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Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
16/2/12
Flowers A to Z: L is for Lavender
L is for Lavender
Disclaimer: We LOVE lavender! Heath benefits, gorgeous and calming aroma, and a beautiful bud—well, enough said. Info compliments of Wikipedia and flower-dictionary:
The lavenders (Lavandula) are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family. An It is thought the genus originated in Asia but it is most diversified in its western distribution. The ancient Greeks called the lavender herb nardus, after the Syrian city of Naarda. It was also commonly called nard. Lavender’s name is derived from the Latin word lavo, meaning “to wash,” and reflects the plant oil’s common use in soaps, perfumes and other toiletries. They take the form of small shrubs, subshrubs and herbaceous perennials.
In the 1970s, a herb blend called herbes de Provence usually including lavender was invented by spice wholesalers, and lavender has more recently become popular in cookery.
Flowers yield abundant nectar from which bees make a high-quality honey. Lavender flavors baked goods and desserts , and is also used to make “lavender sugar”. Lavender flowers are occasionally blended with black, green, or herbal tea, adding a fresh, relaxing scent and flavor.
Lavender lends a floral and slightly sweet flavor to most dishes. For most cooking applications the dried buds (also referred to as flowers) are used, though some chefs experiment with the leaves as well. Only the buds contain the essential oil of lavender, from which the scent and flavor of lavender are best derived.
Lavender is used extensively with herbs and aromatherapy. It was used in hospitals during World War I to disinfect floors and walls. These extracts are also used as fragrances for bath products.
A recent clinical study showed that lavender helps alleviate anxiety and related sleep disturbances. However, you should avoid ingesting lavender during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Flower spikes are used for dried flower arrangements. The fragrant, pale purple flowers and flower buds are used in potpourris. Lavender is also used extensively as herbal filler inside sachets used to freshen linens. Dried and sealed in pouches, lavender flowers are placed among stored items of clothing to give a fresh fragrance and to deter moths. Dried lavender flowers have become recently popular for wedding confetti. Lavender is also popular in body care products.
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
Sick of winter already? So are we! Help motivate Mother Nature to get a move on with spring with help from What a Bloom!
Touch of Spring Bouquet
Our Touch of Spring Bouquet is bright and beautiful! Order yours today and remind Punxsutawney Phil to keep that shadow if his to himself, spring is coming early this year!
16/2/12
Flower Facts: Zodiac Plants
We’ve told you what your Zodiac flower is, but did you know there are plants that accompany the Zodiac calendar as well? Check out what your plant is! Content compliments of Allen’s Flowers:
Aquarius: Primrose
Pisces: Cineraira
Aires: Calceolaria
Taurus: Hydrangea
Gemini: Geranium
Cancer: Gloxinia
Leo: Begonia
Virgo: Chrysanthemum
Libra: Cyclamen
Scorpio: African Violet
Sagittarius: Azalea
Capricorn: Poinsettia 
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
Send your friend, family member or coworker a lovely custom arrangement or planter with their Zodiac plant in it from What A Bloom! The Blooming Gift Planter is perfect for the Sagittarius in your life! Know a Libra or Scorpio?
European Planter Basket
The European Planter Basket was created with them in mind, containing both African violets and cyclamen!
16/2/12
Flower Recipe: Lavender Shortbread Cookies
This week roses can take a back seat–we’re celebrating our love for lavender! Images and content compliments of With a Grateful Prayer and a Thankful Heart:
One other note: the dough was a bit too sticky to roll out and cut with cutters. I even tried to put it through a cookie press. I decided to roll the dough into a log, then into colored sugar and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. It worked well.
I could notice the lemon flavor but the mint was undetectable so maybe I’ll add more next time.
And there will be a next time…
they were disappearing off of the cooling rack right before my eyes!
Simply delish looking!
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
Gift someone just because with a pretty vase of flowers from What a Bloom with some of these fun facts as a charming and off-beat gift! The For All You Do Bouquet is a perfect gift to show your appreciation or just because.
For All You Do Bouquet
Order from What a Bloom and get same-day or next day delivery!
16/2/12
Flower DIY: Lavender Garland
Here’s a great tutorial we found perfect for the flower of the week: lavender! Content compliments of the diy club:
Here’s a very easy tutorial to make your own lavender garland. It looks pretty and smells even prettier. Be sure to read down because there’s an important step that will keep your lavender from shedding everywhere.
Materials:
Dried lavender buds (You can purchase them on Etsy if necessary.)
Hemp, lace, ribbon, or whatever string you’d like
School glue
2 Plastic Cups
Skewer
Styrofoam Crafts 1-1/2 inch balls (You can purchase them at Michael’s or JoAnn.)
Step 1:
Fill one cup with glue and the other will lavender.
Step 2:
Push a skewer through the center of a Styrofoam ball & submerge into the glue. Remove. Allow excess to drip off or you can twirl the skewer with your finger tips to remove the extra glue (just make sure the ball is surrounded by the cup).
Step 3:
Dip glue covered ball into lavender and coat it completely. (You may need to tilt/shake the cup a little in order to do so.)
Step 4:
Gently remove the ball from the skewer and let it dry.
IMPORTANT: AFTER 1/2 HOUR TO AN OUR OF DRYING, CUP THE BALL IN YOUR HAND AND PRESS THE LAVENDER FIRMLY INTO THE GLUE. THIS WILL KEEP THE LAVENDER FROM SHEDDING EVERYWHERE! THE GLUE IS TOO RUNNY TO DO THIS STEP WITHOUT ALLOWING TO DRY A LITTLE/TACK UP FIRST. IF YOU TRY TO PRESS THE LAVENDER INTO THE GLUE WITHOUT DRYING, YOU’LL HAVE A HUGE MESS AND YOUR LAVENDER WILL SHIFT, LEAVING “BALD SPOTS.”
Step 5:
After they’ve dried completely, use the skewer holes to thread the hemp through.
Repeat until you have all lavender balls strung!
Such a creative (and lovely) idea!
Love,
Your pals at Flowerblog
Want to gift someone with a carnation bouquet? What A Bloom has a vibrant Sunny Skies perfect for her!
Sunny Skies Bouquet
Gorgeous, vibrant and unique, the special woman in your life would love this contemporary piece from What A Bloom!
This year, make sure she has a flawless Valentine’s Day with a gorgeous arrangement from What A Bloom 
9/2/12
K is for Knapweed
Image compliments of Ontario Wild Flowers
Content compliments of flower-dictionary and Wikipedia:
Centaurea is a genus of between 350 and 600 species of thistle-like flowering plants found only north of the equator, mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. Common names for this genus are: starthistles, knapweeds, centaureas and bluets.
Image compliments of Send My Flower
Knapweeds are robust weedy plants. Their leaves, spiny in some species, are usually deeply divided into elongated lobes at least in the plants’ lower part, becoming entire towards the top. The “flowers” are diverse in colour, ranging from intense blues, reds and yellows to white—knapweed is one of the few true blue flowers in existence. Knapweed symbolizes hope in love, felicity, and delicacy.
Image compliments of Flower Desktop Wallpaper
Popular in corsages, boutonnieres, and wedding design, knapweed dries well. Spray with a sealant after drying to prevent shattering.
Image compliments of pixabay.com
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
Want to get a custom flower arrangement from What A Bloom for her for Valentine’s Day? Hurry up! Contact us today to make sure you get her the perfect bouquet this February 14th.
9/2/12
Flower Facts: Flowers of the Zodiac
Just as there are flowers for every month of the year, there are also flowers for every Zodiac sign! Content compliments of Allen’s flowers:
Aquarius (January 20 - February 18): Daffodil
Image compliments of http://www.fond-ecran-image.com
Aires (March 21 - April 19): Tulip
Image compliments of Superb wallpapers
Taurus (April 20 - May 20): Iris 
Gemini (May 21 - June 20): Alstroemeria
Image compliments of Robert E. Parrish
Cancer (June 21 - July 22): Rose
Image compliments of Flower Pic Spot
Leo (July 23 - August 22): Carnation
Image compliments of wallcoo.com
Virgo (August 23 - September 22): Gladiolus
Image compliments of Thompson and Morgan
Libra (September 23 - October 22): Dahlia
Image compliments of the Local Honey blog
Scorpio (October 23 - November 21): Gerbera
Image compliments of Tony Harrison Photography
Sagittarius (November 22 - December 21): Anemone
Image compliments of Wikipedia
Capricorn (December 22 - January 19): Chrysanthemum
Image compliments of Lovely Fotos
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
What A Bloom is having a LAST CALL for Valentine’s Day orders! Order your last-minute bouquet just in time for February 14th!
Long Stem 24 Red Rose Bouquet
The Long-Stem Red Rose Bouquet from What A Bloom will sweep her off her feet this year. So say “I love you” right this Valentine’s Day—say it with What A Bloom.
9/2/12
Flower Recipe: Fried Yucca Flowers
Images and content compliments of Hunter Angler Gardener Cook:
This recipe may sound weird, and, well, maybe it is, but the structure of it is easy: It’s a tempura batter over a flower petal, fried for a couple minutes in hot oil. You can serve it with hot sauce, or by itself. The closest flavor substitute for a yucca flower would be the inner layer of leaves on an artichoke — the yellow leaves you can eat whole. You can also use squash blossoms here, too. If you cannot get mesquite flour, which is available online or at Whole Foods, you can skip it and use regular flour instead.
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 4 as an appetizer.
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
Vday is almost here Flower Fans! Want to guarantee you get what you want this February 14th? Tell him you want roses from What A Bloom!
Red Romance Bouquet
The Red Romance Bouquet available from What A Bloom is just what you’ve been looking for this Valentine’s Day, so let him know what you want! You deserve it.
9/2/12
Flower DIY: Pom Pom Flowers
Not gunna lie, this DIY is (D)UH-dorable! Why duh? Because making these cute pom pom flowers is a no-brainer! Images compliments of Emmaline Bride and go make me:
(The Picture says it all really)
Dandelion pom poms? Super fun!
Love,
Your friends at Flowerblog
What A Bloom is having a LAST CALL for Valentine’s Day orders! Order your last-minute bouquet just in time for February 14th!
The Loving Thoughts Bouquet
If she loves pink, the Loving Thoughts Bouquet is perfect for her this Valentine’s Day–ladies, let him know what you really want this Valentine’s Day. You want a stunning bouquet from What A Bloom.
