flower blog

Everyone knows that one of the best reasons to watch the Super Bowl is to see the cool commercials. (I'm pretty sure I know who's playing.)

And this year Teleflora is part of the lineup with its funny ad featuring talking flowers. What do they chat about -- fertilizer, florists, the secrets of sharing a vase? Actually, it's all about the Teleflora difference. With Teleflora, every single order is hand-arranged and hand-delivered in a vase by a florist from our 20,000+ network.

No one else in he industry can make that claim. In fact, it's not uncommon for other floral providers to send a bunch of blooms casually dropped in a box. Our edgy and entertaining Talking Flowers commercial makes the case clear: What are you saying to someone when flowers show up in a box, often past their peak of freshness? Let's just say: not pretty.

But if you want to make the right impression, our exquisitely arranged and expertly delivered bouquets let you do just that. Whether you're conveying all-out passion, exploring a quirky flirtation or honoring a treasured friendship, why not use the freshest, fullest, most fabulous flowers in a keepsake vase that lasts forever?

Teleflora's Rubies and Roses Bouquet

For extra points, if you choose Valentine's flowers from our Rubies and Roses collection, you can enter our sweepstakes to win a $60,000 ruby necklace as well as other terrific prizes. Valentine's Day is less than 2 weeks away and there's no time like the present to place your order.

OK, now back to the game. Is there any bean dip left?
 

If you're snowbound or enduring ice storms, hang in there, spring will come.

Meanwhile, last week, I promised to share more flower poems by Robert Frost.

The Tuft of Flowers

I went to turn the grass once after one
Who mowed it in the dew before the sun.

The dew was gone that made his blade so keen
Before I came to view the levelled scene.

I looked for him behind an isle of trees;
I listened for his whetstone on the breeze.

But he had gone his way, the grass all mown,
And I must be, as he had been,--alone,

`As all must be,' I said within my heart,
`Whether they work together or apart.'

But as I said it, swift there passed me by
On noiseless wing a 'wildered butterfly,

Seeking with memories grown dim o'er night
Some resting flower of yesterday's delight.

And once I marked his flight go round and round,
As where some flower lay withering on the ground.

And then he flew as far as eye could see,
And then on tremulous wing came back to me.

I thought of questions that have no reply,
And would have turned to toss the grass to dry;

But he turned first, and led my eye to look
At a tall tuft of flowers beside a brook,

A leaping tongue of bloom the scythe had spared
Beside a reedy brook the scythe had bared.

I left my place to know them by their name,
Finding them butterfly weed when I came.

The mower in the dew had loved them thus,
By leaving them to flourish, not for us,

Nor yet to draw one thought of ours to him.
But from sheer morning gladness at the brim.

The butterfly and I had lit upon,
Nevertheless, a message from the dawn,

That made me hear the wakening birds around,
And hear his long scythe whispering to the ground,

And feel a spirit kindred to my own;
So that henceforth I worked no more alone;

But glad with him, I worked as with his aid,
And weary, sought at noon with him the shade;

And dreaming, as it were, held brotherly speech
With one whose thought I had not hoped to reach.

`Men work together,' I told him from the heart,
`Whether they work together or apart.'

 

Teleflora and The School of American Ballet both mark their 75th birthday this year. And so they're pairing up as they both take a bow.

The School of American Ballet, the pre-eminent academy for classical dance in the U.S., is shaped by the artistic principles of founder George Balanchine, who developed a uniquely American way of dancing, emphasizing speed, musicality and expansiveness.

For the month of January, we'll be featuring blog posts from various people affiliated with The School.

Today's guest post is from Jock Soto. Jock began training at the School of American Ballet in 1977. He joined New York City Ballet in 1981, was promoted to Soloist in 1984 and to Principal dancer in 1985.

After an acclaimed 20-year career with NYCB, Jock Soto retired from dancing in 2005. He has been a member of SAB's faculty since 1996. In this post he recounts the special part flowers paid in his retirement from New York City Ballet.



Jock Soto welcomes flowers to mark his retirement

I love flowers—ranunculus are my favorite variety—so I always enjoyed receiving flowers from well-wishers before or after a performance during my career. It was always a nice surprise to find flowers waiting for me at the stage door or in my dressing room either on a special occasion or simply to signal that a friend would be watching in the audience that night.

Flowers are especially front and center in the swirl of memories surrounding my final days at New York City Ballet. They were everywhere.

As I arrived at the theater each day in the week prior to my final scheduled performance on June 19, 2005, I found armloads of bouquets waiting for me. They were from my partner, my family, friends, board members and patrons of NYCB, and some were even from people I had never met.

I collected such an abundance of flowers that week that I simply could not take them all home. I gave away some of the bouquets to ballerinas in the company and even to fans who were waiting outside the stage door after each night’s performance. I had so many flowers in my apartment that it looked like a funeral home.

Most nights at New York City Ballet, flowers are nowhere to be seen when the curtain comes down on a performance. My fellow dancers and I only received flowers onstage when a new ballet premiered (and usually it was just the women who got the bouquets), and unlike some other companies, at NYCB it is not the custom for audiences to throw flowers onto the stage at the end of the performance. The night of my final performance, however, was a whole different story.

I danced in five ballets that night, and at the end of the first four, my female partners were all presented with bouquets. My partner in the fourth ballet, After the Rain, was Wendy Whelan and she took her bouquet of roses and laid it at my feet.

The last ballet I performed was the “Royal Navy” section of George Balanchine’s high-spirited Union Jack. It ends to the sound of canon fire as the orchestra plays “Rule, Britannia!”.

As I stood alone on the stage taking my final bow after the ballet’s rousing finale, I was showered with roses that floated down from high above the stage. All of NYCB’s ballerinas then took the stage one by one and offered me gorgeous bouquets.

I accepted each one until I finally was so overloaded that I had to put them down on the stage floor alongside other flowers that had been thrown from the audience. Just when I thought the flower offerings were over, my fellow male dancers from NYCB presented me with an enormous basket full of blooms.

I was truly overwhelmed by the amount of flowers given to me that day. I even received flowers from someone I had not seen or been in contact with since I was ten years old. She was a fellow dancer at my ballet school when I was growing up and had flown from California to see my final performance.

In the end, since there were practically enough flowers to open my own Teleflora franchise, NYCB helped me to donate most of the flowers from that special night to the patients at a local hospital.

While it wasn’t possible to physically keep them for long, I will always hold on to what they so beautifully represented--the love, friendship and mutual respect I shared with my friends and fans throughout my career.
 

With Valentine's Day coming up, this is the perfect time to enter Flower Blog's monthly floral bouquet sweepstakes. Make a comment on any post this month and you'll be automatically entered.

The winner for January will be picked on or around Feb. 6. To see the official rules, visit teleflora.com/FLOWERBLOG/post/With-the-new-year2c-new-chances-to-win-flowers.aspx.  

Good luck, flower fans, and enjoy your Valentine's bouquets, especially the ones at teleflora.com!  
 

Men and shopping don't always go hand in hand so Teleflora has a quick and simple way to help that includes a chance to win a $60,000 Ruby and Diamond Necklace.

With so many flowers to choose from for Valentine's Day, our "Gentleman's Guide for Valentine's Day" teleflora.com/valentines-day-flowers/valentine-flowers-mens-gift-ideas.asp should take the guesswork out of gift-buying. Is she a free spirit? An uptown girl? No matter what her personal style happens to be, this handy online tool makes shopping simple. Men can choose from six personality types and the site will show beautiful bouquets specially designed for that kind of woman.

"We want our customers to feel good and confident about their purchases and the guide will help them accomplish that goal," says Shawn Weidmann, Teleflora president.

Teleflora's Rubies and Roses Bouquet

And there's more: In our Rubies and Roses sweepstakes, consumers will have a chance to win lots of great prizes:

* Grand prize is a ruby and diamond necklace, with an approximate retail value of $60,000

* 100 consumers will win a ruby and diamond heart-shaped pendant, with a retail value of $600

* 1,000 customers will win a ruby pendant, with a retail value of $150.

Every time a Teleflora florist fills an order for one of four arrangements tied to the promotion, he or she will include a game piece with an entry code. Customers will be directed to teleflorasweepstakes.com where they register and enter the PIN code.  The contest runs through midnight (PST) February 27, 2009. Potential winners will be contacted on or around March 6, 2009.

And remember that for the freshest, best-looking flowers, it's always best to shop early!
 

If you are celebrating this historic Inauguration Day, you can count on flowers to dress up your place. Whether you choose a stylish bouquet from a Teleflora florist or you simply gather together some simple blooms, flowers are particularly fitting to honor our newest president. The bouquet below features gerbera daisies, carnations, white roses and delphinium, all of which lend a special significance to the event.

Since Gerbera daisies signal youth, what better way to celebrate the drive and energy of our 47-year-old president, Barack Obama?  

We know that the Greeks used carnations, a flower with a 2,000-year history, as ceremonial crowns. Some theorize that that word carnation comes from the Greek word for coronation.

White roses symbolize reverence and delphinium represents ardent attachment, a prerequisite for any leader! Clearly, there is much more to a floral bouquet than meets the eye.

Flower Fact of the Day: Carnations are also the January birth flower.
 

Snow. Windchill. Airport delays. More snow. Soaked boots. Icy roads. Freezing rain. Lost mittens. And did I mention snow?

Nothing like extreme weather to trigger a whole lot of midwinter blues. A quick and colorful cure: Flowers.  Research from Rutgers University shows that, simply put, flowers make us happy.



Specifically, the study found:

* Across all age groups, the reaction to receiving flowers was delight and gratitude.

* Study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

* The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

"Common sense tells us that flowers make us happy," says Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study. “Now, science shows that not only do flowers make us happier than we know, they have strong positive effects on our emotional well being."

To read the full story, visit: aboutflowers.com. With that in mind, I’m highlighting five winter flowers that are a terrific tonic this season.

Poinsettias aren’t just for Christmas. Try some of the pastel varieties, such as cream, light green and pink, for a fresh take on an old favorite. They’re usually sold as plants, true, but try poinsettias as a cut flower too.

Amaryllis, elegant and mysterious, is another great floral choice as a plant or cut flower. Symbolizing pride, determination and radiant beauty, amaryllis is bound to perk you up during this harsh and chilly winter. And white amaryllis is a show stopper.

Carnations are super any time of year, especially if you are watching your spending. They’re relatively inexpensive and they last, last, last with minimal care. (That said, changing the vase water daily and recutting stems extends the life of any flower.)

In the language of flowers, chrysanthemums say optimism and joy. Also long lasting, there are so many fun types to try! My florist friends tell me button mums and spider mums are extra-trendy varieties right now.

Bells of Ireland are the perfect transition from winter to spring, with a white blossom in the center of each small green “bell.” Eye-catching and unusual, their long lines add a lovely feeling of light and air to any bouquet.

Flower Fact of the Day: Bells of Ireland are not, in fact, native to the Emerald Isle. The green color inspired the name and they symbolize good luck, but they are native to Turkey and Syria.
 

At the end of the performance, Suki Schorer (above), my teacher who coached me for the ballet, received an enormous bouquet of white roses as we took our bows onstage. She then plucked two roses out of her bouquet and handed one to me and the other to the lead soloist (below).

I have so much respect for Suki, and after having worked very hard with her for months on Barocco, this small token came to mean a lot to me. I knew I could never bear to part with this rose, and I pressed it in-between the pages of my journal so I will always have a reminder of one of the best experiences of my life.

After my first performance with New York City Ballet at Lincoln Center last spring, my parents once again presented me with a lovely bouquet of white flowers. Receiving white flowers for my debut as a professional dancer was particularly meaningful to me since I had received white flowers so many years ago for my very first performance as a budding ballerina duckling.

I love receiving flowers when I perform. I keep each and every one of the bouquets for as long as I can, and every time I look at them all the special emotions and excitement from the performance come flooding back. To me, flowers are a symbol of the great memories I have of past performances, and I look forward to many more special occasions – and beautiful bouquets of flowers – yet to come.
 

With the new year comes a milestone birthday for Teleflora: this year we turn 75.

Much has changed since Edwin S. Douglas founded Telegraph Delivery Service, the predecessor of Teleflora, in 1934. But, much has stayed the same – delighting our customers with hand-arranged, hand-delivered flowers, building our florist network and helping them excel.

Stay tuned for more updates on how we'll be celebrating throughout 2009.

Meanwhile, if anyone in your circle has a b'day coming up, remember that flowers are a wonderful winter treat and couldn't be easier to send.

Flower Fact of the Day:
 

Happy New Year and welcome back to the horoscope page, where each month you can read a fun take on the future and see the flower associated with your sign.

   Capricorn: Dec. 22-Jan. 20 / Flower: African violet

Hey b’day peeps! It’s time to let loose and have some fun. Doesn’t mean you’re neglecting that expansive list of New Year’s resolutions you made. Romance is in the air; just be consistent about making an effort. And on the job front: think of Eleanor Roosevelt’s adage: “Do one thing each day that scares you.”



   Aquarius: Jan. 21-Feb. 19 / Flower: Orchid
 
With the New Year may come a desire to spruce up your digs. If you’re on a budget, try this: Declutter, then reward yourself with fresh flowers. Even better: Order around your b’day! Be especially diplomatic this month with colleagues. Give your sig oth the benefit of the doubt the week of the 18th – you may each need some private time.




   Pisces: Feb. 20-March 20 / Flower: Alstroemeria

Your best friend or a close female relative will need a mighty big favor this month. Grant it, but be sure to explain oh so politely that this is a one-time-only special. A complication from the past could mean trouble on the romantic horizon. Travel plans may hit a snag, so follow this advice: Take half as many clothes as you think you’ll need and twice as much money!




   Aries: March 21-April 20 / Flower: Tulip
 
Remember that extra chunk of money you keep intending to save? No time like the present… If you’re in any doubt, just Google the words “compound interest” and you’ll be motivated. A friend needs an honest answer on the 23rd. Make that painfully honest. Well, that’s what friends are for.




   Taurus: April 21-May 21 / Flower: Lily
 
You’re impatient to make a change. It will happen. In the meantime, tempting as it might be to blurt something out, bite your tongue instead. You’ll be glad you did. At work, focus on the bigger picture; there could be an opportunity for you to write your own job description.




   Gemini: May 22-June 21 / Flower: Rose
 
You will be in demand on the social circuit and loving every minute of it. At work, volunteer for an extra assignment, do a stellar job, then toot your own horn. A project at home that has been in the works gains major momentum. Don’t sweat the details on the 30th.




   Cancer: June 22-July 22 / Flower: Delphinium

For sensitive Cancer, a tough call beckons: is a friends-cleanse necessary? Only you know for sure. But, if you are being taken advantage of, even a little bit, don’t let the situation continue. Onward! A distant relative may bear a gift and a surprise to boot. Your patience will be rewarded on the 14th.



   Leo: July 23- Aug. 22 / Flower: Sunflower

You know that old saying, “If you don’t have anything nice to say …”? Put it into practice after the 10th. You may or may not know it, but you are a role model and a very good one, too. Don’t get too caught up in life plans or dating checklists. Be open to the mysteries and miracles of the unknown.




   Virgo: Aug. 23-Sept. 23 / Flower: Daisy
 
If, over the hols, you indulged in a few more treats than you should have, cut yourself some slack. Find an exercise buddy and see if you can shed a pound or two by Feb. 1. And, you’ll be extra motivated because you’ll be spoiled with romantic attention – nice! Your laserlike precision serves you well as you evaluate an offer.



   Libra: Sept. 24-Oct. 23 / Flower: Hydrangea

A rough patch now leads to tremendous growth later. Meanwhile, keep your sense of humor and don’t give in to self-doubt. Why should you when you’re so creative, imaginative and productive? Believe in yourself and you will prosper. By the month’s end, you may get a chance to take a trip.



  Scorpio: Oct. 24-Nov. 22 / Flower: Peony

Getting your life in balance suddenly seems very do-able. A person with enormous magnetism wants to be your friend. Start slowly and see what happens. Your ability to keep a secret will come in handy, especially if you happen to work in a well, chatty, office. And a friend outside work may need you to help polish his/her resume.



   Sagittarius: Nov. 23-Dec. 21 / Flower: Carnation
 
Ever yearned to be a teacher? You may get your chance but perhaps not in the setting you might have imagined. A friend or business associate makes a decision that could open a door for you. Also, you’ll have a romantic moment that will stand out as a highlight all year long!


Flower Fact of the Day: According to the Smithsonian Institution, it’s believed that one-third of all orchid species deceive their pollinators into visiting their flowers by appearing to be something other than what they are. For example, wasps that lay their eggs on the backs of large spiders may be easily lured to the vivid and leggy Spider Orchid.