3 Previously Unknown Floral Programs at SJF

We, at South Jersey Florist, are always striving to come up with new products, new styles, and even new colors to WOW and amaze our customers. It is our job to keep our product list fresh and inspired. But, at the end of the day, South Jersey Florist is a business. And, any good business can only thrive with a strong customer base. So, we are offering different programs you may not be aware of. Here is a list of 3 programs, promotions, and product ideas you probably have not seen before.

1. Recycling Program - South Jersey Florist will give you a FREE bunch of flowers for 3 or more used vases that are returned to us in good condition. Win-win situation where you get rid of clutter in your garage or back-room, and you get a free bunch of flowers for your trouble.


2. Referral Program - Know a bride who needs flowers for her wedding? Send her to South Jersey Florist and receive a $25 gift certificate to our store after your bride comes in for a FREE consultation and books her wedding.


3. Flowers-for-a-Year - Always forget that special day? When was my anniversary again? We offer Flowers-for-a-Year, where you get a wrapped bunch of flowers every month and a FREE Dozen Roses on their birthday. Thirteen bunches of flowers for $300.  That comes out to be $25 per bouquet plus your FREE dozen roses bouquet. Regular price for this deal would be $600 retail. 
   

Let The Stars Be Your Guide For A Floral Birthday Gift

Everyone has been here: wondering what to get a woman for her birthday gift and having no idea. Everything seems so impersonal and cliché. You don’t know what size to buy, where to shop, or even what she really wants. Gift certificates, candles, and most everything else seem impersonal, and you want it to be special. Then it hits you. Send flowers! Perfect! You can make it more unique by matching the flowers to her astrological sign.

Flowers mean a woman is extraordinary. They are not practical, nor are they functional. However, that’s the charm. They serve one purpose: to tell a woman she is important to you. They are gorgeous, smell amazing, and are sure to make her smile. Isn’t that the entire idea?

Tulips Great For Aries To take the gesture of sending flowers and really make it exceptional, match the flowers to her zodiac sign. Imagine her face when she learns the birthday flowers you sent were designed specially for her. Grandmothers, mothers, girlfriends, or whomever she may be, when her birthday rolls around it’s time to invest in something that will express how much she means to you. By matching the flowers to her sign, you can turn this one-size-fits-all gift into something spectacular! So, what’s her sign?

Aries are passionate ladies born between March 21 and April 19. They are traditionally adventurous, confident, and enthusiastic. Red roses are the perfect flower for an Aries, as are tulips. These vibrant flowers are sure to please such a vivacious woman! Send a classic arrangement of only red roses or mix it up by adding white tulips for a more romantic gesture. You can also match tulips to an endless list of other flowers, such as Stargazer lilies, for a cheerful, friendly display on her birthday.

If your birthday girl was born between April 20 and May 20, she’s a Taurus who are typically patient, conventional, and warmhearted. To really impress her, give her a bouquet including lilac, sweet pea, or Lily of the Valley.

Delicate, sweet-smelling flowers like these will tell this home-lover you truly understand and treasure her. Fragrant lily of the valley would go well with gently hued blooms that don’t overpower it and creating a visually appealing and fragrant bouquet. It has a small, light bloom, much like sweat pea and lilac. Combining it with more considerable blooms, like roses or calla lilies, allow them to be noticed while creating a bouquet worthy of this loving lady.

Gemini’s were born between May 21 and June 21. They are talkative, intellectual, and eloquent. Goldenrod is ideal for this witty woman! Goldenrod is a versatile flower with a deep, saturated yellow orange hue. It can be paired with stargazer lilies for a bright, festive arrangement or with other autumnal colors for a monochromatic look. Either way, the beautiful goldenrod is a welcome addition to a birthday arrangement for a Gemini!

Iris, hydrangea, Queen Anne’s lace, or ferns would make a perfect gift for a Cancer, whose birthday falls between June 22 and July 22. Cancers are traditionally loving, imaginative, and intuitive. Ferns are a hardy and practical plant that requires little maintenance and will add flair to any room or office. Queen Anne’s lace is a light, feathery flower that is paired beautifully with white roses for an understated, elegant look that will not go unnoticed by a sensitive Cancer.

Leo's Love Sunflowers The sign of the Lion, or Leo, are people who are typically extroverted, creative, and generous. Their birthdays are between July 23 and August 22. Great ideas for flowers would be carnations, peonies, or anthuriums. Brightly hued blooms will suit this larger-than-life woman perfectly!

Virgos were born between August 23 and September 22. They tend to be practical, modest, and meticulous. Flowers that compliment a Virgo are St. John’s Wart, chrysanthemum, and violet. These subtle blooms will complement the aesthetic of an unfussy Virgo.

Libras are romantics whose birthdays lie between September 23 and October 22. They are traditionally social and charming. Orchids, gardenias, and tuberose are just the thing to please an elegant Libra on her birthday. For example, orchids are a stunning stand-alone flower that can be potted and enjoyed for years, or it is easily incorporated into arrangements due to its simple, yet striking bloom. Also, tuberose and gardenias are lovely choices that will speak to the romantic side of a Libra!

The sign of the Scorpio is classically determined, sensual, and passionate. Their birthdays lie between October 23 and November 21. If your special woman were a Scorpio, a bouquet including hibiscus or peony would surely do the trick! Hibiscus and gerbera daisies have dazzling blooms that ideally reflect the passion of a Scorpio!

If her birthday is between November 22 and December 21 she is a Sagittarius. Straightforward and optimistic, she is a playful individual who is also good-humored and honest. Carnations, foxtail lilies, and blazing stars (liatris) would make an ideal gift! Unique and lively blooms such as these would certainly bring cheer to an already good-natured Sagittarius!

Capricorns were born between December 22 and January 19. Capricorns are usually traditional, practical, and ambitious. Flowers that match the sign of the goat are jasmine, snowdrop, and African violet. These unexpected flowers will surely surprise her and make her day! However, they are also fairly low-key blooms. It would be a good idea to mix them with more eye-catching flowers to complete the arrangement.

Aquarius Arrangement Independent Aquarius’s birthday falls between January 20 and February 18. They are forward-thinkers who are honest, loyal, and unconventional. Flowers such as the stargazer lily or bird of paradise will definitely please this quirky gal! The Stargazer and the Bird of Paradise are both famous for their striking blooms, much like the Aquarius is for her personality!

Pisces are creative, compassionate, and intuitive. Their birthdays are between February 19 and March 20. Jasmine, lilacs, and Madonna lilies are great ideas to include in a birthday bouquet for this unworldly individual. These unpretentious flowers will suit a Piscean who will appreciate them for their subtle splendor.

Lavender and the pursuit of happiness

We are constantly searching for good health and the pursuit of happiness. We crave the latest gadget, try the newest exercise trend and look for the cure-all drug, hoping they will make us healthy and happy. Sometimes, the simplest things in life can fulfill our pursuit of happiness and help us achieve good health. Flowers have always been a powerful influence in human health and happiness. In pursuing happiness, what could be easier than surrounding yourself with flowers?

Many believe the pursuit of happiness can only be achieved if one or more of the senses are involved. The Romans recognized that flowers had a therapeutic quality, both medicinally and spiritually. For centuries, lavender, particularly English lavender has been known to have medicinal, aromatic and culinary qualities. In their pursuit of happiness, the Romans used lavender in their bathing rituals, for cooking and as perfume for their linens and person. They also used it to maintain good health; realizing it had a calming influence and was a natural antiseptic.

In your quest for the pursuit of happiness and good health, take a look at lavender and it’s therapeutic qualities. A sweetly -scented tonic herb with many medicinal qualities, common or English lavender (Lavendula augustifolia) is an aromatic perennial plant popular in most herb gardens. English lavender has been used internally to relieve indigestion, depression, anxiety, exhaustion, irritability, tension headaches, migraines and bronchial complaints. Sunburns, rheumatism, muscular pain, skin complaints and insect bites have all been relieved externally with lavender. Although a lavender plant can become woody in nature and must be rotated every four years, the flowers and it’s oil can be easily harvested. As a result, English lavender is often used for calming and relaxing aromatherapy and high-quality perfumes.

The pursuit of happiness may be a constitutional right in the United States, but how can it be achieved? Start by removing the depression, anxiety and irritability in your life. Invest in lavender oil and create your own house of lavender aromatherapy, where an exquisitely-sweet, calming wave envelopes you as you walk through the door. Housework becomes enjoyable as the sweet smell of English lavender wafts through the air. Lavender oil used in aromatherapy triggers a comforting zone in the brain, removing the stresses of the day. With the stress and anxiety of the day gone, you’ll enjoy spending time with your family or taking a walk with your dog. Make sure the lavender oil is ready when you sit down to pay bills. A little calming aromatherapy will ease the anxiety of paying those bills.

Nervous tension, muscle aches and insomnia are detrimental to our good health, but lavender can send them far away. Step into a hot bath with lavender bath salts and within minutes, the nervous tension is washed away. The Latin meaning of lavender is “to wash” and wash away is just what lavender bath salt does – it washes away tension. The warmth of the bath and scent of English lavender opens the mind and relaxes the muscles. Often, happiness is found with an open mind and a relaxed body.

Aromatic qualities are great attributes, but who can resist something that appeals to our sense of taste? English lavender is a culinary experience that can turn the ordinary, into a work of art. Crystallized lavender flowers on a cake give the eyes something to feast on before the taste buds get their share. A soothing cup of lavender tea melts all your tension. The pursuit of happiness is achieved when every aspect of life becomes interesting. Taste buds are launched into a world of culinary interest when lavender flowers and oil are added to ordinary jams, ice creams and vinegars.

Sometimes the pursuit of happiness is more than our internal happiness; it is also the ability to spread happiness to others. Flowers have been an instrument in spreading happiness to others throughout the ages. In centuries past, lavender was given to newlyweds for good luck. It is known as the flower of devotion, and has been called the “love” herb because of its fresh clean scent and insect-repellent properties. Think about all the ways lavender can help you spread happiness to others. Give good luck to a newlywed couple with a lavender plant for their new home. Show your devotion on Valentine’s Day by burning lavender scented candles accompanied with a bouquet of lavender roses. Send a friend a spa basket filled with lavender bath products and a vase of iris. Loving your life and th! ose in it is what the pursuit of happiness is all about. Good health is likely to follow when you have achieved the pursuit of happiness.

In your pursuit, visit your local florist. Many florists carry lavender aromatherapy products, lavender oils, lavender bath salts and spa products, as well as potted lavender plants. Florists carring gourmet food products often have lavender jams, teas and cakes. So, pursue happiness through your local florist who is ready to help you with your lavender needs and gifts.

Harvard Research to Promote Flowers in the Home & Workplace

July 25, 2007 – Recent Harvard University behavioral research identifies the factors most likely to impact 21st century employee well being, commitment and productivity. The study, led by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital, shows that employee commitment is largely influenced by one’s sense of purpose, feeling of personal impact, and overall trust in the organization they work for. Productivity is largely affected by the quality of human relationships including cooperative, social group moods and interaction. The results lead us to conclude that workplaces that provide positive environments to foster interpersonal trust and quality personal relationships create the most committed and productive employees,” says Etcoff.

Study by Etcoff and Harvard confirms flowers have an energizing effect on people at work. She also cites previous studies at Rutgers and Texas A&M universities that have proven that something as simple as adding flowers to the environment enhances moods, social interaction and on-the-job creativity and productivity.

Doing little things like adding flowers to your workspace or taking a few extra minutes to get to know your co-workers will make you happier at work. Imagine what they can do for the home and your well being there!!

How to Lengthen the Life of Your Arrangement

A little extra care can make a big difference for any size flower arrangement or fresh flower bouquet.
Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive. The Society of American Florists provides these tips for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers:
For floral arrangements:

• Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing a flower food provided by your florist. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with either a pint or a quart of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.

• If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution.

• Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate.) Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.

For loose bunches or boxed flowers:

• Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them in a flower food solution. Don't forget how important it is to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet.

• Fill a clean (washed with a detergent or antibacterial cleaning solution), deep vase with water and add a flower food from your florist.

• Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial microbial growth that may limit water uptake by the flower.

• Re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.

• If you purchase loose flowers for your own arrangements you should also consider these tips:

• When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.
• When using woody stems and branches (such as quince, forsythia or lilac), cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place them in warm water containing fresh flower food to promote flower opening.