4/24-4/28: Celebrate NYC’s Incredible Administrative Professionals!

The last week of April is one of our favorite weeks of the year…and everyone at Starbright is beyond excited to welcome this fantastic time.

Known as Administrative Professionals Week, with Administrative Professionals Day taking place on April 26th, this week gives us a time to honor the incredible work that secretaries, administrative assistants, receptionists, and other administrative support professionals do every day in New York City.

The last week of April is the perfect time to celebrate when all of Manhattan is in bloom. With flowers being one of the cherished ways to mark the week, Starbright’s brilliant designers have been dreaming up new, fantastic floral creations to mark this special time of year in NYC. Of course, everyone at Starbright has been eagerly anticipating the unveiling of this curated collection!

Tulips, with all of their fresh beauty and vibrant colors, are one of the most effervescently cheerful flowers of spring, and a wonderful way to honor the Administrative Professionals in your life. Starbright’s color-blocked collection of tulips in our Tulip’s Kiss bouquet is sure to delight. With four variations of hues, the tulips in this masterpiece convey elegance and grace that we’re sure that the Administration Professionals that you are so lucky to know, will admire.

Starbright’s Tulip’s Kiss balances modern design with classic grace.

 

Another way to honor the Administrative Professional who brightens your day is with Starbright’s Paso Doble. Named after a stunning Spanish dance, Starbright’s Paso Doble arranges two smaller dynamic purple calla lily bouquets in impeccable harmony with each other, which could serve as an analogy for the easy balance that the Administrative Professionals you know create in your lives.

Anchored with succulents, Starbright’s Paso Doble brings elegance and ease together.

Starbright’s lush English Charm is one bouquet that always makes our friends and clients swoon. Overflowing with rich florals in a crystal vase, English Charm brings the best of lavish flowers together and is sure to thrill the Administrative Professional in your office. Roses, dahlias, and snapdragons abound in this floral symphony that is awash in greenery. Ornate never looked so beautiful and the charming flowers in this composition are sure to enchant.

Starbright’s English Charm is a perennial favorite of our designers and friends alike.

Naturally, roses are a flower that comes to mind when thinking of how to pay homage to the Administrative Professional who helps to streamline your life. And roses, while dazzling, look ever more endearing when paired with luxuriously draped calla lilies and spritely tulips in Starbright’s Bohemian Rhapsody. Inundating a crystal vase, this composition is abundant with sensational flowers for your revered Administrative Professional.

Starbright’s Bohemian Rhapsody is a delicious display of floral blooms.

 

The designers at Starbright have curated a terrific collection of over 40 different bouquets that they believe will convey your gratitude and appreciation of the Administrative Professionals you know and hold dear.

We warmly invite you to explore this expansive selection of flowers — but should none of those convey your sentiments in just the right way, we hope that you give us a call! Celebrating Administrative Professionals in New York City is a special part of what Starbright does for our friends and clients each year and we look forward to bringing joy to you and your Administrative Professionals, today and every day!

Starbright Floral Design is a full-service florist located in Midtown NYC that has been brightening New York City for over two decades with flowers, plants and more.

It is our distinct pleasure to be of service to you in creating stunning floral compositions that will make you smile.

We are delighted to be able to carefully deliver each creation through our fleet of dedicated floral concierges in Manhattan, all of New York City and beyond.

In NYC, where anything is possible, we offer same-day delivery for our friends and clients to ensure that when want to send your wishes with flowers, orchids, plants and so much more, we are there to answer the call.

We invite you to visit us online or in our store, which you will find is bursting with flowers and delight in being of service to you. We would be thrilled to make your floral dreams come true!

Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

140 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

Peonies Coming Soon!!!

Is there anything more richly glamorous or lushly romantic than the overflowing blossoms of peonies? Although our plant and flower emporium in New York City is abounding with endless options, peonies are the spring flower that our designers always swoon over. With peony season right around the corner, we wanted to give our beloved friends and clients the inside scoop on the flower that sets all of our hearts at Starbright aflutter.  

The gradation of shades for peonies and their incredible petals are stunning.

Adored throughout New York City as one of the most romantic flowers (inspired, perhaps by their ubiquitous presence in the NYC-based Gossip Girl tv show), peonies are also one of the longest-used flowers in Eastern cultures. Known as the “flowers of riches and honor” in China, the bloom has been crowned the “King of Flowers” in Japan, and it is easy to see why. Their unique and stunning beauty can leave anyone breathless, in bunches or as a single, perfect bloom.

Indeed, the history of peonies is as rich and varied as their blossoms. There are many wonderful myths about peonies and the origin of the flower. One of our favorites is that there was once a beautiful nymph named Paeonia, who Apollo flirted with. When Paeonia realized that Aphrodite was watching them, she flushed and Aphrodite turned her into a peony, imbuing the flower with bashfulness. Why Aphrodite turned Paeonia into a flower, we aren’t sure — but we are thrilled to have peonies as one of our most cherished blooms in New York City!

Peonies make dazzling bouquets and are sure to delight the even the most discerning.

Peonies have long been associated with health and prosperity, so long, in fact, that water would be infused with the petals of peonies and drunk in the Middle Ages. Today, the petals are added to salads or beverages to add an unexpected, delightful floral essence. In England, children used to wear the root of the peony around their necks to ward off pain from teething. Peony seeds used to be swallowed to fend off nightmares, and while we hope it helped, we would imagine that a garden filled with peonies would do that, as well!

The generous bloom can range in size anywhere from 2 – 10 inches. While we must admit that we adore peonies when they are on the larger end of the spectrum, there is something particularly enchanting about the smaller peonies and how they infuse a bouquet with their precious intricacy.

The bright fuchsia in a peony is magical.

Peonies are like no other flower to be found anywhere in New York City. The depth and variation of their hues alone are enough to make Starbright’s designers wax poetic all season long. Traditional peonies range in color from the purest white to soft pinks, charming rose-colored and decadent reds. Today, we’re seeing an expansion of color offerings, including the endlessly fascinating coral, rich purples, deep mahogany and happy yellows. While we love all of the tints of colors that peonies come in, there is something so classically beautiful about peonies in pink that will always take our breath away.

Pink peonies are always among our favorites, though all of the colors are gorgeous!

We are thrilled to announce that with the start of peony season, there will be a new and dynamic section of the Starbright website that will be catering specifically to your peony whims. Of course, we’ll keep you updated on these exciting developments and hope that as peonies begin to bloom, so will your adoration of these truly incredible flowers.

Starbright Floral Design is a full-service florist located in Midtown NYC that has been brightening New York City for over two decades with flowers, plants and more.

It is our distinct pleasure to be of service to you in creating stunning floral compositions that will make you smile.

We are delighted to be able to carefully deliver each creation through our fleet of dedicated floral concierges in Manhattan, all of New York City and beyond.

In NYC, where anything is possible, we offer same-day delivery for our friends and clients to ensure that when want to send your wishes with flowers, orchids, plants and so much more, we are there to answer the call.

We invite you to visit us online or in our store, which you will find is bursting with flowers and delight in being of service to you. We would be thrilled to make your floral dreams come true!

Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

140 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

Starbright at the Hotel Excellence Awards!

Starbright Floral Design was thrilled to be invited to be a sponsor for this year’s Hotel Excellence Awards (HEA), held in New York City. Starbright has always looked forward to the HEA, which we’ve been a sponsor of since the award ceremony began, in 2000. One of Manhattan’s many prestigious annual galas, the HEA honors those who serve the hotel industry and everyone at Starbright was only too happy to lend a hand…and some flowers!

Hosted by Where IN New York with the New York Association of Hotel Concierges and the Hotel Association of New York City, Inc, this night was an exciting and unique chance to showcase some of Starbright’s most decadent floral designs.

Starbright had the honor of being invited to be a sponsor of the Hotel Excellence Awards.
Starbright had the honor of being invited to be a sponsor of the Hotel Excellence Awards.

As the coveted floral designer among hotel concierges since Starbright’s founding in 1994, we wanted to give back to our friends and clients by helping to create an evening they’d always remember, filled with fantastic flowers and beautiful blooms.

We used this festive occasion to showcase our towering verdant orchids, that have a playful touch of fuchsia to tickle the senses. Ensconced in a tall crystal vase, these orchid blooms are always a hit, and we’re elated to report that they had that exact response at the Hotel Excellence Awards in NYC.

Starbright’s elegant orchids were highlighted with delicate tea lights on each table.
Starbright’s elegant orchids were highlighted with delicate tea lights on each table.

Representing us at this distinguished event were Stephen Faitos, Senior Vice-President at Starbright, along with Julie McGonigle, our Special Events Architect. They had the opportunity to meet and mingle with some of New York City’s best and brightest in the hotel industry, while having a wonderful time.

Stephen and Julie had a chance to chat with Adeline Tafuri Jurecja, the publisher of Where and IN New York Magazine, and a dear friend of Starbright. Seeing Adeline in person in Manhattan is always a treat for everyone at Starbright and Stephen and Julie loved catching up with her. Stephen and Julie also had the opportunity to see old friends at the Hotel Excellence Awards, with whom lifelong friendships have been forged.

Stephen Faitos of Starbright, left, joined with Adeline Tafuri Jurecja, publisher of Where and IN New York Magazine, center, with Julie McGonigle, Special Events Architect at Starbright.
Stephen Faitos of Starbright, left, joined with Adeline Tafuri Jurecja, publisher of Where and IN New York Magazine, center, with Julie McGonigle, Special Events Architect at Starbright.

Stephen was selected by the Hotel Excellence Awards to present the award for Best Hotel Amenities this year, and he was delighted to be on hand to do so. This year, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel received the honor; this is a category that everyone at Starbright is always intrigued to see who will win and we are overjoyed that the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in NYC was selected. We’re excited to see who wins next year in New York City!

Stephen, center, with Loida Diaz, President of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges, right, presenting the award for Best Hotel Amenities to Susanne Hatje, General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, left.
Stephen, center, with Loida Diaz, President of the New York City Association of Hotel Concierges, right, presenting the award for Best Hotel Amenities to Susanne Hatje, General Manager of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, left.

Everyone at Starbright adores giving back to this majestic city of ours; we love to be part of these wonderful opportunities to recognize the hard work and dedication of our friends and clients in New York City. The Hotel Excellence Awards is always a fabulous event in Manhattan and we are already looking forward to next year’s gala!

Starbright Floral Design has been spreading beauty through blossoms in New York City and beyond for over two decades. It is our honor and delight to thrill you with breathtaking floral compositions each and everytime.

As a full-service florist with a sweeping emporium located in Chelsea, you’ll find that Starbright is overflowing with fresh flowers, orchids, plants and so much more.

We understand that sometimes the only way to convey your thoughts and wishes is through flowers, so we offer same-day delivery in Manhattan, all of New York City and beyond.

Our floral designers and innovators are some of the best in the business. Starbright is honored to have earned the nickname “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps” by over 200 concierges throughout NYC. We love to live up to that sobriquet by always going above and beyond for our friends and clients by ensuring that each floral bouquet is a magnificent creation.

We would be delighted if you visited us online or in our store and would love to make your floral dreams come true!

Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

140 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

212.229.1610

Starbright Spreading Joy to the World!

Oh, the weather outside is frightful, but inside gorgeous flowers by Starbright make it so delightful! With the holidays quickly approaching in Manhattan, we wanted to show the floral glory that adorns so many homes and businesses throughout New York City and share with you the discounts that we are elated to offer, to make your spaces merry and bright.

Starbright’s Snowfall at Twilight is the ideal accompaniment for the holidays in NYC. This magnificent composition, dreamed up by Starbright Floral Design’s brilliant designers, features a couture, snow white, ceramic vase for a base that is overflowing with white amaryllis and dusty pink roses. Festive, pearlized ornaments in a silvery-white hue combined with rich amber colored pinecones accents this creation and make it a stunning statement piece in your NYC home and business. Usually $84.95 in Manhattan, we are excited to extend the friends & family pricing to you for a $15 discount on this beautiful floral composition bringing Snowfall at Twilight to only $69.95.

Snowfall at Twilight is a lovely composition to highlight your holiday decor.
Snowfall at Twilight is a lovely composition to highlight your holiday decor.

Adored as a cheerful, seasonal favorite in NYC, our Holiday Sonnet is one of the most popular requests for Starbright to craft, and it’s easy to see why! Nestled in an 8” bubble bowl, this joyful composition, inspired by the excitement of the holiday season in Manhattan, features lotus pods with unique, two-toned hydrangea in green and burgundy tones. Miniature pinecones with brunia, garden roses and jubilant, holiday greenery styled in a lush garden presentation complete the Starbright masterpiece and make the Holiday Sonnet a distinctive selection to celebrate the season with in New York City. Normally $109.95, this beautiful bouquet has the special friends & family pricing in NYC of $79.95.

Starbright's Holiday Sonnet creates is cheerful, festive composition that brightens every day.
Starbright’s Holiday Sonnet creates is cheerful, festive composition that brightens every day.

In keeping with our tradition to bedeck as much of New York City in festive flowers as possible, our Starbright team had the distinct honor to be invited to adorn a private space at 620 Loft and Gardens in Manhattan on behalf of American Express and Starwood Hotels. Celebrating the lighting of the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center in NYC, we were only too thrilled to lend a hand to embellish the space.

Our endlessly creative Starbright designers wanted to honor the season in NYC and did that by creating elegant centerpieces and cascading cedar with pinecones to rest over the doorways to create a winter wonderland.

The greenery and pinecones that Starbright crafted over doorways made an instant impact.
The greenery and pinecones that Starbright crafted over doorways made an instant impact.

On the backdrop of snowy white linens for tablecloths, our Starbright designers chose to combine Jack Frost-approved greens with fresh pinecones to evoke the sense of being in the woodlands in wintertime, while being cocooned in the warmth of Manhattan. This created a low, show-stopping composition that allowed for plenty of discourse over dinner in NYC while still paying homage to the theme.

The lush table runners created joyous place settings.
The lush table runners created joyous place settings.

Using dogwood trimmed vases for a base, Starbright also combined roses with wintergreens which created an extravagant yet graceful vignette for the tables in New York City. In other centerpieces, small twigs of cinnamon were woven in so that the warm scent of the season delicately wafted through the Manhattan air.

The beautiful scent of cinnamon puts everyone into the holiday spirit!
The beautiful scent of cinnamon puts everyone into the holiday spirit!

If you’d like to add a little bit of seasonal magic to your home and business in NYC, everyone at Starbright would be delighted to help! We’ll be able to craft just the perfect creation from our immense selection of the finest holiday decor in New York City. We love brightening up Manhattan when so many are home for the holidays and hope to be invited to enhance your home and business soon!

Behind the Scenes at Starbright

With Starbright Floral Design out and about at events in New York City every day, we wanted to share with our dear friends how the magic is made. Founded 22 years ago in NYC, Starbright started out with the mission to be the greatest florist in the City that Never Sleeps. Over two decades later, we can say with great happiness that we are still chasing that dream every day, and are honored to work with over 200 concierges in Manhattan who heartily recommend us to their guests and clients.

Starbright's beautiful creations.
Starbright’s beautiful creations.

But where do we craft our intricate designs, and who are the elves that create the magic in our New York City flagship shop? We wanted to throw back the curtain and introduce our incredible floral designers, who we think are the best in the business.

Starbright Floral Design has 17 designers working full-time to create lush, floral masterpieces. Our staff of over 70 people ensures that each flower delivery gets to just the right place and is always on time. Our days are busy and overflowing with flowers because we have an average of 250 floral deliveries going out each day in addition to being the florist for an average of 6 events each day. Starbright is having its best year yet and it is also our 22nd year of consecutive growth. We’re thrilled that we get to bedeck Manhattan in flowers and wanted to share what we’ve been up to recently.

Starbright carefully crafts each beautiful bouquet.
Starbright carefully crafts each beautiful bouquet.

The events where Starbright’s floral creations appear vary from black tie galas and fundraisers to celebrating a 111th birthday at the Pierre Hotel. We were delighted to beflower Fashion Week in NYC this year and of course, we love our work as a corporate florist.

One of our upcoming events is for a law firm client who requested that Starbright enhance the United Nations Delegates Dining Room for a private meeting. Later this week we will be collaborating with Macy’s Herald Square in NYC to provide blooms as they start to prepare for the holiday season crush.

While Starbright is delighted to be the florist for incredibly elegant and festive events in Manhattan, one of our priorities is always giving back to our community in New York City. This week we are proud to be a sponsor for the 31st Annual Gala of Answer the Call at Cipriani, which provides assistance to the widows and children of first responders of NYC.

Starbright's team is dedicated to giving back to NYC.
Starbright’s team is dedicated to giving back to NYC.

Additionally, we were honored to have been called on by the American Red Cross to fill the Museum of Natural History with flowers for the 2016 Gala, Heroes Among Us.

With so many events and floral masterpieces to create, there’s only one way Starbright could do it all. It’s thanks to our incredible team of floral designers, inspirers, dreamers and doers that we’ve been able to come this far as a firm. And together — who knows what the future may hold. We hope to see you soon at an event that has Starbright’s impeccable blooms!

We hope our blooms brighten your day!
We hope our blooms brighten your day!

This missive is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design. Starbright Floral Design is a full-service florist located in Midtown NYC. We deliver inspired floral compositions throughout Manhattan, all of New York City and everywhere beyond. You may visit our website where orders may be placed for designer-crafted flower vases and arrangements, impeccable orchids, plants and so much more.

We offer same-day delivery to most parts of the United States and would be delighted to make your floral dreams come true.

We will be honored to be of service to you now and for a long time to come…

Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

140 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

212.229.1610

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Starbright and the City

At Starbright Floral Design, we stop to smell the flowers every day. Even though we do, we also find our schedule bountiful with events. We wanted to share with our friends and colleagues what we’ve been up to these past few days. Sometime, somewhere, we hope that you are at a special gathering decorated with our amazing blooms and robust accents.

Starbright was delighted to be invited to enhance the beauty that is the Oculus at the World Trade Center, located in lower Manhattan. Our client was Advertising Week and they had the distinct honor of hosting the first ever event at the Santiago Calatrava designed space that is referred to as a “bird in flight”.

Starbright bedecked the Oculus with lush, willowy palm trees.
Starbright bedecked the Oculus with lush, willowy palm trees.

The event took place at the Grand Staircase of the Oculus in New York City, which was built with white Italian marble. Advertising Week, which brings the best and brightest of the marketing and entertainment fields together for one week in NYC, wanted to highlight the serenity of the space while evoking the fresh and innovative practices that they are known for creating in their industry. As soon as Advertising Week described their vision for the event, we at Starbright Floral Design knew that lush palm trees would the perfect accompaniment to the evening.

The awe-inspiring vaulted ceiling at the Oculus is the focal point that we wanted to enhance.
The awe-inspiring vaulted ceiling at the Oculus is the focal point that we wanted to enhance.

As some of our clients may not know, not only does Starbright Floral Design create custom floral displays in venues across New York City, we are also able to send our carefully curated plants to be rented for an evening, which is what Advertising Week decided to do in this case. We were thrilled to be a small part of this amazing evening in NYC and look forward to being a partner with Advertising Week for future events.

This past week Starbright also had the privilege of beautifying the Baryshnikov Arts Center in Manhattan for their annual gala, the Fall Fete. The Fall Fete was created to raise funds to support performances and residencies at BAC, while also having a magical evening in NYC with those who are passionate about the arts.

Starbright had been requested to create floral accents that would enhance the elegance of the Center’s Ballroom for the sumptuous dinner, without causing difficulty for guests who wanted to converse while they dined. We rose to the challenge by crafting a runner of blooms and greenery that ran the 18-foot length of each table. Composed of an array of fuchsia calla lilies, orchids, orange pincushion protea flowers and purple eucalyptus, the runner was pin-spot lit from above to enhance the display and create an intimate and inviting atmosphere for the private gala.

Verdant greens provided the perfect background emphasize the floral arrangements.
Verdant greens provided the perfect background emphasize the floral arrangements.

Our dramatic arrangements that accompanied the photo area for the event were created to create a heightened effect that would make an impact, both visually and emotionally, as guests entered the venue. Staying true to the theme of the evening, these displays were made of a blend of fuchsia calla lilies, orchids and orange pincushion protea flowers, with purple eucalyptus and succulents that took guests’ breath away.

These arrangements created an elevated elegance for photography at the step and repeat wall.
These arrangements created an elevated elegance for photography at the step and repeat wall.

For many of our events, we create variations on a floral theme, and the evening at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in Manhattan was no exception. We crafted another floral runner for the bar, where the delicate, soft curve of the calla lily’s petal could be admired up close.

The length of the bar was lined with calla lilies mixed with greens.
The length of the bar was lined with calla lilies mixed with greens.

We pride ourselves as florists on remembering the smallest details to ensure the biggest impact in our arrangements. That is why, for the dinner at the Baryshnikov Arts Center in NYC, we added tangerine ribbons to our displays in the lavatories to make sure that elegance abounded wherever guests glanced.

The silver countertops provided the perfect foil to our vibrant arrangements.
The silver countertops provided the perfect foil to our vibrant arrangements.

It was a busy week for us at Starbright Floral Design and indeed, as The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps we barely slept! However, we were elated with the result of our collaboration with our clients in New York City, but more importantly, they were thrilled. We’re looking forward to working with them again, and you, soon!

This missive is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design. Starbright Floral Design is a full-service florist located in Midtown NYC. We deliver inspired floral compositions throughout Manhattan, all of New York City and everywhere beyond. You may visit our website where orders may be placed for designer-crafted flower vases and arrangements, impeccable orchids, plants and so much more.

We offer same-day delivery to most parts of the United States and would be delighted to make your floral dreams come true.

We will be honored to be of service to you now and for a long time to come…

Warm regards from all of us at Starbright, “The Official Florist of the City That Never Sleeps”.

Flowers, Festivals and Celebrations – It is what we do!

Starbright Floral Design

140 West 26th Street, New York, NY 10001

212.229.1610

August Birth Flowers in NYC: Gladiolus

Gladiolus

Gladiolus has been dubbed the flower of the Gladiators.   It represents strength of character, sincerity, generosity.  In the Victorian age with its secret language of flowers it was said to represent “love at first sight”. Gladiolus derives its name from the latin word for sword and is sometimes called the sword lily.  As a member of the iris family it contains about 260 species.   Only about 10 are native to Europe the rest are native to southern Africa.  The species vary from very small to the spectacular giant flower spikes you see in floral designs. The flower stalk of the Gladiolus contains an extended row of trumpet-shaped, fragrant flowers, all of which face in one direction. Their colors include pink to reddish or light purple with white, contrasting markings, or white to cream or orange to red.

 

Once upon a time Gladiolus were viewed as an upscale, highly sought after flower but fell into the sympathy arrangement niche.  However, we’ve recently seen a resurgence of the Gladiolus in NYC.    Many upscale restaurants and hotels in NYC have once again incorporated the Gladiolus in their floral decor.

 

 

This scribe is brought to you by your friends at Starbright Floral Design… We are an enthusiastic bunch that spends our day making really cool compositions of flowers. Bright colors,  great designs and  amazing service to our clients is what we are all about.  Starbright is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District in a second floor loft space.  We spend our days making flower arrangements that we send as gifts on behalf of our clients.  People call us for a bunch of reasons (1 800 520 8999)… Sometimes to say “sorry”, other times to wish someone well during an illness or to congratulate on one of life’s major milestones.  Sometimes people call us because the caught the romantic influenza and they think someone is super sexy! We even get some really shy customers that don’t know what to say on  the card and need lots of help!

To place  an order for amazing flowers online go to:  www.starbrightnyc.com

Our warmest regards,

 

The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps

Starbright Floral Design, 140 West 26th Street, New York City.

800 520  8999

 

 

 

At Starbright Floral Design, we’ve recently seen a huge increase in the popularity of succulent plants and gardens.

Succulent Garden
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
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. 

Starbright Logo

Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.

Got the morning grumps? Let flowers turn your frown upside down.

It’s cold, it’s dark, and a single digit number glows back on the alarm as ear-piercing beeps cut the silence.

A full ten percent of the population actually enjoy this experience. For the other 90 percent, a mandatory 7:00am alarm is less than desirable. 

Society, work, or familial pressures keep us bouncing – very few people have the luxury of  subscribing to their preferred sleeping patterns. In fact, instead of maintaining a natural sleep schedule, many people stay awake later and wake up earlier than their body would like.

What do we get for pulling extra hours? In a study of young employees, lower amounts of sleep caused an increase in tension, nervousness, and irritability. These symptoms were especially present in the morning hours and tended to naturally wear off as the day progressed. 

Good news for the habitually groggy! 

 

“The morning blahs, it turns out, is a real phenomenon, with positive moods — happiness, friendliness, and warmth for example — manifesting much later in the day,” says lead researcher Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D. Doctor Etcoff is referring to her research that confirms

“flowers might be the perfect pick-me-up for millions of Americans who do not consider themselves “morning people.” 

-Nancy Etcoff, PH.D.

The study, done at Harvard University and Massachusetts General Hospital studied the effects of flowers on the emotions of participants. These participants noted that they generally felt least positive in the morning but reported being happier and more energetic after looking at flowers first thing in the morning.

Doctor Etcoff continues “By starting the day in a more positive mood, you are likely to transfer those happier feelings to others — it’s called a mood contagion.” We’re thinking of it as an emotional domino effect and it’s wild – check out more info on the Wikipedia page. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emotional_contagion

The best part? Flowers don’t discriminate – the positive effects work for women, men, and even children and adolescents. 

Want to try it out? Our reading suggest that the effects are strongest when flowers are located in communal areas or in the immediate surroundings.  Some ideas from starbrightnyc.com :

Marcela
From Starbright’s table to yours

For the bedroom : 

Try a posy of something sweet and aromatic. Lilies, lilacs, stock, sweet peas, and freesia are examples of scented flowers to look for. 

For the kitchen :

Whether in a home or an office, families and friends tend to come together in kitchen spaces – try something bigger and brighter for this room.  We also love simple and colorful.  A bundle of tulips maybe? 

For the desk :

Something elegant, contained, and unlikely to spill might be best.  Check out these callas as an option or these orchids.

For the office :

When you’ve got a bit more space, a flowering orchid plant will help keep you company. While white orchids are always elegant, this purple Phaleonopsis orchid is a great way to include Pantone’s 2014 Color of the Year – Radiant Orchid in your space.

With Starbright’s subscription service, you can have seasonal flowers in your home or office fresh weekly.  Give us a call to find out more.

 

Starbright Logo

Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.

 

 

Overwhelming “Thank You’s”

From time to time we get notes of thanks from our clients where they express their appreciation for the flowers that we deliver for them to their loved ones, their coworkers or to their business associates… Today I got a few more than usual and  I wanted to write about them just because the notes themselves were really cool and they mean so much to all of us.  Here is a sampling of what I received today:

So Bridgette writes:

Thanks Nic, I really appreciate it. I heard everyone thought the flowers were amazing. Thanks for the doing great work and making me look good. Have a great day, Bridgette

and then  there was this note to George from J. Peters.  Now granted it is a little over-the-top with enthusiasm:

Thank You so much George!!  You are such a great person to talk with…so informative, detailed,  and most importantly warm.    (just like the beautiful flowers you have delivered to people so they can smile).  I am so glad you were the one that picked up the phone!  You are the Best!!  will definitely pass it on about your amazing kindness and Starbright flowers!!! 🙂    I hope you have an amazing day!!!   THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!  🙂

All along the way whenever we hear from our clients it makes the work that we do, the arrangements that we create all the more worthwhile.  It is nice to know that we spend our days doing things that touch people’s hearts in such a meaningful way.  I truly believe that just as much as receiving flowers brings joy, the experience is duplicated when the recipient gets an enthusiastic “OMG, I cannot believe you did this for meeeee! Thank you soooooooooo much! I love the flowers!”  That is the business we are in and we love what we do!

A little bit about Starbright:  We are a retail flower shop that is located in Chelsea (a Manhattan neighborhood) in the center of the historic flower district.  You can visit our website at www.starflor.com or you can call us at 1.800.520.8999.  We are open and deliver flowers the same day that you order them anywhere in New York City or the rest of America seven days a week. 

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Starbright Floral Design – “The Official Florist of The City That Never Sleeps”

http://www.starbrightnyc.com/

 

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