We don’t know about you, but we’re loving these longer days! The more sunlight the better. At Floral Design by Heidi, we’re looking forward to Easter and all the joy it brings. As we look ahead to new beginnings, we want to take you back in time and give you a tour of flower arranging history. Plus, don’t forget to celebrate Mom and Pop Business Owners Day!
OUR HOURS ARE CHANGING
To assist with operational capacity we have decided to update our hours. We appreciate your understanding and wish everyone uplifting florals and flourishing connections. As of April 1, we will be open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. On Saturdays, we’ll be open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thank you for your continued support!
FLOWER ARRANGING THROUGHOUT HISTORY
It’s always fascinating to learn about the floral industry and how it has changed and evolved over the years. We want to give a shoutout to all the women in our profession. Your contributions do not go unnoticed. There are 32,390 florists in the United States, and 72% of them are women.
Let’s take a look at where flower arranging first started. It all began with the ancient Egyptians. They were known for designs that were highly stylized, simplistic, and repetitious. All of their arrangements were very orderly and proper in their presentation. They were known for using roses, acacia, violets, poppies, jasmine, narcissus, and the Lotus blossom. The Lotus was considered sacred, and was mostly used in burial tributes and in art.
The ancient Greeks had a very different view of flowers and how to arrange them. They came up with three designs that are still popular today: the garland, the wreath, and the Cornucopia. Women frequently wore flowers in their hair, and wreaths were given to Olympians and military heroes. Wreaths were such a big deal that there were special designers to create them and a set of rules for them to follow. Hyacinths, honeysuckle, roses, lilies, tulips, larkspur, and marigolds were often found in Greek arrangements.
Floristry didn’t evolve or change too much during the Roman period. They took what the Egyptians and Greeks did to another level, by making designs more elaborate and excessive. They spiced things up with new flowers, like the crocus, oleander, myrtle, amaranth, and ivy. The Romans also developed two traditions involving flowers: placing roses on caskets before burial and hanging an all-white rose wreath from the ceiling to keep anything said below it a secret.
During the Middle Ages, floristry went into hibernation. European monks were the only ones that seemed to be doing much with flowers, as they were growing new types in their gardens. The Renaissance period came after this, which was marked by arrangements with large masses of flowers. They usually included bright, contrasting colors and an open and airy feeling. The classic Christmas wreath, made of fruit, flowers, and cones, was made popular during this time.
The Victorian era brought more elaborate arrangements that the upper class used to show off their wealth at parties. The designs were often round or oval in shape, featured lots of foliage, had strong color contrasts, and the flowers were cut to lower levels. This was also the first time anyone tried to establish floristry rules.
As Americans moved into the 1600s and 1700s, floral design was pretty modest and simple. Early colonists were focused on growing food and plants for medicinal purposes. It was still popular to arrange flowers in masses in a variety of colors. It was in the late 1700s through the early 1800s that America started to think outside the box and create their own designs. It was a time when less was more, so arrangements focused on the beauty of individual flowers, not on big bunches of flowers.
From there, America went through the Art Nouveau period (1890-1910), which focused on asymmetrical designs. The Art Deco period (1920-1940) used strong patterns and geometric lines. Corsages became popular, and made a comeback in the 1960s. As America changed, its flower arrangements changed with it. The focus was on movement and freedom, with arrangements looking more like art pieces. Today, the types of flowers and the abundance of materials available offer endless design options.
As you can see, the floral industry is constantly changing and evolving. We love keeping up on the new trends and designs throughout the world. It’s so much fun to see what’s out there and to find inspiration in what others are creating. Thank you to all the amazing women who came before us!
MOM AND POP BUSINESS OWNERS DAY
Did you know there are more than 27 million small businesses in the United States? At Floral Design by Heidi, we know how much goes into owning your own business. It doesn’t happen overnight, and it can’t happen without support from the community.
On March 29, make sure to let your local mom and pop shops know you support them. Visit their stores and buy something. Share their social media pages and websites with your friends. Talk to your friends and family about them. Write a review for them online, which lets people know just how amazing you think they are.
APRIL REMINDERS
It’s time to plan for the special birthdays and anniversaries coming up in April. The gift of flowers is sure to make anyone’s day extra special. We would love to create a unique arrangement for any of your celebrations.
April Anniversaries
April Birthdays
APRIL HOLIDAYS
1st - April Fool’s Day
10th - Siblings Day
11th - Pet Day
14th - Gardening Day
15th - Good Friday
16th - Orchid Day
17th - Easter
21st - Get to Know Your Customers Day
22nd - Earth Day
27th - Administrative Professionals’ Day
29th - Peace Rose Day
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- Team Floral Design by Heidi