Wedding Flowers

Pictures of Flowers

Flowers Meaning

THE LANGUAGE OF FLOWERS

The famous Russian professor, Illya Shevelyov once said: "Flowers given by loving people will never fade." The meaning of these words is deeper than it may seem. For Russian women, giving flowers means showing care and attention.
But beware! Russians are also very superstitious people!!
Here are a few guidelines:
If sending flowers to a loved one, always send an odd number. Even numbers are for funerals!!!!
Colour is also important as all colours represent a thought or emotion.
For example:
RED: love, passion
PEACH, PINK: tenderness, tender love, sympathy
YELLOW: There are two meanings - the positive one is friendship and joy and the negative one is cheating and breaking up.
ORANGE: enthusiasm and desire
WHITE: silence, modesty, charm, innocence
All the above-mentioned meanings apply only to roses. If you give a bouquet of flowers it can have different colours in it and the only meaning that would be construed is that you appreciate, think of and care about your special lady.

Flowers and Moods

The positive impact of flowers on people's moods

A recent study in the UK shows how flowers bring about positive changes in people's moods

With today's fast-paced lifestyle taking its toll on our lives daily, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes in order to relieve stress. According to behavioural research conducted at Strathclyde University in Scotland, nature provides us with a simple way to improve our emotional health and that is flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of satisfaction and affects people's behaviour in much more positive ways than has been previously believed.

"The most exciting thing about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way," said Dr David Purdie, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Strathclyde University and lead researcher in the study.

Research Findings
A team of researchers looked at the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 9-month study of participants' behavioural and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results clearly show that flowers are a natural and healthy moderator of moods.

* Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All participants in the study expressed "true" or "excited" smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal and occurred in all age groups.

* Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, participants in the study reported feeling less depressed and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

* Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with friends and family.


"Our common sense tells us that flowers make us feel happy," said Dr. Purdie. "Now, science has shown us that flowers not only make us happy but also have strong positive effects on our emotional well- being."

Sharing Space
The study also explored where people display flowers in their homes. The arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors - such as hallways, sitting rooms and dining rooms - suggesting that flowers are a symbol of sharing.
"Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room," said Dr. Purdie. "They make the space more welcoming and create an atmosphere of sharing.

Flower Care

Flower Care

Lengthening the life of your flowers or bouquet
For Floral arrangements
Make sure to keep all arrangements in a vase which is filled to the brim with flower food obtained from your local florist. Replace the solution as soon as it becomes cloudy; this will prevent the growht of bacteria and other organisms in the water. Another way of preserving freshness is to re-cut the stems of your flowers by removing 1 to 2 inches with a sharp knife.

Keep your flowers in a cool dry place(ideally between 65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit). Remember to keep them away from direct sunlight and heating and cooling vents. Don't put them on top of radiators or televisions or directly under celing fans. Such appliances give off heat which can dry flowers up.
For loose bunches or boxed flowers
If you aren't able to put your flowers in a flower food solution right away leave them in a cool place.
Fill a clean deep vase with the flower food solution obtained from your florist. Be sure to follow the instructions on the package.
Remove any leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water promote bacterial growth.
Re-cut stems under water -- this allows the stems to draw in water rather than air -- and place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.






Useful tips - Always:
Cut the stems at an angle and remove any leaves that will be below the water line. This will ensure that leaves do not decompose in the water and contaminate it.
Prepare a clean vase of luke warm water with the flower food added.


Top up with water regularly (change water after one week).
Keep away from draughts, fruit and radiators. The cooler the room the longer the flowers will last.
DO NOT use metal containers as this can neutralise the flower food.


Flowers can experience stress in transit but will recover after being in water for a few hours.


Homemade Flower Preservative
Home mixes can be as effective as commercial preservatives. Here is an easy-to-make recipe.

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon household bleach
2 teaspoons lemon or lime juice
1 quart lukewarm water
Special care for:
Carnations
These are normally sent out in bud, ready to open for maximum freshness and longevity. Always cut at an angle between the joints. Remove lower leaves and store in a cool room.
Lily
They may stay in water for 10 days. You need to take away low buttons during that period.
Peony
To preserve them from fast fading, put them in a cold dry place for 24 hours.
Tulips
Tulips fade rather quickly, but if you put their stems in hot water, they may recover. Leave them in hot water until they fully recover.
Roses
First of all you need to cut-off all thorns and low leaves. Some roses don’t have thorns. If roses are fading too quickly, cut the stems again and put the stems in hot water. Also, you may take away faded leaves.

Orchids (Orchidaceae)

Orchidaceae, usually referred to as the Orchid family, is a morphologically diverse and widespread family of monocots in the order Asparagales. It is currently believed to be the largest family of flowering plants with between 21,950 and 26,049 currently accepted species, found in 880 genera. The number of orchid species equals more than twice the number of bird species, and about four times the number of mammal species. It also encompasses about 6–11% of all seed plants. The largest genera are Bulbophyllum (2,000 species), Epidendrum (1,500 species), Dendrobium (1,400 species) and Pleurothallis (1,000 species).

Lily Flower (lilium)

Lilium is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants growing from bulbs. Most species are native to the temperate northern hemisphere. They comprise a genus of about 110 species in the lily family (Liliaceae).
They are important as large showy flowering garden plants.^[1] Additionally, they are important culturally and in literature in much of the world. Some species are sometimes grown or harvested for the edible bulbs.

The species in this genus are the true lilies. Many other plants exist with "lily" in the common English name, some of which are quite unrelated to the true lilies.