Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
Interested in any of our arrangements?
Call 509.329.0332 our local Spokane Florist Shop, Jackie Lynns Flowers & Balloons...or click on this banner...
April Flower of the Month: Tulip
The Flower of the Month for April, 2013 is the tulip.
Tulips are a spring blooming perennials, although tulips are available throughout the year depending on where they are shipped from.
Tulips are one of the most popular and recognized flower and symbolizes a new beginning and perfect love.
Red tulips represents true love
Purple tulips represents royalty
Yellow tulips represents cheerful, sunshine and friendship
White tulips represents forgiveness, purity and innocence
The tulip is the 11th wedding anniversary flower and unofficially the emblem of Holland and the national flower of Iran and Turkey.
Originally the tulip was a wild flower growing in Central Asia before the Turks of the Ottoman Empire in the first century cultivated them. Today there is over 3000 variety of tulips.
Tulips have either smooth or ruffled petals and may be cupped shaped, bowl shaped or goblet shaped and each bloom has only 6 petals.
Too much love
One day a nice looking young man walked into the store and asked to see our ‘I Love You’ mylar balloons. Upon showing him the different styles and sizes, he announced he would like to purchase one of the 3 foot I Love You balloons. He was told what a great choice he made, because this balloon could last up to a year! With that, he asked how long the 18 inch balloon would last. Being told it would last 1 to 3 weeks, he announced maybe he should take that one, because he might not love her in a year!
Check out our wonderful balloon selection at Jackie Lynn’s Flowers and Balloon Specialties shop.
March Flower of the Month: Daffodil
Jackie Lynn’s Flowers in Spokane, WA recognizes Daffodil as the Flower of the Month for March and for good reason — it is the perfect symbol of spring’s near arrival. Also known as jonquil, narcissus and paper white, those terms are actually individual species in the Narcissus genus.
The symbolism of the flower is probably one of the most well-known. Legend says the flower is named for the gorgeous Greek youth, Narcissus. Upon discovering his reflection in a pool of water, he was so entranced by his handsome visage that he couldn’t drag himself away from the view. He wasted away to his death, and thus was borne the term narcissism.
In the wild, you’ll find daffodils growing naturally across Europe, Asia and northern Africa.
A Recognizable Variety
March’s Flower of the Month comes in a wide range of blooms, but each is very similar in appearance, making the species easy to identify. The blooms grow atop slender, holly stems with no leaves. Some have single blooms (with six petals). Others have double blooms (with 12 or more petals). Larger-size blooms grow individually, while miniature versions
Helium shortage…an update as of Jan 18, 2013
An update…we have received a shipment of helium and we here at Jackie Lynn’s Florist and Balloon Specialties are ready to fill your balloon orders again. Visit us at www.balloon-specialties.com
Do you remember inhaling helium and suddenly your voice sounded very funny? When helium is inhaled there is a corresponding increase in the pitches of the resonant frequencies of the vocal tract. This causes a reedy, duck-like vocal quality. Inhaling helium can be dangerous if done to excess, since helium is a simple asphyxiant and displaces oxygen needed for normal respiration.
Currently, helium is in short supply throughout the world. This has caused great concern for the floral and balloon business. Our business here at Jackie Lynn’s Florist and Balloon Specialties has been greatly impact by this shortage as many of our balloons require helium to inflate. The cost has tripled in the last 3 years and looks as though it is going to take another increase in the next 2 months.
The Bureau of Land Management, which operates the U.S. government’s helium storage reservoir, suggests that supplies will begin to stabilize during the first 6 months of next year. The U.S. government was the largest helium supplier and had the largest reserve in the world. In 1996, congress voted to sell off the reserve and in doing so depleted the reserve, and the suppliers did not keep up with producing enough helium for supply and demand.
Let’s hope for an end to this shortage so once again we can enjoy those helium balloons that are so popular. In the meantime, we’ll just have to enjoy those air-filled balloons, or perhaps you prefer the water balloons.
Featured flower for January – Alstroemeria
Alstroemeria, the friendship flower
Alstroemeria is the January featured flower of the month at Jackie Lynn’s Flowers and Balloon Specialities. The flower is assumed to symbolize the ever-lasting beauty of commitment, care, friendship and devotion. There are others however, who claim that this flower symbolizes fortune, prosperity and wealth.
Alstroemeria, also known as the Peruvian lily and Inca lily, is named after the person who discovered it, Baron Claus von Altromer, a baron from Sweden who gathered the seeds while visiting Spain in the year 1753.
Alstroemeria is best known for cut flowers with the rich colors in almost all shades of the rainbow, except blue. They are beautiful standing alone in an arrangement or mixed with other flowers. Stem length is two to three feet and branch into four to six short pedicels, each holding two to four flower buds that resemble miniature lilies. They are devoid of any fragrance.
While alstroemeria’s flowers attract all the attention, it’s their leaves that give them meaning. Alstroemeria’s spiral growth pattern turns the leaves upside down to face the sun. These unusual leaves have come to symbolize the twists, turns, and growth of friendship. They’re often added to bridal bouquets to symbolize the strong bond and future growth of the relationship or sent to friends to show appreciation. They are also the 30th wedding anniversary flower, symbolizing devotion
January Flower of the Month: Carnation
Some people consider carnations to be the boring — but those people obviously haven’t seen the huge variety of carnation types and colors available today from Jackie Lynn’s Flowers in Spokane WA. Perhaps our Flower of the Month for January has developed its reputation as a common flower because it tends to be so affordable and long-lasting (up to 14 days or longer). But that gives you all the more reason to love it because you can buy lots of the blossoms to create some major impact when using them for decorating.
Carnations — also known in the floral trade as dianthus — come in two types:
Standard:
Standard carnations have single, large heads, usually about 3 inches in diameter. Growers create these by disbudding—
Crazy holidays in December
Did you ever notice that almost every day has a special meaning or is designated as a holiday? There are a lot of them and the month of December is no exception. We even have specials at Jackie Lynn’s Flowers to help you celebrate these days. Here are a few of them…
| Dec 4 | Santa’s list day | Are you on the naughty or nice list? |
| Dec 5 | Repeal day | That important day when prohibition was repealed. I’ll drink to that! |
| Dec 8 | National Brownie day | Have a brownie with a glass of milk! |
| Dec 9 | Christmas Card day | Christmas cards were created on this day…don’t forget to get yours sent! |
| Dec 12 | National Ding-a-Ling day | A day to cut loose…have some holiday spirits and act weird! |
| Dec 18 | Bake Cookies day | Time to get those holiday cookies baked! |
| Dec 21 | Humbug day | A day to release/vent your holiday stress |
| Dec 24 | National Eggnog day | Have a glass of eggnog and enjoy the holidays |
| Dec 25 | Christmas day | Merry Christmas to all! |
| Dec 26 | Boxing day | Fill a box with food or clothing for those in need |
| Dec 31 | Make up your mind day | A day to decide about those New Year resolutions |
December featured flower – Bells of Ireland
Our December featured flower at Jackie Lynn’s is the Bell of Ireland.
These long green spikes give a nice vertical look to a flower arrangement. The foliage on the bells conceals a series of tiny white spikes to protect them, so be careful when you handle them. The bells may also be dried for permanent arrangements just by hanging them upside down and air drying them in a cool, dark, airy location.
Bells of Ireland are a symbol of good luck and are associated to the Luck of the Irish. However they did not originate in Ireland, but from the Mediterranean, Syria, and Turkey. Want to wish someone some good luck for the holidays? Visit our website and check our flower arrangements with the Bells of Ireland.
Care and handling of Bells of Ireland
1) Remove any foliage that will be submerged under water in the vase. The excess foliage in the water breeds more bacteria.
2) Cut stems one at a time at an angle underwater. Cutting them underwater helps to prevent any air locks that could be formed so the stem could not absorb the water.
3) Place cut stems in a clean sanitized vase filled with temped water with one packet of flower food dissolved in it.
4) When water begins to get cloudy and murky looking or by day 3 you should follow steps one, two and three. This keeps the bacteria down so your flowers will last longer.
5) Keep in a cool place out of direct sunlight, heat and drafts.
6) Remove any spent leaves or dried blossoms to keep your bouquet looking fresh longer
December Flower of the Month: Narcissus and Orchid
December’s blustery weather for local florists in Spokane, Washington is no match for Jackie Lynn’s Flowers and the warm, sunny disposition of the two blossoms we’re recognizing for December’s Flower of the Month: narcissus and orchid. While both are available in cut versions for vase arrangements, these two are especially popular as potted flowers in winter months. Their long-lasting blossoms provide weeks of color for holiday decorating and beyond.
Narcissus:
The most common—and popular—species of potted narcissus during winter months is the paper white. These plants feature clusters of small, white, multiflowered blossoms on long, slender, hollow stems. You’ll usually find our shop selling them from about November through April. (Peak supplies are typically available in January, February and March—helping give all of us hope during those dreary months that spring will soon arrive!)
Potted Narcissus Care:
1) Watering: In your home, frequently check the pot or container in which your narcissus is growing to ensure the soil of
November Flower of the Month: Chrysanthemum
Chrysanthemums — Jackie Lynn’s Flowers – November Flower of the Month — come in an amazing variety of stem type, flower forms, petal formations and colors, making them one of the most fascinating flowers available in our shop. In fact, you may actually think you are seeing a wide variety of flowers in a single vase when they are actually all chrysanthemums!
What are the differences?
Stem type:
Chrysanthemums come in two stem types: single-flowered stems (which we florists call “standards”) and multiple-flowered stems (which we refer to as “sprays”).
Flower forms:
Chrysanthemums are available in a variety of flower forms. The various names of the forms include daisy, cushion, spider, Fuji, spoon, quill, football and button.
Petal formations:
The blossom on a chrysanthemum is a bit deceiving. While each bloom on November’s Flower of the Month looks like
May Flower of the Month: Lily of the Valley
At Jackie Lynn’s Flowers in Spokane, Washington (as with most local florists) the Flower of the Month for May is the lily of the valley. This flower became especially popular in recent years after being included in the bridal bouquet of Kate Middleton when she married Prince William in
Great Britain.
Since then, many brides have wanted to include the blossom in their bouquets, though the flower has been common in royal weddings for centuries.
In fact, the bell-shaped flowers—which grow in clusters and are available not only in white but in pink – grow wild in England and are abundant in many areas. Growers there first cultivated the plant as far back as 1420. Legend says that the flowers grew where Mary’s tears fell at the base of the cross when
Christ was crucified.
The fragrance of the delicate blossoms of the May Flower of the Month is another reason many love them. While many
August Flower of the Month: Gladiolus
The Flower of the Month for August —
Gladiolus — derives its name from its sword-shaped leaves. Gladius means sword in Latin. In folk lore, the flower symbolizes strength and moral integrity. Others attribute the blooms with representing infatuation.
Keep this in mind if you send someone bouquet of these beauties. Many say you’ll be telling your recipient that your heart is “pierced” with passion for that person.
A perfect bloom for lovers’ celebrating August birthdays, the flower also is the 40th wedding anniversary flower.
Towering Stalks of Variety and Color
Gladioli—the plural form of the word—grow in several sizes. The traditional stalks of flowers have large, funnel-shaped, ruffly-edged blooms. Typically, 10 to 16 flowers grow up stems ranging from 3 to 4 feet in length and mostly on one side.
October Flower of the Month: Calendula and Snapdragon
Choose carefully which October Flower of the Month that you want to send your loved one. Each has a very different meaning in terms of its symbolism.
Calendula, also known as pot marigold, means “grief” or “jealousy” in some references. But in others, you’ll find the meanings “admiration,” “good luck,” “winning grace” and “throughout the months.” It’s not unusual for flowers to have varying symbolism, so if your loved one enjoys the old-fashioned notion of flowers being symbolic, make sure you explain which one you are referencing in your gift of the blossoms.
Snapdragon, similarly, has different meanings: “graciousness” and “strength,” according to some references, but “deception” and “presumption,”
September Flower of the Month: Aster
September’s flower of the month is the aster. How did this heavenly blossom get its name? Legend says that when the Goddess Asteria saw no stars upon the earth, she cried. Where her tears fell, asters bloomed.
Others, however, attribute the flower’s name to the Latin word meaning star in reference to the flower’s starlike head.
Either way, the flower for September—which also is the floral symbol for 20th wedding anniversaries—deserves the spotlight due to its long-lasting blossoms and wide variety of colors and petal shapes and sizes.
The flower originally grew as an herbaceous perennial, indigenous to all continents except Antarctica and Australia. But floral breeders have cultivated
16 Random Larkspur Trivia Facts.
Larkspur is the official flower for July…and not just for our local Spokane, WA Flower Shop! In other posts we Can You Really Eat Roses showed you how to prepare roses in an edible form and other posts on what your birth month flower is.
For July, we wanted to take a different direction and provide random floral trivia about Larkspur you may be able to use at the rose wine dinner party you through! So…here are 16 Random Larkspur Trivia Facts.
Random Larkspur Trivia #1:
Larkspur are part of the buttercup family
Random Larkspur Trivia #2:
Some species can grow to over 6 feet…or 2 meters if you want to show off your metric conversion skills
Random Larkspur Trivia #3:
They are pollinated by butterflies and bumblebees
Birth months aren’t just for stones…
No, this isn’t about telling the future or guessing how old you are just to flatter you with compliments about how young you look later. It’s more about showing how much you care about that significant other, family member or friend. And about how much you’ve been paying attention!
Nothing says “I care and wish you well” like flowers! And if you manage to pull that message off with flowers, why not wow them by giving them their Birth Month Flower! Yep…just like Birthstones, we all have a Birth Flowers!!!
But I’m going to make it even easier for you…not only am I going to give you 2 official choices for a Birth Flower, I’m also going to give you meaning and what color to give!
So in order from January to December, here is the lineup.
Can I get more fragrant roses?
Have you bought great looking roses that didn’t smell like roses? It’s true that over the last 25-30 year florists and the floral industry have been in a constant competition with itself. We want to deliver what our customers want; fresh, long lasting, vibrant and inexpensive flowers! Great roses are no exception to this rule.
In the pursuit to deliver what is appealing to the eyes, commercial rose growers have had to sacrifice some other floral attributes. Fragrance being one of these…that is until roses like “Vitality” offered by
Can you really eat roses?
Can I eat roses?
We decided to look up a few recipes, put them up on our blog as Roses are our featured flower of the month! Let’s get a few burning questions out of the way first…
Roses = People Food…really?
The answer is yes! But before you raid your rose beds and serve up the perfect gourmet rose dinner, let’s look at your newly found food group…
Since roses are a member of the apple family, it would make sense that you ‘might’ be able to eat them. In fact, if you look at a Rose Hip you can see a close resemblance to apples.
Rose Hips are the large seed pods that form on a rose cane after it blossoms. The Rosa Rugosa even grow Rose Hips the size of Crab Apples. In the fall, these roses display vibrant reds, oranges and purples.
But are roses good for me?
Would you be surprised to find out they are jam-packed with vitamin C? Well, Rose Hips are a primary source
February Flower of the Month: Iris and Violet
Most people think of red — particularly red roses — when they imagine a Flower of the Month for February and look to buy some from our local Spokane, WA Florist Shop. And while we love those crimson beauties, we have a soft spot for purple. That’s why we chose two posies that truly wear that passionate hue with sassy style: the iris and the violet (the African violet, to be specific).
History of the Iris
This delicate blossom has many meanings — all of which send a positive message to anyone who receives a bouquet of the stems: faith, hope, wisdom, courage and admiration. And while we admit to loving the purple blooms the best, the word iris comes from the Greek word for rainbow because the flower grows in a wide spectrum of colors. Among the colors that the floral industry has domesticated of this Flower of the Month, the standards are purple, blue, white and yellow.
In Greek mythology, the iris was the link between heaven and earth. As a result, ancient believers planted the flowers on the graves of women to summon the goddess Iris to guide the departed through their journey to the afterlife.
Egyptian kings also had high regard for the flower, depicting them in many places in their palaces — evidence of which still
Return to Happiness with Lily of the Valley
The Lily of the Valley signifies the return to happiness. If you were to include the flower in a bouquet and give it to someone, it would convey the message that your happiness has returned because of him or her.
This delicate bloom is known for a sweet perfume and bright a white or a soft pink color. The Lily of the Valley begins to bloom in early spring.
According to legend, the Lily of the Valley sprang from the tears of Eve after she was ejected out of the Garden of Eden. This early spring bloom is also known as th
A native flower to Europe, the Lily of the Valley is used to celebrate May Day, especially in France. This wonderful bloom of spring is used in many celebrations.
It is well known for bridal arrangements and the Lily of the Valley is often used for a bride’s bouquet. Some of the world’s elite and famous including Britain’s royal family has chosen the Lily of the Valley as a wedding bloom
History of Hydrangea’s…
Origins 101:
Hydrangea flowers come from the Genus Hydrangeaceae, which has between 70 to 75 species in the family. These flowers are native to both Southern and Eastern Asia as well as North America.
Lesser known uses:
Native Americans used the root as a diuretic and detoxifier. The bark of the Hydrangea was used to ease muscle sprains and burns and is still used today by naturopaths as a tonic herb to treat bladder problems and kidney stones.
A bit of History:
According to folklore, if a witch put a curse on an unlucky man or woman the Hydrangea was often used to break the curse.
The name Hydrangea is derived from the Greek words of “Hydor” which means water and “angos” which means jar or vessel. That indicates the great necessity of abundant water for the growth of the flower. The Hydrangea meaning is: Thank you for Understanding, Devotion and Friendship.
What are Floral Preservatives?
What are Floral Preservatives?
Floral preservatives are essential in flower care to extend the life of your fresh flowers. Make sure you add floral preservative to all fresh cut floral arrangements. Its purpose is to lengthen the life of any arrangement by feeding the flowers and preventing bacterial growth in the water. Most floral preservatives contain some form of sugar, an antibacterial agent and something to make the water acidic.
What does it do?
Simply cutting and placing your flowers in water will keep your flowers alive, but by adding a simple floral preservative it can greatly extend the life of your beautiful fresh flowers. The preservative helps the stem of the fresh cut flower to absorb more water, helps keep the water in the vase clean and clear, which helps to keep bacteria down. The sugar feeds the flowers and because sugar also feeds bacteria, a bactericide is included. An acid also discourages bacterial growth in the water.
What should I use?
Flower Care Tips & Fallacies Part 1 of 2
Part 1
Flower & Rose Care Tips & Fallacies
Get the most out of your arrangements:
Most floral arrangements last between 4-7days, depending on the types of flowers in the arrangement and the care that is given. Always start with a vase that is large enough to hold your flowers. All flowers need room to breathe.
To get the longest vase life possible, keep all leaves and petals out of the water and change the water when it becomes cloudy. Use a sharp knife to cut the flower stems at an angle underwater. Fresh Roses should be in bud form and slightly firm to the touch for the longest vase life.
Always use Floral Preservative that is provided by your florist as common home recipes don’t work to prolong the life of your fresh flowers and can even damage them.
For vase arrangements:
Flower Care Tips & Fallacies Part 2 of 2
Part 2
Flower & Rose Care Tips & Fallacies
You should always smash the ends of flowers and Roses, it gives them a larger area to absorb the flower food solution.
Yes, but it also injures the flower. The flowers will try to heal themselves by forming scabs over the injury, making it impossible to absorb water through the scab. Put some Aspirin or 7-UP in the water, flowers love it.
This is almost right. The flower food provided with your flowers contain three elements essential to flower longevity:
- There is a bleaching agent which kills the bacteria harmful to your flowers
- There is a sugar solution, which feeds the bloom while in the container
- There is acid, which raises the pH level of the water
While Aspirin contains the acidity and soda pop contains both acid and sugar, only flower food contains the proper mix of all three essential elements.
Why do I need a sharp knife to cut the flower stems…on an angle…and under water?
