Lilac flowers are one of our favorite harbingers of Spring. Days
spent this past week walking through our neighborhoods and driving around town,
we are already seeing it beginning to blossom in backyards and it is arriving
at our flower shops by the bundle. As soon as it’s processed and in water our
designers descend on it like ravenous wolves, incorporating its delicate blooms
into a bevy of arrangements. Lilac is fragrant, beautiful, and one of our
preferred flowers of the season.
Lilac, botanical name Syringa, is the state flower of New
Hampshire, said to symbolize the Granite State’s citizens’ hardy character. And
hardy is a perfect way to describe to the plant; draped with a cloud of
aromatic blooms, these long-lived shrubs reliably scent the Spring countryside
year after year. The timing of their blooms is said to signal whether Spring
will come early or late and the beginning of the Vernal planting season.
According to Greek mythology, the story of lilac originates from a
beautiful nymph named Syringa. Her beauty captivated Pan, the God of the
forests and fields, but Syringa was frightened by his affections. When Pan
chased her through the forest she escaped him by turning herself into a
sweet-smelling bush, the flower we now refer to has lilac.
In the
language of flowers purple lilacs signify the first emotions of love, perfect
for the 8th wedding anniversary flower, while white lilacs symbolize
youthful innocence. They have a vase life (life as a cut flower) of
approximately 6-10 days. They consume large amounts of fresh water, so be sure
to add water to your lilac arrangement at least daily and do not smash the stems
(a popular misnomer for woody stemmed flowers is that smashing or pounding the
stems aids water uptake; however, it simply damages the vascular system of the
stem which will inhibit the absorption); rather, your flowers will enjoy a very
steep angled cut along the stem or if that isn’t conducive to your arrangement,
a cross-cut (like a plus sign +) on the bottom of a straight cut stem.
Besides
being beautiful to look at and amazing to smell, lilacs also have a delightful
edible aspect. The flavor of lilacs varies from plant to plant, but is
typically distinctly lemony with pungent floral overtones. It’s great in salads
and crystallized with egg whites and sugar. We discovered the tasty combo of a
few lilac blooms with a lemon zest sorbet, whipped cream and some sugary
sprinkles, a refreshing combo for warm Spring days.
Lilac tea can also be made from the
flowers, leaves and thinner branches of Syringa vulgaris (common lilac), and common white
lilac, which has a floral flavor. Claims have been made that this tea has shown
some signs that it may produce a light euphoria in higher amounts (3+ cups of
strongly brewed tea), but this is relatively unverified with no scientific
backing. Some find the white varieties of common lilac to have a sweeter and
more pleasurable flavor, but both white and purple seem to produce more
palatable tea with more flowers and only a few leaves.
Besides enjoying lilac flowers in
their purest form, we also enjoy including their scent and color in other
aspects of our lives. Lilacs and lavenders have long been a favorite color of sophisticated
ladies, exuding femininity. This shade of purple suggests refinement along with grace
and elegance. Add a little lilac to your look with nail polish, makeup, sparkly
jewelry or a lilac cami under a sleek gray jacket. Mix up lilac with other
colors for fun combos. Lilacs with pinks are very feminine, or add some mint
green for a Springy look. Keep lilacs cool with grays and blues for a
sophisticated look or take a modern earthy approach with light browns. Add
warmth and romance to lilac with reds or burgundies. And don’t forget that
heavenly lilac scent. Perfumes, soaps, incense and candles are all perfect when
our beloved blooms are no longer in season. You’ve simply got to love lilac!
So you’ve chosen the date, the venue and the dresses; you
know what colors you like, the wedding theme, and the tone you want to set… and
now for the flowers. With thousands of varieties and colors available, choosing
the proper blooms can seem like a daunting task. Luckily, your local florist is
an expert in this arena. At Stein Your Florist Co. we have been assisting brides in these careful decisions
for 125 years and our first bit of advice is always the same, choose what you
love. Sometimes this is easily accomplished, many popular blooms are available
year round, while others are a bit more season specific. It is never impossible
to procure out of season flowers, they may be specially grown just for you;
however, seasonal flora is typically less expensive and of better quality.
Summer brings cockscomb, cornflower, dahlias, and zinnias. Summer
blooms are often very bright and fun, they lend a carefree hippie vibe to your
otherwise formal wedding. Finally, Fall flora brings us a palette of rusts,
reds, oranges, and terra cottas mirroring the trees’ metamorphosis. Summer’s
tuberose remains and anemones of a different variety return, with camellia and
cosmos. Autumn weddings have a welcoming affect, greeting your guests with a
blanket of warm colors and boasting a bountiful harvest.
Florists import flowers from around the world, acquiring much of their inventory from South America, California, Hawaii, Holland, Asia, and Africa granting a bevy of beautiful blooms in all seasons. Among the most popular are roses, many varieties of lilies, alstroemeria, bouvardia, carnations, chrysanthemums, freesia, gardenias, snapdragon, stock, gerbera daisies, liatris, iris, lisianthus, stephanotis (a wedding classic), veronica, many varieties of orchids, and tropicals, such as ginger, birds of paradise and protea. These seasonless standbys combined or standing alone create stunning bouquets, centerpieces and venue décor for your wedding day. Consider your colors and theme and have fun designing your dream wedding.
If incorporating the season’s blooms is something you’d like or if the everyday flora just isn’t your scene, then consider the time of year and spice up your wedding bouquets with the finest flowers of the fields. Winter lays claim to stunning amaryllis, asters, daffodils, Dutch, French and Parrot tulips, hyacinths, poinsettias, ranunculus and sweet pea. Much of this flora may sound Springy (especially tulips, hyacinths and daffodils) since we associate them with Easter, but as soon as Spring hits it is simply too warm for these delicate blossoms, but they create a perfect combination for March weddings on the cusp of Spring. Following the vernal equinox we are offered beautiful anemone varieties, lily of the valley, peonies, Queen Anne’s lace, and scabiosa. These flowers offer a wonderfully rich garden feel to your Spring wedding. Summer brings cockscomb, cornflower, dahlias, and zinnias. Summer blooms are often very bright and fun, they lend a carefree hippie vibe to your otherwise formal wedding. Finally, Fall flora brings us a palette of rusts, reds, oranges, and terra cottas mirroring the trees’ metamorphosis. Summer’s tuberose remains and anemones of a different variety return, with camellia and cosmos. Autumn weddings have a welcoming affect, greeting your guests with a blanket of warm colors and boasting a bountiful harvest.
Spring is
a wonderful season when it comes to the beauty of the great outdoors. We watch Winter’s
dreary trees transform into luscious verdant vegetation. Through the
environment’s annual metamorphosis we are able to observe nature’s beauty as
plants grow and blossom into the flowers we know and love. Before the, all too
brief, days of Spring are taken over by the heat of Summer use this time to
enjoy the floral bounty and the warm weather. Get outside as the sun glows
longer, and the flowers grow bigger, and most of all just remember... to have a
happy Spring!
Ah Spring! It is nearly upon us and with it comes (and goes) one of our favorite fragrant flowers, hyacinths. They began popping up around the shop in December, showing off their little trumpeting blooms and scenting the air with a heavenly old fashioned perfume. Sure, as a cut flower they aren't the easiest to work with... they're short and squatty and have a limited vase life (about 5-7 days), but who cares!?! They simply look too pretty and smell too wonderful to ignore them. Even better, they are a great bulb plant, adding to their longevity and enjoy-ability. Since they're typically only around until April (they prefer the cooler weather) we better enjoy them while we can! 
Around our shops we dabble in both cut hyacinths and thousands of potted hyacinths. They are one of our most popular items at Easter time, enjoyed by all... well, almost all. There is a group of folks a bit more sensitive to hyacinth's strong scent and sappy blooms and bulbs, causing mild rashes and respiratory irritation. If that's you, please enjoy these beautiful blooms from afar only; everyone else, let's get up close and personal. 
Your potted hyacinths prefer a location similar to their cut flower counterparts, cool, no heat or drafts, but you should choose a place with bright indirect sunlight. They come planted in sandy soil to allow for adequate drainage (put a dish under it unless you want a mess on your hands) and should be watered every few days. Enjoy your pretty blooms while they last and afterward you can plant them in your garden and they may bloom next season (forced bulbs will often not reflower planted outdoors, but it's worth a shot) or just add them to your compost pile. 
