4 Reasons I Love, & Everyone Else Hates Carnations

Talk about a bad reputation!

Everyone has a favourite flower. Some like lilies, tulips, even daisies.

And of course almost everyone loves roses.

But the most misunderstood flower of all is the carnation.

I've heard all the reasons why people hate carnations:

• they're common, grocery store flowers
• they look ugly
• the petals look deformed

Always the contrarian,  as a florist I love carnations because:

1. The darn things last forever. It's not uncommon for a carnation to last 2 to 3 weeks in a vase.
2. They come in a huge variety of colours. Red, white, yellow, hot pink, soft pink, lavender, mauve, dyed green, dyed blue just to name a few.
3. The carnation still has scent. With all the cross-breeding done to increase the life of flowers, most have lost their scent in the process. In particular, roses have become subject to this phenomenon. In trying to increase longevity and colour, the scent has disappeared with most roses. The carnation still has that spicy scent which I love!
4. Preparation. Simply remove the leaves that would be below the water line in a vase, cut the bottom of the stem on an angle, and voila...the carnation is ready to use.

Next time you order your flowers, please give the carnation a second chance.

It needs your love...and like a puppy...gives you unconditional love in return!

3 Best Long Lasting Flowers

You want flowers that last a long time.

Once cut, spring flowers like tulips, iris, and daffodils have a short lifespan.

Roses need to be re-cut every day or two, and kept as cool as possible. If your house is at 34 to 38 degrees Fahrenheit or 2 to 4 degrees Celsius, that can work. Now add in 87% humidity, and your roses could last forever!

After 20 years in the industry, you have told us that the following three flower types are THE best choice for long lasting flowers:

Alstromeria

Spray or mini-carnations

Standard Carnations

A floral arrangement of carnations, mini-carnations, and alstromeria can last from 14-21 days.

This mix provides you with excellent value, in a wide range of colour themes.

For my video on what goes into a long-lasting flower mix...

To order a long-lasting floral mix, please call Simon Says Roses Florists & Gifts at 1-800-705-ROSE(7673) for Canada wide delivery.

3 How to Videos on Buying Flowers

For your viewing enjoyment, I've created three "How To" videos about buying flowers.

They address some of your major concerns as flower buyers, including:

1. How to save money buying flowers in Canada,
2. How to get long lasting flowers, and
3. How flowers suck, which is always popular.

Any comments you leave on YouTube will be answered, so please feel free to contribute!

6 Ways to Save When Ordering Flowers in Canada

It seems everyone wants to save a buck these days...and I'm one of them!

It's no different when ordering flowers in Canada.

I've compiled a list of the 6 best ways to save money when ordering flowers and gifts across the country:

1. Look for online discounts. It's faster for us to process an order online than it is by phone. At Simon Says Roses, we pass on these savings on certain items when using our online order form.
2. Order flowers that are in season. Tulips are cheaper in the spring when there is an abundant supply. They're not so cheap in December, when the only supply available may have to be shipped from Holland.
3. Order for more than one person, in different locations. Something for your wife in Toronto, your Mom in Vancouver, and you're in Victoria? We offer discounts when ordering for two or more recipients across the country.
4. Look for Promotion Codes. Although they're not always available, Social Media forums are a great place to search for discounts. Google Places, Facebook, or Twitter are great places to see if price reductions are available.
5. Send two or more items to the same location, or try sending Flowers of the Month for a year, or flowers each week for a month. Multiple purchases get discounted!
6. Send just flowers, with no vase or basket. Great for the do-it-yourself person that likes to arrange her own flowers in her own special vase. All the money goes into the flowers themselves, instead of the container.

If you have other suggestions, please leave a comment. Your suggestions may become part of a future blog post!