NYC Floral enthusiasts rejoice! The beloved daffodil is back in season. Here at Starbright, we’re prepping the stems and getting ready for Spring!
Daffodil Notes /
Daffodils are often considered to be some of the sunniest flowers around; they are among the first wild flowers to appear in Spring and are the official flower of the month of March. They are most commonly found in yellow or white, though orange and pink varieties exist as well. The unique shape of the bloom, with its six petal-like tepals surrounding a trumpet-shaped corona is easy to identify though it is called by many names including: narcissus, jonquil, and daffadowndilly.
Daffodils are native to the Mediterranean. They were initially brought to England by the ancient Romans who believed the blooms had medicinal properties…which is not at all true. The flowers have toxic crystals that can irritate the skin, repel garden pests, and even wilt other flowers in the same vase unless treated properly.
Inside Info /
Daffodils are some of the first flowers to bloom; they can actually grow straight through the snow
Bring a bundle of daffodils to a friend, but never a single bloom. One daffodil on it’s own predicts misfortune!
Daffodils are a symbol of hope and friendship today.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
White cymbidium orchid with silver sprayed curly willow
Planning a wedding reception on a budget can be disheartening. But it doesn’t have to be! There are a host of options for couples with refined taste and a restricted budget. One area of the budget that can grow quickly is the tabletop centerpiece. These pieces come in all shapes and varieties and are generally placed at the center of each dinning table. The best centerpieces are designed to coordinate with the rest of the events décor; appropriate centerpieces will help your event’s theme suffuse the space and fill your guests with festive feelings. Many floral centerpieces are selected for their color, texture, or the time of year. They sometimes include decorative items like colored wire, glass beads, or river stones. The size and shape is also variable and sometimes an event may include a number of sizes to represent the guest’s status; the wedding party and family tables are pretty much always identifiable based on the size of the centerpiece.
Starbright Floral Design suggests following a few simple steps to create a stunning tabletop without breaking the budget.
Consider the size of your container
Think about Goldilocks when selecting the size of the floral container. Too small and the flowers may feel insignificant, too big and the flowers will just get in the way. Not sure what size you need? Ask you florist! Starbright’s design consultants and client satisfaction representatives will help guide you to success. Many styles and concepts can be scaled easily to just the size you’re looking for. One such arrangement from Starbright is Give Me Tomorrow. This arrangement features roses cut to fit and fill a square container.
Cut roses look good in any size container!
Consider the flowers
Centerpieces should mimic the overall floral direction. A great way to maximize the consistency is to select one standout bloom from the arrangements that captures the color and feel of the rest of the floral styling. Some of our favorite blooms for this purpose include cymbidium orchids, calla lilies, and amaryllis.
Green cymbidium orchid in small glass cube.
Or, for the adventurous and openminded, consider the unexpectedness of carnations. For outside weddings with a lot of green, one of our favorite potential centerpieces is this guy:
Green Trick makes for an unexpected twist on the classic centerpiece
Consider the style
Another way to keep your centerpieces elegant, on-theme, and within a budget is to consider modern styles; modern arrangements often have a clean look and fewer blooms than traditionally lush arrangements. These pieces can be soft and romantic…
Clean looking callas arranged to fit a small round container.
If you’re planning an event or wedding and thinking about centerpieces, give us a call today! Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Millions of people around the world gathered to celebrate the start of the Lunar New Year this week. Here in New York, the party is just getting started! Celebrate the holiday in style this weekend with these helpful floral hints.
Flowers and Fruits For Chinese New Year
Narcissus
These cheerful yellow flowers, also known as daffodils, are a sign of good fortune and prosperity. They are one of the most auspicious flowers to include in New Year celebrations.
Oranges
A symbol of the sun, these fruits are a sign of abundant happiness. If you’ll be attending a Chinese New Years party at a friend’s or family member’s home, consider taking a basket of these cheerful fruits. To make a tasty treat basket more traditional, add some candied nuts – peanuts are a favorite and symbolize a long life.
Orchids
These delicate blooms are symbolic of abundance, refinement, and luxury. Whether you prefer the large Cymbidiums, smaller Mokaras, or living Phalaenopsis – orchids are a highly desirable gift during this season. Check out some of our favorite arrangements featuring orchids here and here.
Peonies
These lovely blooms are often associated with riches and honor. This blooms are also a popular symbol of feminine beauty and affection. For Chinese New Year celebrations burgundy peonies are considered particularly auspicious.
Colors For Chinese New Year
While selecting your blooms this weekend, focus on warm colors. Red is by far the most popular color as it traditionally is associated with good fortune and joy. It is also a good idea to avoid white flowers as this color can represent mourning.
Want to join the fun? Check out the Chinese New Year parade this Sunday at 1pm, February 22nd 2015. See you all there!
There’s no shortage of Romance in NYC this week! With Valentine’s Day 2015 just around the corner, New York City is abuzz with a Valentine’s Day glow that can just give you goose-bumps. The romance is so heavy in the air it’s practically steaming, just like the vapors of the Nuts’4’Nuts cart. Strolling through New York City you can almost hear St.Valentine himself, banging on the lid of a taxi as he crosses 6th avenue, yelling “I’m walking here!” as he scopes out another love-lorn hopeful with his old buddy Cupid. Whether you’ve got a special someone, several special someones, or several special cats there’s only good things about February 14th. There’s no end of things to do in the city – you can take in a Broadway show, go eat a romantically-lit dinner from anywhere in the world or see some hot jazz in a cool club.
If you’re in the mood to cheer on another couple’s real life love-story head over to Times Square. Nine happy couples will be getting married there this Saturday in front of the Times Square Valentine Heart Design winner, “Heartbeat,” by Brooklyn-based outfit Stereotank. This interactive beating-heart drum reacts to sound and movement and it’s pretty impressive (check it out on Bustler here).
Here at Starbright Floral Design, we’re pretty obsessed with Valentine’s Day too. It’s a great time in the shop; the floral coolers are full, most of the staff is smiling on-site and energy levels are high. To kick off the season right, the Starbright designers each created custom heart-shaped arrangements for our V-Day 2015 Heart Collection. These unique arrangements all represent the personalized style of our design team and pack a whole bunch of extra love. We’re also excited to be creating arrangements from the “helpfully” romantic Valentine’s Day Flowers Collection.
Every Valentine’s day serves up it’s own set of unique challenges. Last year, despite a foot of snow, Starbright was able to send out over 2,000 orders for Valentine’s Day. So how did we manage?
Getting Ready For Valentine’s Day
It all starts in the back. After unpacking, washing and shelving A LOT of vases, the guys begin adding greens for storage.
Greening Vases
Vases aren’t the only thing getting prepared. Antonio works on planting orchids for clients looking for something that will looking for a lasting gift. Orchids are great for brightening up apartments or office spaces and they are pretty easy to take care of – here’s some tips for taking care of an orchid plant.
Antonio preps an orchid for planting.
We have a couple first-timers at Starbright this Valentine’s Day. Emilia, one of Starbright’s designers, is excited for the days ahead.
Nothing to worry about here – Emilia is ready for the big day!
Byron checks some details in Starbright’s large catalogue of styles.
Byron checks an order at the front desk
Did we mention that Byron made the arrangements for the front table?
Pretty, huh?
To make sure you get the most from your Valentine’s Day flowers, check out this post for taking care of cut flowers.
Happy Valentine’s Day everybody!
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
NYC flower shops love this unique bloom. The designer’s at Starbright are no exception. To see an example of a NYC Flower arrangement containing Ornithogalum see herein. These readily available blooms are a favored addition to Starbright’s weekly flowers in NYC program for their extra long vase-life. There are four common varieties of of ornithogalum that tend to show up in cut flower arrangements. The difference between these blooms is primarily in the shape of the flowering head. Conical and drooping or round like a button, most ornithogalum blooms have delicate white petals and a striking black center; the exception is ornithogalum dubium whose petals range from yellow to bright orange. Ornithogalum is native to Africa and Eurasia, but it’s long bloom-time and sweet smell have made it a garden favorite worldwide. However, with the help of pollinating bees, some of these garden varieties have crossed their fences and become invasive species.
Ornithogalum Flower Meaning/
Ornithogalum arabicum is often referred to as star of Bethlehem or Arabian star flower. Because of this biblical association, many people prefer this blossom for it’s symbolic representation of purity, hope, and happiness. Ideal for a romantic bouquet, ornithogalum is favorite of old-time romantics.
Ornithogalum Inside Info /
Some varieties of ornithogalum can be toxic if ingested and others may cause skin irritation if handled for prolonged periods of time. Be careful of this lovely bloom around children and animals.
Popular names for ornithogalum include Star of Bethlehem, Nap at Noon, Snowdrop, Arabian Star Flower, Eleven-o’clock Lady, Sleepydick, Arabian Star Flowers.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
NYC flower shops adore the delphinium for its vibrant blue hue. The designer’s at Starbright are no exception. They are a long lasting flower and are ideal to be incorporated in Starbright’s weekly flowers in NYC program. This popular bloom is commonly known as larkspur, but in the shop we call it Delphinium. Delphinium is a large genus of about 300 species of flowering plants that are all categorized in the family Ranunculaceae. Yes, that’s right, despite appearances, the Delphinium is actually a member of the buttercup family (as is the ranunculus, anemone and a bunch of other favorites flowers around the shop). There is a lot of variety amongst the Delphinium genus. Depending on the variety, a delphiniums bloom stalk can be as short as 4 inches to as tall as 2 meters. There are also a variety of colors available, though the classic blue is one of Starbright Floral Design’s favorites, Delphinium varietals can also be available in purple, pink, yellow, and white.
Delphinium Flower History/
Delphinium recieved it’s names from the ancient Greeks who thought that the shape of the nectary looked like that of a leaping dolphin. Many years later, in England, the Delphinium received a new nickname – larskpur – because the shape of the nectary resembled a larks claw. Their popularity increased from there and many hybrids were bred from Delphiums sourced from all over the world. Today’s common delphinium is a product of much cultivation. It is a common flower in gardening shows and is often featured in displays or specialized competitions.
Delphinium Inside Info /
Parts of delphinium plants have been used to create blue dyes and inks.
Delphinium is highly toxic to people and animals
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
With it’s small flowers and slender greens, genisteae, also known as broom, has a uniquely airy appearance and sweet smell. Cut broom will last about a week in an arrangement. Top Florists in NYC, including Starbright Floral design, love to use this accent flower in arrangements calling for fragrance. To guarantee longevity of cut broom, and many other flowers, keep these blooms away from ripe fruits and drafty windows.
Broom Notes /
The Broom family of plants include evergreens (plants that are green year-round), semi-evergreens (plants that keep their leaves through winter, replacing them in spring), and deciduous shrubs. The Genisteae family – Brooms are a member – dates all the way back to the Paleogene Period. Genistae are native to many continents in one form or another, but the greatest diversity found among broom plants can be found in the Mediterranean. But wherever they grow, many broom plants share similar characteristics – small leaves and fragrant flowers fixed to flexible slender green stems. The broom flowers are generally yellow, white, orange, red, pink or purple.
Broom History/
Wayyyy back in the 12th century Geoffrey V, the Count of Anjou, leaned over and plucked a yellow broom plant from the rocky ground and fixed it into his helmet before leading his men into battle. This gesture led to the nickname Geoffrey Plantagenet – Plantaganet can roughly be translated as “Plant Genistrae.” When Geoffrey V later became the Duke of Normandy through conquest, and then the husband of empress dowager Matilda, he became the father of the Plantagenet family. The Plantagenets would go on to rule Britain for 300 years. The conflict that ended their rule was called, believe it or not, the “War of the Roses.”
Inside Info /
Broom has a number of applications, here are some of our favorites :
Broom contains tannin, which once-upon-a-time was used to curing leather.
Broom branches are slender and flexible. This made them ideal for early sweeping utensils and basket weaving.
Though we now consider broom toxic, the seeds were once roasted and used as a substitute for coffee; young shoots were used to replace hops in beer production.
Broom can actually help the environment by removing nitrogen from the air.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
New York City flower arrangements and floral designer’s draw their inspiration from all that is beautiful. NYC neighborhoods each have their own distinct vibe and beauty. It is this vibe and beauty that our floral designers aim to capture in their NYC flower arrangements. In this series, Starbright’s Floral designers bring their personal style to the table and mix up something special for their favorite neighborhoods in New York City. The above is an illustration of NYC West Village Flowers inspired by our designer’s artistic floral interpretation of the West Village in NYC available for flower delivery to the West Village NYC! Watch as an original NYC flowers arrangement is crafted from beginning to end by one of our talented designers.
This week, Byron brings tropicals out to celebrate the life, love, and energy, which makes up the spirit of the West Village in New York City with flowers. First he begins with a classic layer of lemon leaves, followed by hydrangea, amaryllis, bells of Ireland, roses, calla lilies, anthurium, and orchids.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
NYC beware, Valentine’s Day is coming up. Soon, roses in NYC will number in the millions. Starbright Floral Design, is keenly aware of how roses in NYC are an integral part of Valentine’s Day floral gift giving. In fact, Valentine’s Day flowers in NYC and red roses in NYC are synonymous to many New Yorkers. Therefore we thought it’d be a good time to go over some rose history and get to know how some deep rooted traditions sprang up around these flowers that has NYC oh-ing and ah-ing come Valentine’s Day.
the appeal of red roses is pretty obvious to us!
Why are Roses sent
Roses in History
Roses are one of humanity’s oldest commodity goods. There are two main families of rose – Mediterranean and Oriental. The Mediterranean rose was extensively harvested by societies in Ancient Egypt, Ancient Rome and the Greek City States. In general, the ancient world used the rose as decoration – in addition to a lovely visual, a rose also offers a strong fragrance, so it makes sense that the bloom would be adopted early as a go-to cultivar.
With the fall of the Roman Empire we would expect to see a fall of the rose – and in a sense, we sort of do. At this point in human history, monks and their monasteries are popping up to hold on to/pass-on the ancient world’s medicinal secrets – and the rose has a starring role. Rose oil, pressed from rose hips, has curative properties that ease many stomach concerns, and also help manage blood pressure. NOTE: YOU ARE NOT A MEDIEVAL MONK – IF YOU NEED MEDICAL ADVICE, YOU SHOULD SEE YOUR DOCTOR, NOT READ OUR BLOG! WE DO NOT SUGGEST YOU ACTUALLY TAKE ROSE HIP OIL WITHOUT CONSULTING YOUR PHYSICIAN. This is very, very lucky for the rose – as Europe transitioned out of the Dark Ages and into the Medieval era, monasteries became the nodes that the rest of society would rebuild around. Think about it – you’re a merchant, your country has just about seen the last of the bubonic plague, and it’s time to go consolidate populations a little bit like ya do, when over half of the population gets wiped out by the plague. Where are you going to go? You’re probably going to set up near one of those medicine- and beer- and cheese-producing monasteries, because medicine, beer and cheese are all necessary things. This is where you’re going to get your flowers, too – and that’s where the rose comes in.
Roses are one of the prime commodity goods exchanged by upper-class European citizens from about 500CE-1875CE. They have utility (medicine), they are relatively hardy, and most importantly they can be endlessly hybridized. When you’re looking at a commodity’s value, what’s happening is you’re evaluating the average cost of that good in the market, in comparison to the quality of the good in front of you. With rose plants, you need to keep in mind that while the rose originally comes from warm climates, most of Europe is cold. Many hybrids make the plant hardier or longer-blooming, or maybe they’ll bloom more times per year, or maybe the hips are big enough that a short grow season isn’t awful, or…Roses are an interesting commodity. Today there are lots of varieties and lots of colors and even a lot of shapes and sizes.
The rose’s history as a commodity good is not dissimilar to that of an engagement ring. Both goods were originally given to help provide an economic foundation in times of extreme stress. With an engagement ring, for example, it was understood that the provider in the marriage might die. In that event, the ring could be sold and a new living situation could be arranged. Roses, too, are high-value gifts – although in the modern era, we cut our flowers, so this symbolism has been obscured by all the other romance of the occasion. Extravagance for extravagance’s sake never hurt anybody!
Alex finds a new love for rosesValentine’s Day Roses 2015
So why are we bringing all of this to your attention? Nic Faitos, the founder of Starbright, has given us permission to clue you in, dear reader – the roses are going to be cheaper if you order them before January 20th. Roses are an “inelastic commodity” – there are only going to be as many roses available for purchase on February 14th as there were grown, picked and shipped by February 13th, and no matter what the vast majority of consumers will be after some roses. In this scenario – “there’s a rush on a thing who’s quantity is finite” – the single best move you can make is to get in early, so you can maximize your dollar’s value.
Patti Ann cleaning roses at Starbright Floral Design
Right now, roses in NYC within e-commerce websites are being sold without regard to the inevitable demand driven cost increases. The skyrocketing wholesale cost of the roses have a corresponding effect on consumer prices. So if you have a special person you’re planning to send long stemmed red roses in NYC for this upcoming Valentine’s Day, placing an order with Starbright sooner rather than later can help you stretch your resources.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Probably native to the Mediterranean, the carnation has been continuously harvested for over 2,000 years – along with jasmine and roses, carnations are among the three oldest “beauty” crops cultivated by ancient man. Carnations are very, very easy to grow – all they need is full sun, loose neutral soil and a little water. They’re full of symbolism, too – get them in white for someone who could use good luck, like a recent graduate, or for a going-away gift when someone changes jobs. The pink carnation stands for unforgettable love – especially from Mom! The purple carnation symbolizes unpredictability and wit, so it’s good for a birthday or bridal shower. Striped carnations symbolize regret – they’re ideal for funerals. The yellow blooms signify disappointment – this is the perfect bloom for a bouquet that says “I don’t want to date you anymore” (say it with flowers, right?) Be careful giving red carnations – while they stand for “deep love,” they also stand for “socialist” and “irregular military member,” depending on where you are.
Visual Notes:
Some people say that carnations almost look like folded tissue-paper, cinched in the middle and “fluffed up” around the cinch. Other people say these paper flowers look like carnations. Either way, carnations have a unique appearance and are available in a range of colors and patterns – this lets them stand alone in a simple arrangement, star in a busier arrangement, and support their fellow flowers when it’s another bloom’s turn to shine. They are the Ian McKellen of the flower world – they’re great in everything, and your grandmother probably loves them. And in case all the symbolism didn’t make it clear, carnations come in many different colors – your florist should be able to help you source exactly what you’re after.
Flower History Notes:
Since first being cultivated over 2,000 years ago carnations have become one of the most popular flowers in the world. The name comes from (most likely) one of two places – either from the ancient greek “corone,” or flower garlands worn during formal ceremonies, or from the Latin word “caro,” which means “flesh” (the first carnations were light-pink). Not to get too political, but carnations are among the first GMO-crops – it didn’t take long before ancient farmer-scientists figured out how to breed (repeatedly and reliably!) a whole range of carnation colors.
Carnation Flower Fun For Kids or DYI Decor Needs :
You can make your own color changing carnations! All you need is some food dye, a glass of water (or two, for a special trick) and a white carnation. The basic principle is simple – cut flowers drink the water, the water carries the dye, the dye gets left in the petals. If you split the stem in two (make sure you use a good knife or pair of scissors – and make sure an adult does this part!) and stick it in two glasses with two different colors of water, you’ll get a two-colored flower. You can tell your young’n that the flower is drinking in response to evaporation. The plant is basically like a sponge – as water evaporates off the plant’s leaves and petals, more water moves up the stem to take the evaporated water’s place.
Looking for flowers in New York City? Visit our Event Gallery for inspiration. Or see our daily selection at Starbrightnyc.com.
Blooming Thoughts 