Flowers& - February 2016

Flowers& FEBRUARY 2016 $5.50

www.MyTeleflora.com

Here Comes Spring!

Celebrate the season with spring flowers and colors Pg 26 Get inspired to create powerful sympathy expressions Pg 42

contents february 2016

features 16

See, Learn, Grow Get educated and inspired at upcoming floral trade fairs.

23

32nd Annual Flowers& Design Contest Entering is easier than ever!

This year’s theme: “Hues in Harmony.”

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Men Buying Roses What if that market made up 70% of your business—all year long?

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Salute to Spring

Designs inspired by the season and its flowers, for holidays and everyday.

Floral design by Elizabeth Seiji AIFD Photography by Ron Derhacopian

42

Fitting Tributes

Sympathy designs with a creative personal touch.

Floral design by Susan Ayala AIFD, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian 2 FEBRUARY 2016

pg 26

on the cover A palette of white and light, fresh green provides a clear yet unexpected way of welcoming spring. Hyacinths, sweet peas, callas, and ‘Patience’ David Austin roses take center stage, along with snowberries, hellebores, viburnum, ornamental kale, and variegated hosta leaves. For more spring designs by Elizabeth Seiji AIFD, see pages 26-41.

contents

departments Focus 8

on Design

A Long-Lasting Nest Design

By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

10

Leaf Art

Lacy Loops

By Helen Miller AIFD

13

Inspired By...

Waterfalls

By Tom Bowling AIFD, PFCI

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Grower Profile

62

Fresh Focus

pg 9

Tillandsia International

Spirea

Where 64

to Buy

What’s 65

in Store

66

Industry Events

67

Advertiser Links

68

Wholesale Connection

pg 62

Flowers& Volume 37, Number 2 (ISSN 0199-4751).

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pg 14

Florist’s Best Friend--

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

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Floral Delivery Tray or Floral Carrier!

One carrier holds an average of 20 to 30 arrangements.

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• Carrier is adjustable to any size (removing or adding blocks as needed).

• Large, flat surface, available by moving pins to storage at sides.

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Teleflora Education Specialists Susan Ayala AIFD, PFCI, Riverside, Calif., Tom Bowling AIFD, PFCI, Syndicate Sales, Fairfield, Ohio, Tim Farrell

AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Farrell’s Florist, Drexel Hill, Penn., Jim Ganger

AIFD,

Kansas City, Mo., Hitomi Gilliam AIFD, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, Bob Hampton AIFD, AAF, PFCI,

Dallas, Texas, John Hosek AIFD, PFCI, CF, CAFA, Surroundings Events and Floral, Verona,

Wisc., Alex Jackson AIFD, AAF, PFCI, Veldkamp’s Flowers, Lakewood, Colo., Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI,

Niceville, Fla., Joyce Mason-Monheim AIFD, AAF, PFCI, AzMF, Designer Destination,

Tucson, Ariz., Helen Miller AIFD, CF, CAFA, Flowers and Such, Adrian, Mich., Darla Pawlak AIFD, PFCI,

Essexville, Mich., Julie Poeltler

AIFD, PFCI, IMF, CAFA,

Julie’s Fountain of Flowers,

Lone Tree, Iowa, Jerome Raska AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CF, Blumz by JR Designs, Ferndale, Mich.,

Tom Simmons AIFD, CCF, Three Bunch Palms Productions, Palm Springs, Calif., Gerard Toh AIFD, CCF,

Garden Trade Services, Sherman Oaks, Calif., Cindy Tole, Botanica Flowers &

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

E d i t o r i al C o u n c i l Marie Ackerman AIFD, AAF, PFCI, Teleflora, Oklahoma City, Okla., Carol J. Caggiano AIFD, PFCI, A.

BIG IDEAS every single month, along with flower news & business advice

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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

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800-421-2815.

DECEMBER 2015 29

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Caggiano, Inc., Jeffersonton, Va., Bert Ford AIFD, PFCI, Ford Flower Co., Salem, N.H.,

focus on design

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Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI

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Photography by Ron Derhacopian

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For product information, see Where to Buy, page 64.

See this

how-to on at Flowers&or go to flowersandmagazine.com.

A nest design welcomes spring with varied tints of purple and lavender.

Made with carnations, craspedia, and brunia—all hardy materials—this design is exceptionally long-lasting. Accents of light yellow and green beautifully complement the predominant lavender and purple.

1. Place wet foam in a small, shallow liner and secure it with anchor tape. Wire the liner into a premade bird’s nest and mount the nest onto a manzanita branch. This light rattan nest came with packing material that was then used to cover the foam; you could also use angel hair vine filler or excelsior. Add a few dogwood twigs for a natural look.

2. Insert clusters of grape hyacinths, craspedia and silver brunia into the foam. To insert the soft-stemmed grape hyacinths, first pre-dig holes in the foam with your design knife.

3. Add an artificial egg or two, gluing them into place. Cut small pieces of Flexi grass and lay them inside the nest. Finally, add Moon Series carnations in varying tints of purple—here, Moonaqua and Moonlite standard carnations, plus new Moonpearl mini carnations. b

FEBRUARY 2016 9

leaf art

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Floral design by Helen Miller AIFD

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Photography by Ron Derhacopian

• b

Foliage courtesy of Wm. F. Puckett

Quick slits in aspidistra leaves create an effect of lacy loops.

This technique works with aspidistra leaves because the strong spine supports the weight of the looped leaf segments draping down from it. The leaves shown here extending from two designs could also be connected with UGlu to form a bridge that unifies the two halves of a single, composite archway design.

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july 2010 12

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1. Leaving the base and tip of the leaf intact, make slits on either side of the spine. Work from the inside out. To make sure the leaf segments drape properly, keep the inner slits shorter than the outer ones. Always cut in the same direction as the veining on the leaf, cutting with it, not across it.

2. The effect is better if the slits on either side of the leaf are not perfectly symmetrical. Make them start and stop at different points on the leaf, so they will hang to different depths. b

FEBRUARY 2016 11

inspired by...

A waterfall is a classic, if counterintuitive, source of floral design inspiration.

In nature, most flowers and plants reach up toward the sky—but not all.

Some cascade gracefully downward, as though in imitation of a waterfall.

And if waterfalls seem to have inspired certain plants, they have certainly inspired floral designers. Their gentle curve and flowing line found a natural place in the art deco aesthetic of the 1920s and 30s, when abundantly cascading “shower bouquets” became popular. These in turn may well have inspired the waterfall style that was introduced from Europe in the late 1980s. The style emphasized the layering of semitransparent materials like sprengeri or plumosus, inserted upright at the back of a design and allowed to curve over the top before they drip downward. Hanging flowers, on long stems or suspended on flexible wire, might be visible only through the veil of foliage.

FEBRUARY 2016 13

s

•j • A single source of inspiration, however, can lead in many different directions. Tom’s version of a waterfall design suggests a powerful cataract, with strong lines that plummet forcefully downward. These lines include thick calla stems and the downward-pointing, bright pink spadixes of glossy green anthuriums—supported and framed against a background of alocasia leaves with distinctive, downward-forking white veins. Tom created a large flat surface, like a sheet of slanting rock, by cutting a leaf shape out of cardboard and covering it with the overlapping alocasia leaves, attaching them to the cardboard with spray glue. He then echoed the leaf shape with two bundles of Flexi Grass, banded together at the tips with red bullion and pulled apart to make an elongated, leaf-shaped outline. At the top of the design, purple cattleyas suggest the churning froth of water about to tumble over a cliff. The silver Milan Vase and silvered oregonia recall the glint and sparkle of a rushing torrent in a striking evocation of its majesty and power. b

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Floral design by Tom Bowling AIFD, PFCI

•

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 64.

WORLD-CLASS, HOME GROWN World Floral Expo has always had fresh-flower exhibitors from Holland, Africa, and South America. Having the show in Los Angeles means that California growers are also well represented. Last year, Sun Valley Floral Farms’ Bill Prescott shared a laugh with Scott Kitayama of Greenleaf Wholesale.

California specialties on display at WFE included deep pink proteas from Dramm & Echter and grevillea flowers from Resendiz Brothers.

See, Learn, Grow Get educated & inspired at upcoming floral trade fairs.

World Floral Expo March 9-11, 2016 Los Angeles Convention Center www.worldfloralexpo.com World Floral Expo (WFE) returns this year to the city and venue where it enjoyed such success last year. The first LA edition of the show—which had been held previously in New York and Chicago—was remarkable for its unique and truly international mix of grower exhibitors. Cooperation with CalFlowers (the California Flower Growers & Shippers Association) brought a strong showing from California growers, along 1618www.flowersandmagazine.com 14 july 2010

See, Learn, Grow with top growers and suppliers from Colombia, Ecuador, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the Netherlands. Projected for 2016 are country pavilions for the first four of those important flower-growing countries, along with the stands of individual suppliers. All types and levels of buyers and sellers are welcome at WFE. In addition to the ongoing exhibition, workshops will be offered during show hours on all three days of the event where attendees can create their own floral designs under the supervision of Dutch floral designers. Registration is free of charge and can be done online.

FRESH PICKS Far from seeing only standard florist flowers, visitors to last year’s IFE discovered intriguing specialty items. Richly hued callas at CallaCo (top photo) included the in-demand ‘Coral Passion’. At Blooming of Beloit, grower Shlomo Danieli showed woody branches with ornamental foliage like ninebark, chokeberry, variegated willow, and dogwood, along with spectacular peonies. Flowers from Ethiopia, showcased at the African Pavilion, included a novelty veronica with a flat-edge tip, called ‘Bizarre’. Below right, Italian heather (ventricosa) made a splash at the Coastal Nursery stand.

International Floriculture Expo June 20-22, 2016 McCormick Place, Chicago With a longstanding reputation as a trade show for high-volume buyers, the International Floriculture Expo (IFE) got a big boost last year when it co-located with United Fresh and FMI Connect, trade fairs for produce buyers and food retailers. The three shows remain separate shows, but this year once again they will all take place over the same three days at McCormick Place in Chicago.

The partnership adds to the convenience and attraction of IFE for buyers from a wide range of retail categories; at last year’s show retail florists mingled with wholesalers and buyers from grocery-store chains. Likewise, exhibitors run the gamut from specialty growers to industry giants in both fresh and hard goods.

The show includes an educational component with broad appeal; last summer’s sessions covered topics from merchandising strategies to prom-flowers marketing.

Agriflor October 5-8, 2016 Centro de Exposiciones, Quito, Ecuador www.agriflor.com Fans of this trade fair—which provides a showcase for the many kinds of premium flowers grown in Ecuador, especially Ecuadorian roses—will be pleased to learn that it moves for the first time this year from its former, relatively remote venue at the outskirts of Quito to the downtown Exhibition Center.

Held every other year, this show alternates with Proflora in Colombia (reviewed, in its 2015 edition, in the January 2016 issue of Flowers&). Major breeders and other entities in the floral supply chain exhibit along with growers. Florist retailers, wholesalers, importers and distributors are all permitted to visit free of charge.

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See, Learn, Grow

SPRINGING FORWARD AT IFE The International Floriculture Exposition takes place in June, but displays of containers and accessories look far forward to reveal product trends for the following spring.

For example, last June Burton + Burton showed Delft-style porcelain vases in white and rich cobalt blue, plus wooden baskets with a cast-iron trim. “Anything with that rustic garden look will continue in popularity next year,” predicted Burton + Burton’s Steve Rose, “anything that looks hand-crafted, hand-lettered, handmade.” “Chalkboard” vases were on display from both Burton + Burton and (shown here, supplied with bags of colored chalk) Syndicate Sales.

ROSES AND MORE AT AGRIFLOR Visitors to prior editions of Agriflor might have seen, in addition to premium Ecuadorian roses, a diversified selection of premium crops from magnificent delphinium to coral-colored godetia.

Christmasworld January 29-February 2, 2016 and January 27-31, 2017 Messe Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany www.christmasworld.messefrankfurt.com As a European trend showcase, Christmasworld offers retail florists from across the ocean an innovative, forward-looking take on the season—and not only on Christmas, since the trade fair features products for festive decoration year-round. Fresh flowers have always been a strong component in the fair, as part of a program of demonstrations, lectures and workshops (all offered in English as well as German). This year, for the first time, the fair will offer fresh flowers and plants, which can be ordered straight from the growers. And in 2017 flowers will be featured in their own product area with an innovative presentation: planners promise a “flower park” in which the flowers are integrated with creative concepts and where like flowers from different suppliers will be shown together for direct comparison. “This show has been growing steadily, and of late that includes more visitors from the U.S., thanks in part to the favorable exchange rate,” says show director Eva Olbrich. Check out the photos that will be posted on the Christmasworld website after this year’s edition.

More trade-fair opportunities coming up

In addition to those covered here in more detail (because they have recently undergone expansionary changes), the following wellattended regional and national floral-industry events all include a buzzing, thriving trade fair as part of the agenda.

Great Lakes Floral Expo, March 3-6, 2016 Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place Convention Center, Grand Rapids, Mich. www.greatlakesfloralexpo.com Northeast Floral Expo, March 4-6, 2016 Springfield, Mass. www.northeastfloralexpo.com AIFD National Symposium, July 3-7, 2016 Anaheim Marriott, Orange County, Calif. www.aifd.org Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association Floral Distribution Conference, October 19-21, 2016 Doubletree Hotel Miami Airport Conference Center, Miami, Fla. www.wffsa.org

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Flowers&

Design Contest TOP PRIZE $1,000 THEME: HUES IN HARMONY

25 january 2012

ho To co w to find the ntes ente out pa t, tu r the ge rn !

It happens all the time: you get a call requesting a floral design for Aunt April, or Cousin Otis—any style, but it has to include the recipient’s favorite color or colors. The nice thing about filling the assignment this time around is: you get to choose the palette.

Whatever colors you choose, the selection must reflect a skillful use of color harmony.

Tell us about your choices when you submit your entry! *Please note: Your design must feature fresh flowers primarily. The cost that you as a retail professional would pay for all materials in the design should be less than US $50. Please keep a list of the materials used in your design. We will ask for the list in the event your design is selected as a finalist.

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3 simple

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t

2

t

using color harmony

t

design a flower arrangement

3

steps

to enter the

Flowers&

Design Contest

THEME: HUES IN HARMONY

+ trophy

TOP PRIZE $1,000 2nd & 3rd place trophies also awarded

take a picture

of your design on a plain background

email the photo

of your design to us at

contest@flowersand magazine.com

we will email you to let you know we’ve received your entry

deadline for entries 03/31/16 judged 05/30/16

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CREATE A FLORAL DESIGN USING YOUR FAVORITE COLOR HARMONY See the previous page for guidelines on materials. Make the design small enough to see detail in the photo—at most, 3 feet by 3 feet. Have fun!

TAKE A HIGHRESOLUTION DIGITAL PHOTO Shoot it on a nondistracting background using highest-resolution camera settings.

EMAIL US THE PHOTO Include your name and phone number.

Your entry must be sent from the email address associated with your Flowers& subscription.

Need to give us that address, or purchase a subscription (as low as $19.95)? It’s easy!

Write, call, or hit the subscribe link on our website (see page 6).

Email address for entries and for all inquiries: contest@ flowersandmagazine.com.

Deadline for entries: March 31, 2016.

WE WILL EMAIL YOU ONCE WE RECEIVE YOUR ENTRY A panel of expert judges selects 10 finalists, notified by May 30. The finalist entries are featured in the August 2016 issue. Flowers& readers vote to pick the top 3 winners!

Men Buying Roses

What if that market made up 70 percent of your business—all year long?

F

or a flower shop to succeed by specializing in roses is not so surprising—especially when that flower shop is in Bogotá, Colombia, close to the lush, productive flower farms in the surrounding high savannah.

What’s more unusual is to find a niche catering primarily to men. “They come in with the desire to express an emotion,” says Santiago de German Ribon, of Don Eloy Rosas in Bogotá. “We invite them to be guided through the universe of roses: the romantic roses, the passionate roses, but also, roses for the

birth, roses for the night table, and so on.”

Santiago’s father came to Bogotá from France and started his shop in 1959. The specialization in roses began 10 years later. Today the business has 10 branch shops, with seven in Bogotá alone. Just lately, Santiago has begun expanding into a couple of more traditional, feminine boutiques, offering arranged flowers for the home. The shop’s brand, however, is built on boxed roses, which comprise 60 percent of its sales, delivered by employees wearing a special uniform and known as “cupids.”

Most surprising of all, perhaps, is that the shop’s best holiday is Mother’s Day. Next comes a Colombian holiday called Amor y Amistad (“Love and Friendship,” something like Sweetest Day), in September.

Third is Women’s Day, March 8, the international holiday that is just gaining traction in North America, thanks to promotional efforts led by CalFlowers, the Society of American Florists, and others (see Flowers&, February

2015). Valentine’s Day comes only fourth. “It gains more and more because lots of Colombian youth have been educated in America and had their first love there,” Santiago explains.

The niche may seem narrow, but perhaps the key to Don Eloy’s success is precisely that it doesn’t underestimate the impulse that motivates the male flower buyer. “I wouldn’t call it machismo,” says Santiago. “I would call it gallantry.” b

“We recommend different colors of roses for different occasions and meanings,” says Santiago de German Ribon (above), of Don Eloy Rosas in Bogotá: “Yellow for anything new, a new job, new life. Pink for tenderness, friendship. White to say I’m sorry, for peace after struggle. Dark red for passion, a more tender red for a longterm relationship. We have scented Sterling Silver roses at the desk where customers can sit to write a card, and books of phrases to help them.” More than half of Don Eloy rose sales are delivered in signature boxes, sometimes accompanied by chocolates, wine, or perfume.

FEBRUARY 2016 25

designs inspired by the season and its flowers, for holidays & everyday.

Floral design by Elizabeth Seiji AIFD, Edelweiss Flower Boutique, Santa Monica, California Photography by Ron Derhacopian

For product information, see Where to Buy, page 64.

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LEAF ON LEAF The white margins of hosta and dusty miller leaves are clearly outlined on a background of dark-green leaves inside two clear glass vases. Of the two bouquets, one is bright with yellow tulips, red roses, and orange spray roses, collared with more hosta leaves and with cymbidium orchids. The other, more subdued bouquet features chocolate lace along with ‘Message’ garden roses, tulips, dusty miller, white hydrangea, spring grasses with fresh green seed heads, and poppy pods about to burst open.

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CABBAGE PATCH Where else should Easter bunnies hide but in a bed of pink roses, ranunculus, hydrangea, and ornamental kale?

A footed, pickled wood planter harmonizes nicely with the touches of white in the arrangement.

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SHINING WHITE At left, variegated hosta leaves unify and underscore a palette of white and light fresh green, with flowers and snowberries (perhaps mis-named, since they are available in spring and summer) loosely grouped for greater impact. ‘Patience’ David Austin roses define a focal area with their round, petal-rich blooms.

Viburnum and hellebores provide the spring green along with, tucked deeper in, ornamental kale.

SMALL WORLD At upper right, a footed, egg-shaped vase makes the perfect container for an open-topped terrarium—a miniature garden planted with tiny kalanchoes, polka-dot plants, and a type of delicate, ground-cover sedum in fresh light green. Dyed, preserved reindeer moss fills in the gaps between the plants.

ONE OF EACH Six individual vases on a white ceramic tray make a lovely keepsake gift that practically begs to be filled and refilled, week after week. The fun comes in mixing and matching flowers of various yet compatible forms and hues— as, here, sweet peas in two colors, forget-me-nots, hyacinths and grape hyacinths, and ‘Majolika’ spray roses.

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BLOOMS ABUZZ Bumblebees make a natural companion for spring flowers— especially these bees, paired with brown and yellow forsythia branches. The bright yellow is beautifully complemented with purple allium, delphinium, and hydrangea; pink ranunculus pops against this palette. The design falls into two well-balanced halves, with light, wispy branches in the middle that look like they are just barely leafing (they are decked with tiny permanent leaves that match the forsythia tips). A pine box with a slatted front and back completes the “out-in-the-country” feeling of this design.

EGG HUNT In some markets, wheat grass can be purchased in four-inch squares—the perfect size for standard glass cubes. Here the cubes are insets matched to a painted wood box. If you have to buy larger flats, they can always be cut into squares. Placed in the cooler with just enough water to cover the mat of sprouted seeds and roots at the base, the grass will grow a little but stays fresh and green for days. The mat is too dense, however, to be penetrated by soft daffodil stems.

To add them, Liz cut them to the right length, then inserted florist wire up the hollow stems and trimmed the wire so it would extend a short way beyond the end of the stem into the bed of wheat grass. When the daffodils fade they can be replaced, or simply removed, and the design remains attractive, the grassy cubes surrounded by colorful plastic eggs and fluffy chicks, glued into place.

SPRING FROST The milky tints of tillandsia and succulent plants are well matched with white river rocks in a long, low container of frosted white glass. They also contrast beautifully with an armature of dark birch twigs tied with paperwrapped wire. The tillandsias are glued to the armature with pan glue, disguised as necessary with patches of reindeer moss.

With a little judicious misting, this design will last for weeks.

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TIMES THREE Here’s a way to punch up the intensity of spring colors: painted wood boxes in purple, light green, and pink come with four-inch glass cubes. Individually or as a collection, the boxes underscore the sophisticated allure of monochromatic and ton-sur-ton color schemes, each with its array of tints, tones and textures.

Ranunculus, hydrangea, tulips, lisianthus, and green brunia all get a chance to shine.

EASTER ON PARADE The message couldn’t be clearer, thanks to an angel-vine bunny, a grouping of forsythia branches (clustered to look like a bush), and a flowered egg—conveniently crafted using the Oasis Floral Foam Football. The foam football comes on a stand. Liz glued the stand to a 15-inch Lomey Designer Dish and surrounded it with floral foam, strapped in with anchor tape. From there it was a simple matter to fill the foam with mums, roses, mini green hydrangea, matricaria, and lavender stock.

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LAVENDER GREENS At left, clusters of bright green viburnum provide the perfect complement to a subtle and sensuous palette ranging from the pale pink of flowering cherry branches through the blended vintage tints of ‘Amnesia’ roses and glaucous succulents, to the satin purple of tulips and lilac. To support this delectable medley Liz has wrapped a basket with green sweet huck, for delicate texture and yet another sign of spring.

WOVEN LACE Texture comes to the fore—frilly, ruffled, stippled, color-washed—when chocolate lace combines with hyacinths, hellebores, sweet peas, veronica, and Italian ranunculus. Scented geranium leaves underscore the low mound of premium flowers, grouped and clustered, in a white ceramic basket-weave container.

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BOX SPRING Painted wood boxes in bubblegum pink and robin’s-egg blue lend an air of spring to blooming orchid plants, along with other decorative touches. In the pink box, tillandsias perch on bamboo stakes painted purple. Liz has wrapped the orchid stems and the bamboo stakes together with sheet moss and bullion. The tillandsias are likewise attached to the stakes with bullion-wrapped moss; a touch of pan glue may be required and won’t harm the tillandsias. In the blue box, the stems of green phalaenopsis orchids are supported with a loose wrap of curly willow that also adds visual interest, along with river rocks at the base.

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SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL Sheltering umbrella fern reinforces the charming effect of a miniature landscape in a pair of designs made in birch-bark cylinder vases.

Liz incorporated small, delicate plants—ferns and viney muehlenbeckia, with its round green leaves on thin dark stems—by removing some of the dirt, then wrapping the roots in cellophane, so the dirt would not escape into the water and the roots wouldn’t get too wet. As a cut flower, she has also included forget-me-nots, with their tiny blue flowers, muscari (grape hyacinths) and small-flowering, yellow matricaria (chamomile), along with tulips, hyacinths, daffodils, and lilacs.

The cut flowers are in floral foam (steeped in flower-food solution, of course). b

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sympathy designs with a creative personal touch.

Floral design by Susan Ayala AIFD, PFCI

Photography by Ron Derhacopian

See how-to photographs for many of these designs on pages 56-57.

RUSTIC ARCH An arch, custom built with birch logs, makes a natural frame for a funerary urn; it’s an item with many uses that can be rented over and over again. The logs are prepared with a power drill and secured with screws to make the arch very stable. On top of the arch, Susie wired a large and a small floral-foam sphere. Curly willow and jasmine vine soften the straight

For product information,

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lines of the birch logs; mosaic ornaments complement the color and pattern of the marble urn.

see Where to Buy, page 64.

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INNER LIFE The key mechanic for the design at left is a large basket in the shape of a hemisphere, gray rattan over a sturdy wire frame. The basket sits sideways, with the opening facing us, atop an Oasis Design Ring (a ring of floral foam in a low plastic tray).

Susie added sections of coiled dried honeysuckle vine to the basket rim, securing it with paperwrapped wire, then continued to reinforce the outer circle with bundles of extralong bear grass, chocolate anthuriums, ornithogalum, and long-stemmed ‘Captain Promise’ purple callas.

Orange pincushions draw the eye to the interior of the basket, following a path laid with dried gray ming moss, which coordinates with the color of the basket and adds its crinkly texture to the design. At the base, the Design Ring is filled with layered salal leaves.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL Vibrant with color, strong in their visual impact, tropical flowers suggest a life of adventure. To create the easel tribute at right, Susie hung a wire mesh garden topiary form on the easel upside-down and secured a Floracage on top—wiring the Floracage to both the topiary form and the easel.

Her insertions include aspidistra leaves rolled at the tip and a few blades of bear grass, banded and shaped into a graceful curve.

FEBRUARy 2016 FEBRUARY 2015 45

COMFORT AT HOME Created as a companion piece to the easel tribute on the previous page, the table design at left can be taken home after the service. It mixes the bright hues and dramatic forms of red and beehive ginger, anthuriums, pincushions, and Bombay dendrobium orchids with red carnations and ‘Cool Water’ roses. A loop of bear grass banded with silver jeweler’s wire adds an embracing accent. For a tip on how to prepare the ginger stems, see page 56.

RISING UP With the trend to cremation, the Stackables assortment from Syndicate Sales comes in especially handy for creative display of funerary urns. For the design at right, Susie used the half-tray assortment in black. She wanted her design a third lower than the height of the full assortment, so she removed and set aside the top section.

She added the half ring of foam from that section to the inside of the next tray and cut a little extra foam for the bottom tray as well.

She covered the portion between and above the trays with aspidistra leaves, then filled the foam in the trays with white and purple flowers and foliage in a well-balanced medley. For a how-to photo, see page 56.

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49 january 2012

6

FEBRUARY 2016 47

memorable tributes

ORCHID CASCADE To heighten the impact of the casket scarf at left, Susie removed the largest, lowest blossoms from both of the cymbidium sprays (standard and mini) before inserting them into the foam in the casket saddle— which she had already covered with large leaves, rolled and layered to create depth and curving lines.

She placed each of the larger standard cymbidium blooms into a leaf-wrapped water tube and inserted these higher up in the design, continuing the line of the spray. Likewise, she rescued the largest, lowest mini cymbidium blooms from getting hidden deep in the design by clipping them and binding the stems with silver bullion to bundles of bear grass that bring them forward. For a tip on the custom monogram, see page 56.

THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE In the wreath at right, a missing section of the circle is partially filled in with curly willow and white callas; the combination of absence and presence has a poignant impact. Susie began with a mâché-backed wreath form, first wrapping it here and there with anchor tape to reinforce the integrity of the form. After cutting away a section of the wreath with clippers and a design knife, she filled the rest with white and pink flowers including ‘Rosalind’ David Austin garden roses.

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FEBRUARy 2016 FEBRUARY 2015 49 47

52 january 2012 36 50 www.flowersandmagazine.com

A GRACEFUL GARLAND The curving surface of a casket seems to call out for the drape of a garland—garlands being, as well, one of the oldest forms of floral design and traditional for funerals as well as for other rites and ceremonies. The challenge is to make a garland that will hold up and not mar the surface of the casket in any way. Here, Susie used Oasis Garland: cylinders of foam, contained and connected with plastic netting.

She covered each cylinder with an aspidistra leaf, securing the leaf with a fern pin (greening pin). Sturdy stems, like woody hydrangea stems, could be inserted right through the leaf; for other, softer stems, she first made an incision in the leaf with her knife. The garland is secured to the casket here and there with UGlu Strips. After the service, it can be removed to serve as a decoration for a post-service gathering.

53 january 2012

NOVEMBER 2014 51 37 FEBRUARY 2016

memorable tributes

LIVING CROSS Fresh ivy and succulents bring organic life to a cross full of movement and texture. Three kinds of moss—sphagnum, Spanish, and natural reindeer moss—combine on the mâché-backed foam form.

Lotus pods covered with preserved moss add more spots of fresh green color; nigella pods contribute depth and yet another surface texture, while curly willow joins with the ivy in leading the eye up and down.

THREE SQUARES Maximum impact is achieved with a minimal amount of flowers when two premade, mosscovered square wreaths are placed diagonally, in counterpoint to an upright square wreath made with mâché-backed foam. Susie chose the Weathered Oak Planter in part for its weight and stability. She filled the planter with foam and then secured the center wreath form into the foam with hyacinth stakes, strapped to the form with anchor tape; for additional security she added upright wired picks on either side of the form and wired them, together.

The two lightweight, premade wreaths are secured to the mâché-backed form with wooden picks. Only with all of this done (as in the how-to photo on page 57) did Susie begin making her floral insertions.

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part of 13,14 grouping

FEBRUARY 2016 53

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GRAY LIGHT At left, weathered manzanita branches lift their arms skyward, surrounded by a cascading bed of flowers. Susie began by strapping the branches horizontally to the top of the foam in a full casket saddle, with picks, anchor tape, and a long U-shaped pin made of flat wire. From there she made her floral insertions, beginning with a wide skirt of clipped commodore palms at the base. A palette of dark, rich colors is relieved with the addition of dusty miller, which adds lightness and harmonizes with the gray of the manzanita.

ENDURING MEMORIES Below, a succulent and queen protea play starring roles, along with ‘Freedom’ roses cut short, in a modest, long-lived memorial gift for the home that also features craspedia, trachelium, ‘Green Ball’ dianthus, rolled, variegated aspidistra leaves, nandina foliage, lily grass and seeded eucalyptus.

FEBRUARY FEBRUARy 2016 2015 55 53

how-to’s for fitting tributes

ORCHID CASCADE, page 48 The scarf underneath the spray, with its custom monogram, can be sold as an add-on. Susie made the W and matching border by simply gluing variegated pittosporum leaves onto the fabric with floral adhesive. If the fabric is at all porous, you can place a paper towel underneath it while gluing, then remove it afterward.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL and COMFORT AT HOME, pages 45 and 46 Ginger stems have overlapping sheaths that often come in with brown sections on the top. They can be groomed by making a clean cut to the dry top of the sheath.

RISING UP, page 47 The Stackables assortment from Syndicate Sales consists of three tiered trays in graduated sizes, which may be either full rings or half rings. The trays are attached to round risers and fitted with Aquafoam cut to match the size and shape of the trays. For the design on page 47 Susie used the half-tray assortment in black. She wanted her design a third lower than the height of the full assortment, so she removed and set aside the top section. She added the half ring of foam from that section to the inside of the next tray and cut a little extra foam for the bottom tray as well.

She covered the portion between and above the trays with aspidistra leaves, then filled the foam in the trays with flowers and more foliage.

58 www.flowersandmagazine.com january 2012 56

THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE, page 49 To create a wreath with a portion of the wreath form missing, Susie simply cut away a section from a mâché-backed floral-foam wreath form, using clippers and a design knife. She then spiraled anchor tape around the rest of the form to reinforce the glue that attaches the foam to the mâché. She filled in the missing section of the wreath by inserting curly willow directly into the cut faces of the floral foam, then gently bending them into a circular shape and pinning the tips to the foam with greening pins.

RUSTIC ARCH, page 42 To build a custom arch like this one, it helps to be handy with a power drill—but if you are, it’s really not difficult to secure the logs with wood screws. Then, the arch becomes a rental item that can be used over and over again. On top of the arch, Susie wired a large and a small floral-foam sphere. The smaller sphere (above) was already netted, which helps to preserve the integrity of the foam. With the same objective in mind, she wrapped anchor tape around the larger one before fixing both spheres into place with Bind Wire, plus a twig or pick where the wire gets twisted on. These spheres are ready for floral insertions.

THREE SQUARES, page 53 For this design, Susie chose the Weathered Oak Planter in part for its weight and stability; had she chosen a different container she might have needed to weight it with rocks. She prepared a square mâché-backed wreath form by wrapping it with anchor tape. That’s always a good idea when using mâché-backed forms, especially when they will be upright in the design. She soaked the form and secured it in the container foam with hyacinth stakes on either side of the form, strapped to the wreath with anchor tape. Then, for extra security she also placed upright wired picks on either side of the form and wired them together. Finally, she added the two lightweight, premade wreaths, placed diagonally in the design, using wooden picks to secure them both to the foam in the container and also to the mâché-backed wreath form.

FEBRUARY 2016 57

T Grower Profile:

Tillandsia International

A visit to North America’s largest tillandsia nursery reveals how to make the most of these trendy plants.

Text and photography by Bruce Wright

60 2010 58 www.flowersandmagazine.com 16 may

hese are heady days for growers of tillandsias (also known as airplants). Demand is steadily increasing, from all sides: collectors, crafters, and yes, florists. Much the way succulents have skyrocketed in popularity—going from niche houseplants to a floral design staple— something similar has been happening with tillandsias.

The comparison raises some interesting questions. Succulents and tillandsias do have a lot in common. Both have intriguing, flowerlike shapes and come in a wide range of sizes and colors. Both have extraordinary lasting power, even away from a water source.

Both, it should be emphasized, can be used like cut flowers—and yet, they are actually not flowers but plants. Both succulents and tillandsias can produce striking and colorful flowers, but the flowers are not what most florists use primarily as design materials.

How should we think about these beautiful plants that also offer extraordinary utility and versatility in floral design?

WANTED, DEAD OR ALIVE “Some of our plants end up in flower shops, some in nurseries,” says Frank Messina, founder of the largest airplant grower in North America— Tillandsia International. “They are very different markets, and they use the plants in very different ways.

“Flower shops usually have small areas for plants that are fairly dark and crowded compared to a nursery, away from light and air circulation,” Frank continues. “That’s not ideal for getting the maximum life span out of a tillandsia—but that’s OK, depending on your expectations.”

Likewise, he points out, florist and nursery customers often want to put a tillandsia “where it looks good in their homes, rather than where it’s going to do well. And that’s OK too. It will still last a good while, and when it dies, it can be replaced.”

AIR AND LIGHT At left, green (just-watered) plants at Tillandsia International, located in Coarsegold, California, thrive on a wire mesh platform that allows good air circulation, under bright, indirect light. The greenhouse is partially shaded during the summer; fans keep the air moving 24/7. The climate in central California is relatively dry, compared to some other places where airplants are grown (Florida, Central and South America), but founder Frank Messina argues that means his plants are better acclimatized when they reach a typical American home, compared with plants raised in a more humid environment.

Or not. Frank notes that he has seen tillandsias incorporated into designs—“living walls,” for example—that are actually dead.

“People see the live plants and may think they are dead because they’re gray. But yes, they can also die and dry in place, and a person who’s not in the plant industry might have a hard time telling.”

With all that said, you and your customers will get the most enjoyment and value from tillandsias if you understand a little about what they are and how they thrive best.

LIVING ON AIR Go to the Tillandsia International website, www.airplant.com, and you’ll immediately see the explanation, “Tillandsias are bromeliads, but not all bromeliads are tillandsias.” Tillandsias are known as airplants because they do not live in the soil; they are typically found growing on rocks and trees, where they absorb nutrients and water through their leaves (see the caption below, “Air and Light”). They may have

roots, but the roots serve only to anchor the plants, not to deliver nutrients.

Tillandsias are so different from other plants—and different types of tillandsia can be so different from each other—that it may be hard to judge quality, even for a plant expert. “Different varieties have different textures, stiffness, softness, scaliness,” says Frank. “Some types are black on the bottom; others have purplish spots on the leaves. Some are more gray, some are more green, even when they are wet or dry. Both are healthy; it’s just a genetic variation.”

The plants must be shipped dry. “You never want to pack them wet, because they’ll rot,” says Frank. The risk, then, is that tillandsias might become dehydrated. How can you tell? The natural shape of most tillandsia leaves is slightly concave. When the plants become dehydrated, this concavity can become exaggerated, so the leaf folds in on itself. “But some types have threadlike leaves where it’s normal to have a point coming out of it,” Frank warns, “almost like

THE MYSTERY OF AIRPLANTS How do airplants manage to get all of their water and nutrients through their leaves? The answer lies in specialized structures on the surface of the leaves. When the plants are doused with water, these structures, called trichomes, open up to receive and absorb it. When that happens, they turn green. Then, as the plants dry, the trichomes return to their normal white or gray. Their appearance varies somewhat from one type of tillandsia to another, from fuzzy to smooth, but the function remains the same: the whiteness reflects bright sunlight away from the plant and helps it to conserve the moisture it has absorbed. The photo at left shows two plants of the same type—one wet, one dry.

ALL IN THE FAMILY In the wild, when tillandsias produce offshoots, in time the offshoots form a clustered colony, like the one at left. In a greenhouse, the grower has the choice to separate the offshoots into individual plants or to leave them in a natural cluster.

The clusters demand a higher price, of course, and are much prized by collectors. They are not only beautiful but also especially hardy, because they have less surface area exposed.

FEBRUARY 2016 59

grower profile a grass. So there is almost no rule that applies across the board. All our people are trained not to send anything out unless it is top notch,” he assures.

A fresh, healthy, living airplant has the potential to enhance a floral design, then go on to a second life as an intriguing houseplant, a keepsake and a conversation piece.

To learn more about tillandsias, check out the Tillandsia International website at www.airplant.com.

SPANISH MOSS Did you know that Spanish moss is not actually moss, but a type of tillandsia?

The Spanish moss that florists buy (Tillandsia usneoides) is most often a dried product. The live Spanish moss has a fuller look and turns green when wet. “It actually has a fragrant flower on it when it blooms,” says Frank.

“We sell it [mainly to wholesale distributors] by the kilo or the pound.”

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE Tillandsias (also known as airplants) come in all sorts of colors, sizes and shapes. With 13 greenhouses on 178 acres, Tillandsia International offers some 400 different types, catering to a variety of end markets from florists to collectors. Above, founder Frank Messina holds a Tillandsia xerigraphica in bloom. Customers can ask for an assortment using specific criteria: size or price point, for example. But if you’re a designer, says Frank, the best thing is to go to a distributor and have a look at what’s available.

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Care tips for tillandsias • Tillandsias thrive in bright, but filtered or indirect light, such as a shaded patio. They also respond well to full-spectrum artificial light.

• Thoroughly wet tillandsias two or three times a week, more often in a hot, dry environment, less often in a cool, humid one. Plants should be given enough light and air circulation to dry within four hours after watering.

• For more tips and photos, visit www.airplant.com.

Take a look Tillandsia International sells mainly through wholesale distributors, including those listed here.

California Airplants4U www.airplants4U.com Brannan Street Wholesale Florist www.brannanst.com Coastal Tillandsia Supply www.ctairplants.com Flora Grubb www.floragrubb.com Grow Nursery www.grownursery.com Sunborne www.sunborne.com Wasabi Green www.wasabigreen.com Colorado Rikki’s Tropicals www.rikkistropicals.com Kentucky Plant Oddities www.plantoddities.com Texas The Austin Flower Co. www.austinflowers.com

THE BLOOM CYCLE At far left on this page are two airplants of the same type, one green, the other blooming.

At Tillandsia International, plants bloom mainly in the fall, winter, and spring—more rarely in summer. In the cooler months they are exposed to more direct light, which encourages the bloom cycle: in most types, the foliage colors up first, then the blooms emerge. When the bloom is finished, the red goes away and the plant

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FEBRUARY 2016 61

fresh focus

•

Text and photography by Bruce Wright

Spirea lends garden grace to weddings and church flowers all through the spring.

I

t’s evident why so many types of spirea are also called “bridal wreath,” “bridal veil,” or “wedding arch.” Widely cultivated as a landscape plant, spirea makes an impressive display when the perennial shrubs, in form like a mound or fountain, are covered with tiny blooms. In the garden, spirea blooms sometimes are pink—and a pink novelty type occasionally turns up at the flower market, with a flat

62 www.flowersandmagazine.com

head like yarrow or trachelium.

But almost always, the spirea sold to florists is white, with delicate flower clusters ranged along a woody stem, two feet long or longer. Within that general description, different species and varieties bring variations to the look of spirea and come in and out of season from mid February through mid June.

EARLY BIRDS The first spirea of the year comes as a high-quality import from Japan.

It may be Spiraea cantoniensis (see photos and captions on this page and the next) or, even earlier, S. thunbergii, with smaller flowers and shorter stems. (Note the variant spellings of the genus: “spiraea” with two a’s is usual when the full botanical name is given, “spirea” for the common name. It can be useful to know both for searching internet websites.)

BRIDAL WREATH One type of spirea or another can be found on the market from mid February through mid June. Different types predominate at different seasons, but all of them have woody stems, with clusters of small, fivepetaled white flowers blooming up and down the stem, mainly on one side. A couple of the early-blooming types (Spiraea x cinerea ‘Grefsheim’ and S. prunifolia) are supplied without foliage, since the tiny flowers appear on the branch before the leaves do. But most spirea also bears small green leaves, narrow ovals with delicately toothed edges. Seen here is S. cantoniensis, also known as Reeves’ spirea, one of the classic “bridal wreath” types, with long, arching stems. It was photographed last February in a greenhouse in Japan (see photos on the next page), at the perfect cutting point for this species and season, with some flowers open, others still in the bud stage. With proper care, the buds will open all down the stem.

flowers and no leaves at the time of harvest.

It sounds a bit like Grefsheim, the earlyblooming variety from Oregon Roses, but with prunifolia, “you must cut it when the flowers are fully open,” says Shlomo. “This is true of other cut flowers with both single and double varieties—for example, lilac or lisianthus: with the doubles, usually the flowers need to be cut more open.”

“The cut point is important,” Andy agrees.

“With Grefsheim, you want just a few blossoms open, 90 percent of them closed. Most other spireas should be half open; you can’t cut too tight.”

At Oregon Roses, grower Andy Siller normally starts the spirea season in late March with S. x cinerea ‘Grefsheim’, a relatively new variety that he describes as “more like baby’s breath, dainty, with no foliage. We tend to harvest and ship this one in more of a bud state. It may not look like much when it’s received by the wholesaler—we’ve had a few calls about that over the years!—but give it a couple of days and it explodes.”

Last year’s harvest of Grefsheim spirea started in mid March, almost two weeks earlier than usual—a trend that applies to many cut flowers and may be expected to continue with the warming of the planet. “We sold out pretty quickly,” says Andy of this popular flower.

THE LONGEST STEMS Next at Oregon Roses, in mid April, comes “Van Houtte’s spirea,” S. vanhouttei. Similar to S. cantoniensis (from

Japan), it offers the longest stems of any spirea, usually around three feet. The stems are also more flexible than other varieties, says Andy, making for a graceful arch.

Rounding out the Oregon season is S. cinerea ‘Snowmound’, with shorter, more rigid stems. “It traditionally starts after Mother’s Day,” says Andy, “but last year the harvest for Snowmound likewise began early, around May 4. It can last through mid June or even the end of June.”

CUTTING DOUBLES In Wisconsin, the season naturally comes a little later. Grower Shlomo Danieli of Blooming of Beloit also grows Van Houtte’s and Snowmound spirea; for him these two varieties offer peak availability in May and June.

Earlier, in April—usually by the middle of the month—Blooming of Beloit harvests S. prunifolia, which has double-petaled

LONG LIFE One thing all the different types of spirea have in common is good vase life— providing, of course, correct procedures are followed all along the chain. “It will last probably ten days in water,” says Shlomo, who recommends cutting half an inch from the woody stem every other day.

“It’s fairly hardy,” Andy confirms. “It doesn’t like to be dry too long, but it can handle normal shipping methods. When it gets to the open stage you’ll have occasional petal drop, but not a lot.” In conclusion, “Spirea is a good value, with plenty of show for the dollar,” he says—and the charm of a seasonal flower to boot, ringing changes all through the many months of spring. b For more information on spirea suppliers: www.facebook.com/naniwaflowerauction. osaka.japan www.da-sh.com www.oregonroses.com MADE IN JAPAN The first spirea of the season comes from southern Japan, where grower Yoshihiko Yamasaki cuts spirea from mid February through April. With five greenhouses, he staggers the harvest over the ten-week period by flushing each greenhouse successively with heat to stimulate blooming. Each house yields about 10,000 stems—two weeks’ worth of blooming branches. The hardy, perennial shrubs take three years before they begin to bloom. After that, each shrub might produce as many as ten harvestable branches every year.

FEBRUARY 2016 63

where to buy

continued on page 64

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.

A GRACEFUL GARLAND, pages 50-51

Oasis Garland, Smithers-Oasis.

LIVING CROSS, page 52

Mâché-backed cross, Smithers-Oasis.

THREE SQUARES, page 53

Weathered Oak Planter, Syndicate Sales.

Set of two square moss-covered wreaths, Knud Nielsen.

GRAY LIGHT, page 54

ON THE COVER

Light green ceramic basket-weave container, Modern Collections.

SMALL WORLD,

FOCUS ON DESIGN,

Footed, egg-shaped clear glass vase, D&D. Painted wood boxes with glass inset vases, Modern Collections.

pages 8-9

Moonaqua and Moonlite carnations and Moonpearl mini carnations, Florigene.

Foam eggs (these come glued into a mâché egg carton with grass and downy feathers), Jamali.

LEAF ART, pages 10-11

9-inch glass vase, Syndicate Sales.

INSPIRED BY…,

BOX SPRING, pages 38-39

page 31

page 31

FITTING TRIBUTES,

Chic Vase, Accent Décor.

INNER LIFE,

page 32

Wood box with slatted front and back, Modern Collections.

Paper bumblebees, AA Global Import Group.

EGG HUNT,

page 44

Bamboo tray, Teleflora.

AA Global Import Group.

Call 440-255-4600 or visit www.aaimporting.net.

Design Ring, Smithers-Oasis.

BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL, page 45

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

Grecian Garden Urn, Teleflora.

SPRING FROST,

RISING UP,

D&D International.

Call 844-471-3526 or visit www.dndvases.com.

page 56

Stackables, Syndicate Sales.

Fitz Design.

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

page 33

Long white glass oval, D&D.

SALUTE TO SPRING,

page 55

Featured Suppliers

pages 42-57

BLOOMS ABUZZ,

page 33

Milan Vase, Accent Décor.

Frosted (silvered) oregonia, Wm. F. Puckett.

ENDURING MEMORIES,

ONE OF EACH,

Painted wood box with inset glass cubes, Modern Collections.

pages 13-14

pg 28-29

Casket saddle, Syndicate Sales.

pages 26-41

Florigene Flowers.

Visit www.florigene.com.

LEAF ON LEAF,

Jamali Garden and Floral Supply.

Call 212-979-0108 or visit www.jamaligarden.com.

pages 26-27

Flared clear glass vases, D&D.

CABBAGE PATCH,

Knud Nielsen.

Call 800-633-1682 or visit www.knudnielsen.com.

pages 28-29

Footed wood planter, Modern Collections.

SHINING WHITE,

Modern Collections.

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

page 30

Light green ceramic basket-weave container, Modern Collections.

TIMES THREE, page 34

pg 34

Smithers-Oasis.

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

Painted wood boxes with inset glass cubes, Modern Collections.

Syndicate Sales.

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

EASTER ON PARADE, page 35

Angel-vine bunny, AA Global Import Group. ORCHID CASCADE, pg page 48 Floral Foam Football with stand and Casket saddle, Syndicate Sales.

Lomey Designer Dish, Smithers-Oasis.

WOVEN LACE,

THE UNBROKEN CIRCLE,

White ceramic basket-weave container, Modern Collections.

Mâché-backed wreath form, Smithers-Oasis.

page 37

pg 31

64 www.flowersandmagazine.com

page 49

48

Teleflora.

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

Wm. F. Puckett.

Call 800-426-3376 or visit www.puckettfern.com.

what’s in store

A SONG OF SPRING Captured in low relief against a handglazed background of fresh light green, a songbird heralds the season on Teleflora’s Hello Spring ceramic vase—perfect for Easter and for year-round everyday bouquets. Call 800-333-0205 or visit themarket.myteleflora.com.

HUES NEWS New artificial-flower collections from Pioneer feature spring’s hottest homedécor and bridal colors. They include Serene Dreams (pictured), Artisan Vision and Bohemian Bazaar. To view the entire spring catalog, call 888-234-5400 or visit www.pioneerwholesaleco.com.

PRINTS CHARMING Print satin ribbons with personalized messages using the Epson LabelWorks™ Printable Ribbon Kit. The kit includes the printer itself, two ribbon cartridges, a user guide and a carrying case. Visit www.epson.com/labelworks and click on “View Labelworks Kits.”

NO LIMITS Design possibilities are endless with recyclable, waterproof, nine-inch Silhouette vases from FlowerBox, available in a variety of colors and finishes (shown: Aged Canvas). Check the FlowerBox catalog and website for other vase styles and design ideas. Call 866-396-1185 or visit www.flowerbox.com.

FEBRUARY 2016 65

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

National and International MARCH 9-11, LOS ANGELES, CA World Floral Expo, Los Angeles Convention Center, West Hall A. Visit www.worldfloralexpo.com.

March 14-15, Arlington, VA

emporium March 11-13, Pierre, SD South Dakota Florists Association Convention, Ramkota Hotel & Suites. Visit www.sdflorists.org.

April 1-3, Green Bay, WI Wisconsin & Upper Michigan Florists’ Association Convention, Radisson Hotel & Conference Center.

Call 517-253-7730 or visit www.wumfa.org.

March 4-6, SPRINGFIELD, MA Northeast Floral Expo (“Floresscence: Brighter Days through Educated Ways”), featuring Phil Rulloda. Visit www.northeastfloralexpo.com.

Reps Wanted

Fitz Design has created a new division and we are looking for successful, experienced sales reps.

Fitz Plus is a line for retail florists, gift shops and other retail companies.

Many territories available Please contact Danfisher@creationsbyfitzdesign.com

Opportunity Available

Flower Shop Manager Dallas TX

FloraMart market dates for spring/summer 2017 merchandise (closed on Father’s Day, June 19), FloraMart. Visit www.floramart.com.

For more information visit https://Confidentialco.applicantpro.com/ jobs/318865-29583.html

JUNE 20-22, Chicago, IL

AIFD National Symposium: “Inspiration,” Anaheim Marriott. Call the American Institute of Floral Designers at 410-752-3318 or visit www.aifd.org.

E-mail: search@florasearch.com Website: http://www.florasearch.com

800-500-2120

June 6-July 1, Atlanta, GA

July 3-7, Orange County, CA

Florasearch, Inc.

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

1740 Lake Markham Rd., Sanford, FL 32771 Phone: (407) 320-8177 / Fax: (407) 320-8083

NORTHEAST Region

SAF Congressional Action Days, Ritz Carlton Pentagon City. Call the Society of American Florists at 800-336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

International Floriculture Expo, McCormick Place.

Visit www.floriexpo.com.

EMPLOYMENT

Floral Design Tutorials on our YOU TUBE channel Flowers& Magazine

July 11-22, Atlanta, GA

e q u i pment Refrigerators For Flowers

Combo walkins, storage, reach-ins 800-729-5964 www.flotaire.com

FloraMart market dates for spring/summer 2017 merchandise, FloraMart. Visit www.floramart.com.

September 21-24, Maui, HI SAF Annual Convention, Ritz-Carlton Kapalua. Call the Society of American Florists at 800-336-4743 or visit www.safnow.org.

The #1 Selling

Flower Stem Cleaning Machine

OCTOBER 5-8, QUITO, ECUADOR Agriflor 2016, Centro de Exposiciones. Visit www.agriflor.com.

OCTOBER 19-21, MIAMI, FL Wholesale Florist & Florist Supplier Association Floral Distribution Conference, Doubletree Hotel Miami Airport Conference Center. Call WF&FSA at 888-289-3372 or visit www.wffsa.org.

Central Region March 3-6, Grand Rapids, MI Great Lakes Floral Expo, Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place Convention Center. Call 517-575-0110 or visit www.greatlakesfloralexpo.com.

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Go to the digital library link at www.flowersandmagazine.com

Established 1962

WHIZ STRIP 661-702-1977 www.whizstrip.com

advertiser links s c h ool s

Advertisers’ websites are hyperlinked on the Flowers& website. Go to www.flowersandmagazine.com and click on “Advertisers in This Issue.”

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

7

Dollar Tree Direct INSIDE BACK COVER 877-530-TREE (8733) www.dollartree.com/floral/559/index.cat Fitz Design, Inc. 800-500-2120 www.creationsbyfitzdesign.com

Portland, Oregon

weddings John Toomey Co

(800) 421-0052

Wedding Aisle Runners Rentals & Sales

UPS Shipments

White Cotton Runners

Advertise in

emporium

BACK COVER

Hortica Insurance and Employee Benefits 800-851-7740 www.hortica-insurance.com

15

International Floriculture Expo (IFE) 207-842-5508 www.floriexpo.com

19

Kay Berry 800-426-1932 www.kayberry.com

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Modern Collections 818-718-1400 www.themoderncollections.com

12

Pete Garcia Company 800-241-3733 www.floramart.com

BACK COVER

Pioneer Imports & Wholesale 888-234-5400 www.pioneerwholesaleco.com

5

Royal Flowers 800-977-4483 www.royalflowersecuador.com

1

Seminole 6 800-638-3378 www.seminoleds.com

For rates and info, call

Smithers-Oasis 3 800-321-8286 www.oasisfloral.com

at 800-421-4921

Syndicate Sales INSIDE FRONt COVER 800-428-0515 www.syndicatesales.com

Peter Lymbertos

Teleflora 800-333-0205 www.myteleflora.com

21, 22

Vase Valet 316-747-2579 www.vasevalet.com

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World Floral Expo (HPP Exhibitions) 011-31-20-662-2482 www.worldfloralexpo.com

17

FEBRUARY 2016 67

wholesaler connection Flowers& magazine distributors

Attention

Arizona Phoenix The Roy Houff Company

Kansas wichita Valley Floral Company

OREGON PORTLAND Floral Design Institute

California Fresno Designer Flower Center Inglewood American Magazines & Books Oakland Piazza International Floral Sacramento Flora Fresh San Diego San Diego Florist Supplies Santa Rosa Sequoia Floral International

Kentucky Louisville The Roy Houff Company

PENNSYLVANIA Pittsburgh Keystone Ribbon & Floral Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company

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

Louisiana Lafayette Louisiana Wholesale Florists Massachusetts Boston Jacobson Floral Supply Michigan Warren Nordlie, Inc.

SOUTH DAKOTA SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.

Floral Wholesalers

Reward without the Risk we promise!

Tennessee Nashville The Roy Houff Company

Minnesota Minneapolis Koehler and Dramm

Virginia Norfolk The Roy Houff Company Richmond The Roy Houff Company

Georgia omega Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist

missouri st louis LaSalle Wholesale Florist

Washington Tacoma Washington Floral Service

hawaii honolulu Flora-Dec Sales

New York Campbell Hall Alders Wholesale Florist

canada burnaby, bc Kirby/Signature Floral Supply

Illinois Chicago The Roy Houff Company Normal The Roy Houff Company Wheeling The Roy Houff Company

Ohio dayton Nordlie, Inc. North Canton Canton Wholesale Floral

malaysia selangor Worldwide Floral Services

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

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Call 800-321-2665

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