Flowers& MAY 2013 $5.50
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The Best of Fresh
The newest, hottest fresh cuts—on their own or all dressed up Pgs 14, 26
features MAY 2013
31 14
The Flower Trends Roundup Spice up your cut-flower mix with the latest and greatest. By Bruce Wright
26
Dressed for Success Extraordinary flowers, enhanced with complementary containers. Floral design by Bob Hampton AIFD, AAF, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian
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Shop Talk: The Delivery Detail Make delivery as painless—and profitable—as possible. By Marianne Cotter
4 MAY 2013
On the Cover A hand-thrown, egg-yolkyellow bowl sets the tone for a lavish collection of premium flowers in warm, bright hues: ‘Black Out’ lilies, ‘Babe’ spray roses, ‘Monarch’ parrot tulips, and ‘Santa Cruz Sunset’ callas. Floral design by Bob Hampton AIFD, AAF, PFCI.
contents 10
Focus on Design A Centerpiece Made of Mini Bouquets By Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI
12
Creative Edge Product Series: Plants By Hitomi Gilliam AIFD
46
Bloomtube A Natural Look for Table Décor By Joan Stam
51
Fresh Focus
13
Alstroemeria By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright
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53
Shop Profile Queen Anne’s Lace, Brownsburg, Indiana By Marianne Cotter Photography by Wilbur Tague Photography
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Net Effects Facebook and Google+ By Sarah Botchick
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Industry Events
63
Advertiser Links
64
What’s in Store
66
Where to Buy
68
Wholesaler Connection
11 Flowers& Volume 34, Number 5 (ISSN 0199-4751). Published monthly by Teleflora, 11444 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064, 800-321-2665, fax 310-966-3610. Subscription rates: U.S., 1 year, $66.00. Canada, 1 year, $90.00 (US currency only); Canadian GST registration number R127851293. Other foreign countries, 1 year, $102.00 (US currency only). Single issues, $5.50 each prepaid. Periodicals postage paid at Los Angeles, Calif., and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Flowers&, PO Box 16029, North Hollywood, CA 91615-9871. Copyright
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focus on design Floral design by Rich Salvaggio AIFD, AAF, PFCI
Photography by Ron Derhacopian
For product information, see Where to Buy, page 66.
Mini bouquets combine in a clever centerpiece—then double as party favors. A sheltering structure of midollino adds depth to the design and harmonizes with the fresh green of the glass cube. At the end of the reception or other special event, guests can be instructed to remove the midollino and take one of the individual bouquets from the cube as a parting gift. Gel beads in the vase help to control the placement of the mini bundles and leave an attractive, colorful impression when the individual bouquets have been taken away.
1
1. Fill a large cube vase with purple gel beads. To insure the flowers will be properly hydrated, add water with flower food to a level just below the gel beads. 2. Make individual hand-tied bouquets, binding them with cable ties. Add beaded wire for decorative value, pulling some of the beaded wire over the top of the bouquet. 3. To complete the design, place the bundles in the cube and add a sheltering structure of midollino: simply curve the midollino sticks and insert the ends around the edges of the flowers. The flower stems hold them in place. b
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MAY 2013 11
creative edge Floral design by Hitomi Gilliam AIFD
Photography by Philippe Martin-Morice
For product information, see Where to Buy, page 66.
Flower shops are the place where plant lovers should be able to find a selection of unusual plants along with edgy, trend-forward ideas for using them. Plant walls, plant towers, and high-design plant hangers should be in stock at all cool flower shops. The designs shown here all rely on a simple laundry-bag frame (“Antonius”) that comes ready to assemble from Ikea. The frames can be used as singles (as shown) or stacked and connected with zip ties in whichever direction you want to build.
A plant and flowers combo Here the frame is positioned horizontally, with two bands of one-inch flat wire encircling it, attached with UGlu Dashes. Plastic lacing is used to support materials that fill the middle space, including black fiber sticks (lightweight, but with a solid visual presence). The fiber sticks are further secured with UGlu. Water tubes are fastened to the sticks with additional lacing. Any soil-less plants, such as echeverias and tillandsias, can be placed in the water-filled tubes, as can hydroponic plants or of course, cut flowers, as a somewhat more shortlived embellishment. Plants such as curly willow, forsythia, and ivy will grow roots in the water—a fun feature to observe and enjoy.
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Bromeliads Inside the fully assembled frame, an attractive lichen branch armature is created, using Bind Wire to attach the lichen branches to each other and UGlu Dashes and zip ties to attach the branches to the frame. Bromeliad plants are taken out of their pots; the pot-shaped soil is then rounded by balling it in the hands, wrapped tightly with moss and lichen, and decoratively wrapped with silver bullion to keep its shape clean and tight. These balled bromeliads are positioned into the armature and fastened into the structure with a few additional lichen sticks. The plants can be lightly watered with a squeeze bottle.
Orchids, tillandsias and succulents On the assembled frame, a network of stretched plastic lacing is strung, tightly wrapping the frame and crisscrossing within. The clear lacing stays in place on the frame with the aid of UGlu Dashes in critical places. From this tight transparent armature green moss branches are suspended and attached with additional lacing. Two ball-shaped hanging glass candleholders, with openings on the top (one large and one small), are also laced into the armature; they become “planters� into which barerooted phalaenopsis orchids, echeverias and tillandsias are planted. The glass balls are watered as needed to provide the moist, humid environment that these plants need to flourish. b
MAY 2013 13
THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP Spice up your cut-flower mix with the latest and greatest on the market. By Bruce Wright
“Carnations” reborn If you’re one of those who scorn carnations, take another look. First, picture a mini carnation with small, exquisite flowers fairly exploding with frilly petals, and you have ‘Star’, available in light and bright pink, from Dutch breeder Hilverda. Then, you’re probably already familiar with Hilverda’s ‘Green Trick’—the fluffy bright green ball on a stem that adds trendy color and texture to designs. ‘Green Trick’ is, of course, in the genus Dianthus and therefore a close cousin to carnations, though it looks more like a soft ball of moss than a flower. Now Hilverda has introduced ‘Breanthus’, which looks like ‘Green Trick’ covered with flowers that are similar to sweet William (another carnation relative). Like carnations, ‘Breanthus’ is extremely long lasting, with flowers that open successively. Both ‘Star’ and ‘Breanthus’ were shown at World Floral Expo by Colombian carnation grower Luisiana Farms (www.luisianafarms.com). 14 www.flowersandmagazine.com
A world-class expo In March, for U.S. buyers interested in cut-flower trends, the World Floral Expo in New York City was the place to be. Growers, breeders, and traders from five continents displayed the latest varieties and the very best quality in the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Of special interest to retail florists and designers, the program included daily demonstrations and workshops by Jacqueline Boerma of the internationally renowned Boerma Instituut, based in Aalsmeer, Holland. But the main action was on the show floor. Roses in high-fashion colors, including many blended hues and bicolors, were naturally among the products being featured and promoted. They included, as seen here from left to right, ‘Sparkle’, from Dutch breeder Terra Nigra, grown by Agrinag in Ecuador—a variety that recalls ‘Red Intuition’, but with pink stripes instead of dark red; ‘Pink Floyd’, presented by Ecuadorian grower Josarflor; and pink and yellow striped ‘Farras’ from New Zealand breeder FranKo. More information on the expo can be found at www.worldfloralexpo.com.
Breathtaking quality For many visitors, the highlight of the World Floral Expo was the exhibit by Naniwa Flower Auction—the secondlargest cut-flower auction in Asia, based in Osaka, Japan. Since 2008, Naniwa has been exporting distinctive Japanese-grown flowers including, among others, gloriosas, sweet peas, scabiosa, and ranunuculus, all of extraordinary quality, with extra-long stems. Naniwa also showed lovely tweedia (oxypetalum) in light blue, and a double tweedia in white (both seen at near upper left). The premium Japanese-grown flowers are shipped primarily to wholesalers in New York City, Boston, Washington, D.C., and Montreal; they are also available through Delaware Valley Floral Group (www.dvfloralgroup.com). English speakers may want to visit Naniwa Flower Auction’s English-language Facebook page. MAY 2013 15
THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP Clematis climbs higher It’s still a “specialty” flower—but cut clematis has come a long way fast since just last year, when new varieties were introduced to the market by Roseville Farms (www.rosevillefarms.com). From zero to a quarter million stems in the first year is the kind of growth most growers could only dream of. It was made possible, in this case, by Roseville’s existing expertise and ongoing production of clematis starter plants for perennial growers and gardeners. Equally important, however, was the preparation that made the market introduction of cut clematis so successful. “We knew how to grow it, but we weren’t sure about the packaging and distribution until we got in touch with Joost Bongaerts” of Florabundance (www.florabundance.com), a premium wholesale supplier, says Roseville’s Dan Webber.Of course, the long vase life, color variety, and sturdy, cascading stems also play a part. While most buyers still purchase cut clematis simply by color, Roseville is now using variety names as well. The popularity of clematis in the wedding market, where precise color matching is important, makes the names useful, given the subtle differences from one variety to the next. Of two white varieties, for example, “ ‘Snow Queen’ is a beautiful white with a dark center that changes to almost pale lilac when it’s grown as a cut flower, because of the different growing protocols that are used,” says Dan. “ ‘Candida’, on the other hand, remains a true white.” Most varieties lighten a little as the flowers mature, while the stamens at the center open and may show a darker, contrasting underside. Next up: Guatemala
“It’s definitely a developing situation, but Guatemala has the potential to be the next Colombia,” says Rob van der Borg of importer Jet Fresh Flower Distributors, Inc. (www.jetfreshflowers.com). Jet Fresh started bringing in flowers from Guatemala about three years ago, including gerberas, tall snapdragons, and lilies. Elevations are not quite as high as in Colombia and Ecuador—a critical factor for roses in particular. But Guatemala also offers low-lying coastal areas where tropical flowers, including bird of paradise, are being produced.
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THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP It’s all about the packaging Certain gerbera varieties are wildly popular with customers, especially for weddings— among them, ‘Kilimanjaro’, white with black centers, and soft pink ‘Plot’. But it’s not just the colors that make the difference, especially with gerberas: equally important is the way they are shipped, says Karen Tilstra, of Canadian grower RosaFlora Ltd. (www.rosaflora.com), which delivers gerberas in water, packaged in protective cards and sleeves, with careful attention to the cold chain, within a large market area in the eastern and central United States as well as Canada.
The green stuff
Looking for intriguing foliage? A fascinating, viney type of lycopodium was in stock on the New York flower market on 28th Street in March, at premium wholesale florist Dutch Flower Line. Also on offer from DFL was pleated Asplenium nidus ‘Crispy Wave’, imported from Japan and seen at near left together with, in the top photo, a similar product from Peru. Very recently developed and patented, ‘Crispy Wave’ takes years to grow before it can be harvested as a cut foliage. It is supplied year-round (peak season, May through November) by Naniwa Flower Auction and was on display at the World Floral Expo topped with smilax and gloriosa. Visit Dutch Flower Line at www.dutchflowerline.com.
Radical ranunculus New varieties of ranunculus continue to transform this once-humble flower. While Italian growers (and Italian breeder Biancheri) have dominated the high-end ranunculus market in the past, the Japanese are horning in. At near top left, Italian-grown ranunculus were shown at World Floral Expo by grower Diemme Fiori (www.diemmeexport.com); continuing clockwise, ruffly pink ‘Chiho no Kanade’, green ‘Pomerol’ and white ‘Super Rhone’ were on display from Naniwa Flower Auction. 18 www.flowersandmagazine.com
THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP Spray roses
Spray roses are another of the floral industry’s current “hot spots.” The latest hybrids, like ‘Pink Flash’ (at near top left), can have dozens of flowers on a single stem. ‘Pink Flash’ along with other varieties, including pink and white ‘Pryanka’ and pink and yellow ‘Sonora’, were shown at World Floral Expo by the Kenyan grower, Subati Roses (www.subatiflowers.com). Growers from Kenya are well established as suppliers to the European market; so far, lacking a direct flight to the U.S., Subati is one of the few to sell cut flowers to North America, probably because spray roses tolerate long-distance shipping so well. Now spray-rose breeders like Interplant (www.interplant.nl) are working on hybrids that will have the look and habit of garden roses. A few varieties are already available, like the one at far right, with pink outer petals and a lavender interior, from Ecuadorian grower Rosaprima (www.rosaprima.com).
Bouquets to go In Europe, where everyday flower purchasing has long outstripped the buying habits of North Americans, the cornerstone of the market is the hand-tied bouquet. How do we get Americans to buy a weekly bouquet? One key is packaging. Colorful wraps make a difference, as in these bouquets shown at World Floral Expo by the Bella Flor Group (www.bellaflor-group.com). Even more important is to keep the flowers hydrated on their way home. The Arrive Alive system, in which the stems are wrapped in foam inside a plastic bag, provides a practical solution—and now the makers of Arrive Alive have integrated that technology into an automated bouquet wrapper designed to make take-home bouquets both longer lasting and more affordable. Maybe we’ll catch up with Europe yet… for more information about the Arrive Alive Bouquet Wrapper, visit www.aabw.us/info. Floral cotton Many floral designers today are using yarn and felt. Floral cotton is another way to bring that soft, fuzzy, intriguing texture to design. What makes it “floral” cotton? The bolls, still on the stem, have been removed from the stalk, hand cleaned and fluffed. The sturdy, star-shaped burrs (which hold the cotton on the stem) are also available separately. Check it out: www.floralcotton.com. 20 www.flowersandmagazine.com
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THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP More is more Double lilies, also marketed as Dublet lilies and Roselilies, have been on the market for a couple of years now— and they keep getting better, says Juan Carlos Aguilar at Dramm & Echter (www.drammechter.com). The spectacular appearance is supported by improved performance in the vase; ‘Belonica’ (seen here courtesy of Dramm & Echter) is one of the established and most popular varieties.
Sarracenia (pitcher plant)
Orlaya grandiflora
What would happen if you could cross hydrangea with Queen Anne’s lace? You might get something like orlaya, a beautiful new filler flower available from California growers including Ocean View (www.oceanviewflowers.com) and Dramm & Echter (www.drammechter.com).
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With its intriguing form and exquisite veining, sarracenia offers a distinctive appeal. In the past, unfortunately, when pitcher plants were available on the market, often they had been harvested illegally and with damage to the wetlands where they grow. Now one supplier, Aquascapes Unlimited, has developed specialized hybrids specifically for the floral trade, bred to last in the distribution chain, capable of being sustainably cultivated, and available from spring through fall. Supply is limited, as the plants take years to be of harvestable size. To learn more, visit www.aquascapesunlimited.com.
THE FLOWER TRENDS ROUNDUP
Tillandsia Move over, echeveria. Tillandsias (a kind of bromeliad) are on the rise, especially for wedding work. Like succulents, they are flower-like in form and long lasting out of water. “It’s the sixties all over again,” observes Jill Dahlson of Mayesh Wholesale (www.mayesh.com), recalling a time when tillandsias—also called air plants—were popular as houseplants. Tillandsias are typically offered as an assortment, but the most popular kind is probably Tillandsia xerographica (top photo), which can grow quite large.
Waxflower
If for any reason you haven’t purchased waxflower lately, you could be in for a pleasant surprise. The past few years have already seen varieties with more densely clustered, shatter-resistant flowers than previously available—and the hybridization work continues apace. Researchers in western Australia (wax’s native habitat) have been working to extend the blooming season, the size of the blooms, the vase life, and the intensity of color. From Helix, a division of Australian flower exporter Wafex, comes a new generation of waxflower that is now being harvested. As of June or July this year, these varieties will be coming into the U.S. from Australia, South Africa, and South America—and will likely be planted in California within the next couple of years. Look for white ‘Moonlight Delight’, frilly pink ‘Strawberry Surprise’, and peachy pink ‘Sarah’s Delight’, among others. For more information, visit www.helixaustralia.com.au.
Staples of success Where would we be without carnations and cremons (disbudded chrysanthemums)? We can be thankful that, just as with premium flowers, breeders are continually improving the industry staples. ‘Mizuky’ is a new light pink carnation— so new that availability is still limited. “It’s that baby pink people always want but that’s hard to find in a carnation that performs really well,” says Jody Whitekus of Golden Flowers (www.goldenflowers.com). “This is it!” New large-flowered cremons are also available from Golden Flowers, in colors that will be well received by customers and highly useful to florists. They include plum-purple ‘Tornado’ and a green-tipped white cremon called ‘Zembla Lime’. 24 www.flowersandmagazine.com
Dressed forSucc ucceess
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Extraordinary flowers, enhanced with complementary containers. Floral design by Bob Hampton AIFD, AAF, PFCI Photography by Ron Derhacopian
▼
For product information, see Where to Buy, page 66.
EMERALD CITY A pair of gift-quality vases can turn the simplest of stylings into one fashionable, longlasting design in trendy emerald green, with blue accents. This one features a variety of textures within the analogous color scheme: lycopodium is coupled with Curly Laua’e fern foliage, and light green tulip anthuriums with faux fasciated willow. AM I BLUE?
It’s not always easy to find flowers in the blue part of the spectrum. Delphinium and liatris are old favorites, clematis—including the varieties seen here, ‘President’ and ‘Blue Light’—a welcome newcomer to the cut-flower marketplace. A glossy, wavy ceramic vase in iridescent blue underscores the color scheme.
MAY 2013 27
Dressed forSuccess
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SHADES OF PALE
In pale lime, the Artsi vase, with its crimped ruffles, provides just enough color to enrich the yellow-green tint of ‘Libretto’ parrot tulips, blushed with pink, and ‘Tango Dot-Com’ lilies, about to open. The pristine white of alstroemeria, stock, and ‘High and Pure’ roses stands out in relief.
COUNTRY COLORS
Trendy Mason jars, now available in tinted glass, underscore the rich hues of anemones, delphinium, and ‘Rai’ parrot tulips. Plumed and variegated grasses complement the “country” feel of the Mason jars, which Bob filled with coils of stripped vine to make a simple grid before adding flowers.
MAY MAY 2013 2012 29
Dressed forSuccess
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LONG LEGS A quartet of textured green vases is designed with a pattern of petal shapes that could also recall the oval heads of French tulips. It serves as a fitting showcase for creamy ‘Maureen’ and yellow (streaked with red) ‘La Courtine’. Coils of variegated ivy serve as a mechanic to hold the long-stemmed tulips in place. JUNGLE CLASSIC A classic handled urn may seem like a surprising choice for a mixed arrangement of tropical flowers—but the combination works beautifully, with variegated hala leaves extending the lines of the container, and the geometric forms of large red upright heliconia, ginger, calathea, and Costus barbatus in counterpoint to the S-shaped handles and fleurde-lis medallion.
MAY 2013 31
DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES Popular for weddings, ‘Mother of Pearl’ roses can hold their own mixed with brighter and darker colors, like the wine and amber of ‘African Lady’ lilies and the deep aubergine of ‘Burgundy Black’ and ‘Eggplant Frost’ callas. The flaring shape of the bouquet is beautifully supported by an elegant, footed glass vase.
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Dressed forSuccess
GARDEN HARVEST Two kinds of purple ornamental kale—one leafy, one frilly—blend and contrast, surrounded by a darker collar of limonium and agonis foliage. Underneath, a simple, convex green ceramic vase provides the perfect counterpoint.
MAY 2013 33
Dressed forSuccess
HEAVENLY PERFUME Could anything be more luxurious—and fragrant—than a profusion of double lilies and garden roses, with the elegant stems of white callas adding their line interest to the medley of round forms? At the heart of this abundant display is a 12-inch wreath form, placed on top of the footed bowl and covered with smilax garland, then filled with floral insertions.
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FLOWERING MESA
The broad surface offered by floral foam at the top of a wide, textured metal pot is first covered with moss, then strewn with succulent rosettes, obake anthuriums, loops of lily grass, and artificial vine, from which mossy spheres dangle below the rim. The entire composition serves to dramatize the rich color and gleaming, veined texture of the obakes.
MAY 2013 35
Dressed forSuccess
TAKE THE LID OFF Clear glass can be a way to highlight a dramatic color like the deep wine red of ‘Ruutel’ clematis and greencentered ‘Ivanhoe’ roses. Here Bob has used the glass lids from Syndicate Sales that can be overturned and used as flower bowls; he curled lily grass inside the lids, sufficient to hide the chunks of floral foam that hold the flowers. Succulent rosettes are also showcased inside a vase, underneath one of the overturned lids.
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BUDS TO BLOOMS The fresh color of green, immature hydrangea has become a valuable addition to the floral designer’s palette. Here it is contrasted with mature blooms, just as we see green buds transitioning to open ‘Cream White’ lilies. The classic green and white color combination is well supported with strands of variegated ivy and a textured white ceramic bowl.
MAY 2013 37
A VEILED STATEMENT
To showcase the lovely downward spill of clematis vines, with their bright, hardy flowers and wing-like foliage, Bob placed a netted foam sphere in a Lomey dish, which he secured with UGlu to the top of an exceptionally tall, slender vase. He covered the sphere with blue hydrangea before adding the clematis, in three harmonizing varieties, along with ‘Lavender Lady’ tulip anthuriums.
WARM AND BRIGHT Textured pods make an apt companion and mechanic for holding orange heliconia upright in the vase; the rust red of speckled mini mokara orchids blends beautifully with the throats and lips of oncidium sprays. Both pairings are well matched with the crackle finish of shapely, light brown ceramic containers.
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Dressed forSuccess
MAY MAY2013 2012 39 43
RUSTIC CHARM
Using two zinc vases inside a low zinc bowl makes an easy and effective way to achieve varied height and depth in the presentation of green callas, ‘Sweet Berry’ roses, and pink ginger.
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Dressed forSuccess
CURVES AND RUFFLES
The curvy expanse of obake anthuriums both harmonizes and contrasts with ruffled white ornamental kale; two other kinds of anthuriums, one pure white and one tinged with pink, bridge the gap. All sit nicely atop the handwoven texture and light, neutral color of a seagrass basket.
MAY 2013 41
Dressed forSuccess
CUSTOM BLEND
Subtle tints are dramatized in the range of analogous hues from orange ‘Cinnamon’ to ‘Cumbia’ roses, which have a pinker tint in the center petals, to ‘Mambo’ spray roses, with their vivid pink tips—all underscored by a bright persimmon-colored bowl. Bob began this design by sitting two bricks of foam upright in the bowl. He wrapped the foam with anchor tape and variegated ivy, then inserted the dark purple agonis foliage, the roses and the spray roses, finishing with bundled sprays of bear grass, some trimmed short.
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IN THE ROUND
The round forms and brilliant colors of Gerrondo gerberas and ‘Green Trick’ dianthus combine in a bright mound mirrored with an organic wood container; Bob has used dangling sprays of artificial moss balls to marry the flowers to the vase.
MAY 2013 43
LILIES OF THE FIELD
Green, variegated and plumed grasses, some bundled and laid horizontally into the bed of moss at the base, plus stripped smilax vine woven among the flower heads at the top of the design, make a simple yet sophisticated treatment for orange ‘Tresor’ and hybrid pink lilies, their contrasting colors set in relief above a seagrass basket.
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Dressed forSuccess
CRESCENT CASCADE
Cascading clematis vines and arching callas are well served by a pedestal vase in antique style, which elevates this lavish bouquet and complements the classic look of massed roses (‘Opus’, ‘Hot Shot’, and ‘Hot Lady’) in three shades of lavender-pink and rich magenta. b
MAY 2013 45
bloomtube Floral design by Joan Stam of Bloomtube, www.bloomtube.com
A birch-bark surround creates a natural look for table décor. A low glass cylinder makes an ideal container for a contemporary table decoration—easy to see across, or to look down into from above. A bark “fence” that fits just inside the cylinder adds a natural, hand-crafted touch that also serves to disguise stem mechanics.
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Created by Dutch master florist Joan Stam and web wizard Jan de Koning, Bloomtube is an online learning platform where florists can learn about European design trends and techniques. Subscribers receive five new instructional videos monthly, along with photos and text instructions in English, all for as little as $10 a month. For a free video version of this month’s Bloomtube how-to, use the QR code at left with your mobile device, or simply visit www.bloomtube.com.
1. Wrap heavy-gauge florist wire with floral tape. This will make it easier to attach the wires to each other and creates a higher level of protection from rust in the water.
2. Form two rings of equal size, each a little bit smaller than the inside of the bowl you are using. Connect these rings parallel to each other, using additional wire.
3. Tear strips from a sheet of birch bark, which usually comes in 12-by-12-inch sheets, into smaller pieces, adapted to the height of your cylinder.
4. Glue these pieces of bark onto the frame using a glue gun. Make sure that the pieces of bark overlap slightly, so that a closed cylinder shape is created.
5. Place the bark cylinder inside the glass cylinder bowl. Fill the bowl with water mixed with flower food that contains a clarifying agent. Begin to add flower stems.
6. Start with branching materials, like spray mums and hydrangea, that can provide support for other stems. Let the flowers rise slightly above the rim of the bark surround.
8. Wrapping vines, like passion vine, around the edge of the bark adds dimension and line interest.
7. Various types of tulips may be included, with the stems cut to staggered heights—which reinforces the natural look and also anticipates what will happen to the surface of the design as the tulips continue to grow.
9. Phalaenopsis blooms add a touch of luxury, along with an exciting contrast between indigenous and exotic flowers. In the completed design, one or two loose orchid flowers are tucked between the bowl and the bark, for an even sharper contrast that also serves to unify the composition. b MAY 2013 47
ShopTalk
THE DELIVERY DETAIL
Review these tips to help make delivery as painless—and profitable—as possible. By Marianne Cotter
48 www.flowersandmagazine.com
YOU PROBABLY KNOW that delivery service is a key factor in your shop’s success, but that doesn’t mean it’s your favorite thing to think about. Once the driver is out of sight, delivery could be out of mind—until a problem or complaint arises. Today, with the rise of internet purchasing and FedEx, many more types of businesses offer delivery service than in the past, changing customers’ expectations. Still, delivery can make all the difference in providing your shop with a competitive edge. It should certainly boost, and not undermine, your overall profit picture. Here are a few tips that may help to keep your floral deliveries cost-effective and hassle-free. BUYING A VEHICLE Many of the considerations for buying a delivery vehicle are the same as for buying any vehicle: price, fuel economy, cost of maintenance and insurance. What’s different is:
Efficient, cost-effective delivery begins with having the right equipment to meet your shop’s needs. Seen here is the Transporter 10, one of the most popular systems for holding arrangements securely upright in a delivery vehicle. Blocks of sturdy yet flexible foam are fitted with graduated openings to accommodate containers of various sizes. The lightweight foam, with handles embedded in the base, is moldresistant and easy to clean. The Transporter 10 system can be used with any type of vehicle. Here it’s pictured on the floor of the Mercedes Benz Sprinter—a fuel-efficient van with an exceptionally tall interior and with both rear and side sliding doors, which make it easy to load tall designs for special events. The dimensions of the near-vertical walls also make this van highly effective as a traveling billboard. For more information on the Transporter 10, visit www.arrivealiveproducts.com; for more on the Sprinter, visit www.mbsprinterusa.com.
number one, function; number two, image. As Cindy Tole, of Botanica Flowers and Gifts in Greensboro, North Carolina, says: “Your vehicles should look professional, have adequate space for signage, and have credible size and appearance for handling the delicate and precious cargo that we are delivering.” Ask yourself questions like these (the answers will be different for every shop, depending on the volume and nature of your business, your location, and other factors): • Do you need a full-size van or a mini van? For those who do lots of wedding and event work, a tall van might be a necessity. For others, a gas-saving mini van—or a combination of both types of vans—might be a better choice. At Phoenix Flower Shops in Phoenix, Arizona, Alex Jackson AIFD, PFCI has found that smaller vans meet the needs of the business better: “The reality is that a full-size van is just too large for most delivery trips, even in a major city like Phoenix. Most of the designs are smaller than
they were 10 or 15 years ago as well, so a smaller vehicle can do the same job.” • How easy is it to load and clean the van? Sliding doors on the sides are a big plus, as are walls and a floor that can be hosed down. • How well does the van convey the image you want to project for your shop? A custom wrap is a sizeable investment—it can run as high as $3,000—but florists who have made that investment report terrific returns, because orders come in all the time from customers who have simply seen the van on the road. Of course, some vans lend themselves more than others to serving as on-the-road billboards. In addition, remember to factor in the cost of the wrap and any other features you plan to add onto the vehicle when you buy insurance for it (typically at the time of purchase, before you have paid for those features), advises Maria Shepherd, retail sales specialist with Hortica Insurance and
Employee Benefits. You want your insurance to cover the total value of the vehicle, including custom features. HIRING A DRIVER • Before hiring any driver, check with your lawyer or your state department of labor to ensure that you are handling the hire legally, without exposing your business to liability. This is particularly important when hiring temporary or part-time drivers, or any driver who is not an employee of the store (see “Drivers and Insurance,” next page). • If the driver’s personal insurance policy is accepted in your state, verify that the policy is current and that the limits are adequate. In her blog, “In the Bloom with Maria,” Hortica’s Maria Shepherd states that “suggested limits of insurance for seasonal drivers should be at a minimum of $100,000 per person for bodily injury, $300,000 per accident, and $100,000 for property damage.” For more tips from Maria, MAY 2013 49
DELIVERY visit her blog at blog.hortica-insurance.com (search “In the Bloom”). • Request a copy of the individual’s driving report from the department of motor vehicles going back three years. • Enforce a no-smoking policy in the vehicle, just as you do in the shop. The smell of tobacco smoke lingers, and many people are highly sensitive to it. • Hire individuals whose appearance and demeanor will make a positive statement about your business. • Test your drivers to assure they can read a paper map. “Each prospective driver must show that they know how to find a specific address on an old-fashioned paper map,” says Alex Jackson. “Mapping systems do not always have the most up-to-date address information, and there are always orders that require a little brain activity.” LOADING THE VEHICLE • Load securely, using a configured system designed for floral deliveries. Cindy Tole has had great success with the Transporter 10: “My drivers love it for security, versatility and ease of loading. It has adequate security for a variety of arrangement styles and vase types. You can also pick up a tray with multiple arrangements and carry it.” • Remember “last out, first in” (especially during busy holidays): line up your deliveries in the order they will be coming out of the van, and start placing the last one on your route deepest in the cargo area. • Keep bungee cords on hand for added security with larger or challenging designs. • Always keep extra containers of water mixed with floral solution in case of accidental spills. • Keep jumper cables, maps and standard tools in a plastic storage bin in the vehicle.
50 www.flowersandmagazine.com
MAKING DELIVERIES • Be aware of your surroundings when parking to make a delivery. Cindy suggests laminating a “Be Right Back” sign, with the shop logo on it, to put in the window when a delivery is in progress. On the other side of her sign, as a gentle reminder, is a list of the driver’s responsibilities. • Consider sending drivers out on shorter runs. “I prefer to have my flowers in a 38-degree cooler rather than in a van,” says Alex. “Our vans are of course air-conditioned and double insulated—but even so, Phoenix gets a bit toasty. This is one reason why I restrict the time our drivers are gone to two hours.” Jackson also finds that shorter delivery runs are quicker and more efficient. “We accept same day delivery to most parts of the city until 2:00 p.m. I want to make sure that my drivers are able to hit all of the delivery zones after 2:00 p.m.; shorter and
quicker delivery runs make that possible. By 2:15, we can get all remaining deliveries loaded, regardless of how long that trip might take.” Shorter runs also allow Jackson to monitor drivers so that deliveries are completed without stops for personal errands. • Finally, keep the delivery vehicle well stocked with marketing materials—business cards, flyers, and special offers— and instruct your drivers to be on the lookout for opportunities to distribute them. Delivery automatically extends your reach into the community you serve. Make the most of it! b
DRIVERS AND INSURANCE: A CAUTIONARY TALE Many florists hire extra drivers who use their own cars to help with deliveries, on a seasonal basis or even throughout the year. No need to put drivers on the payroll or worry about insurance as long as they have their own, right? Wrong. And possibly very wrong, depending the laws in your state. A few years ago Jerome Raska of Blumz by JRDesigns in Detroit, Michigan, hired a driver to use his own car and paid him by the package. He didn’t put him on the payroll or cover him under his workers comp policy. One day the driver was out making deliveries when he got caught in a snowstorm. He called Jerome and said he was going to stop for the day and would deliver the remaining packages in the morning. At 6:00 p.m. the shop closed for the day, and at 7:30 p.m. the driver—now traveling around visiting friends— was involved in a serious car accident that landed him in the hospital with critical injuries. The driver’s insurance company found the flower packages in the car with Jerome’s shop name on them and successfully sued Jerome as the driver’s employer. “I was under the impression that if the driver is using his own vehicle he would be responsible for his own actions,” says Jerome. “But if someone gets hurt badly enough and if lawyers are looking for money, they’re going to explore as many avenues as they can.” Today all of Jerome’s deliveries are made by store employees who are covered by Jerome’s insurance. “Know your state’s laws before hiring a driver,” Jerome advises. “You can save yourself a world of hurt.” PHOTOS: UBLOOM.COM
PRICING • Set delivery fees to yield at least a small profit rather than risk losing money on delivery. “Determine the real cost to make a delivery,” says Alex, “then charge enough to cover those costs plus a profit. Take into account what kind of service you give for that delivery fee, and how many orders require a re-delivery. In my city, 12 percent of my orders require re-delivery, and my delivery fee reflects that.”
• Keep weather conditions in mind—not just for packaging and loading, but also for pricing. “In Michigan we have to box and wrap all our packages in the winter so the flowers don’t freeze,” says Jerome Raska AIFD, AAF, PFCI, CAFA, MCF of Blumz by JRDesigns in Detroit. “That means extra costs, not only for the wrapping material, but also substantial additional labor.” • Try this simple way of calculating if you are charging enough for delivery to cover your costs, suggests Vonda LaFever AIFD, PFCI, who works with many shops across the country as a consultant for TeamFloral: “Simply take your delivery income and divide it in half. One half should cover your driver payroll and the other half all expenses incurred for your vehicle including payments, insurance and fuel.” As a rough average, she finds that most shops should be charging in the neighborhood of $9.95 to $11.95 for delivery. • Fine-tune your approach to delivery accounting with a customizable spreadsheet that calculates your cost of delivery. It’s available from Floral Finance Business Services. Plug in three numbers and this tool can track differences in costs by driver, by day, or by route taken. To obtain a copy, write Floral Finance editor Paul Goodman CPA, AIFD at plgoodman@aol.com. • Consider establishing delivery zones, with a different price for each ring of distance from your shop. Setting it up by ZIP codes makes the system easy to use.
fresh focus By Bill McKinley AIFD and Bruce Wright
For smart buyers, alstroemeria offers one of the best cut-flower bargains around. WHAT MAKES A high-quality cut flower? That’s the question we ask every month in Fresh Focus. On the simplest level, the answers are always the same: long vase life and a healthy appearance, with vibrant color and springy, well-hydrated petals and foliage. On another level, “quality” means something slightly different for different flowers, and even for different buyers. Alstroemeria is a good example. Would you rather have ten
Alstroemeria, Peruvian lily Alstroemeria hybrids
stems with five flowers each, or— grower, and importer EsAvailability: perhaps for the same price—eight meralda Farms. “The cost year-round stems with eight flowers each? How per stem may be higher,” do stem length and flower size factor he argues, “but you get Vase life: 7 to 14 days in? Is the length of the lateral stems a better value in terms of important (as it might be if you’re color display.” A higher Bunch: 10 stems using the flowers individually)? flower count per stem also How about the shape and fullness correlates to higher qualof the entire inflorescence? Last but ity, says Peter: The mennot least, how important is the appearance tality of selling by the stem creates price and lasting quality of the foliage (a matter of pressure that encourages growers to plant special concern with alstroemeria, prone to more densely, with more stems per square premature yellowing of the leaves)? meter—but planting densely is not the best strategy for flower quality.
Stem versus flower count With alstroemeria and other spray flowers, flower buyers get a better deal when they purchase fewer stems with more flowers, believes Peter Ullrich, of international breeder,
A breeding greenhouse, where alstroemeria are grown not for harvest but for color selection, offers a bright mix of colors and wide-open blooms at Esmeralda Farms in Colombia: www.esmeraldafarms.com. MAY 2013 51
fresh focus Traditional grading for alstroemeria, as for other flowers, is based on stem length, confirm Jody Whitekus, technical manager for grower and importer Golden Flowers; Jody has worked on grading guidelines for the Association of Floral Importers of Florida (AFIF). “But today more people are marketing the bloom count and including a minimum bloom count for different grades” of alstroemeria, as has long been the practice with lilies. “If you’ve got a variety constantly producing seven, eight, or nine blooms on a stem—that’s superior, so yes, we should market and sell them like that.” More and more of the latest varieties do meet higher bloom counts per stem, says Jody. A minimum of five blooms per stem is now considered average. Quality, of course, begins with the variety. “The variety selection has turned around 100%” in the past 10 or 15 years for alstroemeria as for other flowers like roses or carnations, Jody confirms. Growers are encouraged to introduce new varieties because alstroemeria plants reach their peak productivity in about five years and have to be replaced anyway. Some growers replace plants after as few as three years, others after seven. At Continental Farms, which offers a specialty line called Alstroe Jewels, “we replace a fifth of our alstroemeria plants every year,” says Continental’s Bill Fernandez, “so every five years we have entirely new production, new plants, new varieties.” Some growers might keep the plants longer than five years, which would save the expense of purchasing the new plants, planting them and paying royalties on new varieties. But “after five years, you get weaker stems, smaller blooms, and discoloration,” says Bill. Besides features like higher bloom count, new varieties are constantly being introduced that are a better match for the colors the market demands. “Five years ago, the popular red was ‘Fuego’, but it wasn’t a pure red, more of an orangey red,” says Bill. “Then breeders came up with several true reds. We pulled out the ‘Fuego’ and planted ‘Nadia’. That’s what keeps a good grower going—replanting with new varieties to meet the demand for colors and quality.” It’s unusual for a grower to breed its own varieties—so it’s not surprising that Esmer52 www.flowersandmagazine.com 26 www.flow-
The trend in alstroemeria breeding has been toward more and larger flowers per stem. For example, the Symphony® line—available exclusively from breeder, grower and importer Esmeralda Farms—delivers up to eight or even twelve large flowers per stem. In addition, the round flowering canopy of Symphony® alstroemeria offers a highimpact presentation comparable to a higher-priced flower like hydrangea. The line includes varieties available year-round in a wide assortment of colors, including (seen above) Symphony® Bonita (awarded “Best in Class” at the 2012 SAF Outstanding Varieties competition); Symphony® Naranjita (above right); and Symphony® Morita. alda Farms takes special pride in its proprietary alstroemeria varieties, grown exclusively on its own farms. Peter attributes the strong features of the Symphony line—which include, not only more flowers per stem, but bigger flowers, stronger stems, and fewer but long-lasting green leaves—to a genetic feature known as triploidy. The cells of a triploid variety contain three matching sets of chromosomes, versus the more usual two (diploid) or four (tetraploid). Triploids are sterile, so that triploid alstroemeria must be propagated vegetatively, by separating the rhizomes from which they grow, but their genetic structure makes them strong, according to Peter.
Space and time Breeding is important—but growing practices also, of course, affect alstroemeria quality. The density of planting has already been mentioned. “The higher the density, the more you get thin stems and weaker, smaller blooms,” attests Bill at Continental. “I want to
grow only higher grades—not just ‘fancy’ but ‘super select’ and ‘premium.’ To do that I can only plant 22,000 plants per hectare. Other growers plant 30,000 per hectare. They get 30% more productivity, but the plants get less sunlight and fewer nutrients. Does a florist want a stem that’s as thin as a pencil, or like a fountain pen?” Best-quality alstroemeria require disbudding: this is the labor-intensive practice of removing, about ten days before harvest, the small buds that typically appear at the apex of each lateral alstroemeria stem, next to the principal flower. These tiny buds will not open, but will nonetheless steal a share of the plant’s nutrients and energy from the remaining blooms. Disbudding, says Bill, adds about one worker per hectare. For a typical alstroemeria farm, that would mean hiring six more workers. Disbudding improves color, size, and vase life for the flowers that remain on the plant, confirms Jody of Golden Flowers. While disbudding is necessary, alstroemeria can’t be pruned or “pinched back,”
as growers do with roses, to get new side shoots and time the harvest for a holiday like Valentine’s Day. Alstroemeria are available year-round, but at a more or less steady pace of production. When it comes to harvest time, quality standards for alstroemeria are unforgiving. “You can take some other flowers, like spray mums, cut them a little too tight, and they will still perform,” says Jody. “Not alstroemeria. The buds need to be full and plump and cracking. This is how you get significantly better color in the blooms, because the pigment begins to concentrate itself in those last few days on the plant.” If, on the other hand, the blooms are too open, they can be damaged during transport. When they are harvested, alstroemeria are not actually cut. Instead, the stems are yanked, with a sharp pull that breaks the stem away from the clump of rhizomes from which they grow; the yank stimulates the rhizomes to produce new shoots.
Leaves to be desired Those rhizomes are responsible for the leaf-yellowing problem mentioned earlier. Like bulbs and corms, rhizomes perform a more complex function than ordinary roots; they are storage organs that serve to keep a flowering plant’s hormones in balance.
This is why “bulbous flowers” in general are vulnerable to a variety of special challenges when they are cut: “Their hormones get out of whack,” explains Gay Smith of Chrysal, the postharvest care company. But while other bulb flowers (think tulips or freesia) have a reputation for being short-lived, alstroemeria are known as hardy flowers that are likely, indeed, to outlive their foliage. Breeders have been hard at work to solve the problem of leaf yellowing, and in the newest varieties, they have in part succeeded. Nonetheless, it’s advisable to ask your suppliers whether postharvest treatments, such as gibberellic acid, have been applied that can help restore hormones and further protect against premature yellowing of alstroemeria foliage. A variety of specific formulas, packaged for different levels of the distribution chain, are available from Chrysal and others. With their long, tapering shape and veins that give them a striped appearance, alstroemeria leaves certainly add to the beauty of the flower. Like many other leaves, they bear stomata that help the plant, and the cut flower, regulate internal moisture by drawing water up the stem—so leaving them on can lengthen the life and directly enhance the beauty of the flower. Surely it’s worth a little extra effort to get the most out of a flower that already has so much to offer. b
care tips alstroemeria
• Choose alstroemerias that have one or two flowers beginning to open and several buds exhibiting the correct color. • Request flowers from your supplier that have been treated with an ethylene-inhibiting product for longest vase life. Ethylene damage is exhibited through petal or blossom drop and bud senescence. • When processing, remove the lower two-thirds to three-quarters of foliage from the stems. Leaving the upper leaves intact will improve water uptake to the blossoms. • Cut at least one inch from stem ends and treat with a citric acid hydration solution. Remove any white portion from the base of the stem to maximize water uptake. • Store in a flower-food solution at 36-38 degrees F and 85% humidity. • Avoid stems that have yellow leaves. Likewise, avoid stems that have gray-
As with other flowers, light green is a color that alstroemeria buyers request—but it can be hard to find. Among the options is ‘Shakira’ (above left), a yellowish-green flower which, like other alstroemeria, is not a solid color but a mix of blended tones. Another variety, ‘Bella Star’, is 90% yellow, but popular for the green highlights in the center of its petals. Both varieties are available from Golden Flowers at www.goldenflowers.com.
green, black, or brown areas, an indication of botrytis infection.
MAY 2013 53
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shop profile By Marianne Cotter
Photography by Wilbur Tague Photography
Choosing and serving its neighbors well, Queen Anne’s Lace is thriving. FOR A FLORIST, a location next to a funeral home may be the ultimate proof of the adage, location, location, location. That’s exactly what Kathy Garner thought in 2004 when she moved her shop, Queen Anne’s Lace, from Speedway, Indiana to its current location next to Matthews Mortuary in Brownsburg, Indiana. “Access to funeral work was our strategy when we relocated here,” she admits, “and today funerals are what really carries us. When other parts of the business slowed down with the recession, the funeral work kept coming in.” The shop’s name appears as a preferred vendor on the mortuary’s website. Family members can walk across the parking lot to the flower shop next door. But location alone doesn’t guarantee a successful funeral business. “We do outstanding funeral work,” says Kathy. “We take the time to sit down with the family in our consultation room and caringly listen to their requests. We then personalize their floral selections to their wishes.” Kathy stocks many gift items that can be used as props to customize the sympathy arrangements.
From teaching to flowers Kathy’s original career path was in teaching, not floral work, which was just a part-time job. In high school she worked for a local florist, helping out at prom time and Mother’s Day. “Bagging and boxing corsages and boutonnieres was my first experience in a flower shop,” she says. “From there I did piece work for a local business that massAt Queen Anne’s Lace in Brownsburg, Indiana—close to a funeral home and to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway—a wide selection of giftware mingles with fresh and permanent flowers throughout the shop.
MAY 2013 55
Queen Anne’s Lace produced artificial floral arrangements for a catalog. The florals were shipped all over the world. I didn’t design those arrangements, but making them gave me basic experience with the mechanics of how to set up a floral design. It also taught me speed, because the more I could produce, the more I got paid.” Kathy completed her undergraduate degree at Ball State University and began teaching consumer science at the high school level. She was serious about her career and her own education and went on to get a Master of Science degree in education from Butler University. But the skills she developed working part-time in the floral industry stayed with
her. She found she liked floral work enough to continue along both paths. After three years of managing dual careers, she was ready to commit fully to the floral side. By then it was absolutely a labor of love. “I didn’t see a floral career coming when I was in college,” Kathy recalls. “I wasn’t going in that direction at all.” She quit teaching and went to work fulltime for a local florist, eventually moving into a management position. She remained at the company for six years until she and two of her colleagues decided to open their own business. In 1983 Queen Anne’s Lace opened its doors in Speedway, Indiana, home of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where the annual Indy 500 race is held. The shop’s name actually has more than one meaning. “Queen Anne’s Lace is a naturally growing wildflower in the area,” explains
Queen Anne’s Lace Brownsburg, Indiana Owners: Kathy and Mike Garner Employees: 8 full- and part-time Square feet: 3600 www.queenanneslaceflowers.com
Bright colors alternate with neutrals on the walls of Queen Anne’s Lace, a strategy that leads the eye here and there throughout the shop. 56 www.flowersandmagazine.com
Kathy. “It also has a double meaning in that it can be interpreted elegantly, as in ‘queen,’ or informally, as in ‘wildflower,’ thus not limiting us to a specific style.” The shop’s deliveries include a small card with the poem “Queen Anne’s Lace,” from a children’s book of the late 1940s. It tells the story of Queen Anne, who hung her lace outside to dry and the wind carried it into the fields and the lace turned into flowers.
Designer of the year Kathy threw herself into the industry, working hard to master skills and advance her floral education. Two years later, in 1985, she had a banner year, winning Midwest Designer of the Year from the Midwest Trade Fair and Design Show. “That was a pretty big deal in 1985 because it was a huge com-
petition,” she says, noting that in the same year she was inducted into AIFD. Her new credentials made her a hot ticket at design shows. “I did a lot of guest designing: Illinois State trade fair, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana, Teleflora regionals and supply house shows,” she says, “plus I co-chaired the 100th anniversary of the Indiana State Florists Association. I’ve been a guest speaker at the local wire meetings and served on the Teleflora board.” She also taught floral design for three years at the Indianapolis Floral Design School, which has since closed. In 1993 Kathy became sole owner of the shop after her partners retired. In 2004 she moved Queen Anne’s Lace to its current location in Brownsburg to take advantage of the proximity to the funeral home. Then in 2007 she expanded the shop to its current size of 3600 square feet. She uses the
space to display her gift lines, which include Pumpernickel Press, Willow Tree, Foundation Angels, Carson, Raz, Sullivans, Manual Woodworkers and Weavers, Melrose, and Sweet Shop chocolates. Kathy is careful to cover all price points to meet all budgets. The shop’s large area allows for artistic displays of silk flowers, wind chimes, decorative accessories, pictures, angels, throws, garden stones, chocolates and seasonal items, making for a great browse. Kathy chose to open the design area to the store rather than hiding it in a back room. She finds that customers love watching the designers work and are occasionally inspired to buy something extra if they like what the designer is working on. “The exposed design area may look a bit messy when you gaze back from the showroom,” says Kathy, “but people are curious
For Kathy Garner, the name Queen Anne’s Lace connotes both elegance (“queen”) and informality (because Queen Anne’s lace is a wildflower that grows naturally in the area)—giving the shop a license for a wide range of design styles.
MAY 2013 57
Queen Anne’s Lace about what the designers are doing; they like to see the inner workings. They’ll ask questions and get to know the designers and sales people.”
Experience pays Today Kathy runs the shop with her husband, Mike, a retired floral wholesaler who had managed a local supply house for many years. His retirement didn’t last long. In addition to doing the fresh-flower buying, he manages the office and supervises the drivers. “I’m the creative part of the business,” Kathy laughs, “and he does the part I don’t like.” Mike’s knowledge of the industry makes him an excellent buyer. “He personally shops
At the back of the store, the shop’s design area (seen in the photo directly above) is open to public view, so customers can watch designers at work—which encourages them to linger and to get to know the shop’s designers and appreciate their skill and creativity.
58 www.flowersandmagazine.com
the supply houses to see what is new and unusual and hand selects 95 percent of our product. We’re always excited to see what he brings back to the shop.” Queen Anne’s Lace is known for its large selection of roses in many varieties and colors. “Mike receives them weekly from a top grower,” says Kathy, “and he knows quality so we only get the best.” While the shop covers the design spectrum, Kathy stays current with floral trends and personally favors contemporary work, which she finds more challenging. “But if someone comes in the door and wants a hoe-down country look,” she says, “I’ll do it and it will look gorgeous. I’ve been designing for so many years, I have experience in all styles of design.” Kathy believes in continuously training her staff to move the business forward. She explains her quality standards to her employees in one sentence: “If you wouldn’t send it to your very best friend or loved one, don’t
send it to a customer.” New customers are welcomed to the shop with a complimentary flower, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere.
Thrifty delivery Queen Anne’s Lace is located in a suburban neighborhood in Hendricks County, the second-fastest-growing county in the state of Indiana, about 15 minutes west of Indianapolis. “We service all of Hendricks County and all of the Indianapolis metro area,” Kathy explains. “Our customer base ranges from rural populations to downtown executives.” To service the whole area and counter the rising cost of gas, Queen Anne’s Lace joined a delivery pool consisting of about 25 florists from Indianapolis and the surrounding counties. The pool, which covers an area of 500plus square miles, operates on a common motto that all members embrace: Handle the delivery as if it were from your own shop.
“We know the owners of the shops in the pool and feel confident they will take care of our delivery,” says Kathy. “The florists meet at the same location twice a day, early in the morning and again at noon. Every arrangement has to have a ticket to be picked up. We take arrangements from the other florists that go to our assigned delivery area. In return, we send our deliveries with the florist that is assigned to the destination ZIP code.” The savings in gas, time, and wear and tear on vehicles is evident, and the pool allows each shop to cover a much broader delivery area.
Racing ahead Everyday business is not so ordinary at Queen Anne’s Lace, given its proximity to the drag racing industry that has sprung up around the town of Brownsburg. Nearby are the Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Lucas Oil Raceway where the U.S. Nationals are
held each year. The town of Brownsburg actively solicits the racing industry. “A number of the racing teams are located nearby, as are many businesses that support and supply the racing industry,” says Kathy, “and they are a great addition to the community.” Races, racing teams, and racing events provide ample opportunity for floral work. The teams often host open houses and will call on Queen Anne’s Lace to create beautiful florals for these events. The shop also provides florals for team suites at the track and for various parties as well as personal orders for the owners and employees. Being a high-risk sport, the racing industry has occasional need for funeral work as well. Kathy has done memorials to several fallen race drivers, most notably Eric Medlen of John Force Racing, who died in 2007 on a practice run in Florida. “We were listed on the race team’s website as a preferred florist,” re-
calls Kathy. “When they called us and said to prepare to be busy, I really had no idea how busy we’d actually be. I ended up hiring an extra designer and driver, and we were producing large sprays on easels continuously for about 36 hours. We were just lining them up. We even made a full-sized replica of the driver’s car, covered with flowers in the team colors. That was one of our most memorable events; I’d never experienced anything on that scale with so many large pieces to be made.” Today Kathy has backed off the design show circuit to return to her roots as a working florist. She is thoroughly immersed in running her shop. “I’ve enjoyed the showcase designing but I don’t do shows or competitions anymore,” she says. “I’ve really settled into the everyday work. I enjoy sitting down with our customers and creating unique florals for them. So I’ve come back to my roots.” b
Extensive gift lines and decorative accessories add to the allure at Queen Anne’s Lace, with proven brand names like Sullivans, Manual Woodworkers and Weavers, and chocolates from Sweet Shop USA.
MAY 2013 59
net effects By Sarah Botchick
The internetmarketing super powers: Facebook and Google+. While there were attempts at social media before Facebook, Facebook made social networking a part of our lives. Google later introduced what many consider to be a competing product, Google+. Facebook is still the ruling king of social networking, but we can’t ignore Google+, since Google+ is more than a social network—it is an integrated tool like no other. In this article we will explore how you can use each platform to your advantage. THE SIMILARITIES Facebook and Google+ act similarly. You connect with friends and then share your thoughts, status updates and photos. Your networking continues when a friend “likes” (Facebook) or “+1”s (Google+) your post. Google+ introduced the “Circles” concept, where users can create groups of friends or followers and share specific posts with each group. Facebook now has “Lists” with the same function. Facebook has “Groups” where users of like interests come together, while Google+ has “Communities.” Facebook has a “Facebook Chat” option for instant messaging; Google+ has “Google Talk.” THE DIFFERENCES The key difference between Google+ and Facebook is that Google+ is completely integrated with Google Search—the world’s most popular search engine. • Search Engine Optimization. Everything you post on your Google+ page is “crawled” by the Google search engine and ranked organically (meaning that when your customers search for your products, your Google+ page comes up in the search results—driving customers to you). 60 www.flowersandmagazine.com
• Google+ Local. Google+ connects with Google+ Local (formerly called Local Search), enhancing your local search listing. This means that when a consumer in your area searches for “florist” on Google, your Google+ page helps increase your rankings in the search results, raising you above other local florists. • Google Maps Integration. Your Google+ Local page is connected with Google Maps. Google Maps is the installed navigation system on all Android phones, 53% of all smartphones sold. When a consumer searches for a florist in the area using Google Maps, your shop has improved rankings thanks to your Google+ page. • Google Images Integration. Any images you post on your Google+ page also are indexed in Google Images, giving potential customers one more way to find you. There are, however, two more differences that are important to remember: • Demographics. The user demographics for the two platforms are different. Women, specifically middle-aged women, use Facebook more. Men and young professionals tend to prefer Google+. • Facebook has more users: 1 billion, versus Google+’s 525 million. MAKING THE DIFFERENCES WORK • Target your marketing. Decide on your target customer and then analyze which platform is more likely to reach them. Trying to sell to men, like at Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day? Go for Google+. Need to reach middle-aged women for Father’s Day or sympathy work? Then Facebook is your best choice. • Connect your Google+ business page to your Google+ Local listing. Don’t know how to do this? See this month’s how-to video, posted at www.flowersandmagazine.com. • Work that SEO. When posting photos to your Google+ page, be sure to write descriptive titles with your shop name in them. BEST PRACTICES FOR BOTH • Set up a separate business account. Not only is it against Facebook policies to use
your personal account for a business, it is also bad for business. Think about this: to see the photos or posts on your personal account, your customers have to send a friend request and wait for a response. This would be similar to making people call and leave a message on your voicemail to see if they are permitted to come to your shop. • Keep your content fresh. Content on social media has a short shelf life. Within minutes or hours it has fallen far down on your followers’ news feeds. Make short posts regularly. • Focus on photos. We live in a visual world. Post photos of events, what is in your cooler, designs you have made, pictures of employees in action. On social media sites, frequency is more important than perfection. Photos should be clear and professional, but they do not need to be formal. • Make friends. This is social networking. Online friendships with customers create bonds. When these friends have floral needs, your name pops into their heads first. This does require responsible posting. If a topic or comment is not appropriate to discuss with a customer standing in your shop, then don’t post it online. • Post with a purpose. Before you post anything, ask yourself, “What is the purpose?” Am I making friends, am I advertising product, am I announcing an event? • Target with Lists and Circles. These allow you to show different posts to different customers. Prom customers aren’t interested in your sympathy arrangements. Google is the number-one website in the world; Facebook is number two. Can you really afford to lack a presence on either one? To complete your internet marketing plan, you need both. If you are struggling to fit both into your schedule, use a program like Hootsuite to help you manage social media. By combining the forces of these two powerful platforms you are on your way to great net effects! b
Sarah Botchick is the marketing director for Pioneer Imports & Wholesale in Berea, Ohio and the owner of Stellar Marketing & Consulting (www.stellarmarketingconsulting.com).
Orchids and More Inc, is much, much more than orchids; importing fresh cut products from Holland, Thailand, Singapore, and New Zealand. For quality service and fresh cuts from around the globe, contact us for more information. Large enough to serve you but small enough to care.
Call us toll free email us at
866-877-2966 or sales@orchidsandmore.net
Now we are everywhere. Run an ad in
Flowers& and join us! To advertise, call Peter Lymbertos at 800-421-4921
MAY 2013 61
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.
August 17-21, New York, NY
June 6-7, Jackson, MS
NY NOW (formerly New York International Gift Fair), Jacob K. Javits Convention Center - Piers 92 & 94. Call 800-272-SHOW or visit www.nyigf.com.
Mississippi Market Wholesale Show, Mississippi Trade Mart. Call 888-886-3323 or visit www.mississippimarket.org.
September 5-8, Sapporo, Japan
June 3-28, Atlanta, GA
World Flower Council Summit, Sapporo Park Hotel. Visit http://wfcsapporosummit.b.la9.jp.
Oklahoma Unit, Everyday Designs with Darla Pawlak, Greenleaf Wholesale. Call Jan Wear at 580-623-2223.
FloraMart 2014 Spring/Summer Market. Contact event@floramart.com for details.
September 18-21, Phoenix, AZ
July 12-14, Mesquite, TX
SAF Annual Convention, Sheraton Wild Horse Pass. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org.
Texas State Florists’ Association, program includes Finale Program (7/14) with Marie Ackerman, The Hampton Inn. Call Dianna Nordman at 512-8340361 or visit www.tsfa.org.
National and International May 19-22, New York, NY Creative & Lifestyle Arts Show, co-located with the National Stationery Show, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center. Call 914-421-3228 or visit www.creativelifestylearts.com.
June 6, Alexandria, VA American Horticultural Society, Annual Gala, River Farm. Call 800-777-7931 or visit www.ahs.org.
June 11-12, St. Louis, MO SAF Retail Growth Solutions, St. Louis Airport Marriott. Call Laura Weaver at the Society of American Florists, 800-336-4743, or visit www.safnow.org/retail-growth-solutions.
June 19-25, Dallas, TX Holiday and Home Expo, Dallas Market Center. Call 800-DAL-MKTS or visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com.
June 28-July 2, Las Vegas, NV AIFD (American Institute of Floral Designers) National Symposium, Paris Hotel. Call 410-7523318 or visit www.aifd.org.
July 8-19, Atlanta, GA FloraMart 2014 Spring/Summer Market. Contact event@floramart.com for details.
Central Region June 5, Sioux Falls, SD Minndakota Unit, Wedding Designs with Tim Farrell, North American Wholesale. Call Renee Polreis at 605-998-8188.
July 21, Fort Smith, AR Arkansas Unit, Wedding and Corsage Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, River Valley Floral Distributors. Call Chelle Gerhardt at 479-636-0118.
Southeast Region
June 12, Royal Oak, MI
May 21, Nashville, TN
Michigan Unit, Tropical Designs with Gerard Toh, Import Connection. Call Marva Lawrence at 313-342-6392.
Tennessee Unit, Sympathy Designs with Vonda LaFever, Metro Floral Wholesale. Call Phil Chandler at 615-336-9470.
July 14, St. Louis, MO
June 7-9, Tampa, FL
Lewis & Clark Unit, Wedding Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, Baisch & Skinner. Call Jenny Thomasson at 314-972-7836.
Florida State Florists Association, program includes Sympathy Designs (6/9) with Kevin Ylvisaker, Sheraton Tampa Riverwalk. Call Darenda Darnell-Garbarz at 305-245-4355.
Northeast Region
July 10-17, Atlanta, GA
June 12, North Tonawanda, NY
Atlanta International Gift & Home Furnishings Market, Americasmart. Call 800-ATL-MART or visit www.americasmart.com.
Upstate New York Unit, Wedding Designs with Hitomi Gilliam, St. Martin’s Lutheran Church. Call Julie Donovan-Hallgren at 716-838-1123.
July 13-16, Columbus, OH OFA Short Course, Greater Columbus Convention Center. Call 614-487-1117 or visit www.ofa.org.
South Central Region
July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.
Louisiana State Florists’ Association, “Weddings, Parties & Proms! Oh, My!,” program includes Wedding Designs (6/2) with Kevin Ylvisaker, Holiday Inn Holidome. Call Lucinda Peltier at 337-247-2761 or visit www.lsfaonline.com.
July 18-23, Chicago, IL
June 4, Houston, TX
Chicago Market, Merchandise Mart Plaza. Call 312-527-7561 or visit www.shopchicagomarket.com.
South Texas Unit, Everyday Designs with Jerome Raska, Pikes Peak of Texas. Call Christina Swanson at 281-852-2332.
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June 11, Oklahoma City, OK
June 1-2, Lafayette, LA
June 11, Raleigh, NC North Carolina Unit, Everyday Designs with Julie Poeltler, Cleveland Plant & Flower Co. Call Bill McPhail at 910-867-2900.
June 13, Orlando, FL North Florida Unit, Sympathy Designs with Cindy Tole, Pennock Company. Call Pat Reed at 321-626-4806.
July 16, Knoxville, TN Tennessee Unit, Wedding Designs with John Hosek, Tennessee Florist Supply. Call Phil Chandler at 615-336-9470.
Western Region July 17-20, Santa Barbara, CA California Association of Flower Growers and Shippers (Norcal), Fun ’N Sun Weekend, Fess Parker’s Double Tree Resort. Call 831-479-4912 or visit www.cafgs.org.
advertising links For easy access to many of our advertisers’ websites, go to www.flowersandmagazine.com and click on the Advertisers link.
ALEXANDRA FARMS ............................................................. 54
ORCHIDS AND MORE ........................................................... 61
305-528-3657 www.alexandrafarms.com
866-877-2966 www.orchidsandmore.net
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF FLORAL DESIGNERS (AIFD).........................INSIDE BACK COVER
RAVA GROUP CONTAINER SERVICES ....................................... 7
410-752-3318 www.aifd.org
DOLLAR TREE DIRECT ............................... INSIDE FRONT COVER 877-530-TREE (8733) www.dollartree.com
DRAMM & ECHTER............................................................... 63 800-854-7021 www.drammechter.com
GREEN POINT NURSERIES ...................................................... 8 800-717-4456 www.greenpointnursery.com
HARVEST IMPORT ................................................................ 54 949-833-7738 www.harvestimport.com
MAC TECHNOLOGIES DEVELOPMENT CORP. .......................... 23 800-893-9833 www.aabw.us/info
MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER ................................................. 17 877-762-8267 www.mbsprinterusa.com
MISSISSIPPI MARKET ............................................................ 2 888-886-3323 www.mississippimarket.org
NASHVILLE WRAPS, LLC......................................................... 8
800-836-4047 www.ravagroup.com/flowers
ROSEVILLE FARMS ................................................................. 9 800-370-9403 www.rosevillefarms.com
ROYAL FLOWERS .................................................................... 1 800-977-4483 www.royalflowersecuador.com
SMITHERS-OASIS ................................................................... 5 800-321-8286 www.oasisfloral.com
THE SUN VALLEY GROUP ...................................................... 25 800-747-0396 www.tsvg.com
SYNDICATE SALES ................................................ BACK COVER 800-428-0515 www.syndicatesales.com
TEAMFLORAL ....................................................................... 21 800-342-2251 www.teamfloral.com
TELEFLORA ...................................................................... 3, 19 800-421-2815 www.myteleflora.com
TEXAS STATE FLORISTS ASSOCIATION ................................... 61 800-375-0361 www.tsfa.org
800-547-9727 www.nashvillewraps.com
MAY 2013 63
what’s in store
CLEAR SAILING Suitable for new-baby gifts as well as for Father’s Day (it comes with both “Dad” and “Boy” flags), this hand-painted ceramic sailboat, with a removable wooden mast, is chock full of charm. Plus, Teleflora’s Captain Carefree Bouquet will be supported with national advertising for Father’s Day. Call 800-333-0205 or visit www.myteleflora.com.
BARK-ALIKE Backed with burlap, bark ribbon from Plus One Imports comes in three assorted styles and in two- and four-inch widths. Also available are piece goods in three larger sizes that can be used as table runners or toppers: two by three feet, 44 inches square, or 16 by 72 feet. Call 800-241-3733 or visit www.floramart.com.
64 www.flowersandmagazine.com
WELL MESHED Decorative Mesh from FloraCraft® bends easily and holds its shape; metallic strands woven throughout provide extra sparkle to anything you drape, wrap or tie. The mesh comes in 10-inch widths, available in 12 colors, or in six-inch widths, available in three colors; each spool is 10 yards long. Ask your local wholesaler, call 800-2530409, or visit www.floracraft.com.
FLOATING DECO DOTS Made in America from 100% recycled plastic, Deco Dots™ come in 18 colors and have endless uses in floral design. Try the Starter Package with a five-pound sample of each color! Exclusively from Colvin Hastings & Moran. Call 800-580-5210 or visit www.colvinhastingsmoran.com.
A BEAUTIFUL BACKDROP For weddings or as a display prop, the Tuscan Backdrop by B & C Mortensen can transform any environment, setting the stage for floral designs and defining space. The portable backdrop is just over seven feet high. It can be used as two, three, four, or all five pieces; no tools are needed for setup. Call 208-437-5665 or visit www.weddingequipment.com.
WHO’S GOT THE BUTTON? Available in eight colors, prestrung OASIS™ Button Wire provides a cost-effective solution for achieving on-trend looks. It’s just one item in an expanded line of decorative accessories from Smithers-Oasis. Contact your local wholesale florist or visit www.oasisfloral.com.
CHEVRONS AND POLKA DOTS A highfashion look in packaging is easy with the new spring lines from Nashville Wraps in trendy, coordinated colors. The ensemble seen here includes the new Island Chevron gift wrap and a gift basket box highlighted with electric Aqua Mini Mesh Ribbon. Call 800-547-9727 or visit www.nashvillewraps.com.
RUSTIC STYLE Centerpiece containers fashioned out of twigs, moss, and ferns are ready to be filled with flowers and available in both round and rectangular shapes. They’re part of the Woodland Collection at Pioneer Imports & Wholesale. Call 888-234-5400 or visit www.pioneerwholesaleco.com.
MAY 2013 65
where to buy For more information on merchandise featured in Flowers&, contact the supplier directly. Direct links to most suppliers can be found on the Flowers& website, www.flowersandmagazine.com. Use the links under “Advertisers in this Issue” or the link to our searchable, online Buyers’ Guide at the top of the Flowers& home page.
ON THE COVER ‘Black Out’ lilies and ‘Babe’ spray roses, Green Valley. ‘Monarch’ orange parrot tulips, Sun Valley. ‘Santa Cruz Sunset’ callas, CallaCo. Yellow handled ceramic bowl, Sullivans.
FOCUS ON DESIGN, pages 10-11
Purple Deco Beads, JRM. Concept Cube, Accent Décor. Beaded wire and midollino sticks, Smithers-Oasis.
CREATIVE EDGE, pages 12-13 Hanging globe candleholders, Accent Décor.
DRESSED FOR SUCCESS, pages 26-45 EMERALD CITY, page 26 Anthuriums, lycopodium, and Curly Laua’e fern foliage, Green Point. Faux fasciated willow, Sullivans. Emerald vases, Accent Décor. AM I BLUE?, page 27 Delphinium, Sun Valley. Liatris, Royal Flowers. Clematis, Roseville Farms. Blue vase, UCI. SHADES OF PALE, page 28 ‘High and Pure’ white roses, white alstroemeria and stock, Royal Flowers. ‘Tango Dot-Com’ lilies and ‘Libretto’ parrot tulips, Sun Valley. Artsi vase, Accent Décor. COUNTRY COLORS, page 29 Anemones, delphinium, and ‘Rai’ parrot tulips, Sun Valley. Colored-glass Mason jars, Syndicate Sales. LONG LEGS, page 30 Redwood Grove French tulips, Sun Valley. Textured mint-green vases, burton + BURTON. 66 www.flowersandmagazine.com
JUNGLE CLASSIC, page 31 Tropical flowers and foliage, Green Point. Décor tin vase with fleur-de-lis, burton + BURTON.
WARM AND BRIGHT, page 39 Heliconias and oncidium and mokara orchids, Green Point. Brown ceramic vases with crackle finish, Sullivans.
DAYS OF WINE AND ROSES, page 32 ‘Mother of Pearl’ pink roses, Royal Flowers. ‘African Lady’ lilies, Sun Valley. ‘Burgundy Black’ and ‘Eggplant Frost’ callas, CallaCo. Footed glass 11-inch Fleur de Lis vase, Syndicate Sales.
RUSTIC CHARM, page 40 Green callas, CallaCo. ‘Sweet Berry’ roses, Royal Flowers. Pink ginger, Green Point. Norah vases and bowl, Accent Décor.
GARDEN HARVEST, page 33 Purple ornamental kale (Brassica), Sun Valley. Limonium, Royal Flowers. Green ceramic container, UCI. HEAVENLY PERFUME, page 34 ‘Fabiola’ Roselilies, Sun Valley. Peach ‘Juliet’ and pink ‘Keira’ David Austin roses, Green Valley. White mini callas, CallaCo. Footed bowl, UCI. FLOWERING MESA, page 35 Obake anthuriums, Green Point. Weeping moss ball spray, Direct Export. Metal pot with handles, Sullivans. TAKE THE LID OFF, page 36 ‘Ruutel’ clematis, Roseville Farms. ‘Ivanhoe’ roses, Green Valley. Glass peony vase and lids, Syndicate Sales. BUDS TO BLOOMS, page 37 Green (immature) and white hydrangea, Royal Flowers. ‘Cream White’ lilies, Sun Valley. Tinley Bowl, Accent Décor.
CURVES AND RUFFLES, page 41 Anthuriums, Green Point. Kale (Brassica), Sun Valley. Seagrass basket, burton + BURTON.
Accent Décor. Call 800-385-5114 or visit www.accentdecor.com. burton + BURTON. Call 800-241-2094 or visit www.burtonandburton.com. CallaCo. Call 831-728-5392 or visit www.callaco.com. Direct Export Co. Call 888-881-0055 or visit www.directexp.com. Green Point Nurseries. Call 800-717-4456 or visit www.greenpointnursery.com.
CUSTOM BLEND, page 42 ‘Cinnamon’ and ‘Cumbia’ roses, Royal Flowers. ‘Mambo’ spray roses, Green Valley. Red hand-thrown bowl, Sullivans.
Green Valley Floral. Call 800-228-1255 or visit www.greenvalleyfloral.com.
IN THE ROUND, page 43 ‘Green Trick’ dianthus, Sun Valley. Gerrondo gerberas, Green Valley. Weeping moss ball spray, Direct Export. Wood container, UCI.
Roseville Farms. Call 800-370-9403 or visit www.rosevillefarms.com.
LILIES OF THE FIELD, page 44 ‘Tresor’ and hybrid pink lilies, Green Valley. Seagrass basket, burton + BURTON.
CRESCENT CASCADE, page 45 ‘Opus’, ‘Hot Shot’, and ‘Hot Lady’ roses, Royal Flowers. ‘Huvi’ purple clematis, Roseville Farms. Purple and ‘Candy Apple’ callas, CallaCo. A VEILED STATEMENT, Footed antique-style urn, page 38 Blue hydrangea, Royal Flowers. Sullivans. ‘Climador’, ‘Reiman’ and ‘Ilka’ clematis, Roseville Farms. ‘Lavender Lady’ anthuriums, Green Point. Tall ceramic vase, UCI.
JRM Chemical. Call 800-962-4010 or visit www.soilmoist.com.
Royal Flowers. Call 800-977-4483 or visit www.royalflowersecuador.com. Smithers-Oasis. Call 800-321-8286 or visit www.oasisfloral.com. Sullivans, Inc. Call 800-456-4568 or visit www.sullivangift.com. The Sun Valley Group. Call 800-747-0396 or visit www.thesunvalleygroup.com. Syndicate Sales. Call 800-428-0515 or visit www.syndicatesales.com. UCI (Unlimited Containers, Inc.). Call 888-880-8998 or visit www.unlimitedcontainers.com.
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MAY 2013 67
ATTENTION
FLORAL
wholesaler connection
WHOLESALERS
The following leading wholesale florists are distributors of Flowers& magazine.
ARIZONA
KANSAS
PENNSYLVANIA
PHOENIX Conroy Wholesale Florist The Roy Houff Company
WICHITA Valley Floral Company
PITTSBURGH Keystone Ribbon & Floral Pittsburgh Cut Flower Company
CALIFORNIA
LOUISVILLE The Roy Houff Company
FRESNO Designer Flower Center INGLEWOOD American Magazines & Books OAKLAND Piazza International Floral SACRAMENTO Flora Fresh SAN BERNARDINO Inland Wholesale Flowers SAN DIEGO San Diego Florist Supplies SANTA ROSA Sequoia Floral International
KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA
SOUTH DAKOTA SIOUX FALLS North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.
BATON ROUGE Louisiana Wholesale Florists LAFAYETTE Louisiana Wholesale Florists
TENNESSEE
MASSACHUSETTS
TEXAS
BOSTON Jacobson Floral Supply
DALLAS American Agroproducts, Inc. HOUSTON Pikes Peak of Texas Southern Floral Company LUBBOCK Lubbock Wholesale Florist
MICHIGAN WARREN Nordlie, Inc.
MINNESOTA MINNEAPOLIS Koehler and Dramm ROSEVILLE North American Wholesale Florist, Inc.
GEORGIA
MISSOURI
OMEGA Hornbuckle Wholesale Florist
ST LOUIS LaSalle Wholesale Florist
NEW YORK
HAWAII
CAMPBELL HALL Henry C. Alders
NORFOLK The Roy Houff Company RICHMOND The Roy Houff Company
OHIO
WASHINGTON
HONOLULU Flora-Dec Sales
ILLINOIS CHICAGO Bill Doran Company The Roy Houff Company NORMAL The Roy Houff Company PEORIA HEIGHTS Bill Doran Company WHEELING The Roy Houff Company
BEREA Pioneer Imports and Wholesale DAYTON Nordlie, Inc. NORTH CANTON Canton Wholesale Floral PARMA Cleveland Plant & Flower Company
we promise!
NASHVILLE The Roy Houff Company
PENSACOLA Hall’s Pensacola Wholesale Oscar G. Carlstedt Company
FLORIDA
Reward without the Risk
UTAH SALT LAKE CITY Ensign Wholesale Floral
VIRGINIA
TACOMA Washington Floral Service
CANADA BURNABY, BC Signature Floral Supply (division of Kirby Floral Inc.)
Sell Flowers& in your store! for extra profits Select any quantity— no minimum Whatever you don’t sell we buy back! Yes, it really is that simple.
Call Elinor Cohen at 800-321-2665
MALAYSIA SELANGOR Worldwide Floral Services
SINGAPORE Worldwide Floral Services
Visit us online for a taste of Flowers& quality. flowersandmagazine.com
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