THE KEY TO SUCCESS AT VALENTINES

Let the preparation begin…..

It’s coming up to that time of year again, yes you’ve got it valentines. The single most busiest day of the year for us florists. preparation is definitely the key to succeed. It’s time to prepare wraps, vases, bows, stock up on all sundries. It’s time to think red. love, hearts and all that gooey stuff. Romance is definitely not dead!!

So how do we know how many roses to pre- order, when we haven’t even got an order placed yet. I tend to look at last years figures, this shall give us some idea., although every year is different. there is no pattern. I’m going to be a little braver this year and order more so that i can have even more ready made items in the shop than i usually do.

So forming a chart, working out how many inter floras we received last year, how many ready made bouquets to have in the shop. These figures give you a basis to work out how many roses you shall need. as last year was on a sunday, we found it slightly quieter on the sunday itself, although busier on the saturday. It’s a Tuesday this year, let the fun begin.

WE uses vases for all our dozen rose bouquets. what you save in time, you send on a vase – much easier and quicker.

 

I’d love to hear your hints and tips of surviving valentines as a florist.

The wedding’s at 2pm!

I need a wedding bouquet …. help!!!

So our florists were all organised at Cambridge floral Designs today. A  few orders that were made, floor had been swept, enjoying the day. A lady enters the shop, she explains that her sister is getting married at 2pm today. She had been asked if she could get her some flowers from the co-op. luckily our customer thought better this, and asked a member of our professional team to produce a bridal bouquet.

With a couple of hours to go, Tanya soon created a pretty, delicate  wedding bouquet. The customer was happy when they collected, so were the florists.

 If you’ve forgotten to order your wedding flowers, it’s never too late { as long as you are flexible with the flowers you’d like included!

Flowers in the home

Adding flowers to your home

We all love the feeling when the sun’s shining outside and the birds are singing in the trees. it’s amazing how the little things can lift your spirits.

How about brightening your home with a beautiful display of fresh flowers. Not only do they look pretty, but there’s nothing more uplifting than flowers.

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This is the perfect way  to make your house a home. choosing a few stems of choice flowers from your local florist, shall give you the style /theme you are looking for.

By simply adding flower food to your display shall help enhance the life span of your flowers.

Create your own displays, by using jugs or vases you can create some very natural designs.

your wedding flowers

congratulations… you’ve set the date and you’re getting married. you’ve probably booked your venue and possibly your dress. now its time to think about your flowers. At Cambridge floral designs, we pride ourselves in listening to what the bride (and groom) would like on the big day. yes we advise but appropriately. our main focus is to work with the brides (and grooms) vision ( after all it is their  big day!).

Things to think about….. do you have a colour scheme?, maybe a theme or style of wedding. have you seen/ collected and pictures etc of bouquets etc that have caught your eye. when going to a consultation it’s always good to have some designs that you like available. this shall give the florist the best indication as to what you like about the chosen designs and flowers.

aIMG_1621       we want every wedding day to be picture perfect!!

No matter what your theme, we are here to create the perfect bouquets   for you

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buttonholes – we have endless choices and ideas on how to make the grooms that little bit more special

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if you are looking at table displays, we can advise on designs to suit your budget

IMG_1839       from martini vases to teeny vasesIMG_1492

 

no wedding is too big or too small. we can even show you ways to help with your costs, so you can have the flowers you dream about

IMG_1848  how about using arrangement for alter and top table – simply take with you

 

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we can even make artificial bouquets for those that want the day to last forever

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no matter what your idea or budget, we are happy to help with suitable and realistic creations.

 

why not email us for a free  no obligation consultation today

 

Bespoke funeral tributes

 

Choosing a bespoke tribute, doesn’t have to be costly, it could be as easy as changing the colours to those shown in the design book.

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It could be creating a design much suited to the person or the place of rest, IMG_0527

IMG_1779It could be creating a design to reflect he personality of the deceased. Maybe nationality, hobby, likes,, favourite flowers etc etc.

IMG_2023or maybe choosing a shape that’s best suited for that dear loved one. Choosing a dove for example the perfect sign for peace

 

 

 

How about a coffin spray made purely of vegetables. Perfect for anyone who love growing there own vegetables. Although we keep the floristry sundries to a minimum in weight the vegetables can be quite heavy when the design is complete. I wouldn’t recommend placing this tribute on a wicker or seagrass coffin.

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which flowers to choose for funeral tributes

As you visit your florist or choose to order online, maybe with a little advice we can help you choose a stunning design with a personal message sent through the flowers it includes. Bespoke items don’t have to be costly, by being creative with your choice of meaning can help dictate the design contents.

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A very popular choice for funerals, lilies suggest that the soul has returned to innocence. They symbolise purity and virginity.

images-1 Carnations are often found in sprays and wreaths. As with all flowers, each colour has its own meaning – red shows affection whilst white symbolises innocence.

imgres-3hydrangeas are not so commonly used in funeral tributes, although they are a stunning flower with a perfect meaning. it is believed that hydrangeas symbolise true heartfelt emotions. Hydrangeas are a seasonal flower, but we would be happy to discuss availablity with you.

imgresOrchids come in multiple colours and varieties, but no matter which you choose the meaning stays the same – i will always love you. A truly stunning flower with the perfect message.

imgres-2Hyacinths are usually used amongst other spring flowers in a spray or wreath due to their stems being quite short in length. Apart from their vibrant colours and uplifting scent, hyacinths are believed to send a message that you are always in our prayers.

imagesroses are an extremely popular flower to choose for any funeral tribute to include. They can be arranged amongst other flowers or in a tribute on their own. However you choose they shall always look stunning red roses, traditionally for love, white roses for peace, purity and innocence. yellow roses signify the bond between friendships.

 

 

 

Woodland burial tributes

Woodland burials –

Laying a loved one to rest in a woodland burial ground surrounded by the beauty of nature is the most peaceful place. although a perfect setting, when it comes to saying your goodbyes with the perfect floral tribute, you may find this a daunting task. most woodland burial grounds don’t allow oasis frames of any kind, all items must be biodegradable. You could choose an elegant tied sheaf, using twine and raffia to secure the display.Version 2IMG_0529

maybe you’d prefer a wreath, created on  straw, willow , twig or hessian wreath ring. using natural flowers and materials to create these stunning designs

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if you are looking for a design suitable for a loved one, to lay on top of the coffin, maybe this stunning tribute created on a willow heart with bunches of tied flowers attached. the design is then completed with a natural raffia bow.

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All materials used in these designs are all biodegradeable and can stay with your loved ones forever. Any flowers and materials can be incorporated into the deigns to add that personal touch. Call us on 01223 311944 and we shall be happy to discuss your ideas with you.

 

only the freshest will do

Untitled-1So, you’ve been lucky enough to receive a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Don’t worry if some of the blooms are in bud, this is to ensure you can enjoy every moment of your bouquet possible. We’ve had reports from our customers that they’ve received  flowers from us and they’ve lasted over three weeks.

Well here’s our secret – we only buy the best quality flowers, we are lucky enough to have a super fast turnover of flowers, ensuring you get to enjoy the flowers rather than us. We have a fresh delivery of flowers six days a week every week.

But can our flowers really be too fresh? in my opinion the longer you can enjoy your flowers, surely the better. what are your thoughts? would you really be happy if your flowers arrived in full bloom, yes they look beautiful on delivery, but this is for a short period of time, they are already on the turning point and your bouquet shall soon be looking sad.

We’d love  to hear your opinion and thoughts on whether flowers can be too fresh!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Caring for Your flowers

How to care for your flowers-

1. Always use a clean vase, add fresh water and mix in some flower food.

2. Remove approximately 2cm from the bottom of the stems. cut the stems at an angle using sharp scissors. by cutting the stems at an angle this shall stop any air locks from occurring.

3. Remove all the leaves from the bottom half of the stems ensuring no leaves are in the water.

4. Every 3 days change the water in the vase and re-cut the stems. remove any damaged flowers etc. Again remove any foliage from the stems that may touch the water.

5. Most flowers are best displayed out of direct sunlight, away from heating or vents. avoid placing near ripened fruit, as they give off ethylene gas which shall shorten the life of your flowers.

Valentines day – “has she gone mad?”

I know you’re all thinking “has she completely lost her mind- it’s not valentines- it’s only January.?” , well in a florists world as soon as christmas has ended, it’s tome to attract all those romantic soles into your shop!

LET THE PREPARATION BEGIN…..This is the single most busiest day of the year. Preparation is definitely the key to success! It’s time to prepare the wraps, the bows the care packs, think what products you hall be promoting. its time to think red hearts, love and kisses everywhere.

so how do we know how many red roses to pre-order when we don’t know how many we shall sell. i tend to look at last years figures and pre order half of what our total amount was. This allows if it’s quieter than usual (for some strange reason) or if people order mixed bouquets rather than roses. this way you’ve still managed to get the roses at a decent price (or as good as you’ll ever get at valentines).last year we had approximately 4000 red roses plus other colours!!

300 pre made wraps always a winner. you won’t believe how much time you can save.

We never quite know how we get through it ( and without prepping , we probably wouldn’t), but somehow we survive to tell another tale