Showing posts with label bonsai. Show all posts
Showing posts with label bonsai. Show all posts

Sunday, June 30, 2013

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 131 - 135

As part of our 125th Anniversary celebration at Stein Your Florist Co. we are sharing a year of floral education, November 1, 2012 thru October 31, 2013. Each day we will post something new on our Facebook page to share our knowledge of our favorite things, flowers and plants and we'll be updating our blog every 5 days or so. No need for pencils and notebooks, just sharing some simple lessons in floristry.

Day 131 - Years of careful training is required to master the art of bonsai. Bonsai trees take years to form and train. In many cases the tree’s growth is even deliberately stunted to achieve the desired shape. They are extremely delicate; even the slightest amount of neglect can ruin or even kill a bonsai. Older specimens are priceless, cherished as heirlooms, museum pieces, and collector’s items. The oldest specimens identified are believed to be at least 800 years old. It is impossible to accurately date a tree without damaging it, so the age of most bonsai trees is educated guesswork based on whatever records are available, the kind of tree, and the style of clipping. What’s more, many of the most spectacular specimens are in private Japanese collections and abroad, not accessible to the public. The bonsai pictured here is approximately 75 years old.
. The oldest specimens identified are believed to be at least 800 years old. It is impossible to accurately date a tree without damaging it, so the age of most bonsai trees is educated guesswork based on whatever records are available, the kind of tree, and the style of clipping. What’s more, many of the most spectacular specimens are in private Japanese collections and abroad, not accessible to the public. The bonsai pictured here is approximately 75 years old.

Day 132 - Daffodils were taken out of the "wild" & planted in English gardens in the early 1600s. Long known as the harbingers of Spring, this was the first use of them as a garden flower. Like all bulbs, they must "winter" in order to bloom; they need 3 months of cold in order to flower.
 
 
 
Day 133 - Lilies are stunning, but their pollen can be a mess. As lilies open, stamen begin to pollenate, which can stain hands, clothing, or anything else that may brush against it. To eliminate this possible problem, remove the stamen as the lily begins to open by pulling the not-yet-pollenated stamens by hand, or, if you prefer to leave stamen intact for a more natural look, you may spray plain unscented, extra hold hairspray directly onto the stamen. This will inhibit them from pollenating. This will not damage the lily petals so long as the hairspray is unscented (the fragrance from the hairspray contains alcohol and will burn or damage the lily petals). So control the pollen and enjoy your lilies!

Day 134 - Oxalis plants, the largest genus of the wood sorrel family, are a popular St. Patrick’s Day plant, also being known as a false shamrock. Most of these grow from small bulbs although some have tuberous roots. The distinguishing characteristic is the three rounded or triangular-shaped leaves at the end of delicate stems. Most oxalis plants fold up their leaves at night, hugging them tight to the stems until daylight "wakes them up" again. It is worthy to note that any oxalic acid containing plant is poisonous to humans in some dosage, so don’t eat them!

Day 135 - The anemone is one of the earliest flowers in spring, appearing in late March/April, and continuing through May. They are a great cut flowers and will give you around 9 days of vase life when properly cared for. Recut the stems at an angle, removing one to two inches with a sharp knife to allow for better water intake. Use a clean vase and fresh water, keep them in medium light and in a cool spot to prolong vase life. This flower prefers the cold water and the cold spaces. Anemones will open in light and heat so be sure to keep plan appropriately for blooming purposes. Refresh the water daily; they are heavy drinkers so check their water level frequently when hydrating and arranging. Adding nutrients to the water (cut flower "food”) will also help to extend the freshness of anemone arrangements. Finally, anemones continue to grow after arranging, so leave enough room in bouquets for flowers to open.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

365 Days of Floral Education - Days 36-40

An Annual, Bells of Ireland
As part of our 125th Anniversary celebration at Stein Your Florist Co. we are sharing a year of floral education, November 1, 2012 thru October 31, 2013. Each day we will post something new on our Facebook page to share our knowledge of our favorite things, flowers and plants and we'll be updating our blog every 5 days or so. No need for pencils and notebooks, just sharing some simple lessons in floristry.


Day 36 - Flowers for gardening can be divided into two types, annuals and perennials. Annuals (like these Bells of Ireland) are flowers that have to be replanted with new seeds every year. Perennials are flowers that should return every year without replanting. Special attention must be paid to bulbous and tuber flowers, which require extra care. Bulbs and tubers such as tulips and begonias often must be dug up and stored in a warmer environment for winter, then replanted in the spring.


Edible Carnations

Day 37 - Carnations are an edible flower. The petals of carnations have been used since the 1600s to make a French liqueur known as Chartreuse. Today, you can steep carnation petals in wine and use them as candy or as decorations on cakes and desserts. The miniature dianthus petals taste like nutmeg and clove. These can be added to salads to add spice and color.













Egyptian Plant Collectors

Day 38 – The first recorded plant collectors were the soldiers in the army of Thothmes III, Pharoh of Egypt, 3,500 years ago. In the temple of Karnak thses soldiers are depicted bringing back 300 plants as booty from Syria.










Types of Cacti
Day 39 – The cactus family is divided into more than 100 genera. For simplicity North American cacti are placed into five groups:  the prickly pears, the saguaro cactus group, the hedgehog cacti, the barrel cacti and the fishhook pin-cushion cacti.













Chrysanthemum Bonsai
Day 40 – Chrysanthemums are big in the US, but even more so in Japan. Japan has a national chrysanthemum festival every year on September 9th. The flower is also portrayed on their imperial flags and weapons. Feng shui buffs believe that chrysanthemums will bring happiness and laughter to any room and chrysanthemums are one of the few flowers that can be cultivated bonsai style, their bloom can be as small as 1 cm or as large as 25 cm.