Corporate Accounts
We pride ourselves on providing innovative, fresh arrangements for corporate clients, at a reasonable cost. Our list of corporate customers is growing. Some of current customers are:
Corporate flowers in the public areas do more than decorate. They communicate your business at a subliminal level, reassure, excite, or entice customers, and create a positive atmosphere for transactions. That is why they need to be of the highest quality and sophistication, and reflect the image your business is trying to project.
December 27, 2006
Orchid Container Ribbon
Orchid plants make a wonderful gift, with their generous and lasting beauty. How much more sophisticated is the addition of a beautiful ribbon and bow to the the orchid container?
Beautiful ribbons are wonderful to use as embellishments, and sensuous to the touch. Like flowers, ribbons can help express emotions such as feelings of pride, reward for accomplishments and excellence. Like flowers, ribbons are associated with special moments, such as birthdays and weddings. Holiday seasons see red satin and velvet ribbons accenting the greenery of wreaths and garlands.
The introduction of the jaquard loom in 1815 allowed greater use of floral and pictoral elements on ribbons. Traditionaly loom woven in France, jacquard ribbons are found in many styles and colors ranging from simple geometric designs to ornate brocades.
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Other types of well known ribbon are French wired ribbon, organdy and sheer ribbon, brocade ribbon, satin ribbon, grosgrain ribbon and novelty ribbon. In addition, ornamental trimming for such as braid, lace, or metallic beads is related to ribbon. In particular, passementerie, are rich tassels of Egyptian origin.
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Ask at the Secret Flower Garden for these high end ribbons to embelish your orchid baskets and gifts.
December 25, 2006
Home and corporate flower accounts
We have a new offer of a free arrangement with the first month of home flower delivery to the San Francisco city region.
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Imagine coming home every day to a beautiful fragrant arrangement of fresh flowers.
Professional flower arrangements in the home convey peace and sophistication that nothing else can.
After all, why pay $25 for a bouquet you have to transport and struggle to arrange when you can have a perfect arrangement delivered to your home for a little more?
Another thought is to give a gift of a weekly flower account to an older or convalescing loved one.
Prices for a monthly account are
- Standard $35 +tax per week.
- Premium add $10
Ring us at 415 3461001 or email to davids99us@yahoo.com.
December 17, 2006
Orchids of the Disa Genus
Spotted a new orchid flower at Brannon’s flower market the other day. From the Disa genus this is a very beautiful and unusual flower to add to your bouquets or arrangements.
Disa flowers are built differently to many orchid flowers, as three most conspicuous parts of the flower are actually sepals, not petals. The dorsal sepal is often a different color and pattern than the two lateral sepals. The small petals are partly hidden behind the pollinia, and the lip, usually the most conspicuous part of an orchid flower, is a very small “tab” directly below the stigma.
Disa are also unusual in habitat. Most of the orchids we are familiar with are naturally epiphytes, or growing in shady conditions in trees. Disa grow along cold mountain streams of among roots on rocks, and on cliff faces, near waterfalls and along seeps, always with their “feet” wet. Their distribution is restricted to the Fynbos, a unique, arid, scrub forest in South Africa. While they experience warm sunny days, their roots stay very cool, never above 70F. All of the species require bright light in order to grow and flower well.
December 16, 2006
Christmas Centerpieces
Beautiful Christmas centerpieces grow on trees. But if you have no time to spend on it, there are solutions.
Christmas centerpieces can be put together while you wait using your choice of flowers. So let your imagination flow and let sky be the limit.
- Raise a toast on this year’s Christmas with wine, bottles of champagne, mistletoe and wreathes of ivy or evergreen.
- Bird houses with flowers or Christmas balls act as attractive Christmas Centerpieces.
- Authentic looks to Christmas using antique teapots with flowers, birdcages or pots.
- Arrangements with votive candles in them serve as wonderful glowing Christmas centerpieces.
- Bonsai Trees artificial or real never fail to add that soothing touch to your Christmas Decorations. It’s a hot favorite Christmas Centerpiece this season.
December 15, 2006
Ecological Floral Containers
The main reason houseplants die is losing the struggle for just the right amount of water. If we put too much, then the roots can start to rot and die, killing the plant. If we put too little, the plant stops growing, wilts and eventually dies. There is also a potentially deadly salt buildup that browns the tips of plants.
The right amount of water varies with temperature and humidity. A plant on a patio in winter does not need anywhere near as much water as a plant inside with central heating going full blast.
Porous pots such as unglazed clay are better because they provide some aeration laterally through the sides of the pot, and tend to hold moisture. Non-porous pots such as glazed or plastic pots tend to hold moisture longer and restrict airflow. But the amount of aeration and moisture capacity is rather limited, and plain clay pots don’t always fit in with the other decor.
Plant pots need drainage. Usually pots come with holes in the bottom to allow excess water to flow out of the soil, which helps to prevent root rot. Posts with no drainage holes can be double potted, so the inner pot can be lifted out and the excess water poured away. However, in practice the excess water level in the outer pot rises over the roots in the inner pot, risking root rot.
Ecological floral containers (EFC) is a plant potting system that mimics the natural moisture environment of plants. This new system grows better plants and simplifies watering, providing the exact amount of water the plant needs for longer. With the system, over watering is impossible, and under watering less likely due to the built in storage capacity of the EFC.
For more about how to preserve your plants using EFC’s call us at The Secret Flower Garden on 415 3461001.
December 11, 2006
Classical Horizonal Flower Arranging
By putting flowers in a vase you achieve a vertical, or possible circular flower arrangement. The next step to try is a horizontal arrangement. These are very useful for tables or hallways and give plenty of scope to achieve unique looks.
Horizontal arrangements require some special floral equipment, foam. “Oasis” is a popular brand as it soaks easily and holds stems well. You also need a base for the arrangement, it needs to be secured in a suitable tray as well.
The trays are relatively shallow container, with anchor pins, or even one piece cages enclosing the foam.
The normal approach is to insert some lateral stems along the axis of the arrangement. Bells of Ireland are ideal, as are leather fern, eucalypts.
You then insert flowers in the middle. They need to hide the sides of the foam and container, so choose ones that gently droop over the lip of the container or something dense like hydrangea.
Insert focal flowers such as roses a different angles.
Insert candles if you wish for a professional touch.
Its really easy and fun and great for any occasion when the family or friends are getting together.
The arrangement shown can be ordered here.
December 7, 2006
Costa Rica’s Heraldry
Two branches of myrtle close the coat of arms of Costa Rica representing the peace of the Republic. A white ribbon joins the branches, the title “Republica de Costa Rica” (Republic of Costa Rica) is imprinted in golden letters.
The Myrtle (Myrtus communis L.), from the family Myrtaceae (myrtle family) has leathery leaves and an aromatic and refreshing smell somewhat reminiscent to myrrh or eucalypt; although the taste is strongly bitter. The strong presence of aromatic oils is a common throughout plants of the Myrtaceae.
It is a very large family, poorly represented in the Northern Hemisphere, but very well known in the Southern, particularly Australia. Many members of the family are prominent in floral arrangements.
The sub-family Leptospermoideae contains the genera Leptospermum. A white or purple flowered plant seems to be referred to by florists as ‘wax’ and used as an up-market ‘filler’ in place of Baby’s Breath. In Australia it is known as the tea-tree and occurs abundantly on the edge of dry rainforest vegetation. Its probably called tea-tree because it makes a passable tea if you have run out of the real stuff. Another member the Melaleuca is also known as the tea-tree.
Acmena (the “Lilly-pilly”) is a very proiminent shrub in northern coastal rainforests recognizable by its berries. Berries play a big role in floral arrangements though I one’s I see (in San Francisco) are not familiar to me.
Finally the most well known group in Myrtacea is the eucalyptus. A distinctive Australian genus and characteristic of the family rich in volitile oils, eucalyptus is also a major filler in floral arrangements.
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