Florists in Los Angeles

LAX is the New Flower Hub

2009-04-06T06:21:00.000-07:00

The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is getting a new refrigeration facility that will greatly benefit the local flower trade and make LAX the new western hub for the flower trade. It will be the largest of any West Coast ariport, accomodating 8,500 tons of perishable product annually. The new flowers will come from Bogotá, Colombia, and Quito, Ecuador, and will now be shipped to LAX instead of previously entering the U.S. at Miami International Airport.

According to local flower distributors, when shipping flowers from Bogota to Carlsbad, California, a major floral distribution point for the West Coast, the trip takes 59.5 hours total travel time via Miami. When shipping via LAX, total travel time is 15 hours -- a time savings of 75 percent.

The new refrigeration facility will not only accommodate the storage of large amounts of flowers, but soon, workers also will be able to separate the flower shipments within the 35-degree Fahrenheit storage environment and prepare them for direct distribution from LAX to flower shops and supermarkets throughout California and the western U.S.

Checking local flower retailers, airport officials report that the local cost of a single rose shipped to LAX can drop to as low as $2, compared to $6 when shipped via Miami and then transported by truck to Los Angeles.

See more about this here.

Easter Flowers

2009-04-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a nice video showing Easter flowers blooming before our eyes using the magic of time-lapse. Watch the tulips, lilies and daffodils bloom in less than thirty seconds.

Flowers in Hospital Rooms

2009-03-27T09:12:00.000-07:00

A recent study found that hospital patients who have flowers or potted plants in their hospital rooms need fewer pain killers, have a lower heart rate and blood pressure and are better off. They feel less anxious and less tired.

See more from the study here.

Photo of roses in a hospital room by studentofrhythym

You Don't Send Me Flowers Anymore

2009-03-26T07:23:00.001-07:00

Shari used to work at a flower store in Los Angeles. That was a long time ago. Since then, she has dated a few guys but none of them ever bought her flowers until her latest date. They were going out for two months, he bought her flowers but then he broke up with her and described her as 'crystalline'. See her story here.

The crystalline flowers pictured here are via SRGC

Gardeners in Los Angeles

2009-03-20T07:56:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal has an article recently about the immigrant gardeners and landscapers who work in Los Angeles. They say the economic downturn has not had much of an impact on them yet. They note this is a good living for many immigrants who move on to create their own landscaping firms and hire several employees. Check out their story here.

Photo of LA house and garden by Alan Light

Floral Art

2009-03-18T09:24:00.000-07:00

Here's a beautiful photo by tanakawho. It's called "Dessert for your eyes."

Wholesale Organic Flowers in LA

2007-10-16T11:01:00.001-07:00

Are you a Los Angeles florist who is experiencing increased demand and queries for organic flowers?

If so, the Organic Bouquet Wholesale people would like you to know they provide retail florists with wholesale prices for a very large selection of organic flowers including roses, calla lilies, Veriflora fragnant garden roses, hybrid tea roses - and all in the latest colors and varieties. Also in Veriflora they have alstro, veronica, hypericum and some filler flowers.

Call Don Mayfield, their national manager for B2B at 877 899 0015 to talk about their great selection of organic flowers.

A Tropical Flower Arrangement

2007-09-20T03:01:00.000-07:00

Here´s a video of how to create a beautiful tropical flower arrangement using Ginger Haliconia Dendrobium Orchids Tiger Lilies Bells Of Ireland Liatris And Curly Willow.

This is one of the videos available from Everyday Flowers, a new YouTube channel specializing in demonstrating the art of floral arrangements.

Ikebana Flower Arranging Ideas

2007-09-19T04:01:00.000-07:00

Here are some incredibly beautiful Ikebana flower arrangements. Ikebana is the Japanese art of arranging flowers in a vase.

Couture Florists at Tic-Tock

2007-07-20T13:44:00.000-07:00

Here's a couple of examples of the beautiful couture floral arrangements you will find at Tic-Tock Couture Florals at 1603 N. La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. They are one of the most in-demand 'celebrity florists' in Los Angeles. Manifesting visually stunning floral arrangements is the key for their creative director Eddie Zaratsian.

Buy Organic Roses for Mother's Day

2007-05-08T15:54:00.000-07:00

The OrganicBouquet.com is promoting these two dozen pink roses as a thoughtful gift for Mother's Day. Not only are these roses organically grown but 5% of the price will be donated to the Mercy Corps charity.

These roses have stylized striping that took years to achieve. See a closeup of the Pink Perfection roses here.

Giant Organic Roses are a Hit in Hollywood

2007-03-23T07:21:00.000-07:00

Organic Bouquet is selling the world's tallest roses. They are between five and six feet tall. A dozen will cost you $250.00. They are grown organically near the equator by the Andes mountains. These 'extreme roses' are a hit in Hollywood these days. They are turning up in a lot of celebrity homes. These roses last much longer than the typical rose. They are called "Forever Young".

How To Make an Origami Rose

2007-03-08T10:44:00.000-08:00

Here's an excellent instructional video detailing all the steps of how to make an origami Kawasaki rose in eight minutes. All you need is a square piece of colored paper.

Origami Flowers as a New Flower Trend?

2007-02-20T09:32:00.000-08:00

As people become more concerned with the non-organic flower growing and harvesting practises worldwide and the costs of buying flowers in terms of globabl warming impacts, we predict there may be a surge of interest in origami flower making.

Origami has been a popular art form in Japan for over a thousand years. Origami flowers last a long time and bring beauty to any room. Here is a bouquet of origami flowers from Lisa's Handmade Origami Creations.

You can also buy books on how to create origami flowers. The book shown here is Origami Flowers: Popular Blossoms and Creative Bouquetsand it's recently available in English on Amazon.

White House Florist Does Valentine's

2007-02-14T06:52:00.000-08:00

Laura Bush told Rachel Ray yesterday that the president is "Not very good" at remembering Valentine's Day, so the White House florist always sends up the flowers and George Bush signs the card. Last year the First Lady got a heart topiary fashioned by one of the White House gardeners.

The heart-shaped topiary of red roses in a clay pot you see here is by the Empty Vase Florist. It's three feet tall and about twenty inches across. Cost: $480.

An Expensive Valentine's Bouquet of Roses

2007-02-02T12:46:00.000-08:00

So you want to buy red roses for your sweetheart this Valentines. And you don't mind spending big money. Here's a benchmark for how much this could cost you. FTD.com is advertising a bouquet of two dozen long-stemmed premium red roses (as shown here) with vase included for $149.00.

If you buy from them, the order will go to a local FTD florist in the city where the flowers are being delivered.

Need a Cooler for your Flower Shop?

2007-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

A florist in Santa Monica is advertising a used refrigerator (reach in cooler) specifically designed for flower shops.

If you need to keep your flowers fresh and don't want to sacrifice walk-by and impulse buys then check this out. It is designed to hold 30 standard floral buckets. It has glass facing and sides and maintains a 45 F temperature in an open display case.

They are only asking $2,000 and bought it for $8,000 about two years ago. They can also arrange for delivery and installation.

Upscale Flowers for Valentines

2007-02-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

If you'd like to get your sweetheart something exotic and ultra chick for this Valentine's Day and money is no object to you, check out the upscale Valentine flower arrangements at the Empty Vase on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood.

As one example here is their "Better than Chocolate" item. It's a wooden box that holds two dozen Black Magic roses surrounded by tropical Cymbidiums and lime green reindeer moss. Included is a box of Valerie chocolates.
For $300, not including delivery.

Deliver Flowers in Beverly Hills for a Day

2007-01-30T13:11:00.000-08:00

If you're in search of a little one day adventure you could always consider being a delivery man (or woman) for a day in Beverly Hills - or all over Los Angeles for that matter.

Florists are very needy of extra delivery people on this big floral holiday. If you have a car and a cellphone you could probably get a job quite easily. The pay is typically about $8 per delivery and you can expect to make 15 to 30 deliveries that day.

There are better ways to make a living, but in terms of a one day adventure, it might be fun delivering huge flower bouquets to elated women in Beverly Hills. The tips might be exceptional too!

Check out Craigslist.org for flower delivery jobs and you will see many to choose from.

A Holiday Centerpiece

2006-12-28T17:12:00.000-08:00

Here's an attractive winter centerpiece for your New Year's Eve parties. It's designed by Flowers Heaven Scent and consists of greens, about ten ivory roses, cymbidium orchids, coffee bean, gold leaf and faux pears and apples. Cost is $75 not including delivery.

It's time for Christmas Wreaths

2006-11-26T08:54:00.000-08:00

Here's a beautiful Christmas wreath by MarksFlowers.com. It's a festive ring of sprawling, lush red berries that look just like the real thing but better and they will last from year to year. Dress up your front door or display it over your mantel for the holiday. Shipped in a box that can be used for year-round storage. 26" diameter.

Cost is $65 and delivery is extra.

10 Dozen Red Roses for Tom and Katie

2006-11-15T10:47:00.000-08:00

People Magazine is reporting that someone delivered 120 red roses in a giant bouquet to the Hassler Hotel where Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are staying at in Rome. They're guessing it's for them. The lucky florist, Romano Fiori, would only say it's 'for a very special guest'.

It seems so certain their wedding will be in Italy now. It would be astonishing if they fooled everyone and held the ceremony at their own private estate in Los Angeles on November 18th.

The Red and White Roses have Wilted

2006-11-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Britney Spears got married two years ago in Los Angeles. It was a small ceremony and Britney paid for her own engagement ring. She wore a white strapless gown and her flowers were a bouquet of pink and white roses. Her five bridesmaids and a maid of honor carried red roses and wore burgundy dresses.

Britney's mother insisted that she draw up a pre-nup. It seemed wrong at the time, and Britney didn't want to do it but she must be very relieved about this now, with her divorce pending, just two years later.

Flowers Sing about Finding Love

2006-10-16T22:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a short and sweet video ad about flowers singing 'can anyone find me someone to love'. Turn on your volume to hear it.

Not Saying is the Flower

2006-10-05T13:38:00.000-07:00

The accidental florist reminds us of an old Japanese saying; "Iwanu ga hana":

"Iwanu ga hana": "Not saying is the flower". Exactly what flower 'not saying' is, they don't say, but perhaps there is a meaning similar to "silence is golden", although, in fact, it seems to me that the implication is more that there is some kind of beauty or sense of spiritual attainment in having something to say, but witholding (perhaps a bit like Tantric conversation). One is about to speak, but instead of doing so, one allows a flower of multi-petalled meaning to bloom in silence on the air."

The lone daisy photo is by SteveFE

Buying Organic Flowers

2006-09-23T12:07:00.000-07:00

Demand for organic flowers is growing. Lots of people are choosing to buy only organic flowers these days. They do this because they've heard stories about how toxic chemicals can affect the people who work on flower farms and because they want to contribute to a cleaner global environment. As an added bonus, organic flowers actually have more fragrance and look more natural.

Though demand is growing, overall sales are still small. Organic flower sales totalled only $8 million in 2003, a tiny portion of the $20 billion that people spent on flowers that year nationally. But sales are expected to grow about 13 percent annually through 2008 according to the Organic Trade Association.

The wedding bouquet photo shown here is by Kuckuck.

A Wedding Florist for Tom and Katie

2006-09-16T23:12:00.000-07:00

_______
Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are getting married very soon. Who might be the lucky Los Angeles florist chosen to provide all the floral arrangements at their wedding?

We have one clue. A few months ago for Mother's Day, Tom Cruise ordered an incredible bouquet (worth about $900) for Katie. It was just after Suri's birth so it was a very special occasion. And Lily Lodge was rumored to be the florist chosen by Tom. If Lily Lodge supplied this bouquet, it's quite likely that they are also the florist who supplies regular fresh flower orders for the Cruise residence. And if this is the case, they have a comparative advantage going in on the selection of who may be chosen as the florist for what could be the wedding of the year in Los Angeles.

If Tom and Katie follow the typical wedding budget guidelines and allocate ten percent of the total wedding cost to their flower arrangements, this could be quite a spectacular floral display!

On the other hand, it's almost certain that Tom and Katie have hired an upscale professional wedding planner consultant to handle all the details for them. In this case, this person's florist contacts in Los Angeles may be more relevant in the final decision than any regular florist purchases Tom and Katie have made to date.

The above photo is the current issue of Vanity Fair with Tom, Katie and Suri on the cover. This issue apparently flew off the shelves and magazine stores could not keep enough copies in stock. People were so interested in this story that Vanity Fair received over four million visits a day on their website and 4,000 new subscriptions to the magazine.

This is why we can say this is very likely the wedding of the year in terms of the expected amount of press coverage. And the lucky chosen florist will undoubtedly benefit hugely in prestige and new business.

Update September 21st: "She's ordered the flowers!" is a headline on the cover of this week's Us Magazine but not much is offered in the way of details. Katie has reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of dollars for flowers. The wedding will be at a private estate and only family and friends are invited.

Update October 24th: The tabloids are now reporting the wedding will take place on November 18th in Italy. Hold off the Los Angeles flower deliveries until further notice.

Sunflowers: Wild Versus Cultivated

2006-09-12T18:31:00.000-07:00

Emily Green wrote very poetically about sunflowers recently. She notes how stunning the wild sunflowers are on the drive down the 110 past Dodger Stadium.

Commercially cultivated sunflowers are usually large with a single-head and very thick stems. But the freeway flowers "are smaller, elegantly branched, with each of those limbs producing radiant blooms clear through autumn without so much as a spritz from a hose."

Sunflowers are annuals but commercial sunflowers can outgrow a Laker in only one season of growth.

________
The sunflower photo here is by Micky

Best Florist in Westwood?

2006-09-01T11:41:00.000-07:00

Ericka Lozano rates Westwood Flower Garden as the best florist on the Westside.

Here is one of their wonderful creations made of orange dahlias and gerber daisies. They are a family-owned florist and located right by UCLA in Westwood Village at 1091 Gayley in West Los Angeles. They deliver to UCLA, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Brentwood, West Hollywood and Santa Monica.

Floral Gifts for Men; Cactuses and Orchids

2006-08-25T14:50:00.000-07:00

If you're wondering what kind of floral gift may be appreciated by men, apparently the cactus and the orchids are popular gifts. According to one person in the know about trendy gift-giving customs in Hollywood;

“For a man, I usually recommend an orchid,” he declared. “But a cactus is the same thing. It’s a plant, not a flower. And that’s important, because a plant is masculine. Men send plants to men every day in Hollywood. It’s just business.”

_________
The beautiful orchid photo above is by Dave Parker.

Carnation Floral Creative Art

2006-08-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

Here's a very cute teddy bear made with carnations. Has anyone seen more carnation floral creativity? Please send me a photo!

The photo here was taken by Jelinda at Flickr.

A Unique Flower Shop Window Display

2006-08-10T13:43:00.000-07:00

Here is the window display for a flower shop in Paris. The french have such a completely unique aesthetic. I would have guessed this flower shop was in Paris even if I hadn't already known...

These photos were taken by Steven Parker at Flickr.

A bouquet of White Roses for Avril

2006-07-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

A bouquet of white roses is the trend for celebrity brides this summer. Avril Lavigne, 21, just married Deryck Whibley this Saturday at a private resort at Montecito. She wore a Vera Wang wedding gown and carried a bouquet of white roses in her hands.

The couple will live in a house they bought together in Santa Barbara.

Three weeks ago, Nicole Kidman got married in Australia and also chose a bouquet of white roses to carry down the aisle.

Love Blooms at a Los Angeles Flower Shop

2006-06-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Marcia Cross is getting married tomorrow in Los Angeles.

Cross, 44, stars in "Desperate Housewives". She has waited a long time for this happy event. It will be her first marriage.

She is marrying Tom Mahoney, 48, who has also never been married before.
What I find so romantic about this, aside from the ages of the first-time bride and groom, is the fact that apparently they first met in a Los Angeles flower shop!

This was back in December 2004. They got engaged in August of 2005.

Does anyone know which Los Angeles florist was the fortunate matchmaker for this lucky couple?

Update: I just read a more accurate version which says they did not actually speak at the flower shop. What happened was that Marcia Cross was browsing in the shop and Tom Mahoney came in to buy some flowers for his current date. Marcia was very attracted to him at first sight and loved his voice. She kind of followed him around the store as he talked to the florist. He left without noticing her. But as she was leaving the florist, a staff member was outside smoking. Marcia asked her about Mahoney, and the woman suggested she leave a note there for him. She left a note something to the effect; 'if the current girlfriend doesn't work out, give me a call'.

Well, Mahoney phoned. And they were engaged eight months later.

How many women do you know who would have the guts to take this kind of forward action? Marcia Cross knows what she wants and she has few fears about going about getting it. Congrats to them both!

How to Get Flowers to Angelina and Brad?

2006-05-28T14:14:00.000-07:00

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, both residents of Los Angeles, welcomed their baby girl yesterday in one of the remotest corners of the world; the Welwitschia Clinic in Walvis Bay, Namibia, Africa.

Now if you are one of their fans, friends, co-stars or family members in LA, how the heck are you supposed to find a quality florist in Namibia?

And what if you are Jennifer Aniston and want to send a congratulatory baby basket of flowers and gifts?

For all the people in this predicament, I've done some digging around. There is a good florist - the Flora Niche Florist - that has some beautiful floral arrangements that they can get to Walvis Bay for same day delivery. The arrangement shown above is appropriately named "African Skye".

If you are truly serious about getting Angelina the most beautiful local floral arrangements available, I'd recommend phoning Gisela Anne Ludwig. Gisela has a very solid reputation as one of the best florists in Namibia. Her store, Windhoek Flora is located in the center of Windhoek. Windhoek is the closest city to where Angelina and Brad are staying, but it is still about 200 miles away. Gisela has nine employees in her flower store and she delivers her gorgeous African arrangements internationally. So she'd be the person to talk to I would think.

If anyone knows of other options, please let me know.

Sending a Baby Basket of Flowers to Stefani

2006-05-26T14:07:00.000-07:00

Gwen Stefani gave birth to her first baby today at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. She had a cesarean scheduled for noon and gave birth to a baby boy just before 1:oopm according to Us Weekly.

If you are one of the fans who will be sending her flowers today, here's one idea; a baby boy gift basket of flowers by Adam's Apple Florist located at 18013 Ventura Boulevard, Encino. Here they use spring flowers including hydrangeas, roses and lilies. This arrangement costs $129.00

FTD Leads ProFlowers and 1-800-FLOWERS

2006-05-22T12:34:00.000-07:00

Mother's Day saw record numbers of people buying flowers online this year.

FTD.com was the most visited site, with 4.2 million visitors during Mother's Day week. This is over 500% more than their average number of visitors in the previous five weeks. ProFlowers.com recorded 2.5 million visitors and 1-800-FLOWERS came in a close third with 2.3 million visitors during Mother's Day Week.

Via comScore Networks

The Tom Cruise Bouquet for Mother's Day

2006-05-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

According to the Post Chronicle, Tom Cruise got very flower happy for this Mother's Day and ordered a bouquet worth $900 for Katie. They say the bouquet was ordered from Lily Lodge, an upscale florist in West Hollywood. The bouquet consisted of pink peonies in a Limoges vase.

The photo shown here is 'Garden roses in a 1960's Swedish hand blown glass vase' as one selection available at the Lily Lodge at 644 North Robertson Blvd in Los Angeles.

Mother's Day Flowers - Online Bloom Boom

2006-04-27T14:43:00.000-07:00

Will you be buying flowers for your Mother this Mother's Day? It's on Sunday, May 14th this year.

The week leading up to Mother's Day is the busiest time of the year for online flower orders. It even beats the Valentine's rush. I guess this is because both sons and daughters are buying for their moms, and probably more mothers live in a different city than would be the case with your partner sweetheart.

The top three online flower sellers (1-800-Flowers, FTD.com and Proflowers.com) account for almost half of all Mother's Day online flower sales. If you want to save on shipping costs and also take advantage of Mother's Day flower specials, order your flowers at least a week early, and get them delivered on the Friday or Saturday rather than on the Sunday.

The gorgeous Mother's Day flower bouquet idea above is by Mark's Garden in Los Angeles. It's a joyful selection of 25 sorbet hued Dutch tulips. The cost is $85 with the vase or $60 without the vase. Delivery is extra.

Florists Start Charging More for Delivery

2006-04-24T22:19:00.000-07:00

Flowers by Coley in Kearny Mesa is one floral delivery service considering raising their prices after Mother's Day.

Flowers by Coley oversees seven delivery vans. Gas prices have gone up by 18 percent over the past year in San Diego.

Their floral delivery fees are in the range of $8.95 to $13.95 per order. But the rising gas prices mean these prices are no longer covering costs.

See the full story at SignOnSanDiego.com

The fine art print above is 'Papaver' by Barbara Bordnick.

Flowers for Secretary's Day

2006-04-20T16:52:00.000-07:00

If you've got a secretary and you know what's good for you, you won't forget that it's secretary's day on Wednesday April 26th. In fact, the whole of next week is Secretary Week.

And let's hope you have the lingo down right for your valued assistant. Today's more common and politically correct term is 'Administrative Professional' or 'Executive Admin'.

You can be sure the administrative professionals will be comparing the size and beauty of their flower bouquets with each other. Don't be cheap on this day of all days.

The flower gift idea shown here is an impressive bouquet as arranged by Flowers Heaven Scent. It's a large ceramic pot filled with lilies, roses, hydragea and tuberose. The cost is $300.00.

Flowers Heaven Scent are located at 15001 Venture Boulevard in Sherman Oaks Los Angeles. They deliver to the entire San Fernando Valley including Sherman Oaks, Encino, Studio City, Bel Air, Beverly Hills, North Hollywood, Van Nuys, Universal City, Mission Hills, Burbank, Panorama City, Glendale, Reseda, Sylmar, Woodland Hills, Canoga Park, Northridge and Mission Hills, Porter Ranch, Pacoima and Panorama City.

Send a Bouquet of Flowers to Star Jones

2006-03-23T00:10:00.000-08:00

Star Jones Reynolds will celebrate her 44th birthday this Friday. But for now she's in a Los Angeles hospital recovering from breast uplift surgery according to her publicist.

Two good reasons to send her flowers today if you are a fan.

Another LAist who could use some flowers today is Tony Pierce. He's feeling depressed and now all of LA knows about it. However, Tony is not a fan of fresh cut flowers, he prefers the potted variety.

Ordering Protea Flowers in Hollywood

2006-03-09T15:18:00.000-08:00

Do you or your staff order fresh flowers at least twice a week? And is your florist obviously familiar with the fact that protea is the new heliconia?

If so, you may qualify as the typical 'Hollywood Wife' (at least as far as your floral sensibilities go) according to a scathing article about Hollywood wives by Isobel Smithson in the Telegraph earlier this week.

Isobel Smithson also writes;

"Into the short hours between meals, the Hollywood Wife will squeeze the meticulous maintenance of body and house. Weekly facials can cost as much as 1,000 [british pounds] and include acid peels and dermabrasion ('surgical scraping'). This is in addition to Botox, Restylane and collagen injections, topped up four times a year. Roaccutane tablets, a large dose of vitamin A usually prescribed for severe acne, is taken daily by models, actresses and Wives because 'it makes you look younger and it makes your skin have that unblemished high sheen of Nicole Kidman."

Protea flowers are shown in the picture above. This beautiful bouquet graces the front page of the California Protea Association's website.

The proteaceae are an ancient flower, one of the oldest groups of flowering plants. But they were only introduced to the United States about forty years ago. This is when they were first grown in San Diego and a few ranches in the Santa Barbara area. They are considered to be very exotic and unusual and meant only for very special occassions. According to the California Protea Association, these flowers 'will outlast and outshine any other flowers by a large margin'.

A Fresh Flower Idea in Sherman Oaks

2006-03-07T15:58:00.000-08:00

L.A. Lakers fans can choose purple and yellow flower car wreaths instead of flapping flags to show their appreciation while on the road.

A Sherman Oaks florist, It's a Blooming Business, originated this fresh floral wreath idea. They began offering this floral arrangement for serious fans back in 2002. And apparently Jack Nicholson was one of their first customers when he placed a 'super-sized' one on his car.

Source: San Fernando Valley Business Journal

Wedding Flower Bouquets - Styles and Colors

2006-03-02T09:38:00.000-08:00

Amy Child Marella of Hidden Garden Floral Designs in Los Angeles has some good tips about choosing bouquet colors and styles for your wedding.

She says there is a trend for brides picking rich, bright colors. She finds the most popular flower color choices these days are hot jewel tones such as magenta, celadon green, reds, purples and touches of bright orange. The traditional 'white wedding' is not as common as it used to be.

For a springtime ceremony she recommends peonies, hydrangea, lilac, tulips and roses. For a summertime wedding ceremony she recommends roses. See her article about wedding floral arrangements here.

The bridesmaid photo here is from her gorgeous website.

Unique Floral Arrangements

2006-02-26T19:15:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a colorful flower bouquet is not necessarily the best way to add class to a room. The 'floral arrangement' shown on this kitchen island seems to be the perfect elegant touch.

This is the kitchen in the Sowden House at 5121 Franklin Avenue. The house is now for sale and the price is not disclosed. It was built in 1926 by architect Lloyd Wright (Frank Lloyd Wright's son).

The house is still available as a filming location and has appeared in LA Confidential and in The Aviator.

Update March 20th: The Sowden House is the filming location for this season's America's Next Top Model.

Local Flower Shops in Los Angeles

2006-02-23T11:27:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for a directory of flower shops in Los Angeles?
It's not easy to find real directories online that list only actual Los Angeles flower shops and don't include all the fake listings which are actually online affiliate programs.

The 'fake listings' include 'internet florists' and 'virtual florists' who sell pictures of flowers as opposed to real flowers and then broker their sales to real florists.

Here are the best directories for finding real and professional florists who actually stock fresh flowers for pick up or local delivery in Los Angeles. I found this info via The Florist Detectives.

Yahoo's DMOZ directory has a listing of Los Angeles Florists here.
This directory is free for florists to submit their listings but it is edited by real people and they check for the validity of the listings. It has sixty five florists listed for Los Angeles.

The Society of American Florists is North America's largest independent floral association. Their directory includes 36 florists in Los Angeles. Go to this page and type in Los Angeles, California to see their directory.

See also the five Los Angeles florists I'd personally recommend listed on the sidebar on the right here.

_______________
The above art print is "Vivid Life II" by Warren Cullar

Send Flowers to Boost Your Career

2006-02-21T09:03:00.000-08:00

Have you ever considered sending flowers along with your resume in order to get the dream job?

Raymond Ridder sent flowers to help him get his first job as an intern with the Los Angeles Lakers. He says nobody was looking at his resume, so he decided to send it with flowers;

"It got to the point where I would call a florist in the Inglewood area, send a resume to a florist, and then have the florist send a big plant or some flowers to Josh at the Forum," where the Lakers used to play, he said. "... I figured if I did something out of the ordinary and had them deliver a bouquet of flowers or a big plant to his office, he was going to see (the resume)."

That's how he got the public relations internship with the Los Angeles Lakers sixteen years ago. Today he is the executive director of public relations for the Warriors.

Check out the interesting story about Ridder's career and recent personal tragedies at ContraCostaTimes.com

_____________
The above art print is Fiori by Fernando Botero.

Wedding Floral Designer Job in Los Angeles

2006-02-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

Are you a floral designer in need of a job in Los Angeles? I spotted this ad today on Craigslist. If you are experienced with wedding floral designs and good with consulting brides about their floral arrangements, this could be interesting experience:

"Hello,

I'm currently in need of a floral assistant with experience with flowers. More specifically I'm looking for someone who can have consultations with future brides and grooms and "sell" them their dream wedding.

As for pay, you will receive a percentage of each wedding you book as well as a consultation fee. There will also be the possibility of additional wedding work on the actual wedding day.

If you are interested, please email me with your resume, relative experience, your availability for an interview and a current photo.

Thanks!"

__________
The above art print is "Wedding" by Bruce Curtis.

Affordable Floral Centerpieces in Los Angeles

2006-02-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you are getting married this year and are looking for affordable floral centerpieces, check out Pebbles and Petals Designs in Los Angeles.

Their website has a gallery of over fifty beautiful and inexpensive floral centerpiece designs. Most of these floral arrangements are composed with hand selected silk flowers. The pebbles add a Zen aesthetic.

Pebbles and Petals caters to all events and every budget. They also offer event consulting and planning services.

Wedding Flower Centerpieces

2006-02-17T09:04:00.000-08:00

If you're looking for ideas for your wedding reception table floral centerpieces, check out the Hidden Garden Floral Design website for some very inspiring floral arrangement ideas for your centerpiece.

The Hidden Garden is located at 11054 Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles, California.

Flower Power Condoms

2006-02-16T21:28:00.000-08:00

Men sometimes buy flowers for women in the hope that they might receive a thank-you via good bed games. If you are one of these guys and you also have a sense of realism humor, you might try including one of these Flower Power Pops Condomsin your next flower bouquet gift. It makes everything so much more straight-forward and out in the open. I think it might get a good laugh anyway.

These condoms meet FDA standards for the prevention of pregnancy and STDs. They are available in singles and hand packed bags of 4, 12, and 24.

How Much to Send Roses on Valentine's Day?

2006-02-13T08:50:00.000-08:00

What's the average cost of a dozen roses on Valentine's Day?

Expect to pay between $70 to $90 for a dozen long-stem roses today and tomorrow.

The average price paid during the few days surrounding Valentine's Day was $72 last year according to the Society of American Florists.

How much do sales of roses go up in the typical flower shop around Valentine's? Park Florist in Lakewood say they typically sell two or three dozen roses on an average day. But on the day before Valentine's and on Valentine's day itself, this goes up to one hundred dozen per day.

Park Florist is located at 11455 Carson Street, Lakewood.

The above bouquet is their "Forever in Love" and currently costs $79.99 with vase included. Delivery is an additional $9.99.

Source: PressTelegram.com

Sending Flowers - Pest Free Delivery

2006-02-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

The roses you buy are likely to have traveled far to get to your local florist. Over three quarters of the cut flowers bought in the U.S. are imported.

The top three imported cut flowers are roses, carnations and chrysanthemums. Miami, Los Angeles and New York are the top three ports that receive these flower shipments. Here the customs officials are kept busy inspecting the flowers for bugs and pests. Whether it is roses from Columbia or rare orchids from Thailand, these people carefully inspect them before they end up at your florist, grocery store or sidewalk stand. In 2005 more than 6,000 actionable insects or pests were intercepted at the port of Miami.

Source: USA : CBP makes pest free flowers delivery

_____________
The above print is 'American Classic Rose' by Debra Lake

Flower Market in Los Angeles and California

2006-02-10T09:26:00.000-08:00

Los Angeles county is the sixth top producer of flowers and nursery products in California. San Diego is the top county in California, and in fact, it leads all the counties in the entire United States. They produce five times as much as Los Angeles county.

There are about 3,800 retailers in California whose key products are nursery and/or floral products. But this doesn't include an additional 3,500 incidental retailers who have multiple product lines including floral products. These include Home Depot, Lowes, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target and the supermarket chains.

Total retail florist sales in California will likely be at least 1.2 billion dollars this year. (Actual figures for 2001 were $988 million).

Of all the flowers produced in California, about forty percent are shipped to other States and less than one percent are exported to other countries.

The U.S. as a whole now imports three quarters of all cut flowers consumed. The two main exporters of cut flowers into the United States are Columbia and Ecuador.

Source: These are 2002 industry numbers from an informative profile by Hoy Carman.

______________
The above fine art print is 'Valley Of Sunflowers' by Richard Leblanc

Valentine's Day Roses by Rita Flora

2006-02-09T16:30:00.000-08:00

You can't go wrong ordering your Valentine's Day Flowers from Rita Flora at 468 S La Brea Avenue in Los Angeles. The bouquet shown here is "First Love". Twelve roses in a vase is $125.00 not including tax and delivery charges.

Rita Flora has gained a lot of avid and loyal customers since this flower shop opened twenty years ago.

Flower Delivery in Los Angeles

2006-02-08T16:27:00.000-08:00

Flower delivery is a valued skill on Valentine's Day. If you're looking for some extra cash there are a lot of Los Angeles florists who want to talk to you right now. Problem is, it seems that at least in one case the going rate is only eight dollars per delivery and you need your own car, gas and cell phone to boot.

Here's a couple of ad examples I spotted at Craigslist.org:

Delivery Drivers Needed for Valentine's Day!!!

Looking for drivers to help deliver flowers & arrangements with their own cars on Tuesday, Feb 14th.

Hours approx 8am-4pm.

The shop is located in Beverly Hills.
All deliveries should be in the LA Basin and will be grouped by area.
Pay is $8 cash per delivery that INCLUDES gas & wages.
Expect 20-30 deliveries for the day.

Drivers must have;
* Own car in good, working order (no open-back pickups).
* Operating cell phone.
* Valid U.S. driver's license.
* Own insurance.

**************

High-End Flower shop need sharp, accurate attention to detail, Part time Designer's & Delivery Drivers, for valentine's day week.
( Experienced Designers Please )
Los Angeles experience is preferred for Drivers. Must be familar with LA, Westside, Beverly Hills, & the canyons. Must Know how to read a Thomas Guide!
Part time driver positions are available for more long term.
Delivery Vans provided.-- Dates will be discussed-- ( Drivers) $100.00 per day.Monday & Tuesday -- February 13&14 start @ 6am.
( Designers Pay TBD) Saturday, Sunday, Monday & Tuesday 11,12,13,&14 Contact Joseph for more details-- 310.854.3544

* Job location is West Hollywood
* This is a part-time job.

Sending Organic Roses for Valentine's Day

2006-02-08T14:05:00.000-08:00

Have you considered buying organic roses for your sweetie on Valentine's Day? It's the right thing to do, especially if your lover understands the importance of organic foods and environmental conservation. Check out the selection available at the Organic Bouquet. This innovative flower company is located at 242 Redwood Highway, Mill Valley in California.

The pic shown here is a dozen classic long-stem red organic roses. They are guaranteed to last at least seven days from the time of delivery. The cost is only $39.99 and includes the vase and chocolates if you order now, before the big Valentine's rush.

Valentine's Day Roses: Red, Pink and White

2006-02-07T13:58:00.000-08:00

One of the most prestigious florists in Los Angeles is Mark's Garden. They are located at 13838 Ventura Boulevard, Sherman Oaks.

The photo here is their 'Valentine's Day Roses' bouquet. The two dozen red, pink and white roses signify love, happiness and purity. The 'frozen glass' vase is tied with an elegant heart decorated ribbon. Together with the vase, this order will cost you $90.00. Fed Ex delivery is an additional $19.99. (Check out their other beautiful flower arrangments here.)

Mark's Garden is no longer available just to Los Angeles residents. They have recently started a new service (marksflowers.com) whereby you can choose to send their flower arrangements to most major cities in the United States.

Online Flowers Are a Billion Dollar Market

2006-02-07T09:11:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder why trying to find a local independent florist in Los Angeles (or any other city for that matter) can be such a frustrating experience? There are a lot of people competing for your online orders these days.

It's too early for the 2005 figures to be in, but we can safely say that online floral sales are now at least a one billion dollar market annually. Online floral sales were about $950 million in 2004. This was an eighteen percent increase over 2003.

There are some big players competing for your online floral buying. The leading ones include FTD, ProFlowers, 1-800-Flowers, and TeleFlora. Hallmark is also getting into this market in a big way. I hope to look at some of these companies in detail in future posts.

_______
The art print above is 'Fiori' by Fernando Botero

Jacob Maarse Florists in Los Angeles

2006-02-06T20:27:00.000-08:00

One of the high-end places to buy roses in Los Angeles for Valentine's Day is Jacob Maarse Florists. They become incredibly busy during this time and their website recommends you order two weeks in advance if possible.

They have two locations. Their Los Angeles Flower Shop is at 545 South Figueroa Street and their Pasadena Flower Shop is at 655 East Green Street.

Jacob Maarse Florists was founded 30 years ago. Maarse came from a family of flower growers in Holland. They now employ sixty people. The second store was opened in downtown Los Angeles in 1996. Not many other florists can say they grow their own roses. Maarse grows roses in his three acre garden and these are used in many of the floral arrangments. Jacob Maarse roses grace the Rose Court of Pasadena's Tournament of Roses Parade every year.

Valentine's Day Gifts for Your Florist Lover

2006-02-05T23:25:00.000-08:00

There are a few dozen thousand of us out there whose sweethearts work in flower shops. Valentine's Day is a madhouse for them and it's likely that the last romantic thing they want when they finally do get off work is a dozen red roses. So the thorny question is, what to get for your flower-loving florist valentine?

Here are a couple of ideas:

This is the 'flower power' ladies watch by Tissot. It's a beautiful accessory and would probably be valued by anyone who works with flowers or owns a flower store.

A less expensive gift would be this funky flower power belt. Each leather flower is attached to a metal loop that attaches to the next flower, so it lays nicely over your clothes. The closure is adjustable so it will fit many sizes; from 29 to 41 inches. This fun and funky flower belt costs about $30.00 and would likely be a great conversation hit at work not to mention that it's very attractive to boot.

Sending Flowers for Same Day Delivery?

2006-02-05T15:10:00.000-08:00

Are you thinking of ordering your Valentine's gift of flowers on February 14th for same day delivery? If you consider ordering a week ahead you may save yourself 25% or more depending on where you order your flowers from online.

There were 180 million roses (or more accurately; stems) produced for Valentine's Day in 2005. Just think of how busy the florists and delivery people will be on February 14th!

The above floral arrangement is 'Treasure of Love' designed by Adam's Apple Florist & Design Studio. It consists of a dozen gorgeous roses along with hydranges and stargazer lilies displayed in a beautiful treasure box. The cost is $249.00. Adam's Apple is located at 18013 Ventura Boulevard, Encino.

Flowers, Valentine's and the Male Mind

2006-02-04T05:30:00.000-08:00

Here's a funny ad campaign by the Flowers and Plants Association in the UK.

I'd say this campaign will be quite effective in persuading women to buy their own flowers.

And if you really don't want to buy your own flowers: an idea might be to leave this image on your computer screen where your sweetie is sure to see it. In fact the FPA has gone one step further and developed a screensaver just for this purpose.

Women Buy Flowers on Valentine's Day

2006-02-03T21:30:00.000-08:00

More cut flowers are sold for Valentine's Day than any other holiday. But it might surprise you to know that women buy over one third of all flower orders sold around the Valentine's Day holiday.

And whereas 85% of purchases by men on this holiday occasion are for their wives or significant others, women purchase flowers more often for their mothers than for their husbands or boyfriends (32 percent versus 24 percent). And of all women buying flowers on this occasion, about 22 percent are buying them just for themselves. The two other most common recipients from female buyers are daughters and friends.

Source: Society of American Florists and IPSOS FloralTrends, 2005.

The above art print is 'Heart of Rose' by J.A. Kraulis.

Valentine's Day Bloom for 1-800 Flowers

2006-02-03T17:00:00.000-08:00

How many roses do you think will be ordered from 1-800-Flowers.Com in mid February?

Last year the company had record sales on Valentine's Day. They received over 950,000 orders over the Valentine's holiday shopping period. In addition to flowers, they sold a lot of other stuff including plush stuffed animals, Godiva chocolates, baked gifts and popcorn.

1-800-Flowers got their start in 1976 when their current CEO, Jim McCann, opened his first store in the New York metropolitan area. He went on to build it into a chain of 14 stores before buying the 1-800-Flowers number. Their first web site was started up in 1995.

Their fulfillment system now includes about 1,500 florists around the United States including 35 company-owned stores and about 85 franchised stores. They have their own distribution and warehouse facilities and have invested heavily in registred trademarks including the following;

BLOOMLINK
BLOOMNET
800-BASKETS
800-CANDIES
800-FLORIST
800-FLOWERS
800-GOODIES
800-GROWERS
800-LAS-FLORES
1-888-FLOWERS
1-800-FLEURISTE
1-800-GIFT HOUSE
BALLOON BOUTIQUE
BIRTHDAY FLOWER CAKE
CONROY'S CONROY'S FLOWERS
CONROY'S 1-800-FLOWERS
FLORAMINDER
FLORA PLENTY
FLORA SEASONS
FLORAVISION
FRESH TALK
FRESH THOUGHTS
FRESHNESS CARE SYSTEM
GIFT CONCIERGE
JUST CALL OUR NAME
PLOW & HEARTH
THE WORLD'S NEIGHBORHOOD FLORIST
TELEWAY

The above bouquet is "Reflections of Love" and sells for $59.99 at 1-800-Flowers.Com.

Valentine's Day Flowers and Dinner

2006-02-01T09:44:00.000-08:00

When you are in the throes of a new romance, it's wonderful to receive flowers and be taken out for dinner on Valentine's day.

Personally though, I've been married for five years now. I still love to get flowers for Valentine's, but I'm no longer into going out for dinner on the 14th of February.

A friend of ours owns a restaurant and I thought it summed it up when she once commented that Valentine's Day at the restaurant usually has a somewhat uncomfortable, awkward atmosphere. So many new couples, so many expectations.

Now a private little room for two (as pictured above) would be something else entirely...

The photo above is "Dinner for Two". It's part of the portfolio available for viewing at The Hidden Garden. The Hidden Garden Floral Design is located in West Los Angeles. Check out their site for gorgeous floral arrangements.

The Meaning of Yellow Roses

2006-01-25T08:41:00.000-08:00

Thinking of buying a dozen yellow roses for your sweetheart on Valentine's Day? Don't do it.

The symbolic meaning of yellow roses is that of friendship, or platonic love. They also signify the promise of a new beginning, but this would be the type of new beginning relating to newlyweds or new mothers, rather than the beginnings of a love relationship.

Yellow roses signify joy and delight. Give them to the new mother in the delivery room or the university graduate after their graduation ceremony.

A flower arrangement composed primarily of red roses is the most appropriate bouquet for a Valentine's lover's gift of flowers.

Update January 30th: Welcome LAist readers! I was thrilled to get a link today from the LAist. This is so wonderful especially as today happens to be my birthday. For a new blogger, a link from a Los Angeles PR7 site is a bigger thrill than a gift of several dozen beautiful yellow roses.

Unique Valentine's Bouquets

2006-01-25T08:05:00.000-08:00

Are you looking for something unique and different for a 2006 Valentine's Day bouquet? This beautiful floral arrangement is by the Empty Vase florist in Los Angeles. They call it the Valentine Fantasy and it's made up of flash bacara, back magic roses, pink hydrangea, calla lili, organic foliage leaf. It's about sixteen inches in width.

The Empty Vase has a fabulous Valentine's Day selection of floral arrangements. Here's just one more on their list. This one is named "Many Faces of Red" and is composed of red and pink roses, tulips and cymbidiums. The vase is beautifully adorned with jewels and ribbons. It's about two feet in height.

Check out their unique Valentine's Day collection here.

Flowers for Aquarians

2006-01-20T13:53:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Aquarius!

The traditional flowers associated with the Aquarius sign are the orchid and golden rain.

Aquarians are the most bohemian and often eccentric personalities of all twelve signs. Flowers for aquarians make great gifts, but be sure to be a little unique and outstanding in your selection of a bouquet. Don't buy them a standard pinky-cute carnation floral arrangment. They wouldn't be into that as much as a bouquet that is more original and artsy.

On the right is a photo from Orchids.com of a "Flowering Plum Combo Phalaenopsis". Here are dozens of little flowers from two orchid plants. These miniature orchids are a medium pink and provided in a beautiful laqueured pot by Norman's Orchids.

Unique Floral Art

2006-01-16T15:29:00.000-08:00

Myorei.com is one of the most original and beautiful examples of floral art I've come across online.

On the left is one of the breathtaking floral creations available for viewing at the gallery at Myorei.com.

Myorei graduated from Emily Carr with a Fine Arts degree and chose flowers as her art form. She has studied Japanese Ikebana floral design for many years. Myorei is also an ordained Buddhist nun.

See her Vancouver Wedding Florist site here.

It's a Blooming Business

2006-01-16T10:39:00.000-08:00

It's a Blooming Business is located at 14006 Riverside Drive in the Westfield Fashion Square Mall in Sherman Oaks California. They are an upscale florist and active in the corporate events, movies, television and other special event floral designs.

Here's an example of one of their non-traditional Valentine's floral designs; "The European Garden Basket.

They deliver seven days a week, same-day service.

Floral Rush on East Melrose

2006-01-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Floral Rush is owned by Nelson Hiltner and located at 528 Melrose Avenue (between Van Ness Avenue and Wilton Place). Hiltner's specialty is architectural arrangements of unusual flora such as bamboo. Floral Rush does all the flower arrangments for Louis Vuitton stores in Los Angeles.

Empty Vase Florist in West Hollywood

2006-01-14T16:34:00.000-08:00

The Empty Vase is owned by Saeed Babaeean who opened the store fourteen years ago. They deliver as far away as Calabasas, Downtown LA, and Manhattan Beach. They are one of the most creative florists in Los Angeles. They recently won Hollywood's Chamber of Commerce Creative Business Award in the Art/Design category. Their website is outstanding, I'm sure it's being imitated by many other florist websites around the world.

See their beautiful couture flower selection.

Ruby Begonia Flowers in Hollywood

2006-01-14T16:12:00.000-08:00

Ruby Begonia Flowers is located at 1433 North Highland Avenue in Hollywood. It's owned by three sisters. They've been in business since 1979. You can order your flowers after 3:00pm and still get them delivered that same evening.

Flowerwild in Burbank

2006-01-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

Flowerwild has one of the best reputations in floral art. They are owned by Kate Sapienza and located at 4004 Riverside Drive. The Flowerwild website is beautiful and the prose is some of the best I've seen anywhere. The wording is as beautiful as the flowers.

Flowerwild is not your everyday flower shop. As they say on their site;

We don't have stuffed animals or balloons, we don't use fillers, and we definitely do not compromise quality for quantity.

I only wish they'd skip the slow-loading flash presentation. I am sure this barrier to entry on their site loses them a couple of visitors for every three who come to visit.

Best Independent Florists in Los Angeles

2006-01-08T11:59:00.000-08:00

Being a florist in Los Angeles is a unique experience. To get a sense of what it's like, here's an excerpt from The L.A. Times Newspaper Article - July 11, 2002:

A studio head wants to send a big box-office star flowers after her newest movie rakes in $75 million over the weekend. Think a dozen long-stemmed roses will do? Forget it. You might as well send smiley-face balloons and a Whitman's Sampler.

In a city where appearances count, floral design has become an ultra-competitive, big-bucks (average arrangement $100, no upper limit), high-stakes business with constant pressure to come up with traffic stopping, cutting-edge designs. While sending the snapdragon and carnation bouquet from page 7 of the generic flower arrangement catalog may work for some, others consider nothing but flora in the highest possible style. (See more from this story at Empty Vase)

Here are some of the best independent florists in Los Angeles:

Flowerwild

4004 Riverside Drive
Burbank CA

Ruby Begonia Flowers

1433 N. Highland Ave.
Hollywood, CA

Empty Vase Florist

9033 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles CA

Floral rush

7525 Sunset Blvd.
Los Angeles Blvd

It's a Blooming Business

14006 Riverside Drive #24
Sherman Oaks CA