Tag: fresh flowers

November Birth Flower: Chrysanthemums, flower with an identity crisis…

Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China as a flowering herb in the 15th Century BC.  The flower was brought to Japan in the 8th Century and the Emperor adopted the flower as his official seal.  The flower was brought to Europe in the 17th Century and named from the Greek for “Gold Flower”, a reflection of its original color.

The Chrysanthemum - November Flower....

These days the flowers come in various forms and can be daisy-like, decorative pompons, or buttons.  In addition to the traditional yellow, other colors are available such as white, purple and red.

In the United States, Chrysanthemums are identified as cheerful holiday flowers.  Fall arrangements and Thanksgiving Day Flowers in NYC and throughout the country incorporate Chrysanthemums in their decor.  However, many European countries (France, Italy, Spain, Hungary and Croatia) have identified Chrysanthemums with death.  Accordingly, their use in floral arrangements is limited to funerals or on graves.

Other Uses:

Be sure to bring Chrysanthemums with you when taking a walk in the jungle.  The flower is considered a natural source as an insect repellent.  The Pyrethins when extracted and applied on the skin in an oil suspension or as a powder can be lethal to insects such as mosquitoes.  The Chinese have used the flower for its antiseptic and antibiotic qualities for centuries.

Starbright Floral Design is located  in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We are in a second floor loft space from where our customer’s orders get dispatched.  To learn more about our organization and the work that we do, we would like to invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Either way, we would be thrilled to hear from you and to be of service.

Starbright deliverers flowers in Manhattan (our home city) as well as world-wide.  In addition to flowers and plants, fruit and gourmet baskets, balloon and the like; we are also the go-to florist for events (both corporate and personal).  Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations…. It is what we do!

Wishing you a wonderful day!

 

Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

website: starflor.com

to order flowers: www.starbrightnyc.com

by phone: 800.520.8999

October’s birth flower: Good for the Eyes and Good for the Soul

The Marigold is the October birth flower.  Its list of uses is as long as its rich history.  However, its use in floral arrangements is not advisable.  Marigolds do not survive for long when cut.  Accordingly, birthday flowers for October babies play off the rich color of the flower and autumn floral arrangements are the norm.

The Marigold is native to southern Europe but do well in North America as well.  Seeds planted in April take root in any type of soil in full sun or medium sun locales.  Practically no care is required other than weeding and pruning. Marigolds bloom from June until the first frost kills them.  However, their death is short lived reappearing with young plants in the spring.

Religious Worship:

In India, the marigold is considered a sacred flower.  Hindus devote the marigold to gods and goddesses in religious ceremonies.

Medicinal Uses:

Plant pharmacological studies have indicated that Marigold extracts have anti-viral and anti-inflammatory qualities.  Marigold solutions have been used topically to treat acne, reduce inflammation, control bleeding, and sooth irritated tissue.  The petals are edible and can be used fresh in salads or dried or used as a replacement for saffron.  Eaten in salad, Marigold petals have been shown to relieve abdominal cramping and constipation.

Demonic Evictions:  Sixteen century herbalists used the marigold to remove evil spirits from one’s head while simultaneously strengthening eyesight.  According to folklore, all Linda Blair and Emily Rose needed was a blossoming marigold plant placed in her bedroom (ironic that a marigold is needed in a rose bedroom).  Once the girls stared at the marigold petals their demons depart and would return to the wonderful little girls they were before their demonic possessions.  Coincidently, children throughout the New York area have been growing marigolds in classrooms and day care centers as classroom projects since I was a kid.  The stated scholastic reason is that it teaches the kids about germination.  However, many teachers have been heard branding our children as “little devils” (mine of course, can only be mistaken for angels).   Perhaps there’s something else going on.

This scribe is brought to you from all of us at Starbright Floral Design.  We are big supporters of all things to eradicate Leukemia.  We hope that you will join us in contributing to this fight.

If you would like to read more about Starbright, who we are and the scope of the work that we do, please visit our website.

If you would like to place an order for flowers (worldwide delivery), please visit our e-commerce portal.

Thank you!

The Starbright Team

September Birth Flower: The Aster, Beware!

The Matsumoto Aster

The September flower is the Aster which in the language of flowers means love, faith and wisdom.  However, since 1918 the Aster worn on your lapel signifies something entirely different and could lead to unforeseen consequences.  An Aster on the lapel signifies your unity and membership in the insurrection.   Its revolutionary symbolism originated from the Hungarian revolution of 1918 dubbed the “Aster Revolution”.

Revolutionaries in Hungary wore it as sign of solidarity with the rebels of the revolution.  The revolution was short lived but the Aster’s symbolism has lived on.   Rumor has it, an Aster worn on your lapel today will generate and FBI probe and possibly a trip to Guantanamo (note to those with no sense of humor: this is a joke!)  The Aster is known as a hardy flower but surely does not do well under water boarding conditions.

Certain varieties of the flower have been used medicinally for their pain relieving qualities.  According to ancient lore the burning of the Aster leaves protects against snake attacks.  Perhaps the use of the Aster by revolutionaries was not a random act but a calculated survival tool.

Regardless of its meaning, Aster flowers provide a beautiful addition to a fall flower garden. When so many other flowers are at the end of their growing season, the hardy asters continue to thrive.  Their brilliant colors and scent brighten up any landscape or floral arrangement.

Starbright Floral Design is located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We are in a second floor loft space from where our customer’s orders get dispatched.  To learn more about our organization and the work that we do, we would like to invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Either way, we will be thrilled to hear from you and to be of service.

Starbright delivers flowers in Manhattan (our home city) as well as world-wide.  In addition to flowers, plants, fruit and gourmet baskets, balloons and the like we are also a go-to florist for events both corporate and personal.  Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations…. It is what we do!

Wishing you a wonderful  day!

Starbright Floral Design

The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.

website: starflor.com

to order flowers: starbrightnyc.com

by phone: 800.520.8999

150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City –

Starbright Floral Design: Our Press Kit

Hot off the press this is our updated Press Kit.  It will be distributed to all our friends, corporate clients and to all who consider us as  their florist in the years to come.  To share with our readers and to give everyone an idea of what the Starbright brand stands for, the accomplishments of our team and to let everyone know what we have been up to, we are posting our corporate resume on Blooming Thoughts…. Thank you to everyone for a wonderful seventeen years!

We raise our glass to everyone that helped us get here and contributed so much along the way.  Our clients, the concierges at the hotels we serve, the venues, the event planners, our corporate clients, those who have trusted us with sending flowers to your loved ones… AND of course the entire Starbright Team.  Everyone who has passed through our doors has left their mark.  Thank you for all you  taught us and the footprint you left behind.  Here is to a bright future to everyone we know… Thank you!

Nic Faitos, Senior Partner – Starbright Floral Design

“The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”

“Located in the Heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District”

Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations… It is what we do!

 

A BRIEF HISTORY OF STARBRIGHT FLORAL DESIGN

Starbright was founded in 1994 as a corporate and institutional florist in New York City with a mission to serve the non-walk-in and non-retail trades.  The focus has always been to serve the corporate floral and decorating needs of our clients.

We occupy production and administration space in a loft on 28th street in the center of the wholesale flower market.  Starbright is open seven days a week from 8am to 8pm.

In the past sixteen plus years we have had the opportunity to develop relationships and execute events at the most known venues throughout Manhattan including most hoteliers and restaurateurs.  In excess of two-hundred of the city’s top concierges at the leading hotels of Manhattan use us as their go-to florist.

Today Starbright is positioned to execute its plans for growth into the future with exemplary customer service and a quality product at a fair price.  Protecting the standard of quality and service that we have set over the years is our priority.  We will always be known as a supplier that offers a customer experience that earns five stars at every level; from the first encounter on the telephone to the execution of our client requests.

‘’When the history books write the Starbright Story, we will be judged kindly if we remembered to always do our best, give everyone we meet a smile and lead our industry with innovation, creativity, quality and service.’’

Statement of Mission, Starbright Floral Design, 14 September 1994.

 

 

 

 

 

CAPABILITIES AND SERVICES

Sending Flowers Anywhere – Through our private network of florists we are able to send exquisite floral gifts (as well as gourmet baskets and plants) anywhere around the world.  From our own store we can deliver anywhere in Manhattan even if the order comes in late in the afternoon.  With about three or four hours notice we can send flowers anywhere in the USA during local business hours.

Weekly Flowers – Seasonal flower varieties in a vase that will alter in style from time to time. The floral varieties will vary with the season and in no two weeks will either the flowers or the design be identical.  The designs will be sculpted to blend seamlessly and complement your décor and replenished weekly.

Event Décor – No event is too big or too small to receive the personalized service and expertise of an experience Starbright representative.  From holiday parties, client hospitality events as well as events at any venue in New York City (or beyond) we can provide consulting services and decorations at any level. Most of the recognized venues in New York City are familiar with Starbright Floral Design as we have decorated at most places on multiple occasions (Ellis Island, Madison Square Garden, The Plaza Hotel, and many others). We welcome you to review a sampling of our work at www.starflor.com

Human Resources and Client Gifting – We are fully capable of delivering a gift of flowers, plant or fruit and gourmet baskets anywhere in the United States on a same day basis and with 48 hours notice worldwide. At any budget that you may have, we will be happy to provide gift flora at anytime and anywhere. As part of our commitment to HR we can either help implement or follow existing flower policies set by our clients.

Plant Maintenance – To many of our clients we provide lush phalaenopsis orchid plants for a pre-set monthly fee and we arrive at the office once weekly to take care of all the orchid plants. When the orchids are fully bloomed and start to drop their flowers we replace the plants with new ones (once about every six weeks) at no additional cost to our client.

Employee Discounts – We offer our services at a discounted rate to the employees of all the companies that we work with. Once our relationship is established, employee who calls upon us and identifies his/her affiliation will receive a discount on any floral (or related) gift that they send at anytime, anywhere to anyone. This is a benefit that they can use repeatedly and has virtually no limitations beyond a low minimum of $35.

We are also involved with many clients and PR firms to create a variety of Co-Branding, Continuity and Cross-Promotional Programs.

 

STORE HOURS

  • We are open and delivering seven days per week.
  • Our Monday to Saturday hours are 8AM to 8PM.
  • Sunday we are open from 9AM to 6PM.

 

CREDENTIALS

Starbright Floral Design is a member of the following professional organizations:

  • NYC & Company – the tourism marketing arm of New York City. We have donated for all their events (including Annual Meetings, Galas, POW WOW, etc) since 1994.
  • Society of American Florists – This is the lobbying body for all florists and cut flower growers in Washington DC. Nic Faitos (our Senior Partner) has been an invited speaker on a variety of subjects with the organization’s conferences, annual meetings, etc.  Additionally, Starbright is regularly quoted in SAF’s industry magazine, Floral Management.
  • HSMAI – The Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International.
  • Chamber of Commerce – New York City
  • Teleflora – a recognized leader in flower-by-wire services throughout the world. Starbright Floral Design ranks in the top 50 members in an organization of over 20,000 members worldwide.

 

Recognitions and Awards:

  • The highest rated and most reviewed florist based on user reviews online (five stars across the board) on sites such as Citysearch, Google, Yelp and the like.
  • Was awarded “Best of” by Citysearch users.
  • Selected as “best florist” for weddings by The Knot.

 

CLIENT ROSTER SAMPLING

  • The New York Marriott Marquis
  • All W properties in New York City
  • Gramercy Park Hotel
  • British Airways
  • Ernst & Young
  • BBVA
  • NYU Dental School
  • Baruch College of Business
  • Columbia University Teacher’s College
  • The Kitano New York
  • Open Hospitality
  • Axel Johnson
  • Edelman PR
  • Quintessentially
  • NYC & Company
  • Oscar de la Renta
  • The NBA
  • Jimmy Choo
  • Benjamin Steakhouse
  • Spirit Cruises
  • American Eagle Outfitters
  • World Yacht
  • VISA USA

 

NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE SUPPORT

  • The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
  • Big Brothers / Big Sisters of New York City
  • Jumpstart
  • Coalition for the Homeless
  • The Ronald McDonald House
  • Fashion Fights Cancer

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION….

Our website:

www.starflor.com

Our e-commerce portal:

www.starbrightnyc.com

Our Web Log:

Starbrightfloral.wordpress.com

Social Media:

www.facebook.com/StarbrightFloralDesign

www.twitter.com/#!/starbrightFD

LinkedIn Profiles:

www.linkedin.com/ (search: Starbright Floral Design and Nic Faitos)

150 West 28th Street – Studio 201 – New York City – 10001

800.520.8999

August Birth Flower: Gladiolus (U.S.) or Poppy (U.K.)

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.

 

Poppy

All species of poppies are attractive and most are cultivated as ornamental plants.   In Europe the poppy is a common weed and found in many locales including Flanders, the setting for the famous poem by the Canadian surgeon and soldier John McCrae “In Flanders Fields”.  However, A few species are cultivated as sources of drugs and foods. The opium poppy is so widely used, for both drugs and food, that its worldwide production is monitored by international agencies. It produces opium, opiates, poppy seeds and poppy seed oil.

Poppies have long been used as a symbol of both sleep and death.  Sleep because of the opium extracted from them, and death because of the common blood-red color of the red poppy.  In Greek and Roman myths, poppies were used as offerings to the dead.  Poppies used as emblems on tombstones symbolize eternal sleep.

In the United Kingdom poppies are traditionally worn on lapels each November in remembrance of those who died serving their country (symbol coming from Flanders Field).  In November 2010 the U.K.’s prime minister and his aides wore the poppies on their lapels during a visit to China nearly causing an international incident and damaging relations between the two countries.  The Chinese took offense because the poppy reminds the Chinese of the many Chinese who died at the hands of the English during the Opium wars fought in the 1800’s.  The Chinese insisted the Poppies be removed.  The Prime Minister informed the Chinese that poppies meant a great deal to them and the English people and refused to remove them.

Artificial poppies (called “Buddy Poppies”) are used by the Veterans of Foreign Wars as a source of financial assistance to disabled veterans who assemble them.  VFW conducted its first poppy distribution before Memorial Day in 1922, becoming the first veterans’ organization to organize a nationwide distribution. The poppy soon was adopted as the official memorial flower of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States. Today, VFW Buddy Poppies are still assembled by disabled and needy veterans in VA Hospitals.   The minimal cost of Buddy Poppies to VFW units provides compensation to the veterans who assemble the poppies, provides financial assistance in maintaining state and national veterans’ rehabilitation and service programs and partially supports the VFW National Home for orphans and widows of our nation’s veterans.

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!

For world-wide delivery of flowers, be sure  to visit our website at www.starflor.com.  We would love to hear from you!

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, 150 West 28th Street, New York City.

We are on the SECOND floor!

1 800 520  8999

www.starflor.com

 

 

Spin the color wheel! Dos and Don’ts of Wedding Colors

To be bold or subdued; bright or muted; classic or trendy… should the colors complement the venue or your complexions?  Does my mother have to wear a matching dress?  Invitations, bridesmaid dresses, table linens, vests and neckties and of course the flowers are just a sample of items affected by the color scheme a couple chooses for their wedding.  Since color can set the tone, it is best to choose wisely.  Through my years as a designer, I’ve seen some fun combinations.  Some color schemes have been more successful than others.  Over time, I’ve developed some dos and don’ts that I have shared with countless couples.  Although I contend that there are no rules when planning a wedding, I’m always willing to share my opinion on choosing a winning color combination. 

Don’t Go for Complements:

Most brides and grooms are familiar with the idea of complementary colors.  The three primary colors of red, blue and yellow are placed opposite their corresponding complementary color on the color wheel.  Blue is paired with orange, yellow with purple and red with green.  You will notice that the primary color is paired with the secondary color that is made by mixed the other two primaries.  This creates a bold and loud contrast between the colors.  These color combinations are often used for things like gas-station logos, or sports team uniforms.  The contrast between the colors catches the eye and forces the viewer to take notice.  When trying to use these colors together in floral design, it’s very difficult to fight off thoughts of the Mets or the Lakers.  Red and green together also bring their own unique challenge of constantly conjuring thoughts of Christmas for many of us.  For these reasons, I suggest trying to avoid using complementary colors as the basis for wedding décor. 

Do Go for A Bold Statement:

While complementary colors may be too bold a choice for most, it is a great idea to choose at least one bold color to inform the design.  Purple, fuchsia and orange seem to be the go-to colors these days for couples looking for a pop of color.  Vibrant and rich tones such as these can provide a warmth and personality to the occasion without detracting from the proceedings.  When choosing a bold pop, I suggest limiting the palette to just one bright tone.  This brings me to my next tip.

Do Go Green:

Green is your friend.  I frequently suggest adding lime green to the floral arrangements we make for weddings.  If a bride or groom favors a brilliant tone such as purple or orange, adding a touch of green into the mix tends to heighten and embolden the arrangements.  Green is a neutral color and is found in abundance in nature.  Green “goes” with everything!  (Although it’s good to keep in mind the challenges when pairing red and green, Jingle Bells…)  It’s soothing and calming qualities pair beautifully with the lush colors found in the floral world. 

Don’t Count out the Classic:

A white wedding seems to have become a less popular choice these days.  Perhaps with all the fantastic color options found both in fabrics and flowers, couples would rather have more fun with the color palette.  This is understandable, however white has been the traditional wedding color because it’s clean, pure, and simple and it allows for the couple to be the stars of the day.  There are also so many flowers available in white; it’s easy to make arrangements interesting by using different textures, shapes and scales.  This is another instance when lime green can be helpful.  It’s also a good idea to choose one color to add into the mix of white.  One of my favorite weddings used all white flowers with accents of huge and lush coral colored peonies.  Simple and chic, this color scheme still resonates with me all these years later.  It was unique and yet remains a classic and elegant choice.

Don’t Tempt the Humor Gods:

If you’ve never seen your color combination used at a wedding, there might be a reason.  Sometimes when a couple chooses to be unique, it can backfire.  I’ve had to explain to a bride and groom why yellow and brown is not a great choice for a color scheme.  Without going into the specifics of why, (think about it people, yellow and brown… really?) certain color combinations elicit subconscious responses or connotations.  It’s the same reason why yellow and black can be difficult to use together; taxi cabs and bumble bees!  Yellow and red always makes me think of Ronald McDonald and ketchup and mustard.  These are not thoughts I want to have at your wedding! 

Don’t Over Indulge:

No matter what colors are finally chosen, don’t fall into the trap of thinking that everything has to be covered in these tones.  You don’t have to dye your Maltese puppy to match the bridesmaid’s dresses.  It will be just fine.  Choose key locations and items for the colors to be used.  You don’t want your guests to feel like they just stepped into a Pepto-Bismol bottle if your color happens to be pink.  Touches here and there will suffice.  Also, everything doesn’t have to be the exact same shade or hue.  I have learned to beware of the bride who carries the Pantone chip!  Relax! 

Do Listen to Our Advice but…:

We have seen it all… or close to it anyway.  Your vendors have been involved with hundreds of events and weddings.  Most of the time, our advice is free and is often given weather you ask or not.  We will tell you if your colors won’t work or if they should be rethought.  Although we can offer some sage wisdom, remember that it’s your day and your decision should be the final word.  You write the check so ultimately you must be happy with the colors you chose.  Maybe you are both huge Lakers fans.  So go for it!  Don’t let us get in your way. 

This scribe is brought to you by Tom Sebenius.  Tom is a longtime Starbright employee, team leader and Creative Director.  More brides have written online reviews about Tom’s work after their wedding than anyone in the industry that I know.  We are proud to have Tom on the Starbright team.  He is anal, demands a lot from me (I am his boss) and I put up with as much as a restauranteur puts up with from his Chef.  Truth be told, I know that at  the end of the day, Tom’s work is what built our brand and what has helped maintained our Gold Standard in customer service.  Tom will always do what is right for our client and knows that preserving our reputation is the most important function of all.

Starbright Floral Design is located in  the Heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District in a second floor loft space.  We offer all the services that a traditional florist would except that our home  is not a store  front that you would walk on by.  Our focus has always been on providing the highest quality flowers (we import directly from really exotic places), amazing customer service and really cool designs.  When you have a free moment please visit our website at www.starflor.com where you will be able to gain a clearer perspective on our organization and the work that we do.  You may also call us at 800.520.8999 – we would love to hear from you! 

Warm regards,

The Official Florist

Starbright Floral Design – www.starflor.com

Located at 150 West 28th Street, Studio 201, New York City

(between 6th and 7th Avenues)

1.800.520.8999

July Birth Flower: Larkspur

The Larkspur

Never heard of it?  Ask a cowboy and chances are you’ll get an expletive filled description of this beautiful flower.   The flower is low maintenance and grows freely in the wild.  It’s when it makes its way to grazing pastures that cowboys have a problem with the larkspur.  It is highly poisonous to cattle and has led to untold numbers of deaths.  The larkspur is a tall beautiful flower variation of the delphinium.  The long spike of the flower reminded people of the nose of a dolphin.  Delphinium is Greek for “dolphin”. The spike also reminded some people of parts of the lark, thus the name larkspur (Shakespeare referred to it as lark’s heel).  Like characteristics of the people born in July the flower stands for lightheartedness and levity.

The larkspur is a great addition to any tall floral arrangement.  Its tall, beautiful spikes come in a variety of colors and accentuate the beauty of all its surrounding flowers or can stand on its own.   The flowers typically bloom in the summer months between  June and September.  Found throughout the world today, its origin can be traced back to the birthplace of civilization, Greece. Shortly after the death of Achilles, at the behest of Athena (Achilles’ mother) it was decided that his armor was to be given to the bravest Greek warrior.  Having proven himself in battle repeatedly and even personally rescuing the armor and body of Achilles from the Trojans, Ajax was the odds on favorite.  To the dismay of most, particularly Ajax, the armor was awarded to Odysseus instead.  Dejected and disgraced, Ajax killed himself.  The Scarlet larkspur began to grow where Ajax’s blood was spilled.  Today, the scarlet larkspur occurs naturally in coastal climates. Canyons and its surrounding areas are a favorite for the Orange larkspur. Blue larkspur is common in the southeastern United States.

Aside from its aesthetic qualities, larkspur has medicinal value as well.  The seeds are ground to a powder and used to treat toothaches.  In the civil war, soldiers used the powder in their hair to kill lice.  Transylvanians used the blue variation of the flower to ward off witches.  New Yorkers include it in their floral displays to ward off the blues.

These scribes are brought to you by Starbright Floral Design.  We are a premier florist in New York City located in the heart of the Historic Flower District.  We deliver flowers for any occasion worldwide.  Our loft is located on the second floor (Studio 201) at 150 West 28th Street.  You may visit us online at www.starflor.com or you may call us at 800.520.8999.  Or better yet, you can pop in and visit us in person!  We would love to meet you and hear from you as well!

Don’t forget to “like us” on Facebook so that you can keep up with all that is happening in our world and see all kinds of beautiful floral compositions form right before your eyes!

We are thrilled to be of service to you….

The Official Florist of the City That Never  Sleeps

Starbright Floral Design

1.800.520.8999

starflor.com

Flowers: The Feel-Good Medicine Series. Part One: Color

Many theories have been put forth trying to explain the relationship (the cause and effect) between flowers and the blissful emotions they generate.  Today we begin a blog series that will take us on a journey through the therapeutic world of flowers in search of the answer to the question.  Why do flowers make us feel good?

Seeing flowers in every color is an uplifting experience!

COLOR:

The first theory of why flowers make us feel so good is rooted in the psychological effects of color.  Several ancient cultures (the Chinese, the Egyptians) believed they could heal ailments using color.  This is known as Chromo-therapy.  Still used in today’s holistic medicine, color has been shown to have  an impact on one’s mood…

Blue brings calmness and serenity.  There seems to be a mental association between night and the color blue.  Several municipalities have even seized on the theory and installed blue street lighting.  In 2000 Glasgow installed blue lighting to improve its landscape.  It was later reported that the crime rate was reduced in areas that had blue lighting!  In a similar effort to reduce agressive driving, Tokyo installed 152 blue lights on a stretch of highway in 2001.

Pink is associated with love and romance.  There is even a shade of pink called Drunk Tank Pink.  Click on this link to read all about this shade of pink!

Green is the color that symbolizes nature and the natural world.  Researchers have found that green can invoke feelings of good fortune, health and tranquility.

Red is a  bright, warm color that evokes strong emotions.  Red is often associated with love, warmth and comfort.  Red is also considered a strong, even angry color, that creates intense feelings, even excitement.  Consider the many ways that the color red is used in a phrase or colloquialism: red-neck, red-hot, red-handed, paint-the-town-red, seeing-red, the-red-eye.

Every color imaginable is represented by one flower or another. Although it is clear from study after study that color has an effect on people’s moods, these effects are not always positive.  What is certain is that any flower in any color will have a positive effect on those who receive and enjoy them.  It might be a bit of a leap to say that flowers of one particular color have a more positive  effect than flowers of another color.

The moral of the story?  Send someone flowers! If you know their favorite color, then that is great! If not, all the colors are beautiful and you can send those.  Flowers do make people happy and the bright vivid colors bring us joy and happiness.  They lift us up, the help our spirits rise and most of all they make us smile. Send someone flowers today and sit back and wait for the phone to ring.  The enthusiasm that comes through the telephone line will astound you!  What other research do you really need in order to prove  the point?  That loud over-the-top, super-giddy “thank youuuuuuuuuu!” is research enough!

No matter the reason, no matter the occasion, no matter the moment, all of us at Starbright Floral Design are standing by waiting to hear from you  and ready to help lift someone’s day.  We are the feel-good experts!  Helping people smile all over the world every day.  Starbright Floral Design (that is us) is  located in the heart of New York City (in the historic flower district) and because of our ties to hospitality in our great city we have been dubbed “The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps”.

You can visit our second floor loft at 150 West 28th Street (Studio 201), you can call us at 800.520.8999 or you can learn all about who we are by going to our website at www.starflor.com.  No matter where or how you reach out to us… We would love to be of service.

Happy Days to All!

The Official Florist.

Starbright Floral Design

www.starflor.com

To place an order on-line, visit the e-commerce portal of our site at: www.starbrightnyc.com

You can also find Starbright on Facebook by CLICKING HERE.

 

 

June’s Birth Flower: The Rose its history and secret language decoded

The Rose of June - Brought to you by Starbright Floral Design
The Birth Flower of June

The rose, June’s birth flower is rich in symbolism and myth.  Its image has been utilized  throughout history on such diverse topics as love, war, politics and beauty.

 

The Myths

The first rose of record is said to be in ancient Greece.  The Gods had a tendency to find beauty in tragedy.  It was one of these tragic moments that created the rose.   Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, created the rose when her tears mixed with the blood of Adonis, her lover.  The Romans, not fearful of copying the Greeks like a Xerox machine, created their own legend of the rose’s creation.  According to Roman legend, there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe.  She was relentlessly pursued by suitors. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe sought refuge in the temple of Diana.  Diana was jealous of Rhodanthe and when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near Rhodanthe, she became furious. Diana’s rage led her to turn Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.    The rose’s appeal was farther reaching then just the west.  The Persians had their own tale of creation.  The Persian legend explains the creation of the red rose as well as the origin of the nightingale’s beautiful voice.  According to legend all roses were originally white and nightingales were ordinary birds who can only chirp.  One day the nightingale met a beautiful white rose and fell in love.   The nightingale’s love was so intense and his need to express his love so great that he was inspired to sing for the first time.  When the nightingale made his moves on the rose and pressed himself up against it the thorns pierced his heart, coloring the rose red.  If you are like me (Greek), clearly the Greek mythological tale is more appealing.  However, fossil evidence suggests that roses existed 35 million years ago, well before any of these myths suggest.

Symbolism

The rose’s symbolic value is not exclusive to England but was most widely used and popularized there.   The rose was first looked upon as a symbol of war.  A civil war that raged on from 1455-1487 between the House of York and the House of Lancaster.   The House of York adopted a white rose, the House of Lancaster was represented by a red rose. The war has been dubbed “The War of the Roses”.  The winner of this war, Tudor Henry VII (The Tudors), merged his Lancastrian rose with the rose of his York bride and thus the creation of the Tudor Rose, the Rose of England.

In later years the rose evolved into a form of language creating a secret means of communication between lovers.   In the mid 18th century the wife of the British ambassador in Constantinople described this language in her letters.  Largely due to the publication of her letters after her death, we have the code necessary to decipher the intricate language of roses.  For example if you want to ask your love interest “will you love me?”, send an open white rose.    Want to ask  “Don’t you love me any more?” , send an open yellow rose.      Want to say “I respect and look up to you” then send a bouquet of white roses.   Red roses signify  “forever I Love You”.  However a bouquet of red and white roses state “Together we are one and united”.  Want to declare your attraction to someone but don’t want to go as far as declaring your undying love, then purple roses are the way to go.  Colors alone aren’t enough to deliver the complex messages of love.  In combination with the colors, the number and degree of bloom of the roses have also been assigned meaning.  A dozen roses says  “Be Mine”.   Thirteen roses tells someone we’ll be friends forever.  Three dozen roses expresses “I’m head over heels in love!”.  Six dozen roses or more says “my love for you is limitless”.  In addition to its Victorian assigned message, this last one says “I’m a Starbright Gold club member”.

Regardless of its diverse assigned meanings, the one constant is the rose’s undeniable beauty.  The recipient of a beautiful arrangement of roses is always appreciative.

This and most scribes on this web log is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design.  We are a full-service florist located in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  We deliver inspired floral compositions throughout Manhattan, all of New York City and everywhere beyond.  We invite you to visit our website at www.starflor.com.  Here you will be able to gain a broader perspective on our organization and on the work that we do.  You may CLICK HERE to visit our e-portal where  you may place an order for designer-inspired flower vases and arrangements, our orchids, plants and so much more.  We offer  same-day delivery to most parts of the United States.

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

150 West 28th Street – Studio 201, New York City

800.520.8999

www.starflor.com

 

Tulips: The First Money Bubble!

Investors beware! Tulip bulbs crash!
A tulip, known as "the Viceroy", displayed in a 1637 Dutch catalog. Its bulb cost between 3000 and 4200 florins depending on size. A skilled craftsman at the time earned about 300 florins a year.

Do you know a stockbroker or financial professional that has suffered losses recently?  Cheer him up with some tulips! Here is the story and why things no matter how bad they seem can always be worse…

As we celebrate the end of tulip season for yet another magnificent year… I share with you a story about this amazing flower that is sure to surprise you.  The financial bubble that came about was caused by tulip bulbs.  It took place way before the bubble in the stock market, the housing market or any other bubble and subsequent bubble that you may know of.

It was tulip mania or tulpomanie to the Dutch.  This was a period in the Dutch Golden Age during which contract prices for bulbs of the recently introduced tulip reached extraordinarily high levels and then suddenly collapsed. At the peak of tulip mania, in February 1637, some single tulip bulbs sold for more than 10 times the annual income of a skilled craftsman. It is generally considered the first recorded speculative bubble (or economic bubble).

The term “tulip mania” is sometimes used metaphorically to refer to any large economic bubble.

The event was popularized in 1841 by the book Extraordinary Popular Delusions and the Madness of Crowds, written by British journalist Charles Mackay. According to Mackay, at one point 12 acres (5 ha) of land were offered for a Semper augustus bulb. Mackay claims that many such investors were ruined by the fall in prices, and Dutch commerce suffered a severe shock. Mackay’s book is a classic that is widely reprinted today, his account is contested.

Research on the tulip mania is difficult because of the limited data from the 1630s—much of which comes from biased and anti-speculative sources. Although these explanations are not generally accepted, some modern economists have proposed rational explanations, rather than a speculative mania, for the rise and fall in prices. For example, other flowers, such as the hyacinth, also had high prices on the flower’s introduction, which then fell dramatically. The high prices may also have been driven by expectations of a parliamentary decree that contracts could be voided for a small cost—thus lowering the risk to buyers.

All we want is tulips in a vase to enjoy them all season long!  They still grow in Holland.  Today tulips are a harmless flower that brings much joy and  is considered by many the first sign of springtime.  They are commercially available as cut flowers from September to May.  In the off-months you can get them, but the quality is not great and they are pricier than at their peak season (March, April and May).

All of us at Starbright love tulips…

This post is brought to you by Starbright Floral Design (www.starflor.com).  Sometimes we like to bring out “the fun side of flowers” by injecting some humor into our scribes.  We truly hope you enjoy our reads and get to see flowers from a little bit of a different perspective.  We sure do.

When you have some time, please visit our website and tell us what you think of the work that we do.  If you would like to order a gift for someone, you can visit our e-commerce portal we always recommend Designer’s Choice as a great option to take the guess work out of ordering flowers for a friend, a loved one or a parent. We deliver flowers on a same day basis (open seven days a week) in the United States.  Worldwide delivery is available  (except war zones, jungles, desserts and merchant marine vessels in the open sea) within 48 hours.

We would love to hear from you!  An alternative to our website is to call us (800.520.8999) or you may visit us at 150 West 28th Street (Second Floor).  We are in the heart of New York City’s Historic Flower District.  Pop on in! We would love to meet you!

Starbright Floral Design – The Official Florist of the City that Never Sleeps.

“Flowers, Festivals & Celebrations… It is what we do!”