, and with the U.S. ranking lower than many developed countries in per-capita consumption, there is plenty of room for growth.

California growers think Americans will feel good about buying more flowers if they

At Rose Story Farm, Danielle Hahn grows garden roses that are picked to order for special-event clients. Visitors on the first day of tours were treated to lunch at the farm, with fragrant rose bouquets on the tables. When you smell a rose, Danielle suggests, take at least five seconds to fully appreciate its perfume.

At Holland America, farm visitors could watch as workers in hoop houses harvested freesia, then bundled, recut, and sleeved the flowers on the spot and quickly placed the bunches in buckets for transfer to the processing area. Buckets of fully open freesia were also on display.

know the story behind those flowers. “If they could have the experience we’re having right now—the experience of meeting growers and walking in the fields—they would definitely be encouraged to buy more flowers,” said Kasey Cronquist, CEO of the California Cut Flower Commission, speaking at the convention. “We have to learn to tell that story.”

Flower-farm tours and the opportunity to meet and talk with California growers are at the heart of what makes the California Floral Convention special. The convention, formerly known as Fun ’N Sun Weekend, is hosted every other year by the California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers, also known as NORCAL. This year, programming for the event was planned in cooperation with the California Cut Flower Commission, a California state agency funded by assessments from growers. Both organizations have a common mission: promoting California-grown flowers.

A TALE TO TELL What are the most important elements of the California story?

• For reasons of both history and ge-

ography, California is growing some of the most intriguing and diverse flowers on the market. When production of carnations and roses fled to South America in the ’70s and ’80s, California growers sought alternative crops, and found them: everything from premium lilies and garden roses to proteas, berries, grasses, dahlias, gerberas, and a lot of things you may never have heard of— things your customers likely can’t find at the grocery store (see pages 18-19 for just a few examples).

• Many California growers have chosen to support the traditional supply chain, selling mainly to wholesale florists rather than to mass-market buyers. Among other reasons, “We prefer to have more, smaller customers, rather than just four or five big ones,” says Ever-Bloom’s Ed van Wingerden. “Then if one of them stops buying from you it’s not such a big hit.” When California flowers do end up in mass-market bouquets, it may be in bouquets that are labeled with the “California Grown” logo—a marketing strategy that has been quite successful for some retailers.

• When it comes to environmental and

social responsibility, regulations in the state of California set the bar very high—and many California growers go beyond those standards. Water recycling, energy conservation, and pest control via integrated pest management (IPM), with only minimal use of pesticides, are all common practice on California flower farms. A number are certified by the sustainability certification program Veriflora®. The California Cut Flower Commission is now developing its own comprehensive and rigorous sustainability program—one that will be tailored to the circumstances and best practices of California flower growers.

FARM FRESH Although the California Floral Convention caters to wholesale florist buyers, it’s really at the retail level that the California story can be conveyed to consumers.

Advocates for California flowers draw inspiration from the growing strength of the “buy local” and farm-to-table movements.

They point to the phenomenal success of farmers’ markets around the country. While farmers’ markets might seem more like OCTOBER 2013 15

CALIFORNIA GROWN competition for traditional retail florists, they also provide an indication of the interest consumers have in making a connection with the people who grow the food they eat—and maybe also, the flowers they put on the table.

Farm-to-table—also called the “slow food” movement—has inspired a book called Slow Flowers by garden writer Debra Prinzing, who was a featured speaker and panelist at the convention. (Debra’s website of the same name is due to launch this fall.) Consumer research shows that interest in buying local is across all demographics, said Debra, pointing to abundant evidence of the movement’s strength. Surveys say 65% of American consumers feel that supporting local businesses is an important issue—more important than global warming or sustainability.

Another featured panelist was Christina Stembel of Farmgirl Flowers in San Francisco, an online retailer that delivers only bouquets of locally grown flowers. Customers don’t get to choose what flowers are in the bouquet (the only choice is small, medium, or large)—but Christina has found that plenty of customers (80% in one survey) are happy to leave that up to their florist. As a bonus, doing it this way lets Farmgirl Flowers keep flower waste to an astonishingly low 3%.

Farmgirl’s model wouldn’t work for most retail florists around the country—but it could easily be adapted for a weekly special. “Using local is a conscious decision, and our profit margins are not what they would be if we used imports,” says Christina—but she is cultivating a market that is ripe for development.

“With stories like these,” says Lane, “the potential is there to grow the market by promoting American-grown flowers. I see great opportunity for flowers in this country—but it’s going to take all of us to get there.” b

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Dozens of varieties were on display at Sun Valley Floral Farms, at its Oxnard facility—not only lilies, as seen here on the near end of the table, but sunflowers, asters, iris, matricaria, lisianthus, gerberas, and more.

At Myriad Flowers, Erik van Wingerden (owner with his dad, Harry) is one of the last California rose growers. Myriad grows 70% roses—mostly in greenhouses; the pink spray rose ‘Diadem’ is an exception that does better outdoors.

While most anthuriums on the market are field grown and come from Hawaii, California grower Ever-Bloom—best known as a gerbera farm—also grows anthuriums in greenhouses. They are a little more expensive, but of reliably consistent quality.

Ocean View Flowers is one of few flower farms where packing is done entirely in refrigerated rooms. Cuts go into a bucket in the field and are sleeved immediately, then conditioned in a cool (but not refrigerated) receiving area, to prevent moisture from collecting inside the sleeve. Finally, they are moved into a large cooler for packing.

Ocean View is credited with introducing bupleurum (seen here) to the market.

A team of seven AIFD designers kept the lobby of the convention hotel overflowing with inventive designs to showcase California’s fresh flowers.

California Grown the California flower fair Looking for excitement in your fresh-flower offerings? With its diverse product mix, California can be credited with developing the market for nontraditional flowers. These are just a few highlights from this summer’s California Floral Convention.

Queen Anne’s lace, in white and pink, from B&H Flowers, www.bandhflowers.com

Orlaya from Dramm & Echter, www.drammechter.com

grevillea from California Protea Association, www.californiaprotea.org

Dahlias from Skyline Flower growers & Shippers, www.skylineflowers.com

Pistachio-colored queen of hearts, a foraged product available in late June and July from California Flower Shippers, representing small boutique growers in the Pescadero area, www.californiaflowershippersinc.com

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Long-lasting (five to seven days) stemmed gardenias from kitayama Brothers, www.kitayamabrothers.com

Immature striped figs—they would normally be harvested a little later in the season— from the California Protea Association, www.californiaprotea.org

Blushing bride proteas from the California Protea Association, www.californiaprotea.org

White English lavender, somewhat less fragrant than purple lavender, available May through July from California Flower Shippers, www.californiaflowershippersinc.com

Flannel flowers, still rare on the market, from the California Protea Association, www.californiaprotea.org

Stephanotis on the vine, from California Flower Shippers, www.californiaflowershippersinc.com

‘Francois Rabelais’, a ravishing red rose from California Pajarosa Floral, www.pajarosa.com

A protea wreath fashioned by Mel Resendiz of Resendiz Brothers Protea Growers (www.resendizbrothers.com), on display with the California Protea Association, www.californiaprotea.org

Matsumoto asters from Joseph & Sons in Santa Paula; email joe@josephnsons.com OCTOBER 2013 19

fresh focus

By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright

Chic, colorful and long-lasting, callas are one of the best deals on the market.

IN SO MANY WAYS, callas are well suited to serve as one of today’s pre-eminent fashion flowers. At a time when wedding trends drive the market—and when brides are looking for Gatsby-era elegance in a range of saturated, sophisticated hues—callas certainly fill the bill.

Their beauty lies not only in the blooms, but equally in the long, bare stems that merge into the blooms.

Calla Gently massaged in the hand, Zantedeschia aethiopica calla stems lend themselves to (large callas, usually white) the graceful curving lines that Zantedeschia spp. are so important in today’s (“mini” callas, in many colors) emerging design sensibility.

Availability: It’s not that callas are new to year-round the market. Production of mini Vase life: callas has exploded in the past 5 to 10 days ten years. But while callas can Bunch size: 10 stems, be very affordable, they retain the large callas association of a premium flower sometimes singly suitable for stylish occasions and gifts.

With their versatility and color range, mini callas are the fashion harbingers—but larger, standard callas have their own kind of chic.

These are the two main kinds of callas. They are not as closely related as you might suppose; they’re cousins, rather than sisters. Let’s define and differentiate the two.

Both mini callas and standard callas are in their own genus, Zantedeschia. It’s fine to call them “calla lilies” if you like, but it’s also helpful to know that they are not really lilies; they are in the arum, rather than the lily family, related to The key to long vase life for all kinds of callas is to place them in only an inch or two of water, and to replace the solution frequently. When submerged in too much water, the fleshy stems can dissolve and become slimy. Photo courtesy of iBulb at www.lilyoccasions.com.

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anthuriums, spathiphyllums, and such popular foliage plants as caladiums, dieffenbachias, and philodendrons.

Standard callas are of the species Zantedeschia aethiopica. This is the tall white calla you see in gardens and some famous paintings, with stems typically about two to three feet (from 60 to 95 centimeters) in length. Large callas may also be green or variegated green and white, like ‘Green Goddess’. One variety, ‘Diva Maria’, introduced in 2005, is white on the inside, pink on the outside, with attractively speckled leaves. Another, ‘Arctic White’, is a very pure white and mid size rather than large, but still considered part of the large-calla group.

Colored “mini” callas are not really so small except in comparison with their cousins. Hybrids created by combining more than one Zantedeschia species, they come in stem lengths from about one to one and a half feet (from 30 to 50 centimeters) and in a color range from white, pink, and peach to bright yellow, mango, rust, deep purple and burgundy. While the large white callas are hardier as plants, colored mini callas enjoy a longer vase life as cut flowers.

Good breeding

At CallaCo, on the central California coast, most callas are grown in open fields—but farther inland, where the fields are hotter, they may also be grown under the protective shade of a hoop house, as in the photo directly above. Justin Brown (at left in the photo) represents the fourth generation in a family of innovative, influential flower growers and bulb producers; he is seen with Tjamme van der Heide, who oversees all of CallaCo’s production in central California. Photos thanks to CallaCo at www.callaco.com.

The calla market is dominated by two giants, each of which comprises related breeding and growing operations. One is Sande, a Dutch breeder and grower, with growing operations in Ecuador as well as in the Netherlands. The other is Golden State Bulb Growers, a breeder and bulb producer that is the parent company to California grower CallaCo. Both ‘Diva Maria’ and ‘Arctic White’ were bred by Golden State, which is also responsible for such popular mini calla varieties as ‘Crystal Blush’ and ‘Garnet Glow’.

Breeding new calla varieties takes a long time (typically, ten years), but breeders strive to keep up with market demand for new colors—which is, again, often driven by the bridal market. “Surprisingly, a lot of brides want the black callas in their bouquets,” notes Susan Yogi of CallaCo— although these varieties would more accurately be described as very deep purple. Likewise, she admits, “what we call red is probably closer to burgundy, though Golden State has come pretty close in one of their varieties. The holy grail of callas is the red calla.” With the enormous range OCTOBER 2013 21

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of colors available, brides and other customers can generally find callas in the colors they are looking for— which vary from one season to the next.

For all seasons

Today’s mini callas come in nearly every color of the rainbow, from pink and purple to bright yellow, mango, and rust—although some hues, like true red, remain elusive.

Breeders have come close to red with callas in rich shades of burgundy. The darkest colors, including deep purples that are almost black, tend to be specialty items that cost a little more, grown in greenhouses from premium bulbs. Photos courtesy of iBulb at www.lilyoccasions.com.

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Today callas are truly available year-round—not only from Ecuador, with its nearly unchanging equatorial sunshine, but also from California. CallaCo fields are located mainly in central California, on the coast. “In the winter time we move our production of mini callas down south,” says Susan Yogi.

“The minis like the warmer climate.

The aethiopica, on the other hand, we can grow year-round right here.”

There is a natural season, of course, for both mini and large callas: for the large callas, the cool months of fall through early summer; for mini callas, the warmer months of spring through summer.

In both cases, however, through breeding for year-round production and the application of particular growing techniques, the natural season has been stretched to extend through the year.

Most callas are grown in the field, but production in greenhouses and hoop houses is one way to extend the season. At CallaCo, hoop houses are used for shade, especially in fields that are farther inland and therefore hotter. Greenhouse growing is, of course, more expensive, but it also gives the grower a degree of control over the environment that may be required “for specialty colors like blacks, chocolates, some reds,” as Susan explains. “These we produce in smaller quantities, typically for bridal bouquets, and we grow them in the greenhouse because we get a pristine flower that way, even if it is a little more expensive.” The bulbs for these premium varieties are usually also more expensive.

What stage of maturity should you look for in the callas you receive from your supplier? In other words, when should callas be harvested for maximum vase life? The tradeoff is the same as for most flowers: if a calla is harvested too soon, the flower won’t open all the way; too late, and it can be more easily damaged in transport. The

The classic color for standard-size callas is white, but one variety, ‘Diva Maria’, is pink on the outside of the spathe. Photo courtesy of the Flower Council of Holland at www.flowercouncil.co.uk.

perfect “cut point” depends in part on the variety—except that callas are not actually cut. The well-trained workers who harvest callas—always early in the morning, at CallaCo—do not cut the stems, but gently pull to separate the stem from the rhizome, a procedure that is healthier for both the plants and the harvested stems. “Once they are pulled, the stems are placed immediately in water,” Susan explains (the person doing the harvesting has a bucket at the end of the row). Then, once they come into the bunching shed, the stem ends are cut as part of processing to insure water uptake.

The stems of callas are easily bruised, so extra care has to be taken in packing them for transport. For example, a wooden

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Callas lend themselves to creative packaging and marketing, as in the calla bouquet pictured above, from Continental Flowers (www.continentalflowers.com): a gathering of premium, open-cut, standard-size callas, backed with a large calla leaf for a presentation-style bouquet.

cleat (the cross piece that holds the stems in place) can leave a mark if it presses directly on the stems; a foam cleat can protect them from such damage.

Less water is more Like its relative in the arum family, the anthurium, a calla bloom is not actually a “flower”—in botanical terms, it is a modified leaf. The colorful part of the calla bloom, called the spathe, encloses a protuberance called the spadix, which bears many tiny

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flowers along its length.

Close examination of the spadix can be a clue to the calla’s maturity.

Just as leaves typically last longer than flowers, the calla spathe is relatively hardy in the vase. With callas, it’s not so much the bloom but the fleshy stem that is vulnerable and that can give trouble. “Most florists— and most consumers— put callas in a lot of water, which makes the stem tissue deteriorate and become slimy in just a few days,” says designer and educator René van Rems AIFD, PFCI, speaking for iBulb, which promotes the use of bulb flowers through U.S. marketing programs on behalf of the Dutch flower-bulb sector.

“If you leave callas with the stem ends submerged in just an inch or two of water, this problem will be resolved.”

Standard callas may need more water than minis, Susan warns, because they are larger and take up more water. For both kinds of callas, the water (mixed with flower food, naturally) needs to be changed more often than with other kinds of flowers.

Once mini callas are well hydrated, “they last well outside of water,” says René, “which is why so many designers like them for corsages, hand-tied bouquets, and other designs that have no water source.” Some designers seal the cut end of a calla stem with a dollop of pan glue before using them in this way, to keep the moisture inside the stem.

Callas are hardy enough to take a certain amount of rough handling for the sake of effect in the case of weddings and special events—but treat them well, and they can also add long-lasting glamour to everyday arrangements. Why wait for a special occasion to enjoy them? b

care tips calla • Purchase callas with the colored spathe beginning to curve outward, revealing the center spadix—an indication that the flower will continue to mature correctly. Avoid blossoms with a spadix that is beginning to turn brown, which suggests the flower is old, or with stems that are bruised, usually by improper shipping or rough handling.

• Re-cut the stem end and place in no more than two inches of water properly mixed with flower food. Calla stems will deteriorate quickly if placed in deep water. Condition at room temperature for several hours or until desired blossom maturity is achieved.

Store at 35 to 38 degrees F and 85% humidity. You may need to change the solution more frequently than with other flowers.

• Callas are not highly sensitive to ethylene gas, but some studies have shown that treatment with an anti-ethylene treatment can prolong vase life.

net effects

By Sarah Botchick

Sponsored search: friend or foe?

“Sponsored search,” also known as “payper-click,” is when you pay to have your website listed by a search engine among the search results labeled as “paid advertisements.” Being ranked well in the “organic” (non-paid) search results is every business owner’s dream. However, sometimes that is not achievable. There are times when sponsored search can be your friend!

How does it work?

After setting up a basic account with a search engine, you set the search terms you are looking to advertise for and tell the search engine how much you are willing to pay for each click on each term. How you are ranked within the sponsored search ads depends on how many other companies are competing for your terms, and how much they are each willing to pay for each click.

When should I use sponsored search?

The two main benefits to sponsored search are that it is instant, and it is targeted. When setting up your campaign, you can target who sees your ad by location. You also have the ability to turn your advertising on and off, so that it is active only during peak times, such as holidays.

Components of sponsored search Both Google and Bing have similar set ups for their accounts. The main components are: Keywords, Ads, Ad Groups, and Campaigns.

• Keywords. These are the search terms that you set up in your account to bid on (for example: sympathy flowers).

• Ads. These are the ads that are shown to users who type your terms into the search engine (for example: Beautiful sympathy flow26 www.flowersandmagazine.com

ers to show your loved ones how much you care).

search tools you can use, and there are many third-party websites that are very helpful.

• Ad Groups. These are groups of keywords that will trigger the same ads (for example, “sympathy flowers” and “funeral flowers” might belong to the same ad group).

After you have researched your keywords, you will need to sort them into ad groups. One word of caution: watch the Match Type setting as you enter your keywords. There is Broad Match (which is any version of a keyword or anything like it), Phrase Match (a specific phrase) or Exact Match (which is a very exact term or group of words). Using Broad Match can end up costing you a substantial amount more, so be sure to choose your terms and match types carefully.

• Campaigns. A campaign is a group of ad groups within your account that all have the same targeting.

Creating your sponsored search Once you get through the basic account set up of your company and billing information, you will set up your first campaign. Initially you will need to decide whether you want to have a campaign that is “Search Only,” “Display Only,” or “Search and Display.” “Search Only” means that your ads will be shown only when search engine users actually search for your search terms. If you allow for “Display” advertising, you permit the search engines to show your ads on partner websites of their choosing. This can add up to a lot of extra spending that is not well targeted, so use it cautiously.

You will also need to choose the devices that you want your ads shown on, language, and location. Location is critical. If I were setting up a sponsored search account for a floral shop, I would be careful to add only the ZIP codes that I want to deliver to. You also need to set a daily budget and how you will handle your bidding (how much you are willing to pay for each click on each term): manually, or by letting the search engine decide.

You will need to set a destination URL for each term. Be as targeted as ppossible: for example, g p

for “sympathy” keywords take the user to the sympathy section of your website. Remember that the quicker they can find what they are looking for, the more likely they are to spend money. Finally, you set your bids and commit to how much you are willing to spend for each keyword.

Measuring success

Keywords are key

As soon as you have completed the initial set up of a search engine account, you can check with your website administrator about installing the sponsored search analytics code on your website. This will allow you to monitor how many “conversions” (orders) you are getting from each term so you can adjust where you are spending your money.

You may well find that sponsored search—if used properly and cautiously—is a very useful addition to your internet marketing toolbox.

Probably the most difficult step is deciding on your keywords. This involves research. The terms your customers are searching for may be different than what you expect. However, each of the search engines has keyword re-

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

Early on, you will need to create your ad groups, based on different types of sales you want to promote, and the ads that correspond with them. It is best to create a number of ad groups, with very specific ads targeted at specific keywords. When creating your ads, step back and think like a customer. What will catch their attention and make them click?

28 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Sorrow and Comfort Tributes for the service, artfully themed.

For product information,

A HEART REBORN

▼

Floral design by Elizabeth Seiji AIFD

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

see Where to Buy, page 62.

A universal symbol of transformation and rebirth, butterflies also

lend animation to design and blend naturally with flowers. To create the design at left, Liz filled the basin of a footed glass bowl with foam, which she secured with anchor tape and covered with ti leaves around the perimeter. She then mounted an open-heart foam wreath form with a mâché backing upright in the foam, using hyacinth stakes to secure it. She covered the outside of the form with galax and ti leaves, then added white and green flowers to define the heart shape and add swirling motion. The green amaranthus and calla stems are pinned into place with Bindwire.

OCTOBER 2013 29

30 www.flowersandmagazine.com

A GENTLE SOUND

At left, butterflies bring alive the butterfly motif that decorates a set of windchimes. Hung from a manzanita branch, the windchimes serve as a keepsake and a soothing symbol of a spirit set free. The manzanita branches emerge from a cascading floral design made in a foam cage, secured to a heavy brass easel with cable ties and wire. Callas, anthuriums, mokara orchids, and hala and whaleback foliage all drape gracefully from the cage; some of the callas loop back up, tied in place with green Bindwire.

IN FLIGHT On the casket, dark manzanita branches not only support a grouping of white butterflies but offer beautiful contrast to the white flowers arranged in foam in a casket saddle. Phalaenopsis orchids and Oriental lilies stand out from the bed of white roses and hydrangea, creating a sense of depth in the design. At the base, white spirea spreads and cascades.

Sorrow and Comfort

OCTOBER 2013 31

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OUR LADY OF ROSES

In a traditional Latin, Catholic service, it would not be unusual to see among the floral tributes a statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe—associated by legend with roses, which in turn refer to the next world. Often the statue, if placed directly among the flowers, can be hard to distinguish. At left, the statue is framed in a custom container that consists of a vertical black wooden box for the Virgin inside a horizontal box for the flowers. A horizontal cross bar on the wooden easel supports the box, which is filled with red roses, dahlias, amaranthus, white larkspur and hydrangea.

PRAYER AND DEVOTION The Floral Rosary—a chain equipped with clips to add fresh flowers—has a long tradition; it requires a setting in which it can be draped and displayed to advantage. Here, it rests on a floral cross, made in a plastic-backed, floral-foam form, filled with white lisianthus and covered on the sides with galax leaves.

The cross in turn is mounted on a tapestry of equisetum, threaded onto silver wire. The tapestry is elevated on a casket saddle and wired into the saddle foam; a backing of vertical whaleback foliage lifts the tapestry slightly off the casket, giving it more depth.

Sorrow and Comfort

AUGUST 2013 OCTOBER 2013 41 33

HANA WA In Japan, a traditional way for friends, family, or business associates to express condolences is to send large wreaths, called hana wa, to the funeral service. A sign above the wreath bears the name of the sender.

Liz created the wreath at left by combining three mâchÊ wreath forms (24, 18 and 12 inches in diameter), inserting one inside another. She strapped the wreath forms together with anchor tape, then filled them with chrysanthemums of various kinds, the iconic flower of Japan, building a swirl into the pattern of the flowers. The character in the center of the wreath stands for mourning or condolence.

THE CIRCLE UNBROKEN At right, a container-based design suggests the form of a hana wa wreath with its perfectly round shape. It also adheres to the conventions of Japanese funeral wreaths by honoring a preference for soft pastels; no flowers with thorns are allowed. Passion vine lends line movement while reinforcing the overall impression of a circle.

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Sorrow and Comfort

OCTOBER 2013 35

ORCHID LOVER A passion for orchids is honored in the easel heart at left as in the urn setting at right. At left, epidendron orchids shoot up and dangle downward, creating a strong vertical line along with eremurus and red dogwood branches. Over the center of the heart, filled with roses, dahlias, green hydrangea and brunia, sword fern cuts diagonally, balancing the upward thrust of the eremurus.

The design is fashioned in a solid plastic-backed floralfoam form.

REST IN PEACE At right, phalaenopsis orchids pay tribute on either side of a funerary urn, in a setting enhanced with lichen branches, sarracenia, zebra grass, berries, moss, and ti leaves, all nestled in a wooden boat. The urn itself is elevated on a block of floral foam that rises above the rest.

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Sorrow and Comfort

OCTOBER AUGUST 2013 35 37

Sorrow and Comfort

WREATH AND VEIL At left, in a striking and distinctive display, phalaenopsis orchid blooms are clustered like violets in a horizontal wreath. A cascade of smilax and passion vine descends from the wreath, backed with ti leaves and dotted with additional phalaenopsis blooms, secured with UGlu Dots. The wreath, which also includes hydrangea, is built in a plasticbacked foam wreath form and is elevated on an iron stand.

LIKE A ROCK

Suitable for delivery to the service or to the home, the design at right frames a Memory Stone with larkspur, lavender and sword fern, while the stone nestles among dahlias, roses, and hydrangea. The Memory Stone comes with a hanger on the back, so it can be removed and hung on the wall as a keepsake. Here it simply rests against two stakes placed behind it in the foam.

38 www.flowersandmagazine.com AUGUST 2010

AUGUST2013 2010 39 OCTOBER

REACHING UP

Bold and contemporary, yet serene and comforting, the design at left relies on a container designed to fit on a standard wooden easel. It consists of three stacked boxes, slightly staggered from front to back, the largest in the middle, connected with wooden bars. With such a container it’s easy to create a very tall yet stable floral display featuring anthuriums, eremurus, pincushions, dahlias, and strelitzia leaves.

LIVING CROSS

Bells of Ireland, succulent rosettes, and dusty miller combine to create a ruffled texture that softens the outlines of the cross at right and makes it look as though it has burst into leaf and bloom.

Larger succulents, including a string-of-pearls cascade, provide visual weight at the base.

The cross is made in a plasticbacked foam form, which is secured in the container foam with stakes and cable ties.

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Sorrow and Comfort

AUGUST 2013 OCTOBER 2013 37 41

Sorrow and Comfort I AM THE VINE Gloriosa vine swirling and spilling from a round stonelike container makes a simple yet exquisite and moving tribute. Liz wedged curly willow into the opening of the container to create a circular armature, binding the willow to itself with Bindwire, then adding the gloriosa vine, along with a few blades of lily grass to accentuate the movement of the vine. b

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Sympathy designs for the home, each with something extra.

For product information,

AUTUMNAL GATHERING

â–ź

Floral design by Julie Poeltler AIFD, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

see Where to Buy, page 62.

A custom container, crafted by wrapping a five-inch glass

cube with burlap ribbon, colored yarn, reindeer moss, and ti leaves, lends color, character, and sentiment to a mounded medley of floral materials including china mums, feverfew (matricaria), mokara orchids, string-of-pearls, Italian ruscus, and barky dried pods.

OCTOBER 2013 45

46 www.flowersandmagazine.com

THREE IN ONE

Just one of these

designs would also make a thoughtful sympathy gift; three together creates a powerful presentation that might be sent to one home with three family members, each of whom is then gifted with a keepsake Crystal Cross.

Julie planted the crosses in blue glass cubes and surrounded them with garden roses, white tulips, and purple waxflower, using ti leaves as a backdrop and a sash. A bear grass binding integrates the crosses with the floral setting.

OCTOBER 2013 47

HEAVEN’S SCENT

Below, to present a keepsake necklace with a cross pendant, Julie

banded a six-inch cylinder vase at the top with black satin ribbon, then wrapped the necklace around the ribbon. She then filled the cylinder with fragrant gardenias, adding maidenhair fern for a graceful touch of green. Silver leaves, attached with bullion, harmonize the keepsake with the florals.

GOLDEN HARVEST

At right, a seasonal design in a keepsake container is welcome for any

occasion and certainly appropriate as a sympathy gift. To a low mound of china mums, faux mini pumpkins, and feverfew, Julie has added a sheltering arch of birch branches, delicate asparagus fern, and string-of-pearls. Preserved leaves extend the width and the range of textures in the design, and echo the motif on the ceramic pot.

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OCTOBER 2013 49

FIELD OF GREEN

Ripe with

symbolism, a shaft of green wheat recalls both the scythe and the bread of the eucharist, death and everlasting life. Here the wheat is planted in a naturalistic container that Julie made by covering a cardboard box (a crate for clementines) with birch bark. She lowered a utility container filled with floral foam into one side of the box; the other side holds a kalanchoe and an ivy plant. Curly willow, orange carnations, hypericum, and preserved leaves accompany the green wheat. As a final, optional touch, a rosary is draped across the design.

LIFTED IN PRAYER

Coontie

fern creates dramatic lines in the design at right; it also serves to hold and present a Catholic prayer card, with a saint on the front and a prayer on the back. The back of the card may also bear the name of the deceased. Julie began by inserting the fern into foam in the Mercury Glass Bowl; then she added the bundles of knotted lily grass, white spray roses, and delphinium.

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OCTOBER 2013 51

52 www.flowersandmagazine.com

FALLEN HERO

To accompany a

figurine that portrays a woman holding a folded flag, Julie created a setting in red, white, and blue, beginning with a background of upright ti leaves and white midollino wrapped around a green wire trellis. Lisianthus, iris, anthuriums, myrtle and eucalyptus foliage complete the design, in the Urban Earth ceramic tapered planter.

LIGHTING THE WAY

A simple

Bunch vase dressed with burlap ribbon and Bindwire makes a rustic holder for a floating candle that will outlast its floral setting. As a complement to the candleholder, Julie also wrapped a rectangle with burlap ribbon and Bindwire, then filled it with crushed curly willow, which serves as a design grid, supporting a stand of sarracenia, mokara orchids, ‘Green Trick’ dianthus, ornamental grasses and berries, and a broad aralia leaf. The setting is completed with faux river stones (Poly Pebbles).

OCTOBER 2013 53

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SOFTLY CHIMING

Wind chimes

make a touching and appropriate sympathy gift. These come with an iron stand to hold the chimes, which Julie has incorporated into a floral presentation, covering the stand with mossy wired garland and two monstera leaves. She enhanced the chimes’ decorative butterfly motif with an artificial butterfly (and equipped the butterfly with a hypericum body). Within this setting, she placed a bouquet of curly willow, birch branches, hypericum berries, and callas, securing the position of the callas with Bindwire.

BLUE LIGHTNING

To a color

scheme that is appropriately soothing and subdued, a squiggle of blue flat wire adds a brighter, yet harmonious accent.

The wire draws attention to the keepsake cross in frosted glass; the cross is equipped with a base so that it can later be removed and will stand on its own.

A scarf is incorporated as another keepsake; tillandsia plants also can be removed from the design and enjoyed after the rest of the floral materials have faded.

This design is created in a clear Lomey dish with white freesia, star of Bethlehem, myrtle, and variegated pittosporum; nito vine adds woodsy texture.

OCTOBER 2013 55

THE SERENITY PRAYER

A

single cymbidium orchid spray—along with a stand of river cane bamboo and a little galax and dusty miller foliage—is all it takes to make a graceful presentation in a flat vase inscribed with the Serenity Prayer. Julie has bound the orchid spray to the river cane with Bindwire and has also fashioned the Bindwire into coils like tendrils. The vase is built with inner shelves that support tealights or votive candles. Rolled galax leaves add a graceful design touch.

THE GOOD BOOK

The gift of

a Bible—possibly a Bible belonging to the deceased and passed on to a surviving relative—is enhanced with a setting of larkspur, roses, wax, uluhe fern curls, and a variety of beautiful broad foliage: anthurium, aralia, and calathea leaves. b 56 00 www.flowersandmagazine.com

OCTOBER 2013 57 00

shop profile

By Marianne Cotter

Photography by Virginia Hamrick Photography

Dedication and diversification have kept Edwards Floral prospering for more than 20 years.

THEY SAY THAT you learn some of life’s most important lessons in kindergarten. For Stacy Edwards, it was in third grade that she discovered she liked a boy named Jeff—who 58 www.flowersandmagazine.com

didn’t like her. “He thought I was an icky girl,” she recalls. After high school, however, she would win his heart and marry him— and later, when she was ready to open her own flower shop his parents would become her most serious supporters. As for that little boy, Jeff Edwards would grow up to be the architect who designed her shop’s second location after her floral business prospered enough to outgrow the first one.

Despite the good omens, Stacy’s entrance into the floral industry was by sheer chance. After she graduated from high school she was looking for part-time work to help her through college when she spotted a

help-wanted sign in the window of a small flower shop. “It was just a satellite shop with a cooler and a small design area, but I was hooked,” she remembers. On Fridays she worked at the company’s main location helping the head designer fill wedding orders. “That was really cool. I knew right away what I wanted to do.”

Stacy worked at several different types of flower shops before deciding to open her own, experience that she considers critical for a young entrepreneur: “I worked for mom-and-pop shops, a corporate shop, and a wedding and party shop in Lubbock when my husband and I lived out there. So I was

blessed to have had fairly broad experience before I opened my own shop.”

The scope of her early experience gave Stacy the confidence by age 25 to feel she was ready to open her own flower shop in her hometown of McKinney, Texas, about 35 miles north of Dallas. While that may seem very ambitious for someone so young, as far as she was concerned owning a small business wasn’t anything out of the ordinary.

“Everyone on my father’s side of the family worked for themselves and didn’t rely on jobs provided by other people,” she explains.

“I was raised that way. I grew up thinking you had your own business.”

The decision to open a shop requires money, which Stacy didn’t have. She was fortunate, however, to have angel investors in the form of her in-laws, Ken and Betty Edwards, who made the initial investment.

In 1992 Edwards Floral opened for business with both in-laws working in the shop despite having “zero floral experience,” as Stacy puts it. “We have been proudly serving the Collin County area since then,” Stacy says, explaining that while Ken is now retired Betty still helps out in the shop.

Her husband went on to become an architect, a profession that became very handy for Stacy when, after 14 years at the original

Seven years ago, Edwards Floral moved into its current location, with a shop interior designed by Stacy Edwards’ husband Ken, an architect. small 1600-square-foot location, she moved the shop across town into a 3100-squarefoot space that had been a Braum’s Ice Cream shop. “My husband really transformed the space into a layout that makes sense for our daily work,” says Stacy. “He was able to give me a design with the best cooler placement, a storage area for vases, and a processing area.”

OCTOBER 2013 59

Edwards Floral Design Wrapped for impact Customers at Edwards Floral are lucky enough to receive not just a vase of flowers but a striking gift box that they unwrap to reveal the arrangement. “Our presentation gift wrap identifies our shop and sets us apart,” says Stacy of the boldly colored boxes that are used to gift-wrap every arrangement that is not sympathy. “We take the arrangement and set it down into the box and surround it with coordinating tissue paper. Then we wrap it in loose cellophane for a high-impact presentation. People who have seen our deliveries call and ask if we are the shop that giftwraps our flowers.”

Stacy gives her sympathy work a signature look as well by adding a keepsake cross when appropriate.

Working a honeysuckle vine into arrangements is another trademark touch.

“We buy the honeysuckle from a local vendor and defoliate it so it’s just the vine itself,” Stacy explains.

Two markets Stacy has directed her marketing efforts toward two different demographic groups, approaching each with a customized strategy. While her long-term, baby-boomer customers respond well to direct-mail post cards sent five times a year, her younger clients (high-school age through people in their thirties) respond positively to the shop’s Facebook page and Twitter postings.

As for design style, Stacy keeps it broad to cover her customer base, but with special touches. “I would describe our design style for daily work as traditional with a unique twist. We take the time to work natural materials like honeysuckle vines and dried and preserved botanical products into our arrangements.” Many of the arrangements that leave the shop include add-on gift items; Stacy provides incentives to her staff for add-on sales, which boosts business while rewarding employees.

Honing her skills Stacy has pursued advanced floral education over the years, earning her Texas Master Florist designation from the Texas State Florist Association in 1989, a task that required considerable time and perseverance. “When 60 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Edwards Floral Design McKinney, Texas Owner: Stacy Edwards Niche: Daily, corporate, weddings, funerals and events, gift shop Employees: 3 full-time, 5 part-time Square footage: 3,100 sq. ft. www.edwardsfloral.com

I was attending classes, you had to complete a total of eight classes but you were limited to taking two to three classes once a year at the Texas State Florists convention.

Meeting the criteria took years and involved a lot of travel. Now you can complete the work online or go to Austin to take classes.”

Stacy is particularly grateful for the ongoing educational opportunities offered by Teleflora. “Teleflora’s dedication to education in our industry is superb, and kudos to Marie Ackerman for heading up the education center in Oklahoma City,” she says. “I have taken three classes there, one on permanent botanicals, one on European design and last year for the first time a business class.” After 20 years in business Stacy stopped to ask if she was on track to keep the business moving forward. That led her to take Teleflora’s Business Smarts Summit: “That class was very valuable in helping me understand the correct procedure to track my bottom line.”

Up in a down market Today, Stacy has learned to tighten her business practices. “We have become leaner with staff while watching our cost of goods (COGS) very closely,” Stacy says. “I check my COGS weekly and my payroll monthly.

We have had to learn to do more with less.

Also, I have watched my shrink rate more closely. Before I mark up my flowers, I add 10 percent to each stem to allow for shrink.”

As a result, perhaps, Edwards Floral has survived while other local shops haven’t been so fortunate. “It’s been hard to watch longtime shops in the Dallas metroplex close,” she says, “even large shops that have been family-owned for generations. Our shop is small and we can shift gears pretty quickly.”

Twenty years of running a busy flower shop has not dimmed Stacy’s enthusiasm for the business. “I feel blessed to do what I love,” she says. “I’m still excited about the business in my twenty-first year. I look forward to the new and beautiful varieties of flowers and gift items that come out each year and I get a kick out of going to market to buy for the shop. Most of the time it doesn’t even seem like work.” b

A year and a half ago Stacy Edwards (opposite page, lower right) decided to expand her line of gifts; today, between 4 and 6 percent of her sales are gifts. A giftwrap presentation is also part of the shop’s signature look for flowers, which typically arrive in brightly colored boxes selected from a rainbow display in the workroom.

OCTOBER 2013 61

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.

LIFTED IN PRAYER, page 51 Mercury Glass Bowl, Teleflora.

ON THE COVER Silver Cross Vase, Teleflora.

Silver Rose Leaves and Dazzleline chain of faux diamonds, Fitz Design.

FALLEN HERO, page 52 Willow Tree “Hero” figurine, Demdaco.

Urban Earth ceramic tapered planter, Syndicate Sales.

FOCUS ON DESIGN, pages 10-11

Urban Planter in white, Accent Décor.

LIGHTING THE WAY, page 53 Wired burlap ribbon, Reliant Ribbon.

Poly Pebbles, American Floral Container.

CREATIVE EDGE, pages 12-13

Oasis Grande Wedding Belle holder, Diamond Wire, and Lomey Wire Collar, SmithersOasis.

SORROW AND COMFORT, pages 28-42 A HEART REBORN, page 28 Oasis Floral Foam Mâché Open Heart, Smithers-Oasis.

White butterflies, J.W. Pine.

IN FLIGHT, page 31 White butterflies, J.W. Pine.

LIVING CROSS, page 41 Glazed white ceramic bowl, Modern Collections.

Never-Wilt Snap-Fit Cross, Floral Innovations.

OUR LADY OF ROSES, page 32 Custom box container, Modern Collections.

J.W. Pine.

Call 626-383-6676 or email jwpinecraft@yahoo.com.

AUTUMNAL GATHERING, pages 44-45 Wired wool, Accent Décor.

Burlap ribbon, Reliant Ribbon.

Pods, Schusters of Texas.

Modern Collections.

Call 818-718-1400 or visit www.themoderncollections.com.

SOFTLY CHIMING, page 54 Wind chimes, Fitz Design.

Amber Elegance vase, Teleflora.

Moss vine, Schusters of Texas.

ORCHID LOVER, page 36 Never-Wilt Snap-Fit solid heart, Floral Innovations.

LIKE A ROCK, page 39 Memory Stone, Fitz Design.

REACHING UP, page 40 Custom wood box container, Modern Collections.

62 www.flowersandmagazine.com

Reliant Ribbon.

Call 800-886-2697 or visit www.reliantribbon.com.

Royal Imports, Inc. Call 718-256-1640 or visit www.royalimports.com.

PRAYER AND DEVOTION, page 33 Floral rosary, Royal Imports Inc. HANA WA, page 34 Oasis Floral Foam Maxlife Mâché Wreaths, SmithersOasis.

Demdaco.

Call 888-336-3226 or visit www.demdacoretailers.com.

Floral Innovations, Inc. Call 203-380-1300 or visit www.neverwilt.com.

GIFTS OF REMEMBRANCE,

THREE IN ONE, pages 46-47 Crystal Crosses and glass Cubes, Teleflora.

American Floral Container, Inc. Call 800-448-0843 or visit www.americanfloralcontainer.com.

Fitz Design.

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

pages 44-57 A GENTLE SOUND, page 30 Orange butterflies, J.W. Pine.

Butterfly windchime, Fitz Design.

Accent Décor, Inc. Call 800-385-5114 or visit www.accentdecor.com.

Schusters of Texas.

Call 800-351-1493 or visit www.schustersoftexas.com.

HEAVEN’S SCENT, page 48 Gleaming Leaves, Fitz Design.

Six-by-six-inch cylinder, Syndicate Sales.

GOLDEN HARVEST, page 49 Wrapped in Autumn centerpiece pot, Teleflora.

FIELD OF GREEN, page 50 Green wheat, Schusters of Texas.

Smithers-Oasis.

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

BLUE LIGHTNING, page 55 Glass cross, Fitz Design.

Flat wire in turquoise, SmithersOasis.

THE SERENITY PRAYER, page 56 Serenity Prayer vase, Fitz Design.

Syndicate Sales.

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

Teleflora.

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

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what’s in store SIMPLE ELEGANCE Graceful curves and rich color, along with hand-crafted quality, give this simple glass bowl enduring value and charm. It’s the featured keepsake container for Teleflora’s Holiday Flair Centerpiece, the nationally advertised star for the upcoming holiday season.

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

WARM AND FUZZY Selected for ornamental value, bolls of Floral Cotton are cut from the stalk (still on their natural stems), dried, hand cleaned and fluffed.

They make an intriguing addition to floral designs or can serve all on their own as a decorative accent. Call 301-200-1999 or visit www.floralcotton.com.

64 www.flowersandmagazine.com

WOVEN WIDE Burlap Garland from FloraCraft comes in a five-inch-wide roll and makes an earthy wrap or rustic accent for floral arrangements and gifts.

Use it with dried flowers and stems, or mix it with bright flowers and fruits for contrast. Available in 10-yard bundles.

Call 800-253-0409 or visit www.floracraft.com.

CHAIN CHAIN CHAIN Looking for a modern, industrial accent? Oasis™ Chain adds movement and texture to floral designs and is available in black, gold and silver metallic finishes. For more information, call 800-321-8286 or visit www.oasisfloral.com.

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

November 6-8, Vijfhuizen, Holland International Floriculture Trade Fair (IFTF), Expo Haarlemmermeer. Visit www.hppexhibitions.com/ floriculture/2013/holland.

October 8, Louisville, KY

October 20, Theodore, AL

Kentucky Derby Unit, Fall and Christmas Designs

Alabama Unit, Sympathy Designs with Tom

with Tom Simmons, Doran-Ingels Company.

Bowling, Halls Wholesale. Call Ginger Sampson

Call Michelle Hindman at 502-853-1214.

at 251-675-4814.

October 16, Waukegan, IL Kennicott Brothers, Fall and Christmas Open

Western Region

House with Tom Bowling, Kennicott Brothers.

October 6, Denver, CO

Call Kurt Karrasch at 847-244-3110.

Rocky Mountain Unit, Holiday Designs with Tom

November 10-12, West Palm Beach, FL Association of Bridal Consultants, Annual

Bowling, location TBA. Call Sandi Sniff at

Northeast Region

800-665-0771.

October 23, Bethpage, NY

October 6, Sacramento, CA

Big Apple Unit, Thanksgiving and Christmas

Northern California-Nevada Unit, Fall and

Designs with Cindy Tole, H.R. Singleton Catering.

Christmas Designs with Gerard Toh, Flora Fresh.

Call Lori Dietrich at 516-933-2525.

Call Rachelle Nyswonger at 530-345-2661.

October 23, Latham, NY

October 13, Boise, ID

Conference, West Palm Beach Convention Center.

Call 860-355-7000 or visit www.bridalassn.com.

December 9-20, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Fall/Christmas Market.

Contact event@floramart.com for details.

New York Capitol District Unit, Fall and Christmas

Idaho-Utah Unit, Holiday Designs with Alex

January 2-17, 2014, Atlanta, GA

Designs with Susan Ayala, Seagroatt Riccardi.

Jackson, DWF. Call Diana Johnson at

FloraMart 2014 Fall/Christmas Market.

Call Kelley Gilbert at 518-785-8900 xt. 211.

208-890-7025.

October 30, Pennsauken, NJ

October 19-20, Ogden, UT

Penn Jersey Unit, Four Funerals and a Wedding

Utah Professional Florist Association, program

with Tom Bowling, Pennock Company.

includes Permanent Designs (10/20) with Darla

Call Linda Lord at 856-983-0055.

Pawlak, Ogden Convention Center. Call Jeremy

Contact event@floramart.com for details.

Central Region October 1, Omaha, NE

Trentelman at 801-916-8839.

Bill Doran Company, Fall and Christmas Open

Southeast Region

October 20, Alhambra, CA

October 6, Richmond, VA

LA Coastal Counties Unit, Party Designs with Joyce

October 2, Madison, WI

Colonial Virginia Unit, Parties and Special Events

Mason-Monheim, Almansor Court.

Wisconsin-Upper Michigan Unit, Christmas

with John Hosek, Roy Houff Company.

Call Cheryll Goto at 323-721-1145.

Designs with Susan Ayala, Bill Doran Co.

Call Cindy Reynolds at 804-502-5661.

November 3, Tacoma, WA

October 13, Nitro, WV

Washington State Puget Sound Unit, Sympathy

October 8, Indianapolis, IN

West Virginia Unit, Sympathy Designs with Susan

Designs with Alex Jackson, Washington Floral.

Indiana Unit, Holiday Designs with Tim Farrell,

Ayala, Dreisbach Wholesale. Call Lisa West at

Call Sharrai Morgan at 360-385-5428.

Kennicott/Vans. Call Jackie Poe at

800-245-2787.

House with Tom Bowling, Bill Doran Co. Call Sylvia Samuel at 800-383-5253.

Call Melissa Maas at 262-253-9111.

317-887-2777.

OCTOBER 2013 65

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

BRIGHT SIDE CRAFTS ............................................................................................. 8 208-932-0205 www.brightsidecrafts.com

DESIGN MASTER COLOR TOOL ................................................... INSIDE BACK COVER 800-525-2644 www.dmcolor.com

DOLLAR TREE DIRECT ........................................................................................... 27 877-530-TREE (8733) www.dollartree.com/floral/559/index.cat

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

FLORACRAFT CORPORATION ................................................................................... 3 800-253-0409 www.floracraft.com

FLORAL STRATEGIES............................................................................................. 43 212-942-0928 www.floralstrategies.com

HARVEST IMPORT .................................................................................................. 8 949-833-7738 www.harvestimport.com

HORTICA INSURANCE AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ..................................................... 7 800-851-7740 www.hortica-insurance.com

KAY BERRY .......................................................................................................... 63 800-426-1932 www.kayberry.com

MILTON ADLER COMPANY .................................................................................... 63 800-651-0113 www.miltonadler.com

ROSA FLORA LIMITED ............................................................................................. 2 905-774-8044 www.rosaflora.com

ROYAL FLOWERS .................................................................................................... 1 800-977-4483 www.royalflowersecuador.com

SEMINOLE ........................................................................................................... 63 800-638-3378 www.seminoleds.com

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

THE SUN VALLEY GROUP ...................................................................................... 23 800-747-0396 www.tsvg.com

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

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

TECNIFLORA ............................................................................INSIDE FRONT COVER 800-461-4825 www.tecniflora.com

TELEFLORA ...................................................................................................... 9, 25 800-421-2815 www.myteleflora.com

TEXAS STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION ................................................................... 67 800-375-0361 www.tsfa.org OCTOBER 2013 67

ATTENTION

FLORAL

wholesaler connection

WHOLESALERS

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

ARIZONA

ILLINOIS

NEW YORK

UTAH

PHOENIX Conroy Wholesale Florist The Roy Houff Company

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

CAMPBELL HALL Henry C. Alders

SALT LAKE CITY Ensign Wholesale Floral

CALIFORNIA 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

FLORIDA PENSACOLA American Floral Wholesale of Pensacola Carlstedt’s, LLC

GEORGIA OMEGA Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist

HAWAII HONOLULU Flora-Dec Sales

OHIO

VIRGINIA

WICHITA Valley Floral Company

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

KENTUCKY

PENNSYLVANIA

LOUISVILLE The Roy Houff Company

PITTSBURGH Keystone Ribbon & Floral Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company

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

KANSAS

LOUISIANA BATON ROUGE Louisiana Wholesale Florists LAFAYETTE Louisiana Wholesale Florists

MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON Jacobson Floral Supply

MICHIGAN WARREN Nordlie, Inc.

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

SOUTH DAKOTA SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

TENNESSEE NASHVILLE The Roy Houff Company

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

NORFOLK The Roy Houff Company RICHMOND The Roy Houff Company

Reward without the Risk we promise!

WASHINGTON TACOMA Washington Floral Service

CANADA

MALAYSIA SELANGOR Worldwide Floral Services

SINGAPORE Worldwide Floral Services

Sell Flowers& in your store! for extra profits Select any quantity— no minimum Whatever you don’t sell we buy back!

Yes, it really is that simple.

Call Elinor Cohen at 800-321-2665

MISSOURI ST LOUIS LaSalle Wholesale Florist

Visit us online for a taste of Flowers& quality. flowersandmagazine.com

68 www.flowersandmagazine.com