November is  full of month-long and daily national holidays. Aviation Month, Child Safety and Protection Month, Good Nutrition Month, International Drum Month, National Epilepsy Month, and Peanut Butter Lover’s Month. November 1st  is celebrated for the day Thomas Edison patented the very first light bulb and November 2nd holds the title for National Elections day. However, one of the most well known (and in our opinion, most respected) day of the year falls on November 11th. This day is known to U.S citizens as Veterans Day and to Canadians as Remembrance day.

This day celebrates the anniversary of  the signing of the Armistice which ended World War I. We pay homage to the heroism of the  soldiers who put their lives on the line  (and those who lost their lives)  in the spirit of freedom.  Whether you know someone who has fought in the war or a family who have lost loved ones in this battle, we are all effected by this event as we live our daily lives as  free individuals. On this day we pay our respects.

Let CanadaWide Flowers  help you find  the perfect  bouquet

to say ‘Thank You‘ to those responsible for your freedom.

The Amaryllis- Hailing from the Andes Mountains of Peru and Chile, this flower is known for its soft beauty as well as it lifespane. Given proper treatment they will continue to blossom and bloom for several years reaching a max growth of  45-60 cm.

It was named after a mythylogical sheppardess, meaning “sparkling” referring to its attractive bloom.

One can find these flowers looking their best during the winter months. Their soft and lucid petals play up the feathery texture of the snow, so placing them beside a window in the winter will enhance their beauty.

They make for a beautiful gifts, for all occasions. However, one can find these flowers being given at Chritmas or New Years as they are seasonal flowers and are most available during that time of year.

CanadaWide Flowers is happy to introduce this beautiful flower to their selection coming in November.

At some point in our lives we all must face an uncomfortable situation. One of which ,an inevitable event, is funerals and finding the right things to say. Truth is, there isn’t really anything you can say to change the misfortune of the situation but there is a way to extend your sympathy and condolences without sounding completely cliche. Here are a few of the Do’s and Don’ts of writing a sympathy card;

Dont…

-Draw conclusions for the person grieving like “I know just how you feel.” or “Time heals all wounds.”

- Say that you “understand how you feel”. (While you could very well share similar situations, each person grieves differently)

-Say “call me if you need anything”. This may be too taxing for some to think of things for others to do.

Do…

-Honestly convey, in a few sentences or less what the loss of this person means to you. Acknowledge the loss of the individual while expressing your condolences.

- Clearly identify yourself no matter your method of expressing sympathy is (i.e. use your surname if you are not an immediate family member and make sure your return address is available on the envelope).

-Attempt to send your sympathy card as soon as you hear about the death. If you do not have access to a store where you can purchase a card, you could compose a note on personal stationery, or send an electronic sympathy card.

Here are examples of a successfully written and sincere sympathy cards;

Anyway you phrase it or say it, it is always a kind gesture that in a time of despair we can find comfort in the compassion and sympathy of our friends and family.

 Flowers can do more than just brighten your mood. Studies have shown that placing flowers in your work space can actually increase your productivity and motivation.With the hectic and aggressive nature of today’s economy, it has become extremely important for your business to gain every advantage over the competition, so using whatever strategies proven to help could be very useful.

There is often an association with Spartan decoration and a professional workplace, but this is not necessarily true. When you take into consideration the health benefits a pleasant and uplifting environment can affect on your staff, you will realize that they far outweigh those of a decoration-free “no-nonsense” workplace.

An eight-month study was conducted to prove the effectiveness of adding flowers in the workspace.

Those participating engaged in creative problem solving tasks in an assortment of standard office environments and conditions in order to determine the affect of flowers on their motivation and productivity.

During the study, participants of both genders were shown to demonstrate greater levels of innovative thinking, resulting in the generation of more ideas and original solutions. More ideas and solutions led to greater productivity, and thus a greater motivation to achieve.

Unlike other flower arranging in which flowers are literally shoved together dead in bunches, Japanese flower arranging has a whole new meaning. It focuses on the flowers whilst they are still alive and the vases are also a unique centerpiece to store them in.

There is a true art to this practice. Each plant or flower is handeled with delicacy and all parts of the plant are carfed for inclusing the leaves and branches. It has been shown that the focus needed for this art promotes relaxation of the mind body and soul.

It has been practiced around the world for centuries however there are several styles of japanese flower arranging. Ikebana is the most common, there is also Rikka, Shoka, Nageire and free style. Each looks different and each was created at a different time. Ikebana is the easiest style if you are a beginer and would like to give this activity a try. 

Japanese flower arranging can really help to improve the appearance of any home. The designs are so beautiful and precise that it really will add a little sophistication to any room. They could also come in handy if you are looking to add a little oriental design to the home but you don’t want to do too much. It’s a simple yet striking way of adding a little color and life into the home.

You may ask…What does popular music have to do with flowers?  Well to be quite honest, not too much.  However, we have chosen the most well known songs that incorperate flowers in the title. These are our top picks;

Lisa Brokop – Ain’t Enough Roses (1999)
Dickey Lee – Angels, Roses, And Rain (1976)
Moe Bandy – Bar Room Roses (1985)
Pinmonkey – Barbed Wire And Roses (2002)
Screaming Trees – Bed Of Roses (1991)
Bon Jovi – Bed Of Roses (1993)
Corinne Bailey Rae – The Blackest Lily (2010)
The White Stripes – Blue Orchid (1995)
The Foundations – Build Me Up Buttercup (1969)
Neil Diamond – Cracklin’ Rosie (1970)
Jud Strunk – Daisy A Day (1973)
America – Daisy Jane (1975)
Fireballs – Daisy Petal Pickin’ (1964)
Henry Mancini – Days Of Wine And Roses (1963)
Andy Williams – Days Of Wine And Roses (1963)
Sting f/ Cheb Mami – Desert Rose (2000)
Tammy Graham – A Dozen Red Roses (1997)
Monica – A Dozen Roses (You Remind Me) (2007)
Julie Andrews & Christopher Plummer – Edelweiss (1965)
Kathy Mattea – Eighteen Wheels And A Dozen Roses (1988)
Bobby Darin – 18 Yellow Roses (1963)
Hank Williams Jr. – Eleven Roses (1972)
Poison – Every Rose Has It’s Thorn (1988)
Tom Jones – Give Her All The Roses (1985)
George Jones – A Good Year For The Roses (1971)
Book Of Love – I Touch Roses (1985)
Kenneth Mangram – I’ll Send You Roses (1995)
Seal – Kiss From A Rose (1995)
Peter Doherty – The Last Of The English Roses (2009)
Paul Peterson – Lollipops And Roses (1962)
Jack Jones – Lollipops And Roses (1965)
The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies – Magnolia (1997)
Elvis Presley – Mama Liked The Roses (1970)
Johnny Cash – Orange Blossom Special (1965)
Billy Vaughn – Orange Blossom Special (1961)
Anita Bryant – Paper Roses (1960)
Marie Osmond – Paper Roses (1973)
Jr. Walker & The All Stars – Pucker Up Buttercup (1967)
Nat King Cole – Ramblin’ Rose (1962)
Vic Dana – Red Roses For A Blue Lady (1965)
Bette Midler – The Rose (1980)
Lynn Anderson – (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden (1970)
Martina McBride – (I Never Promised You A) Rose Garden (2005)
Ween – Push The Little Daisies (1993)
Vic Dana – Red Roses For A Blue Lady (1965)
Bert Kaempfert – Red Roses For A Blue Lady (1965)
Wayne Newton – Red Roses For A Blue Lady (1965)
Mickey Gilley – Room Full Of Roses (1974)
Outkast – Roses (2004)
Haywoode – Roses (1985)
Ray Price – Roses And Love Songs (1975)
Danny Hutton – Roses And Rainbows (1965)
The Mac Band f/ The McCampbell Brothers – Roses Are Red (1988)
Bobby Vinton – Roses Are Red My Love (1967)
“You Know Who” Group! – Roses Are Red My Love (1965)
C.W. McCall – Roses For Mama (1977)
Larry Boone – Roses In December (1988)
Dan Fogelbert – Run For The Roses (1982)
The Jaynetts – Sally, Go ‘Round The Roses (1963)
Scott McKenzie – San Francisco (Be Sure To Wear Flowers In Your Hair) (1967)
Tommy Overstreet – Send Me No Roses (1973)
Mac Davis – Stop And Smell The Roses (1974)
Grateful Dead – Sugar Magnolia (1973)
Glen Campbell -sunflowers (1977)
Gene Cotton – Sunshine Roses (1974)
Billy “Crash” Craddock – Sweet Magnolia Blossom (1974)
Al Martino – Tears And Roses (1964)
Tiny Tim – Tip-Toe Through The Tulips With Me (1968)
Shenandoah – Two Dozen Roses (1989)
Ed Ames – When The Snow Is On The Roses (1967)
Sonny James – When The Snow Is On The Roses (1972)
Johnny Rivers – Where Have All The Flowers Gone (1965)
David Carroll – The White Rose Of Athens (1962)
Skylark – Wildflower (1973)
The JaneDear Girls – Wildflower (2010)
George Jones – Wine Colored Roses (1986)
David Lee Roth – Yankee Rose (1986)
Johnny Lee – The Yellow Rose (1984)
Mitch Miller – Yellow Rose Of Texas (1955)
Dolly Parton – Yellow Roses (1989)
Barbra Streisand & Neil Diamond – You Don’t Bring Me Flowers (1978)

Honerable Mentions; Guns’ N Roses, Brandon Flowers.

Wether you have one, several or  none at all, it’s  fair to say that  most can, at the very least,  appreciate the beauty of a well done tattoo. They come in all different shapes, sizes and colors and each tattoo is born from a memory, an experience or maybe it’s  a reminder of a night you can’t remember. Whatever the meaning, some are truely works of art in itself. Here are some of the best flower tattoos  floating around on the world wide web, enjoy!

 It has only been about a decade or so since the ancient chinese practice of Feng Shui became worldwide. This idea  is parallel to the Yin and Yang concept of balance and harmony, however it is the art of aesthetics. The direct english translation is “Wind and ‘”Water”, or better known to Chinese culture as “Heaven(astonomy)” and “Earth(geography)”.

If you are interested in Feng Shui-ing your room or home, there are guidelines in which you must practice in order to achieve the aesthetic equilibrium that this style represents.

First, opting for REAL plants and flowers is ideal. Choosing silk plants is better than dried ones in this case.

Tropical  plants in particular, if brought indoors, will remove toxins from the air.Pointed leaves are more Yang and move ch’i quickly. Use in a stagnant corner, but avoid spikey plants in small rooms. Prickly plants and those with star-shaped leaves encourage fire energy. Round, floppy leaves are more Yin and tend to calm.

Bushy plants slow down the ch’i as it mingles amongst the leaves. Good for long corridors.Tall plants represent tree energy and need to go in the middle left, or Family sectors, of home/office and individual rooms. Since tree uproots earth, avoid large, tall, woody plants in the middle of rooms.

Use draping plants to soften sharp edges and corners. Using plants in multiples of three is said to counteract disharmony in relationships, except in the bedroom. Try decorating a plant with a string of lights to increases it’s benefits, as do flowers with fragrance, these too are considered activators.

The kitchen’s a fine place for plants, especially tall tree-like plants which will support   the Fire of cooking. A plant between the sink/refrigerator & the stove keeps Water from putting out the Fire. In the bathroom, use one tall woody plant to help drain the excess Water element, but do not overdo plants here. Few, if any plants, should go in the bedroom. Yin, floppy plants are okay, but cut flowers are best.

For choosing which flowers and plants best suit this style of decor, click on link : wofs.com

Successful sunroom gardening depends as much on careful choice of plants as on the gardener’s skill in caring for them. The minimum winter nighttime temperature available in the sunroom will greatly influence plant selection, which in canada is a major factor.

Most flowers can easily blossom with sunlight and moderate tropical humidity, sunrooms are well suited for flower growth and longevity. Below are the following flowers that most benifit from these these rooms.

African Violet- This flower is a common house hold plant as it can survive in moderate temperatures, however it will peek in a room with abundant sunlight.

Bird of Paradise- It is a tropical plant that grows well in a tropical temperature. A bird of paradise produces distinct blue and orange when place in an area with sufficient sunlight. It is ideal to place this plant in a sunroom during winter and summer seasons

Hibiscus- These are one of the most colorful flowering plants that can grow even when placed in pots. Growing them in your sunroom could give the Hibiscus plants the humid temperature. By keeping the soil moist most of the time, the flowers will blossom in no time.

Orchids- Most Orchids are known to be the most delicate ornamental plant. It generally needs abundant sunlight and a very humid temperature. Orchids can perfectly blossom in a sunroom. The indoor temperature as well as the sunroom’s glass ceiling will help filter the direct heat of the sun and protect the orchid flowers from wilting and drying out.
Plumeria- These can grow in a place filled with abundant sunlight such as the sunroom. In about two weeks, Plumeria blossoms can already sprout in a sandy loam soil. Always let the water dry out before watering again to keep the flowers healthy.

There are lot of flowers which are suitable for indoor planting. A diligent green thumb could always make any flowering plant blossom even more. A variety of beautiful and healthy flowers could always make your sunroom look at its best.

For your visual delight, here are some of the most elaborate and beautiful gardens from around the globe, that are sure to take your breath away.

This garden is arguably the most famous and carefully crafted of its kind and it adorns the acres of land surrounding the Chateau Versailles in Versailles France.  Created by André Le Nôtre for Louis XIV, this garden boasts 800 hectares in all its immaculate glory.

When it comes to rose gardens, La Roseraie du Val de Marne, definitely takes the cake. Like something out of a fairytale, various species of roses weave their stems through the rustic gates. This creation, by Eduard André in collaboration with rose specialist Jules Graveraux in 1894, landmarks one of the world’s  most romantic sites.

While its no secret that the Netherlands is well known for its visualy stimulating landscape, the Keukenhof Gardens in Lisee is home for nearly 7 million tulips, earning the number one spot as the world’s largest flower garden.  Tulip hybrids as well as  the unique russian, black tulip, help create a kaleidoscope of color and picturesque landscape that would inspire even the most harsh of critiques.

Never has their been a garden quite like the blood red poppy field of Flanders in Culloden,Scotland. Although these fields lack in design, its the meaning of their presence that is what makes them so important and beautiful. These flowers sprouted from the blood drenched and disturbed earth of battle. We recognise these flowers as the ‘rememberence day’ poppy, paying homage to those who lost their lives on the battlfields.