Flowers Blog

As soon as Stacy and Ross Turner met with the "Confederate Rose," it became a passion for them. Of course, they started off by researching the plant for many years and then decided to make a business out of growing them. It started off simply as a hobby and grew to be a huge business venture in South Carolina.

"One of the first things we learned was that it is not a rose at all, although the plant is called Confederate Rose or 'Confederate Rose Mallow,'" said Stacy.

"We searched anything we could find and listened to anything anyone could tell us about this beautiful mysterious flower. About ten years spent researching, we finally mastered the history of the so-called 'Confederate Rose.' We then took the plant on as a hobby, planting and selling these lovely flowers that is also referred to sometimes as the 'Cotton Rose.'"

One story about the origins of the name of the flower was that a man from Florida brought the plant over from Brazil, sales of the bloom did not go very well until he changed the name to Confederate Rose, and instantly his sales soared to the roof.

This flower has a tendency to be shrubby and normally grows in the south.

[Via: scnow.com]

If you are looking for a flower that handles neglect well then the Orange Cosmos is the best option for you.

This annual is a native of Mexico and the Southwest and is extremely easy to grow. In some places this hardiness is not so much appreciated as it is seen as an intruder, but in cooler climates it is an excellent option.

The Orange Cosmos is resistant to drought but if it is watered continuously then it will produce more flowers. The flower is very much like a daisy, differing in its orangey colour. This flower usually has a strong stem which makes it ideal for cutting.

The height of the plant goes from 24 to 36 inches, and it is important not to use too much fertilizer as that will reduce the number of blooms produced and you will get only foliage. The leaves of this flower can be cooked and eaten. Sunny well drained soil is their favourite place to grow.

[Via: IndyStar.com]

The nights are officially getting longer, and in order to draw attention to your flowers it is a good idea to consider using candles.

Floral foam is one of the traditional materials used for candle arrangements. Usually, the candle is secured in the middle of the arrangement and the flowers are set around it.

A more modern idea is to put the candle in a storm lamp and to use the base of the lamp for the setting of the flowers.

It is not necessary to just use fall colours. With modern candle arrangements any colour that brightens up your home is possible. Purple, dusky pink and mauve create a fall atmosphere if they arranged with berries and foliage.

When arranging the flowers around the candle it is important to keep in mind that large-headed and smaller flowers combined create a better balance.

[Via: Sunday Mail]

73-year-old Richard Sipko is called the "Cattleya King," he has been growing Cattleya orchids for 45 years. It started with a request for a garden from his mother, which is when he realised he had a talent and liking for growing flowers.

Sipko recalls, "Everything I tried to grow, grew. I read an article about a woman in Wyoming who grew an orchid in the winter by putting on the radiator, and it bloomed in three months. I'm always up for a challenge, so I thought I could grow them."

The Cattleya is one of the toughest orchids to grow and some of Sipko's prized flowers will be put on display at the Fall Orchid Festival at the Phipps Garden Center in Shadyside.

This species is rarely put on sale but visitors will have the opportunity to buy a few flowers from this species.

Sipko will also be speaking about his methods for growing this flower. He is truly an expert on this flower as he has about 1500 examples growing in his greenhouse.

[Via: pittsburghlive.com]

As a part of the "Chocolate" exhibit at the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Philadelphia, chrysanthemums are taking on the spotlight as a new fall addition to the exhibit.

A kaleidoscope of chrysanthemums are on display as a part of the Fall Flower Show, which opened this weekend. There are standard-size mums, potted mums, cascading mums and spider mums. There are also some unusual varieties of mums featured like the disbud mum — they have a four-foot high stalks and one single mum bloom at the top, about 5 to 6 inches in diameter. A spectrum of colour will also greet visitors when they go through the conservatory: red, yellow, purple, orange and pink.

Michele Frey McCann, the Phipps' exhibit manager and designer says, "Everyone loves the mums. It's pretty spectacular to see."

[Via: pittsburghlive.com]