Flowers are impactful, beautiful and full of awesome flower facts.

Some of you may already know and others you may just learn about today, either way, you can never know enough fun flower facts. Not only do flowers offer us visual and emotional well-being they have amazing appeal and history. Let’s dive right into these mind-blowing flower facts.

image via Shutterstock

10. Get Your Zzzs With Gerbera Daisies

If you want to get a better night’s sleep tonight, try placing gerbera daisies next to your bed. Gerberas emit oxygen and absorb carbon monoxide and toxins at night, this was said to be especially helpful for anyone suffering from sleep apnea.

image via Shutterstock

9. Roses Are Related To Fruit & Almonds

Roses share a relation with almonds, apples, raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, nectarines, and pears. Roses have what’s called rose hips which are a berry fruit in some roses.  Rose hips are used to make jellies or teas as they are loaded with Vitamin C.

image via Shutterstock

8. Tulips Bulbs Were Used As Food Source.

Although this flower fact is more well-known, it’s important to know why tulip bulbs were eaten. No one ever claimed that tulip bulbs were delicious, however, they were eaten because of hunger and food shortage. During World War II tulip bulbs were claimed to taste awful and dry however many kept hunger at bay by eating tulip bulbs. Some families used tulips in place of onions.

image via Shutterstock

7. Broccoli Is A Flower

We do not think of broccoli as a flower nor do most florists display broccoli in their floral cooler. However, broccoli, in fact, is a flower. Broccoli is harvested before the flower buds fully open and eaten as a vegetable. Maybe it’s time we start incorporating broccoli in floral arrangements.

image via Shutterstock

6. Hydrangeas’ Soil Determines Its Flower Color.

Hydrangeas’ color is determined by the acidity of the soil it’s planted in. If the soil is too alkaline it will result in pink Hydrangeas.

image via Shutterstock

5. Queen Victoria Was A Flower Trendsetter

During Queen Victoria Era 1837 – 1901, in order to be considered a well-rounded young lady you were expected to learn how to arrange flowers. Queen Victoria loved flowers so much that she wore an orange floral wreath instead of the expected crown.  She also incorporated lavish amounts of beautiful floral arrangements at her wedding making wedding flowers a must have for all brides.

image via Shutterstock

4. Sunflowers Saved Lives

Surprisingly sunflower stems were used to fill life jackets. Floating sunflower rafts have been used to clean up water contamination from the Chernobyl disaster. The roots of the sunflowers remove up to 95% radioactivity by drawing the contaminants out of the water. Simply amazing!

image via pixabay.com

3. Daffodils Used As Currency

Daffodils are used as currency for Prince Charles, he is paid one daffodil a year as rent for his lands on the Island of Scilly and off the coast of Cornwall.

image via Shutterstock

2.  Stop & Smell The Chocolate

Just when you thought that flowers could not get any more miraculous comes along Chocolate Cosmos. These beautiful dark burgundy flowers smell exactly like chocolate. Amazing!

Check out these other varieties of flowers that also smell like chocolate.

• Chocolate Orchid
• Black Salsify
• Chocolate Daisy
• Chocolate Mint

image via Shutterstock

1. Do You Speak Floriography

How could we leave out the language of flowers? Floriography, the language of flowers, has been around for thousands of years, however, most popular during the Victorian era due to its conservativeness with emotional expression and flirtations.

Floriography allowed one to express themselves without saying something deemed taboo out loud to its recipient. Floriography consisted of an actual floral dictionary where the sender could send flowers to someone with encoded messages through the bouquets also known as “Talking Bouquets,” sort of like text messaging for its time.

If only this were popular now, “Talking bouquets”  – Florist’s we think this is due for a comeback. 🙂

 Florists, do you have a fun flower fact to share? Please share your feedback or questions below in the comment section.

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 Marketing, as we all know, is essential for the survival of your floral business.

There are still many floral business owners who do not have a direct marketing strategy or feel bewildered by the word itself.  Marketing can be so many things and most business owners who thought not to be marketing their floral business, in fact, were. Bussines marketing is no longer just huge billboards, TV commercials or coupon direct mailers. It can be something as simple as posting an image of your flower arrangements or services on social media.

If you remember one thing from business marketing, marketing is getting customers to buy your products/services.  Marketing for your flower shop and online store does not have to be expensive or overwhelming.  We promise you that following the tips below will give you a clear understanding of how simple floral business marketing can be without breaking the bank.

1. Floral Business Marketing Goals

In order to achieve master status in marketing, you must first understand why you are marketing for your floral business in the first place. The answer to this is simple-

• Attract/Engage customers.
• Create brand visibility (brand being your flower shop business – visibility is the flower shop everyone knows, remembers and recommends) 
• Educate on products and services you offer.
• Promote your products and services.

Tip: Although floral marketing can be inexpensive there are aspects that require free time on your part- good to set aside one day a month to go over your marketing strategy and what you will be promoting the following month. 

2. Offer Free Marketing Gift With Purchase

Ever wonder why back in the day Chinese restaurants gave you a free calendar with purchase? This was a genius marketing tactic for its time. Customers would hang the calendar on their fridge and never look for another Chinese restaurant again. This is back when looking up a business was picking up a heavy phone book and searching for a business. The subliminal message here was brand recognition and visibility.

Recently a bakery on a busy Sunday morning offered a free T- shirt if you spent over $30.00. When looking around, many customers had a T-Shirt in hand.  I actually never thought I would wear it, but I do it’s cozy and soft. I find myself grabbing it all the time to run errands around town with a direct advertisement for the bakery.  This is marketing, and I love the idea of it.

Think of things you can offer to customers to make your flower shop brand visible and make sure it’s something that will be used often. Your business name, phone number, and website address- and your address too if it fits. We want everything to be very clear and visible on the product you offer free with purchase.

• Pens
• Calendars
• Bags
• Mousepads
• Hats
• T-Shirts
• Jackets
• Sweatshirts
• Water Bottles

Tip: We recommend all employees at your floral business to wear clothes that state your flower shop name, phone number, and websites address as well. Marketing/Advirtesting should start in-house.

3. Work With Local Bussiness

Partner up with local businesses in which you can work together to cross promote each other, once you find local businesses to work with you, you may backlink them on your website.  (adding local business website address to your website and vice versa)

Besides backlinking, work together on –  social media postings.

Businesses you can and should work with-

• Bridal Salons
• Entertainment/DJ Companys
• Hair/ Make Up Salons
• Nail Salons
• Limo/Party Bus Companys
• Venues
• Dance Schools

4. Floral Marketing On Social Media

The easiest way to market on social media communities is for you to pick one social media community you prefer and then duplicate the content on to the others. There are loads of platforms out there that make posting on social media a breeze by connecting all social media communities on to one platform. Check out  HootSuite

• Think of your preferred #Hashtag. This hashtag will now be used for all your posting on your social media communities.
• Set a schedule for posting. Choose a specific day each week, biweekly or monthly. (of course, we prefer weekly, however, that is not always possible so post within your time allowance) 
• If you are only posting monthly, you still need to check your social media community daily. Be responsive, address comments that need to be addressed and thank new fans for liking/following your page. Nothing beats gratitude for brand visibility.
• Create enticing eye-catching posts. Pay attention to the images selected, have a clear bold title and if possible link to your website.
• Engage fans. On a weekly basis try to engage your fans with questions, thoughts or tips.
• Allow for fans to post their images on your social media.
• Offer promotions and contests. Fans love to participate in contests/questionnaires,  be it something as simple as one quiz question or asking their advice.
• Allow fans to review you on Facebook.

5. Make A Floral Video/Commercial

We are huge advocates of making a short floral video of your business. These can be posted across your social media communities and linked back to your website. Sites like slide.ly/promo make this very simple to do. Researchers confirm that videos help create longer lasting brand visibility with more conversions to sales.

• Use relevant keywords when posting your video.
• Link your floral video to your website
• Post on Youtube and all your social media communities

6. Google Business And Yelp Is A Must

A whopping 91% of customers read reviews, it’s crucial to sign up for Google business and claim your business on Yelp. We hear it time and time again how customers are attracted to businesses with reviews and search engines make these business reviews very prominent. Every review counts in creating more trust with the readers.

• Google Bussiness and Yelp allow for customer interactions by reading/ leaving a review and posting photos.
• Customer love to read testimonials and reviews, the more the better. An average small business should have  40 customer reviews at a minimum.
• Offer $5.00 off any order for a customer that gives you an on the spot review on Google business or Yelp. The advantages far out weigh the discount.
• Post these reviews on your website.

7. Write A Blog 

Blogging takes commitment and a good strategic plan. Writing a blog twice a year will not offer you that much recognition, commit to blogging at least once a month.  The benefits of blogging, are priceless, does wonders for your SEO and allows valuable content to share and link back to your website on social media communities.

• Blog about what you do. Be specific to the floral business and use keywords.
• If blogging is not for you – hire someone to write your floral blogs. Hiring a monthly blogger does not cost much compared to the impact it has on your SEO. For around $100-$150.00 a month you can start engaging customers with your blogs.
• Write about things people genuinely want to read about. How To’s, Secrets Revealed, Tips & Tricks and anything Floral Wedding – these are all very popular just do not deviate from your profession, which in this case is the floral business.
• Post your blog link with images and a title anywhere and every where you can. All you social media communities, send to friends via a text message and see if your local business partners will post on their social media communities and website.

Florists do you have any important marketing advice/tips that have been or are successful? Please share all your feedback, tips or any floral marketing related questions you would like addressed in the comment section below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

With over 1 billion daily users worldwide, it is of great importance, that all floral business owners have a Facebook business page.

Facebook allows you to create an abundant of visibility for your floral brand, drives traffic to your website, raises your SEO (Search Engine Optimization),  allows for customer interaction and many other valuable reasons.

We hear time and time again how difficult Facebook can be to understand and navigate. One of the most asked questions is “How do I create a Facebook business page?”  In this blog, let’s break down step by step on how to create a Facebook business page.

Step 1 –  Do you have a personal Facebook account?

• You will need a personal Facebook account in order to set up a Facebook business page.
• If you do not have a personal Facebook account, go ahead and sign up for Facebook.
• Once a personal Facebook account is created or if you already have one, go ahead to step 2. 

image via Facebook

Step 2 – Creating Your Facebook Business Page

• Start creating your Facebook business page by clicking on the arrow in the upper right-hand corner. 
• Select Create Page
• Now choose Local Business or Place. Local Business or Place allows you to add a physical address and this is the best option for all floral businesses.

               image via Facebook

• Enter your flower shop name, add categories (Flower Shop, Florist), address and phone.

Note: You may have a common business name and Facebook may ask you to add keywords in order to differentiate your Facebook business page name from another. Add your town or state as keywords or another floral based keyword such as flowers, flower shop or florist.

image via Facebook

Step 3 – Adding Your Floral Business Information

• Now comes the most time-consuming part of setting up a Facebook business page – adding in all your floral business information.
• Give your self-plenty of time to do this, grab a cup of coffee or tea as this is the bones of your Facebook page. These keywords will be indexed throughout search engines.
• Pay close attention to your username for your floral business page. It is a custom URL which will appear on search engines when searched for flower shop in city and state
• Add description and your website URL to the right where it says + Add Button 
• Click on See all Page tips and add in all information required.
• Make sure to also click on the left-hand side under home and add all of your flower shop information there as well.  Click on each category, you may not need to add information to all of these, but good to familiarize yourself with these pages:

1. Home
2. Services
3. Reviews
4. Shop
5. Offers
6. Photos
7. Videos
8. Posts
9. Events
10. About
11. Community

• You may add a Post and even Promote your floral Facebook business page from the left side menu.

image via Facebook

Step 4 – Adding floral pictures  & posts to Facebook business page

• Add a clear crisp profile picture. Your logo or picture of your work, such as flowers, is a great option.
• The cover photo should have a slight WOW factor and be true to the floral business. Crisp, clean and professional looking.
• Add a descriptive post to engage friends and always add an image to your post.

image via Facebook

Step 5 – Finalize your floral Facebook business page

• Make sure that you have your shop hours, services, address,  and website link. These are important is getting maximin visibility for your floral brand.
• Invite your friends to like your floral Facebook business page.
• Add posts consistently on your Facebook business page and always add your website URL link to posts. Be engaging and do this on a daily or every other day. However, remember that a Facebook business page is now going to be part of your daily routine, checking it and posting once it is established.
• Be very responsive to notifications! Look at your top bar for any messages and notifications you may have revived. Facebook rewards responsiveness so be sure to Mark all as read

Facebook is by far the best option for creating visibility for your business. The best part of it is that creating a Facebook business page is that it’s FREE.  Now that you have created a Facebook business page, you will see how quickly your floral brand grows across search engines.

Florists, how has your flower shop Facebook business page helped your business grow? Please share your feedback and questions in our comment section below.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

You have a creative passion and love for flowers, you dream of owning and operating a flower shop.

Your dream can be a reality! What other career choices can be as rewarding than being a flower shop owner and opening a flower shop?   How many times have we heard people say, “I wish I owned a flower shop.”

There are tons of nostalgic when it comes to being a flower shop owner. Using your creativity to sell everlasting emotions with flowers and surrounded by natures beauty on daily basis is priceless. Have you pondered taking the leap into the floral industry as a business owner? Go For It!

If you have come across a neighborhood flower shop that is for sale, even better! There are important key factors to look for when buying a flower shop.  Let’s review the benefits and 8 tips to consider when buying a flower shop.

Benefits Of Buying A Flower Shop

• Less Up Front Costs
• Easy Turn Around Time
• Established Reputation
• Continuous Cash Flow
• Great SEO
• Guidance from current owner
• Trained Staff

7. Whats Included In Purchase Price?

To run a flower shop, equipment, inventory and supplies are needed. Find out what is actually included in the purchase price. Look over the condition of equipment to see if it will need to be replaced sooner than later.

• Coolers
• Equipment
• Inventory
• Customer Data Base
• Delivery Vehicle
• Current POS & Website Software

Note: Does the purchase price include House Accounts (Accounts Receivable) take a look at these and see what is outstanding. 

6. What Debt Are You Buying?

Take into consideration all the acquired debt when purchasing an existing shop. It is good to know what you will be responsible for once you take over ownership of flower shop.

• Are suppliers owed money?
• Are utilities up to date?
• Are Government and State Taxes up to date?
• Are there any liens on the business?

5. Flower Shops With Wire Services

Some flower shops participate with wire services. If this is the case for the flower shop you are purchasing, establish whether or not the hardware of the wire service has been paid off.

• Wire service hardware includes computer servers, printers, receipt printers and cash drawers.
• Is the shop you are planning on purchasing in a contract with a wire service?
• If you wish to continue to participate with said wire service, see whether you will resume payments on hardware or if the loan should be paid off before you take over.

Note: Not all existing flower shops for sale still owe balances on wire service hardware, if they do not, then you can just resume the monthly payments due if you wish to continue the wire service.

4. Flower Shop Name & Domain Name

Will you have full rights to flower shop name and domain name? You must also take into consideration any domain names the existing Flower Shop has, domain names are the address for the flower shop’s website.

• Regardless if you want to keep the existing flower shop name, it is always recommended to keep the domain name of the existing flower shop if it is placing higher on search engines.
• Make sure that you read and go over any limited liabilities attached to the existing Flower Shop name when purchasing.
• Make sure you have access to email accounts with the flower shop’s name, in particular, the one associated with Google Business account for the domain name.

3. Credit Card Processing

There are many facets to credit processing and good to know and understand the basics. Will you continue with the same credit card processing merchant the existing flower shop is using?

• If you are, then make sure to speak with the credit card merchant to change information.
• You will also need to update your gateway if you are processing credit cards online. Be sure to update the bank information to receive timely deposits of sales.

Payment Gateway: A payment gateway is necessary to process sales online or brick and mortar. The gateway can store and encrypt customers credit card information.

Credit Card Merchant: A credit card merchant functions like a bank account who authorizes you, the merchant, to accept credit cards as payments. These accounts will work with a payment gateway.

Payment Processor: A financial institution that works behind the scenes. Connects to both the payment merchant and gateway passing the information back and forth.

Payment Aggregators: Allows you to accept credit payments without having to set up a merchant account. Payment aggregators have an internal gateway so no gateway setup is required with no extra costs for a gateway. The best-known payment aggregators are Stripe, Square and PayPal.

2. Will you need to Hire Staff?

In some cases, most, if not all, the staff will stay when new owner acquires the flower shop.

• There are times when the owner of the flower shop will also offer to stay for a specific time period to help out with training you, the new owner.
• Are all current employees staying?
• Will there be changes in scheduling?

1. Be Hands On In The Floral Industry

It goes without saying that understanding the way the flower industry works is the key in pursuing a career as a floral business owner. Most business owners learn as they go, however, in the floral industry, floral designing, flower prep is important as all other business management tools. 

• Even if you will have full-time floral designers, it is important that you understand floral design. Take a floral design class.
• If owning a flower shop is your dream, think of working in a flower shop for some time to understand the business.
• Have a flower shop owner mentor you, connect with other florists for help and guidance.

Florists, did you buy a flower shop? What is your experience?  What key advice would you give to our readers? Please share your feedback or questions below in the comment section.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 Ah, Fall! The time where kids are going back to school, the brisk autumn air and a harvest of flower trends galore.

This bountiful season is approaching with exciting inspirational florals that encompass the beginning of this wondrous time of the year. Floral trends are defined by something that is new, different and copied because of its enormous popularity and demand. These forecasted floral trends are making a huge impact with loyal followers on social media.

Take a look at the top 5 Fall Forecasted Trends below and see if this is something you are currently implementing or inspired to try something new.

image via Instagram via la flor flower

 5. Flower Baskets

It’s safe to say that flower baskets are used pretty much daily by floral designers, how wonderful that they are now actually trending for the upcoming Fall season.

The biggest component here is to use quality baskets with an organic flower design which is slightly more structured.

image via Instagram via fleurette

4. Flowers In A Box

Oh my! Flowers in a box are so popular right now in Europe.  Not to be confused with flowers that protrude out of the box. These floral box arrangements are made to be completely inside the box,  revealing its beauty when the box lid is open.

Customers love these as gifts and sometimes add other surprises such as sweets or jewelry to complete this unique beautiful gift.  It’s very simple to make these arrangements with cellophane, oasis and the box of your choice with matching lid.

Image via Instagram via Pink Diamond Co

3.Flower Ribbons

Wedding bouquets with added multiple strands of high quality flowing ribbon are amongst the hottest trend for fall. Although already very hot this summer, the difference now is the longer the ribbon, the more romantic the look.  Pair it with gradual lengths of ribbon either the same color or different hues in the same color family for Fall.

Image via Instagram via printa_zita via The Wildflower Bar

2. Preserved Flower Wreaths

There is a new creative twist on flower wreaths this season which is more organic, rustic with a little whimsy. These floral wreaths are now being sold by large chain home decor stores because of their high demand.

Image via Instagram via Frosty Photo via Crimson Wedding Flowers

1. Flowers & Feathers

Flowers and feathers are actually not a new trend. Florists have been incorporating feathers in their floral arrangements for centuries. The difference this fall is the quality and uniqueness of the feathers. Opt for feathers with interesting geometric designs and length.

Do not limit feathers to only wedding bouquets these look great in any basket arrangement, vase or centerpiece.

Be sure to refer to this  Floral Cheat Sheet for trending flowers and greens selection.

Florists, what are your thoughts on these trends for Fall Yay or Nay? Have you incorporated any of these top 5 Fall Trends in your flower shop? Please share your feedback or questions below in the comment section.

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Using Google My Business is one of the best ways to improve your floral business website’s visibility.

Google My Business (formerly called Google Places) is the number one platform for listing your flower shop on Google searches, Google Maps, and Google+ all in one place. Google My Business allows you to improve your business’s credibility and visibility.

Image via Google

Signing Up for Google for Business

If you are just starting your floral business, whether or not you have a floral website set up or not, start your application here.

1. Click Start Now and enter your floral business address.
2. If you receive walk-in traffic in your shop, by “I deliver goods and service to my customers at their location,” set Yes. Otherwise, leave this set to No and click continue.
3. On the next page you will see a list of possible address matches for your business. Select from among them and continue.
4. If you selected Yes, you will see an information request on the services you offer. Enter your delivery area, and include delivery radius. If you do not select the box below where you serve customers at your location, your address will be hidden, but your city and state will still show.
5. Verify the information you’ve entered, especially your business address. Google My Business is generally very user-friendly, but correcting errors can be cumbersome, so take the time now to verify all information is accurate. Agree to the terms of service and continue.
6. On the last page, you will be asked how you would like to receive the verification code. It’s likely you will choose to get a postcard mailed to you, very few get phone calls.

Within a couple weeks, you’ll receive a verification code for your business. Log back into Google My Business, add your code, and violà, you’re done!

Adding Photos to Google My Business

The more images you add to Google My Business, the better your ranking will be in Google local searches. Add as many images as you can to your Google My Business account. That said, there are many different categories of photos, it’s worth making sure they correspond correctly.

• Profile Image: This will allow customers to recognize your business. The profile image will be displayed next to your business name on Google+ and must be different from your Logo image.
• Logo: Use a square image file for your logo as these look the best on Google.
• Cover Image: This is the grand feature photo and should correspond to the services you offer.
• Additional Images: Add as many photos as you like here, the more the merrier. These are viewed by customers who are looking at your listing. It is good to include your own designs of everyday arrangements, wedding and store front image if possible.

To add your photos simply sign into Google My Business, click Photos from the menu, and select the photo category you would like to showcase. You can now upload your photo from your computer.

The best image formats are JPG and PNG. Use high quality images, you don’t want customers looking at fuzzy images.

image via google and hello you designs

Why is Google My Business Important?

There are so many reasons why all business owners absolutely must be on Google My Business, especially if your business is location specific. The biggest reason of all is the impact it has in increasing your search engine ranking, but below are some further reasons.

Improved Search Visibility: Try any of these keywords in a Google search: city, state, florist, flower shop, zip code/postal code. Notice who comes firsts under the map. These results are Local Search Results, courtesy of Google My Business. You cannot pay to place in these results, but having a Google My Business profile will enable you to.

Maps Your Floral Business Location: This allows the customer to find and navigate to your brick-and-mortar store and website more easily.

Allows for Customer Interaction: Google My Business allows for customers to interact with your business by leaving reviews and uploading their own photos. Every review counts, and every photo upload counts! How does it count? By improving your SEO, remember you want to list in the top 3 records on Google Local Search.

Florists, how has Google My Business helped your floral business in the past years? Please share your feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

 These essential tips and tricks will make your daily floral design operations run smoothly and produce long lasting results.

Many floral design experts may already be using some if not all of these tips and tricks, For those new to the floristry industry take a look at these Top 10 fundamental tips to guide you in your flower shop business success.

10. Flowers Take A Deep Dive

 Submerge the whole flower/flowers into water, water enters through all parts of the flower which results in longer lasting floral arrangements.

9. Crowning Glory

This is a flower shop must have and easily one of the best-kept secrets in floral arranging. Crowning Glory is a spray wax that keeps your floral arrangements hydrated results are long lasting blooms for weeks. 

8. Alum

Keep hydrangeas from wilting with alum powder, this is not an old wives tale. Alum powder works in keeping hydrangeas gorgeous and wilt free. You can find Alum in your grocery spice aisle.  After the hydrangea stem is cut, place them directly into the Alum powder and continue with your floral arrangement.

7. Open Closed Flower Buds

To open up closed flower buds, dip them in warm water and then cold. This is a great tip for instantly showing casing an open bud arrangement.

6. Put Your Orchid Plants On Ice

 Instead of watering your orchid plants, try using an ice cube. The slow melting of the ice cube gives your orchid plant slow steady hydration and will keep it from drowning. This is also a good way to measure the amount of water to give your orchid plant, one ice cube a week is all that is needed. If it’s a larger orchid plant, it is OK to use 2 or 3 ice cubes a week.

5. Cut Flower Stems Underwater

For flowers of a more delicate nature (Peonies, and Dahlias) cut stem under water and always on an angle. This helps in their ability to absorb water thus increasing their longevity. A good tip is most all your flower stems can be cut underwater if you do not have access to a sink, just fill a large container next to work area. Remember to make sure container is cleaned.

4. Make A Grid

Many florists have whats called a mental grid by placing flowers in a vase or container and making a grid by overlapping stems and turning the container with flowers placed on angles on the outward portion of the vessel.  Essentially what this does is a create a holder for your flowers, making them look unified and balanced.  A mental grid for flower arrangements may not work for all floral designers, so in that case, you can make a tape grid. Just lay the tape horizontal and vertical and Voila you now have a flower holder to keep your blooms looking amazing.  This works especially well for short vases and low containers.

3. Keep Your Foliage Clear Of Water

When vase arranging, be sure to remove all foliage on your blooms and never any foliage below the water line. We know most florists know this, however, this is still a great tip. Just one little piece of foliage below the waterline can be detrimental to your floral arrangement causing to wilt and tuned.

2. Remove Lily Stamens

What are Stamens? Stamens are heavily pollinated and in the center of the lily. As soon as you’re lily opens, be sure to remove the pollen Remove stamens gently and try not to allow it to touch the lily. Removing the Stamens allows for long lasting lilies.

1.Floral Design Experiment

Paying homage to the ever so popular organic style of floral arranging today, we encourage you to forget the color wheel and experiment with different textures, herbs, beautiful foliage and blooms to create your own design style niche.

Good To Know

Do not dilute Crowning Glory with water. Diluting Crowning Glory with water has no benefit on your floral arrangements

We know, it’s very rare that a flower shop is keeping their flowers next to fruit, however, it is still important to mention that the gases omitted by fruit are not friendly to flowers. Remember to inform your patrons to avoid keeping their blooms next to fruit.

Florists do you have an essential Florist Tip & Trick that is helpful to you?  Please share your feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Flower crowns are the biggest trend right now and at this point, it’s safe to say they are not going away!

Although flower crowns are hugely sought after for weddings and special events now, they are actually a floral trend of the past starting in Ancient Greece where they were worn to pay tribute to gods and then much later to represent peace, love and harmony.

We welcome the flower crown today which represents celebration, some say fertility, besides that there is no doubt about it, everyone just looks so attractive in a flower crown.

Most florists know how to make a flower crown, but for those who are new to the floral industry, this blog will show you the easiest way to make a basic flower crown.

Supplies:

You will need Wire, Wire Cutters or Floral Scissors, Stem Wrap Tape and Crowning Glory.

Floral Wire – You will need 22-inch gauge and 26-inch gauge wire. If you only have 26-inch gauge wire just be sure to double up to make the wire stronger when making the crown form.

Floral Stem Wrap – This is the same tape used for corsages and boutonnieres self-sealing wrap which sticks to itself and flower stems.

Wire Cutters/Floral Scissors –  What ever your preference is, you may feel it is easier and faster to work with both of these.

Crowning Glory – Slows the deterioration and browning of flowers, greens and plants.

Floral Greens:

There are so many variations of greens you may use in a floral crown. If making a dainty floral crown you may opt for smaller leaf greens. We encourage you to try many variations of greens in your flower crowns.

Eucalyptus  – is a great leaf choice,  There are multiple variations of Eucalyptus that can be used to achieve that so sot after bohemian flower crown look.

Tip: Do not limit yourself,  experiment with different floral green variations when making your floral crown and try mixing greens together it looks amazing.

Flower/Filler Stems:

Pick your desired flower stems, think of what you want to accomplish with the flower crown. For a cluster on one side use, the main flower stem called the “statement flower” these can be big dahlias or garden roses, these look best with smaller surrounding flowers.

For the bohemian flower crown, that is ever so popular with smaller flowers, loads of greens, berries and filler flowers work to accomplish the look and feel.

Filler flowers should be selected as a compliment to the floral greens and flowers, use little touches here and there which provides lots of whimsy to the flower crown.

Be sure to select different variations of flowers if using spray roses, select buds and open roses, to create movement within the flower crown.

• Ranunculus
• Lisianthus
• Juliet Garden Rose
• Spray Roses
• Wax Flower
• Hypericum Berries
• Baby’s Breath, and so many more – click here to see the full list of flowers

Tip: When you have the basics down on making a flower crown, there really are no rules when selecting flowers, greens and filler. Use a little of this, or no greens, or more filler, it’s up to your imagination and creation.  Just be sure the flower crown still consists of the basic principles of flower design,  Balance, Harmony, Proportion, Movement & Unity.

How To Make An Easy Flower Crown:

We promise its way easier then it looks.

1. Cut your foliage to about 4- 6 inches and set aside, no need to pre-wire your foliage ahead of time.
2. Cut your berries now if you like or you may cut as you go later.
3. Cut your statement flower and flowers picking the heads that you need, remember to mix it up and use various sizes of the same flower.
4. Trim flowers to about 1/2 inch to an 1″ underneath the head of the flower.
5. Cut your 26-inch gauge wire into a piece that is about 5 inches long.
6. In the largest part of the flower calyx (calyx is also known as sepals and it the part of the flower that holds the reproductive organs) go ahead and run the wire horizontally in the largest part of the calyx right below the flower head. Bring the wire ends together and use your stem wrap to cover the wire completely.
7. Go ahead and do this to all your floral stems.
8. If using filler flowers such as wax or other filler flowers there is no need to wire.
9. Making the flower crown form.  Take two pieces of 22-inch gauge wire make sure to use the floral stem wrap to secure the wire one end to another end to complete one horizontal line.
10. Feel free to wrap the wire around your head at this time and figure out a starting point slightly in front of the ear, behind or even right in the front.
11. We find it easier to work with the crown open, so you can maneuver as needed later
12. Take your small pieces of greens starting one by one and lay on the wire using stem wrap to secure the greens on the wire at the end of the stem.  As you go, be sure to overlap the greens to hide the floral stem wrap and pull on the floral stem wrap stretching around the wire.
13. Add about 2-3 green cut stems and then a little bit of your filler flower of choice, use your floral stem wrap to secure the filler flower.
14. Make sure that your stems are facing in the right direction outward of the crown.
15. Add your flowers and berries the same way you added your greens and filler, be sure to look at the crown to make sure that it looks balanced.
16.  Keep in mind most crowns have flower clusters which do not go fully around the crown, decide the look you are going for.
17. Be sure to treat the flower crown with Crowning Glory, spray directly on flower crown which will slow down the wilting.
18. Flower crowns can be made two days ahead of time and stored in a cooler in a sealed container much like a courage or boutonniere.

Tip: Be sure to always use 100% Crowning Glory do not dilute with water, adding water does not allow Crowning Glory to work to its full benefit and has little affect in prolonging the life of your flowers. 

Florist We Would Love To Share Your Flower Crown Masterpiece!

Submit your Flower Crown images and be featured in August blog with credit to you and your flower shop!  For all Flower Crown image submissions email here [email protected] be sure to add your name, shop name and designer of flower crown.

Florists do you have a Flower Crown tip? Please share your feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!

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Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.

Once thought of as a fad, social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter has certainly proven naysayers wrong.

Floral business owners have taken advantage of the growth possibilities that social media has to offer.  Beyond that social media, communities have led to an influx of new floral enthusiasts. In other words, social media is helping floral designers get the respect and credibility that has been long overdue.

If you are using Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for your floral business, this blog will help in maximizing your knowledge by revealing the best Facebook, Instagram and Twitter secrets.

Twitter Secrets Revealed:

Twitter & Google Are Lovers – Or perhaps only friends with awesome marketing benefits. Twitter and Google work hand in hand. Meaning all your Twitter content does get indexed by Google, be it your tweets and even your bio. This will ultimately help people find you on Google which is a win, win for sales on your floral eCommerce.  Make sure to use relevant keywords in your bio and same for tweets, use hashtags that have to do with your floral business.

Embed Tweets On Your Website or Blog – Embedding tweets on your website is a great way to show your tweets to your visitors who are not on Twitter. The best part is if they click the link and it will take them to your Twitter page.

Tip: To Embed your Tweet: Once you have tweeted something click on the drop-down arrow in the upright-handed corner located within the Tweet. Select Embed Tweet, copy and paste the code to your blog or website. 

Add More Images To Tweets – Did you know you can add more than one image to your tweets? A total of 4 to be exact, it is so simple to do after you add your image click on the photo icon and add another image.

Instagram Secrets Revealed:

See The Return Key – When adding a caption on Instagram you may find that you cannot use the return key. Using the return key allows having better-organized captions on Instagram. So how do you return on Instagram?

Tip:When typing in your caption look below to the left-hand side if you click on 123 the return key appears. 

The Art Of #Hashtagging – We get it, hashtags are not a secret, however, hashtags need to be mention as this is a priceless business marketing tool. When adding an image think about the hashtag you are using. The key here is to get them seen, picking ones that are too common may get your post lost. Be sure to be specific, relevant and look at other tags in the same genre.

Search Posts By Location – Why is this so great for marketing? You can view and follow posts in your specific area.

Tip: On the bottom of your home screen click the magnifying glass, click the search bar and “Places” appears.  Type in the search the place and you will see all top recent posts. 

Pin Your Instagram Post On Pinterest – Unfortunately, when adding posts to on Instagram there is not direct share to Pinterest. However, this can be done fairly easily and when posting on Instagram it is always best to share the images on Instagram as well.

Tip: Find the post you want to pin on Pinterest, tap on the 3 dot icon.  Select “Copy Link“, open your Pinterest and tap on person icon > then plus sign > click below “Copied Link” pick your Pinterest board and Valhalla,  you have now shared a post on Pinterest.

Facebook Secrets Revealed:

View Messages You May Not Know About –  You may have some messages in your inbox from people you are currently not friends with. These messages could get quite interesting.  

Tip: To view these click on the icon for messages, (circle with lighting bolt) click on “Message Requests” and if you see “See Filtered Requests” click that you have now discovered you hidden Facebook inbox. 

Facebook Mobile Phone Look Up –  There are many reasons why you may need to look someone up on Facebook by just using their mobile phone number. All you have to do is  type the mobile number in the search field  on Facebook be sure to add  country code or area code.

Upload Your Email List  – What a great way to reach your potential and existing  customers by uploading your email list to Facebook. This will allow you to market to all emails that are associated with Facebook.

Tip: Go to Audiences tab in Ads Manager. Click the “Create Audience button”, select Customer Audience and  then “Customer List”. Upload your CSV or TXT file or drag and drop the file

Florists do you have Facebook, Instagram & Twitter secret or tip you would like to share? Please share your feedback in the comment section below. If you have any questions please post below as well!____________

Floranext makes great florist software. Florist websites, floral POS, florist wedding/event proposal software, and florist technology. Let us know if you want a free demo or try our software for free here.