Happy Birthday Molly :)

All right my fellow bloggers. Today is a very special day in our little shop. It’s Molly’s birthday! Molly is one of our beautiful and ridiculously [almost obnoxiously J] talented floral designers at Arapahoe Floral. From the Chicago area, Molly has been working with flowers for about 10 years. [That, surprisingly, does not make her old. I promise.] She is also one of the nicest people I know. So, in honor of my dear friend and our beloved employee we are going to blog about her favorite flower… hydrangea! And to be more specific, antique hydrangea, which is our featured picture today.

Hydrangeas are beautiful and delicate pom-pom shaped flowers that come in a plethora of color. Whites, blues, purples, pinks, and even greens! They look beautiful on their own in a simple clear vase or mixed into a lovely high-end arrangement. However, hydrangeas are most prominent and very popular [rightfully so] in wedding bouquets. They hold up well, have a beautiful round shape, match exquisitely with a palate of colors, and they subtly shout class and elegance.

Hydrangeas are so darn pretty you probably don’t ever want to part with them. Well everyone, it’s your lucky day! I am including a possible solution for your emotional attachment. Hydrangea flowers are great candidates for drying. Based off of my research there are a few important guidelines. If you are picking your own blooms, make sure to do so towards the end of their season, August-October. Simply let the stem dry; hydrangeas do not need to be hung upside down. Finally, if you don’t want to keep it au ‘natural you can use silica gel which produces breathtaking colors.

Help us celebrate Miss Molly’s Birthday! Give us a call and ask about her favorite flower. We would love to get some fresh hydrangea in for you, and maybe for us too J

Somewhere Over The Rainbow... Rose?

That's right. Today we wanted to highlight the unique but ever-so-beautiful RAINBOW ROSE! If you've never seen one in real life, these flowers are exactly like what you're seeing to the right; all of the petals of the rose are a different color of the rainbow!

These roses are not naturally colored this way, but they aren't painted either. In order to create a rainbow rose a unique process is used. The stem of the cream or white rose is split and each part is dipped into different water, which has been colored. The stem then absorbs or "drinks" the water which is drawn into the petals, creating a multicolored rose! If you're worried about the dye affecting the life of your flowers, don't be! It doesn't affect their lifespan, just their appearance!

The versatility of this rose is endless. Their bright and colorful appearance make them perfect for almost any occasion or holiday! I would personally recommend to use them in arrangements for birthdays, get wells, as an addition to a nice spring mix, baby showers [especially when the gender of the baby is going to be a surprise], congratulations, etc. I'm sure you can all see where this is headed!

And for all you event seeking-high school dancing-mardi gras celebrating-masquerade going customers, another application that is really fun, and will make you stand out like the bright individual you are, is to use them in boutonnieres and corsages! [the corsages will typically use the colors and petals as an accent; the rose heads are too big for the ladies' wrists!] It's the perfect way to accessorize your outfit and make a statement.

So don't worry, Dorothy. You don't have to go far to get to your rainbow. We carry them almost all of the time, and if we don't have them in stock, we will make that extra effort to get them. Just for you :)