Sometimes refereed to as Queen-of-the-vines, clematis is a member of the Ranunculaceae (buttercup) family. It can be found in most countries in the Northern Hemisphere. Clematis grows naturally as a climbing vine / lianasand has been harvested by many cultures for it’s medicinal values. But be careful! Clematis are toxic if eaten.
Visual Notes /
With over 250 cultivars grown around the world, the clematis flower is visually varied. All varieties feature a number of leafy petals clustered around the center of the flower. The colors range widely, but blue-purple, white and pink are especially popular.
History /
Because it’s found everywhere, Clematis is one of the first flowers early botanists and genetic researchers really took note of. As a result, it was widely used in early genetic experiments. Many of the British cultivars are the result of this early groundwork in understanding genetics.
Clematis
Insider Info /
– The name Clematis comes from the Greek word “klematis,” meaning vine.
– Clematis are scented, but their scent is rarely strong enough for perfume making.
– A few clematis varieties change color when between blooming. This is caused by environmental factors, like sunlight.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Technically an herb, Anthurium is found across Mexico, northern South America and the Caribbean. It features a tall, thin flower in the hip of a broad, flat leaf. Great for floral arrangements, anthurium will last a while.
Visual Notes /
Anthurium comes in a wide range of colors, across over 163 species. With anthurium, the sky’s the limit! Most typically, you’ll see the waxy leaves in green, white or red, with the flower usually being matching or yellow in color.
History /
In 1889, the first anthurium was brought to Hawaii from London. For over 120 years, the anthurium has been Hawaii’s most-exported decorative item – this includes beating sales of hula skirts, ukuleles and hula-ing bobble women.
Inside Info /
These are poisonous plants! Not a good call for environments with small children, pets or college kids experimenting with veganism.
Some well-known succulents include cactus and aloe, but this unique type of plant goes well beyond those household names. From colorful echeveria to hardy sedum, there is a wide range of beautiful and versatile succulent plants that are getting lots of attention from gardeners, landscape architects, and wedding planners.
Visual Notes /
Succulents are notable for their appearance; their leaves or other parts tend to be broad and fleshy so that they can absorb and store water in dry environments. They tend to be short and their roots close to the grounds surface. The lobes can be waxy, hairy or smooth depending on the variety.
Native to the Americas, but grown in Europe from the 16th century in large numbers, sunflowers are cultivated and used around the world as cut flowers, a source of oil, and a source of food in the form of seeds. Because it was introduced during the Age of Discovery, the religions of Europe didn’t have any qualms with practicioners using sunflower oil to cook during Sabbath – it’s popularity was as much a result of it’s beauty as it was it’s usefulness. It’s thought that sunflowers point their blooms towards the sun throughout the day – while this behavior, known as heliotropism, is sometimes observed in young plants, typically flowers end up facing east (and staying that way!)
VISUAL NOTES /
Sunflowers come in a wide variety of yellow, red and golden hues. The “seeds” of the sunflower are actually little tiny flowers – on some varietals the seeds will actually open, while in plants with a dark center the seeds are closed. Sunflowers grow on hairy stems that are stiff enough to stand up eight to twelve feet straight.
– Sunflowers are a great gift for celebrations of life – they’re great in baby shower arrangements.
– Wild Sunflowers don’t look anything like their cultivated cousins. In the wild, sunflowers have many branches with small flower heads and small seeds.
– The sunflower is the state flower of the US state of Kansas, and one of the city flowers of Kitakyūshū, Japan, and the national flower of the Ukraine.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Summer Flowers are on their way! It’s a bit early to see them in their full glory, but we’ll add them to the July Flowers on Starbrightnyc.com all month long.
Purple Rain
The elevator can’t bring you down when this fresh arrangement is around.
Sunny Delight
Bring the summer sun into air conditioned offices.
Dahlia Fusion
Dahlia’s make everything more fun
Take Me To The River
Disclaimer : this pond is not deep enough to dip toes in.
We’re excited to share more fresh summer floral arrangements
At Starbright Floral Design, we’ve recently seen a huge increase in the popularity of succulent plants and gardens.
Succulent Garden from Starbright Floral Design
Succulents are notable for their appearance; their leaves or other parts tend to be broad and fleshy so that they can absorb and store water in dry environments. Some well-known succulents include cactus and aloe, but this unique type of plant goes well beyond those household names. From colorful echeveria to hardy sedum, there is a wide range of beautiful and versatile succulent plants that are getting lots of attention from gardeners, landscape architects, and wedding planners. As Pacific Horticulture states:
Succulents are hot! Landscape professionals and home gardeners…are expanding their plant palettes to include these uniquely functional plants. Over the last couple of years, landscape architects and designers have reported…that many clients are asking specifically for a custom-designed succulent garden. This is a big moment for succulents.
Of course, Starbright has some great options to get you started with your very own urban succulent garden. This Succulent Zen Garden comes in a handsome wooden container and would look absolutely wonderful on any mantle. Meanwhile, our Succulent Glass Menagerie would make the perfect centerpiece for a living room table. Whether you choose one of these or another beautiful succulent arrangements from our site, you’ll to know how to care for your new indoor garden. Here are some tips for keeping your succulents healthy and happy.
Succulent Garden from Starbright Floral Design
Tip #1: Water only when the soil has fully dried
Because succulents are made for retaining water, you can water them less than you would other indoor plants. Wait until the soil in which they’re planted is completely dry before you add any more water. In a humid climate like New York City’s in the summer, watering once every few days should suffice. Keep an eye out for overwatering by watching out for the stems constricting and turning black.
Tip #2: Give them light—but not direct midday sun
While it can be difficult in an indoor setting, it’s important to give your succulent garden natural light. But be careful: succulents prefer indirect light to direct, so a spot in a nice, bright room away from direct rays should be perfect. Tabletops and bookshelves can often be great spots for this. Some succulents will do well on brighter windowsills, but always be sure to check them for any signs of scorching.
Tip #3: Re-pot your succulents every year
Like many plants, succulents will do better if they are re-potted occasionally—once a year should be perfect. This allows them to continue growing without sacrificing the root structure. As for how to re-pot, Uncommon Goods has some advice:
Before introducing your plants to their new home give the bottom of the existing dirts/roots a bit of a scrunch. Flare the root structure out a bit. This will help it transition better into its new/bigger/better environment. This is something good to remember when planting anything anywhere. If you don’t break up the bundle they are used to having in their temporary store shells, they might be a little too shy to branch out (pun intended) into their new world.
Tip #4: Don’t worry too much about temperature!
Many people think that it’s important to keep succulents in constantly hot temperatures, but in fact, they can withstand cool temperatures above freezing. Since their native desert environments often grow cold at night, your indoor succulent garden should be more than able to survive both during hot summers and during the winter and at evening, when your indoor temperature may drop a bit.
Succulents are a great choice for adding a fresh look to your apartment, deck, or backyard. Nothing brightes up a space like a bit of living color. Over at Starbright Floral Design will be more than happy to work with you on creating a great succulent arrangement that you can care for easily.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Trying to figure out a way to bring some positive energy into your workplace?
Peony Arrangement – Give Me Shelter from Starbright
Did you know that many of the flowers and plants offered by Starbright Floral Designs can help to improve your office’s feng shui?
Feng shui is an ancient Chinese system of organizing an environment or space to create harmony with and for the people who are within the space. Many qualities of feng shui are complex and hard to bring into daily life, but other aspects can easily be achieved. Common Western feng shui practices include arranging furniture in a way that creates the most harmonious environment—for instance, placing one’s bed so that it faces the bedroom door, eliminating the anxiety of not being able to see the entrance.
Feng shui is just as important to utilize in a working environment. An office space is more than just a place where work gets done. It’s where many people spend approximately one-third of their days, and therefore, the way the space is designed and laid out does matter. As an employer, it’s incredibly important to think about the feng shui of your office—and flowers are central to these efforts.
“The universal language of flowers crosses any cultural boundaries, interpretations or meanings. The feng shui use of flower symbols is based on the same universal feeling that flowers evoke in all humans—a feeling of beauty, grace…good luck and numerous blessings”
We’ve talked before about how the smell of flowers can evoke pleasant feelings and improve workplace performance. Along with that, the visual presence of flowers can greatly improve the feng shui of an office, making it a space that inspires feelings of balance, confidence, and success. Here are some specific flowers that create particular emotional responses that would be beneficial to your employees and your overall workplace productivity:
Peonies
In addition to their lovely smell, peonies are lovely flowers that give a look of both strength and delicateness. Considered the “King of Flowers” by the Chinese, the peony adds to an office’s feng shui by boosting feelings of strength and nobility. The Peony Stairway to Heaven bouquet will give a boost of confidence to anyone working around them.
Clusters of Peonies
Chrysanthemums
Chrysanthemums are known to provide a feeling of balance to environments. In today’s often hectic workplaces, the use of these flowers can provide a much-needed sense of calm that will provide reassurance that the day’s tasks are within reach. Our Make a Wish bouquet is loaded with beautiful yellow daisy chrysanthemums and will keep the energy in your office focused and controlled.
Chrysanthemum Buttons
Lilies
The feng shui value of lilies lies in their promoting of harmony among people. As you know, this is essential to any successful workplace. If your business is to succeed, your employees must be able to work and interact in a positive manner. The presence of the gorgeous white calla lilies in our My Fair Lady will add a clean, simple sense of peace and productivity to your office space.
As the name suggests, the money tree is a great option for offices due to its association with prosperity and good luck. Our Money Tree is elegantly housed in a square black container with deerfoot moss and rocks. This one just screams “Good chi!” And with our simple care tips, these little trees are easy to keep happy and healthy
Planted Money Trees
We can’t tell you enough how much these plants and flowers will help to create the kind of environment you need and want in your workplace. With all the pressure on business owners and managers, leave it to us to make sure your office’s feng shui gets a lift with our Weekly Flowers program. You and your employees will feel the difference flowers can make in no time!
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
We love June here at Starbright Floral Design – not because of the weather changing (though that’s nice) and not because school’s out. We love June because we get to celebrate one of New York’s favorite flowers – the Rose! June is National Rose Month and the rose is the state flower of New York – which makes it doubly important in our books. For the next few weeks we’re going to be shining a light on that thorniest of buds.
Roses are found all around the world – there are over 100 different species. The first rose gardens were cultivated in China over 5,000 years ago. Ancient Rome used rose petals as confetti, and rose hips were among the first perfume ingredients.
In 17th century Europe, roses were in such high demand that both the shrub and rosewater extract were commonly used as legal tender. In fact, many of the heritage rose gardens across Europe and on the island of Britain were founded as banks of a sort, a soil-based savings account.
You probably can’t use any of our NEW! June Arrangements to buy groceries, but they’re sure to be fantastic addition to your home, office, kitchen or bedroom! Don’t forget to save your petals for a luxurious confetti at your next event or special night “in.”
Check out some of the arrangements the shop put together to celebrate roses for this month.
Lavender Rose Enchantment
Thornless lavender roses say “I loved you at first sight”.
It has been proven that our sense of smell is an incredibly powerful tool for invoking memories. There have been several studies that have shown a clear link between smells and the recollection of emotional memories, and these studies were looked at together in a paper from the Oxford journal Chemical Senses. To summarize the studies they look at, the authors state:
“From these data, there is at least preliminary evidence that olfactory stimuli can cue autobiographical memories more effectively than cues from other sensory modalities. Explanations for these effects can be invoked from accepted principles in contemporary cognitive psychology.”
What’s more, the link between smell and memory goes beyond nostalgia. In another study published in the journal Science and reported on in the New York Times, researchers discovered that exposing people to scents as they studied and later, while they slept, helped them recall details better the next day. This points to the possibility that smells can not only bring back memories from long ago, but that they can help us retain information in the short term. According to the Times the “Olfactory sensing pathways in the brain lead more directly to the hippocampus than do visual and auditory ones.”
For an employer, this information speaks highly to the benefits of having aromatic flowers in the workplace. Based on everything we know about scent and memory, flowers in a work environment could not only make employees recall pleasant memories from the past, improving morale, but they could help workers retain information they learn in the short term. Aromatic flowers are an easy, natural way to make your workplace a happier, more productive environment.
Now that spring is fully in bloom, Starbright has many aromatic options available as part of our Weekly Flowers subscription service. Here are some beautiful springtime smellies that will brighten up your office and bring a smile to the face of anyone who gets a whiff of them:
Peonies are one of our favorites right now. Our beautiful Pink Peony Perfection bouquet will give your workplace a lovely rosy, citrusy scent that will enliven anyone and bring back memories of perfect May mornings. Or there’s our vibrant So Stylish bouquet, which pairs those fragrant peonies with pink roses and lilies, purple orchids, green hydrangea, and more.
Lilac
With a thick smell that’s equal parts rose, vanilla, and almond, lilacs leave a lasting impression on everyone who has had the pleasure to be entranced by them. One of our most fragrant bouquets, Aromatic Spring Amore, features purple lilacs along with white amaryllis, green viburnum, hot pink garden roses, and pink ranunculus. With this collection, spring will truly be in the air in any workspace.
The smell of sweet pea brings one thing to mind: romance. With a sensuous smell that is used often in perfumes, this floral carries a sweet springtime aroma. Sweet pea pairs wonderfully with other aromatics like roses, lilies, and stock, and this Isn’t It Romantic bouquet will make every day at your office feel special.
Freesia
Freesias smell is sweet and light, while also being strong. Native to South Africa, these lovelies will only grow more pleasantly fragrant as spring warms up and moves into summer. White freesia gives some of the strongest smells, and in our Spring Rapture bouquet, these light bulbs are bundled with pink cymbidium orchid blooms, pink tulips and pink hydrangea, making for a bright reminder of perfect picnics or that great smell of the soap at your grandmother’s home.
Stock
Stock have a wonderful sweet, almost clove-like scent that will travel throughout any space and awaken the senses with thoughts of a dewy field. This bouquet, full of hot pink stock along with lavender roses, purple tulips, hot pink mokara orchids, truly lives up to its name—it’s full of life, and great for a workplace.
Starbright’s Weekly Flowers subscription service is a sure bet for making your space happier, healthier, and more productive. Whether these aromatics bring back long forgotten memories, jog something from yesterday’s meeting prep, or just provide a spot of life for the surroundings, fresh flowers will make your workplace an environment in which people want to spend time.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
My very first day interning at Starbright Floral Design – Nic, the owner, basically said “see you tomorrow, grab some flowers on your way out!”
Nervous and totally thinking, “what is this test” I went to the cooler. A big cooler like the new one we have at Starbright is a large, walk-in, very cold, metal hut lined with shelves and filled with buckets after buckets of flowers.
So back on that day, the cooler which was half the size of the one that we’re now riding with was filled with literally every flower I could name and at least half as many again that I couldn’t. There were arrangements ready on the shelves, made for walk in clients in a hurry. They were all beautiful. To me, they were all works of art I couldn’t figure out how to replicate. No joke – I walked out with three cuts and raw hands – I’d destroyed a number of flowers and made a mess out of a couple things my supervisor had to fix. It just didn’t seem a fair trade to take one home.
After five awkward minutes of deliberation I remembered a succulent suspended in a glass on one of the shelves. The curiously shaped and dusty colored little cactus flower looking plant was growing roots. Succulents are not a flower. The little airplants, even the cut-off ones are alive – with a little effort and know-how it’s not hard to get them to grow roots.
I accepted the succulent and carried it home in paper bag – during a polar vortex. Figuring it was a goner, I put a couple of drops of water in a little glass chai cup and placed the succulent on top of it. Despite seeing a couple of the bottom lobes wither away after three weeks, I kept my fingers crossed. Fast forward to Valentine’s Day – a holiday crazy on it’s own right and extra special this past year in NYC for having occurred during a snow storm. Starbright’s stellar performance landed the shop on the cover and a great feature in the Society of American Florists industry periodical – Floral Management. I had made it into the shop every day, created a shocking number of arrangements in red vases, and was smiling the majority of the time. Sometime during that craziness – that’s when the succulent sprouted it’s roots.
A couple weeks later, I gave it a new home. It sits there in my kitchen and reminds me to keep growing. Beginning a new career, making new business relationships – for me, their more like succulents than flowers. They aren’t flashy, but with patience and a couple adjustments, they grow and become vibrant.
Yesterday was Mother’s Day. Starbright sent out over a thousand arrangements to lucky lady’s all over the city. And during this busy holiday, Nic walks me to the door and says “It’s been awhile since you’ve taken home flowers”.
I didn’t hesitate to ask for a succulent.
Today’s succulent bounty in the front, the first-day succulent is in the yellow planter
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Blooming Thoughts 