Village Gardens

There are many different things that are considered romantic.  One of the things people often think of when asked to name something romantic is a bouquet of flowers, especially red roses.  When it comes to planning a romantic date or dinner, flowers are almost always a must.  The magic of flowers can turn any event into a romantic one…but why?

Flowers aren’t always romantic.  Sometimes, they symbolize friendship, such as when you receive flowers congratulating you on a promotion or for a job well done.  Sometimes they remind you that others care, as in get well flowers.  Sometimes they help to commemorate an event like a birth, a graduation, or a birthday.  While these flowers are certainly magical, they aren’t considered romantic unless they come from your significant other.

So what brings about the romantic magic of flowers?  Well, part of it is the sender.  As stated above, flowers from your significant other are obviously going to carry more of a romantic meaning than those from others.  Flowers given on anniversaries and on Valentine’s Day (or any other day significant to your relationship) are also more magical and romantic.

The magic of flowers is that they make us happy and remind us that others care.  While romantic flowers may seem best to some people, overall, all given flowers are magical.

It’s difficult to stay cool in the oppressive summer heat, but you can do some things to help turn your patio into a nice, cool oasis.  That way, you can enjoy your beautiful backyard in the evenings while watching the stars come out or while enjoying a nice dinner with friends.

To create your cool patio oasis, you only need a few things.  The first is patio furniture.  You’ve got to have somewhere to sit, after all.  You don’t have to spend a lot on this patio furniture—you can get folding chairs fairly cheap at most stores.  However, if you plan on spending a lot of time on your patio, you may want to invest in a nicer, more comfortable set of chairs and perhaps a table as well.  You could also purchase a glider or even install a porch swing.

You also need some lighting.  While most homes have some kind of outdoor light above or near the patio, it’s often harsh lighting.  You may want to get some outdoor lanterns or even some torches to light.  Most torches double as insect repellant, which is handy.  Candles can also make for nice lighting.  If you have the budget for it, you may even want to invest in a small metal fire pit.  While the heat these fire pits produce may not be exactly welcome in the hot summer months, they do give you the chance to make tasty S’mores to snack on.

Some nice green plants can put the finishing touches on your cool oasis.  You may want to hang baskets of ivy or flowering plants like Moss Rose around the edge of your patio.  Flowering plants in pots can add some nice color, and the fragrance from these flowers is always welcome.  Of course, you can also add other small decorative touches such as bird feeders, wind chimes, and more.  It’s your patio oasis—make sure it reflects your sense of style!

Everyone gets in a dark mood from time to time.  Sometimes it’s a result of things going wrong.  Other times we just seem to wake up on the wrong side of the bed.  Whatever the reason, it’s always nice to get cheered up.  We can even cheer ourselves up, and one of the ways of doing this is with flower therapy!

What is flower therapy, you wonder.  Well, it has been shown through several scientific studies that flowers truly do make people happy.  Whether it’s something to do with the scent, the sight, or something else isn’t quite clear, but what is clear is that flowers can make us happy and get rid of that dark mood. 

Receiving flowers is the best form of flower therapy.  When you receive flowers, it’s often as a surprise.  A good, unexpected surprise like this can be all you need to change your bad day into a happy one.  But the power of flower therapy doesn’t end there.  Every time you see the arrangement, you’ll think of how happy it made you and how special you feel.  You’ll also think of the person who sent you the flowers, and that can increase your happiness, especially if they can from a significant other.

Sending flowers to yourself can also help cheer you up.  While you don’t get the surprise or that feeling of being special that comes from someone else sending flowers, you do get to enjoy the sight and scent of them.  Adding a bright arrangement to your desk at work or to your kitchen table can go a long way to making you feel happy, and that’s the result we’re looking for!

Some people say romance is dead.  But is it really?  Perhaps it’s not dead but it has simply changed form.  However, if you bring back the lost art of romance as it once was, you’ll find that you can impress your significant other like nothing else.

The first part of the lost art of romance is to set the mood.  Today, many people simply cook up a quick meal or order in, but if you truly want to impress your significant other, you’ll need to pay attention to the details.  How many people turn down the lights and eat by candle light any more?  Set the table with some tapers and put some tea lights around the room.  You may even want to play a CD of piano music or other romantic music, but remember to keep the volume down fairly low so that it doesn’t interfere with talking.

Flowers, too, are an important part of setting the mood and showing off your romantic side.  Buy her a nice bouquet of her favorite flowers or set them on the table to surprise her.  Remember, though, that you’ll want to move them off the table so that there’s nothing between the two of you that would impede talking.  During dinner, you want to be able to see each other.

If you go out, be sure to hold doors for her and, if at a restaurant, pull out her chair.  These small touches of chivalry may be lost on some women, but others will truly appreciate the extra lengths you’re going to.  Just be sure she’s going to appreciate them—if you know your girlfriend or wife isn’t into these types of things (some women aren’t), then don’t do them.

Romance may be something of a lost art in today’s break-neck speed lifestyle, but if you slow down and do a little work, you’ll find that you can bring it back and truly make an impression.

With the hot summer heat about to hit, it’s important to remember that your flowers are going to need a little extra attention.  What can you do to make certain your outdoor flowers survive the summer heat when the thermometer starts reaching triple digits? 

Watering your outdoor flowers is very, very important, obviously, but don’t just water your flowers whenever you feel like it.  If you water them between noon and 5:00 p.m., most of the water will simply evaporate in the heat.  This not only leaves your flowers dry and thirsty, it also wastes water.  Watering after 6:00 p.m. or even later will insure that your flowers absorb as much water as they can.

Use a sprinkler to make sure that all your flowers, plants, and lawn get as evenly covered as possible.  Move it as necessary around the flower beds and garden until everything has been watered.

Check the weather to see when rain is expected.  You may not need to water your flowers if it’s going to rain the next day.  This helps save water and keeps from over-watering.  Too much water can be just as bad for some flowers as too little water.

These watering tips will help you keep your outdoor flowers happy during the summer and will help conserve water as well.

Few people grow lucky four leaf clovers, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make your own luck with your garden.  With a little planning and preparation, you can make your garden look incredibly green and beautiful.  Others may think you’re incredibly lucky, but you’ll know that it was all skill and knowledge.

Know when to plan: some flowers prosper when planted while the ground is still a little chilly.  Others need to be planted in the spring so they can take advantage of all that great spring rain.  Knowing when to plant your flowers can make a huge difference in how your garden looks.

Know how to take care of each and every plant.  If you know which plants and flowers need direct sunlight and which ones don’t, you can arrange your flowerbeds so that all of your flowers are getting exactly what they need.  Also pay attention to how much water each type of plant needs and, if possible, group like plants together.  It makes it easier to water them.

Cut off the deadheads and dead leaves periodically.  Ideally, you’ll do this about once a week.  Just getting rid of the dead foliage will keep your garden looking nice.

Just knowing a bit about the various plants you have in your garden will allow you to make it look much greener and prettier than you might expect.  You don’t need good luck to have a beautiful garden—just a bit of knowledge.

It’s a foregone conclusion that sending your mom flowers on Mother’s Day is a great idea.  What isn’t such an easy decision is picking the flowers to send.  Sure, there are a number of different arrangements specifically designed for Mother’s Day, but many of these bouquets use different flowers.  Which ones are right for your mom?  Here are a few tips for selecting the perfect flowers for your mother.

Is she a girly girl?  Some women are more into pink, bows, and hearts than others.  If your mom is what many would call a girly girl, she would enjoy any arrangement that features a cute animal, bright pink and purple flowers, or other traditional “girl” type things.

If, on the other hand, your mom loves gardening or working outdoors, you might want to look for a live plant or an arrangement that she can later plant outdoors.  This has the extra advantage of giving her a gift that will last for years instead of only a few weeks or so.  Every time she sees the lovely plant you got her, she will think of you.  If you want to get her a traditional bouquet, however, you might want to go with one that comes in a rustic basket and features bright blooms like sunflowers.

Anyone creative or artistic will like arrangements made up of very colorful flowers or exotic flowers.  You can also pick one of the wilder or expressive vases instead of a traditional glass vase.  Ask your florist to really get creative here or look at mixing and matching some flowers that you don’t traditionally see together.

If you know your mother’s favorite color (and every child should!), you can always base your flower selection around it.  Selecting flowers in that color and surrounding them with complimentary colored blooms can make the decision process easier, especially if you have a trained florist helping you.

These tips should get you started on the right path to selecting an arrangement that fits your mom’s personality.  If you need more help, consult with your florist.  He or she an help you create a custom-made arrangement that is perfect for your mother.

Mother’s Day is fast approaching, and we’re all out searching for that perfect gift for mom.  But why do our moms mean so much to us?  What is it that makes Mother’s Day one of the most important holidays on the calendar?

First, there’s the obvious: our mothers gave birth to us.  Without them, we wouldn’t be in this world.  It only makes sense to honor the nine months and hours of labor (sometimes intense, painful labor!) that they went through to give us life. 

Another reason why our moms mean so much to us is that they spent years nurturing and raising us.  Some of us grew up with our moms staying home to raise us.  These moms spent their days cooking, cleaning, and taking care of all our needs.  Other moms went out into the workforce and made certain our lives were as comfortable as possible by earning a paycheck.  Still others had that which is nearly impossible: be a single mom.  These moms had to both be the breadwinners and had to do their best to raise us with sometimes little help from others.  No matter which type of mom you had, they worked very hard during the early years of your life.

Moms sacrifice a lot, but they also take great joy in their job as a parent.  They love us unconditionally, and for that, they become one of the people who mean an incredible amount to us.  They provide us comfort when we most need it, they cheer us on, and they’re always there with a kind word and a hug when we most need it.  Of course, they also aren’t afraid to discipline us when we most need it or let us know when we’ve stepped out of line, but that’s part of what makes them so special—even when, as rebellious teens, we “hate” our parents, we still love them deep down because they’re just doing what’s best for us.

It’s because of these many reasons and much more that our moms mean so much to us.  Don’t forget your mom this Mother’s Day, and don’t forget those who have been like second mothers, either.  Any woman who has nurtured you, supported you, and provided you with all the love and comfort you need should be honored this Mother’s Day.

There are several different flowers and traditions associated with the Easter holiday.  Here are just a few of them.

Flowers:

The Easter lily is, of course, the traditional flower of Easter.  Easter lilies are generally white and represent goodness and purity.  For Christians, the Easter lily represents the purity and perfection of Jesus.

Another flower that is often given or used during Easter is the passion flower.  It generally lasts for about three days, which correspond to the three days that Jesus spent in his tomb.  The three stamens of the passion flower also represent the three crosses on the hill or the three nail wounds of Christ.

Other flowers that are used during Easter time for decoration are azaleas, tulips, and daisies.

Traditions:

One of the most traditional events of Easter is, of course, the Easter egg hunt.  According to traditions, the first egg hunts may have been held back in 3000 B.C. by the Persians or the Egyptians.  They also colored and decorated eggs as a way of celebrating the first of spring. 

The Easter bunny originated with the pagan festival of Eastre, a goddess.  Her symbol was a rabbit.  Easter baskets are used to collect eggs during egg hunts, but traditionally, Easter baskets represented the area where the Easter bunny laid its eggs.

Two other animals are generally associated with Easter: the lamb and the chick.  The lamb is another symbol of Jesus, while the chick breaking out of its shell is a representation of his resurrection.

People send flowers for many reasons: sympathy, to say thanks, and to show how much a person is loved.  Another great reason to send someone flowers is to celebrate.  Flowers can be a great way to celebrate a birthday, a promotion, a job well done, or just to celebrate being friends.  But why is sending flowers a great way of celebrating?  There are several reasons.

One reason is that flowers make people happy.  It has been shown that seeing and smelling fresh flowers have a positive effect on people’s emotions.  Sending someone flowers to celebrate does more than just show that you are celebrating their success with them—it has a lasting effect.  They will see the flowers for the next week or so and smile each time they do. 

Celebrating with flowers is also a good option when the recipient either has just about everything you can think to get them or doesn’t want a lot of clutter in their home.  Flowers are always appreciated, and after they have faded, they leave behind only the container they came in.  A person can keep this vase or other container to reuse, or they can pass it on to someone else (perhaps with some fresh flowers from their garden).  Either way, flower containers generally take up very little space.

Some people simply prefer to get flowers than other gifts.  This is sometimes especially true if they live in a small apartment or are elderly and live in an assisted living center.  Sometimes, these places seem rather tiny, dark, and maybe even a little depressing.  For the elderly in a care facility, this can be especially true.  Flowers are a great way of brightening up a place and bringing in a bit of fresh air and color.  Never underestimate how powerful a bright bouquet of flowers is.  As mentioned above, since flowers last a week or more, your gift will be appreciated for several days.