Buying Funeral Flowers

Elaborate flower bouquets are the traditional funeral gift.  They fill the funeral parlor with beautiful blooms but the gift is short lived.  More often than not, when the funeral is over the flowers are donated to local hospitals or nursing homes.  While this is an honorable ending for the flowers it doesn't offer much to the bereaved family.
 
An alternate choice is to give the gift of flowers that will live on, carrying the memory of the deceased for years to come.  Perennial flower baskets that can later be planted provide blooms for the funeral and they can be planted as a memorial garden afterwards, either at the cemetery or at the homes of the family members. 
 
Ideally there should be enough perennial flowers for each family member to take one home.  You might coordinate your efforts with others to ensure that every family member gets a memory flower.  It may take a little extra effort to choose the right flowers but providing the family with memory flowers will help soften the loss.  Memory flowers are a gift that will forever honor their loved one.
 
You can choose from a number of perennials that are commonly used in funeral arrangements.  Hydrangeas are always a popular choice with their showy flowers of pink, blue or white.  Go with a traditional variety or look for an unusual variant such as the Oakleaf Hydrangea or the Variegated Hydrangea. 
 
Roses offer another possibility.  You can never go wrong with a gift of roses.  You might buy three different colors, setting all three pots inside of a big basket and covering them with a decorative moss to hide the pots.  Tie a big ribbon on the handle, add a card and you're good to go.
 
Both roses and hydrangeas offer colors that can be combined for military veterans.  Three plants using any combination of roses and hydrangeas for a red, white and blue flower arrangement would make an ideal funeral gift.
 
Chrysanthemums in the fall offer a mound of vivid colors in choices of yellow, orange, red, purple, magenta and white flowers.  If you know the favorite color of the deceased you might try matching it with the blooms.  You can also choose colors that are favored by the family members.
 
Black Eyed Susans (Rudbeckia) are another hardy perennial with big yellow flowers and a raised brown center.  In full bloom they offer a splash of sunshine to brighten anyone's day.
 
Canna lilies or any showy variety of lily would be suitable for a funeral gift basket.  Astilbes can be used as a colorful, feathery backdrop of red, pink, lavender or white and ferns in a pot can be added to simulate ferns in a cut flower bouquet.  The possibilities are endless as any hardy perennial with big, bright flowers can be offered as a funeral gift. 
 
Another benefit is that perennial flowers will be appreciated by family members who don't live near the cemetery and cannot regularly visit the gravesite.  The flowers can be taken home and planted as a memorial of honor in their own backyard.  Give the gift of a perennial flower basket that will forever carry the memories with a garden of blooms.

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Emotional Impact Of Flowers

** The Following Information is courtesy of The Society Of American Florists

With today's high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

"What's most exciting about this study is that it challenges established scientific beliefs about how people can manage their day-to-day moods in a healthy and natural way," said Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study.

Research Findings

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants' behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed "true" or "excited" smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.
2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.
3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

"Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy," said Dr. Haviland-Jones. "Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being."

Sharing Space

The study also explored where in their homes people display flowers. The arrangements were placed in areas of the home that are open to visitors - such as foyers, living rooms and dining rooms - suggesting that flowers are a symbol for sharing.

"Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room," said Dr. Haviland-Jones. "They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere."

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History Of The Bonsai Trees

Everybody has heard of the Bonsai tree but very few people know anything about the history of the miniature shrub or where the tradition came from.

Bonsai is a Japanese term which, in its native language, translates to mean “tray gardening”. This term describes exactly what bonsai is as it is a tree which is grown in a small pot or tub enabling it to be kept indoors. These trees are not always genetically predisposed to be small and so they are kept this way through careful pruning. The ability to care for a bonsai tree, keeping it small and healthy, is an art form in itself. The trees are commonly pruned in to an aesthetically pleasing shape, another reason why they are seen as works of art and not just as plants.

The term bonsai is widely known and understood and yet the art was originally found in China, by the name of penjing. The Japanese art of bonsai stemmed from this and so is actually more modern than the Chinese. However, the Japanese version is the one which is more widely known.

Discoveries have been made in Egyptian tombs of sketches showing miniature trees in pots. These are thought to have been kept for decorative purposes and the pictures date back to 4000 years ago! After this time there is evidence to suggest that trees were transported in the caravans of Asia as they traveled around as they were used for their medicinal properties should someone have fallen ill.

The art of bonsai as we know it stems from the Chinese art of penjing, which is a 2000 year old tradition. It was brought to Japan somewhere between the 7th – 9th centuries by the Imperial Embassies to Tang China. Initially it was enjoyed only by the nobility and was not a hobby which was enjoyed by the masses. However, over time it began to filter down through the social hierarchy and became something which much of the population enjoyed.

The practice of pruning and shaping miniature trees is still in place in both China and Japan. However, the Chinese tend to keep them for outdoor displays and so, although still smaller than normal trees, they are somewhat larger than the Japanese versions, who create the pieces of art to be displayed primarily in the home.

For anyone considering turning their hand to this hobby, it is well worth reading up on the subject beforehand as the trees require careful nurturing. It is not just the leaves which require trimming, the roots need to be tended to also and the amount of water they require is practically an art form in itself. Information on this is widely available on the Internet, meaning that anyone serious about trying this should be able to do so successfully.  Send Flowers Edmonton