Flower Factor: A Lifestyle Blog From Aboutflowers.com

Pink Peonies

To many, the month of May and peonies are synonymous. I have known brides who have set their wedding date in May to ensure they have peonies in their bouquets, and others when they discover they have chosen a time when peonies are not available, consider changing the wedding date. Whether a single gorgeous bloom, a romantic bridal bouquet, or a luscious overflowing vase of peonies, I have witnessed people swooning at the sight of these amazing flowers.

If you are purchasing peonies for yourself as a cut flower, I advise selecting them when they are in their “round hard ball” stage, but make sure you see a little color. Selecting stems that are too immature may result in blooms that will not develop properly. I know it doesn’t look like much when they are at this stage, but they open fairly quickly, usually within twenty-four hours. Also, they transport well when they are in bud, which eliminates concern of damage getting them home and into a vase. You can expect cut peonies to last about a week, and watching them develop is a lovely part of the experience. Read More

Teacup with pink roses, stock, ivy geranium, kalanchoe, variegated ivy and Martha Washington geraniums.

Spring, friends, flowers, yummy treats, and sipping a master brewed cup of tea… sounds lovely. Have you been invited to a tea or have you thought of hosting one? The Tea Party trend is becoming popular with women who seek an informal way to get together in an atmosphere that is casual, and special, at the same time.

The hectic pace of life has become the norm, and many seek refuge where time can be spent at a slower pace. Invite a friend to have a cup of tea at your kitchen table, make some simple sandwiches or nibble on special cookies from the new bakery down the street. Just taking time for you and special friends balance to life. Read More

'Free Spirit' roses, yellow ranunculus and 'Prinses Irene' parrot tulips

As a mom myself, I know how nice it is to feel appreciated. And, how important it is to recognize the moms in my life. While that should happen every day, Mother’s Day is wonderful day set aside to especially pamper our moms.

I often struggle to find just the right gift for the woman “who has it all.” One that speaks from my heart. And the final call is usually always floral, a beautiful bouquet or stunning flowering plant. With flowers, you just can’t go wrong, whether sending them across many miles or delivering them in person. Read More

Photo courtesy Blumz by...JRDesigns in metro Detroit, www.blumz.com

The Prom! OMG! What do I wear? To go or not to go? Who’s my date?

Really? How did it all get started? Prom is short for promenade. The term was first officially used during the Victorian period by those crazy Victorians. (What a bunch of steampunkish party-monkeys!) A promenade was a public area, usually along a river or body of water, where people would go walk in order to “be seen” and to be considered a part of proper “society.”

Modern day proms are also a place to be seen and considered a part of high school society. The whole idea was to stand out and be seen. No shrinking violets or wallflowers need attend. Prom fashions of 2012 are no different and would certainly give those Victorians a case of the vapors. Today’s plunging necklines, jacked up hemlines and cut outs leave little to the imagination.

An especially fun trend this year for those wishing to be noticed is those totally fab floral fascinators. The word fascinate is derived from Latin fascinare, “to bewitch or enchant.” A fascinator, for those of you who were living in a cave during William and Kate’s big event, are those fun, funky and totally enchanting headpieces worn by many of the Royal wedding’s guests. They are made of tulle, net, beads, flowers and feathers — lots of feathers. They are usually perched jauntily on the side of the head either through the use of hair combs, barrettes, headbands or clips. Read More

Orange and Yellow Magellan Zinnias

I love to talk about annuals. They’re colorful and long lasting. I like to call them the “workhorses” of the flower garden. Planted after the last frost in your geographical area, they will give you joy all season while providing shades of every color of the rainbow.

The great thing about annual bedding plants is this year, you love hot orange, but last year you planted all yellow and pink, and next year purple might be your top choice. Annuals are an inexpensive way to change the curb appeal of your home and stay updated with fashion and color trends. It’s a fun way to spend time with the family as you pick colors, plant for the season, and then watch them produce color until fall. With water, soil prep and a little fertilizer, it’s very rewarding. Read More

April was all about WEDDINGS here at Flower Factor! In conjunction with our VaseOff! Challenge featuring Great Gatsby inspired wedding bouquets and our Twitter Party chatting about the latest wedding trends, we invited brides and wedding dreamers to share their Dream Wedding Pinterest boards. Thanks to all who participated!

We received nearly 50 entries and had such fun looking at the creative and interesting pins — it almost made us want to get married all over again. How lucky brides are these days to have a place to collect and share wedding inspiration.

Congratulations to Theresa Huse who wins a $100 American Express gift card for sharing her Wedding Inspiration Pinterest board. While there were lots of terrific boards, Theresa’s captures the creativity we were looking for with many different and interesting elements of a wedding – from the engagement announcement, the dress, the cake, invitations, and photography, to the guestbook, placeholders, favors, tasting forks, guest interaction ideas, and more fun ideas to give the wedding a unique personality. And then, of course, there are the flowers. As a bride to be, Theresa has been pinning for a while — finding inspiration from many different sources – and showcasing a variety of styles and colors of wedding bouquets (we especially loved the heart-shaped bouquet!), as well as uses of flowers throughout the day, from flowers in the hair, to the cake, to the tables and aisles, and in a birdcage for cards from guests. Read More