Mother's Day Roundup

Wow, what a weekend!  Between five proms, two weddings, and of course all the craziness that comes with Mother's day, this year was one for the books!  We used thousands of roses alone, not to mention hundreds of other flowers for corsages, bouquets, arrangements and everything in between.  But the fun's not over--we're just getting started!

We have outdoor hanging plants and patio pots available in a wide variety of colors and styles, so if your outdoor space is in need of a revamp, come pick something out.

With the warmer weather comes dreaded mosquito season, but we have our Murphy's Naturals line of mosquito repellent candles, incense sticks and sprays back in stock.  All natural, effective bug control!


Another effective natural bug spray is Good Earth Naturals Squito Spray, also in stock for the summer.

We're also planning some summer events at our store to celebrate the summer, stay tuned for more information. 

So, thanks for the great Mother's Day season, and we hope to see you this summer for more floral fun!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gifts

Seeing Green:Shamrock Plants!

St. Patrick's Day is this week, so to get in the spirit here's a quick care guide for a classic green plant: the Oxalis or Shamrock plant.

Oxalis are often confused for clover plants, so to tell them apart, look at the leaves: clover leaves are rounded at the ends while Oxalis leaves are square.



The nice thing about Oxalis plants is that they stay petite, usually under 6 inches in diameter, making them perfect for small spaces.  They also bloom several times during fall, winter and spring, with simple white flowers that add charm to any indoor space.

And if green isn't your color, the Oxalis can also be found in a deep purple.



Another unique aspect of Shamrock plants is how they rest: when the sun goes down their leaves fold down like an umbrella to conserve energy, and spring right back up in the morning!

Care for the Oxalis is fairly straightforward, they enjoy sunny spaces while in a period of growth, and slightly more shaded areas when dormant.  Pinch off dead flowers regularly.

While it is in a growing phase, water your shamrock when the soil feels dry, and fertilize with a plant fertilizer every month.  When it enters dormancy during the summer, the leaves will begin to die back, so stop watering and fertilizing and let it rest in a cooler, darker location until you see new growth.

Some varieties can do well in outdoor pots during the warmer months, but will need to be brought inside before the first frost of the year.

All in all, Shamrock plants are wonderful low effort plants that will bring a touch of color to your space year round.

Wishing you a lucky St. Patrick's day full of green!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gifts

Anthurium: the NEW Red Flower

Since the weather is seemingly unending, we wanted to bring you along to sunny Kona, Hawaii, where our shop owner Lugene visited an Anthurium grower.  Here's what she found out.

1. Anthuriums are varied

The most iconic Anthurium is the bright, shiny red bloom, but there are actually several different colors available.  Sizes also vary from tiny flowers that fit into your palm to enormous blooms as big as your head!

2. The growing process is unique

Anthuriums have a root system similar to air plants, so they grow best after being rooted in volcanic dirt.  To preserve productivity, individual plants are culled if they don't produce at least 6 blooms at once.

 

The grower also had a variety of Ginger flowers-another tropical favorite. Pictured are the classic red as well as a green 'rattlesnake' variety.

We hope visions of flowers in Hawaii will keep you warm this week.  DON'T FORGET: Valentine's Day is NEXT WEEK!!!Place your order now for the best selection of flowers and guaranteed delivery.

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift.

Seeing RED!

We're gearing up for Valentine's day, which means red and pink flowers-and lots of them!  Here are some rosy flowers you may not have heard of for your loved one's bouquet or arrangement, which we'll have available at the store:

Red Ginger



Ginger is a flower that makes a statement, with a bright red bloom and broad leaves.  Definitely an exotic touch for arrangements!

Anthuriums



Anthuriums have flowers that are so vibrant they almost seem artificial.  Delightfully heart-shaped, we have potted anthurium that makes an excellent gift to that special someone.

Gerbera Daisy



If you want a softer arrangement, Gerbera daisies are perfect.  They are available in shades from baby pink to hot pink.

Cymbidium Orchid



Finally, one plant that has everyone in the store saying "wow" are the cymbidium orchids.  They truly are amazing to look at, and make perfect centerpieces for a romantic meal.

Don't forget to place your orders for Valentine's day, cal or come in today to be well prepared!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gifts

Extreme cold and flowers: what you need to know

Here in Minnesota, we're enjoying below-freezing temperatures that chill to the bone.  But that doesn't mean we can't still enjoy fresh flowers!  Here are the best tips for buying flowers when the weather is frightful!

1. Make flowers your last stop.

If the flower shop is one of your stops for the day, save us for last; not only will the flowers spend less time in volatile conditions, but your car will have had ample time to warm up and keep them from freezing.

2. Bundle them up (you too!)

When temperatures are below freezing, having your arrangements and bouquets double bagged will protect them from freezing.  Make sure there's a pocket of air in the bag to act as an insulator.  And don't leave them in the cold car!  A few minutes is all it takes for them to perish.

3. Display your blooms carefully.

While an arrangement may look nice in an entryway or by a window, the cold air won't let them age well.  Place them away from vents, opening doors, or poorly-insulated windows for ideal display.  And, putting them in the fridge overnight will help preserve cut flowers for an even longer display time.

4. Don't forget about plants.

As the air temperature drops, plants can dry out just like our skin.  Make sure to check their soil more often and hydrate as needed.

5. Let us do the work instead!

If facing the great outdoors makes you shiver, give us a call and set up a delivery!  We'll do all the work and make sure your flowers make it to their destinations safely, while you cozy up with a blanket and a warm drink.

We hope you're keeping warm during this cold snap, and here's to warmer days ahead!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift

5 Poinsettia Facts!

We were excited to get our first shipment of Poinsettias this week, so in honor of the winter season officially beginning, here are some facts about Poinsettias plants!

1. Poinsettias are native to Mexico.

A wild type poinsettia

It may be hard to picture them in the hot, dry, snow-less setting of South America, but Poinsettias were cultivated in Mexico.

2.  They have no flowers.

If you look closely at a Poinsettia's foliage, you may notice that the red 'petals' of the plant are actually just leaves!  This happens when the plant receives at least five consecutive nights with 12 hours of darkness, as well as lots of daytime sun.

3.  They have a long history.

Poinsettias were used as far back as the time of the Aztecs, where they were used to create red dye as well as a fever-reducing drug.  In the early 1900's, a man named Albert Ecke developed growing techniques that allowed the plants to thrive.  By the late 1990's Albert's family had created an empire around the Poinsettia, and its' popularity had spread to America.

4. There are several varieties.

We may think of the classic red leaves when we think about poinsettias, but several varieties have been bred, from a light pink to white to a variegated 'Jingle Bells' variety.

A Jingle Bells plant

5. They aren't as toxic as you've heard.

Claims of Poinsettias being highly toxic have spread over the years, but in actuality they cause very little damage if ingested.  Still, care should be taken so pets or small children don't accidentally eat any part of the plant.

Fall succulents

Succulents are quickly becoming fall's biggest trend.  Let's look at some of the ways these little plants are making a big splash in fall styles.

Weddings:  Succulents are used in boutonnieres, table settings, even bouquets!

Incorporating succulents in the bouquets and boutonnieres made for a striking Fall wedding! Congratulations again to Lance and Gina! #succulents #succulentweddings

A post shared by Hummingbird Floral and Gifts (@hummingbirdfloral) on Oct 6, 2017 at 2:33pm PDT

Homegoods: Succulents are making an appearance in a variety of forms.  For those who would like a hardy plant, silk succulents can be placed anywhere in a home.  An unexpected look we're loving is a succulent placed in a ceramic or glass pumpkin as a stem!

Succulents aren't just for Summer! Come and visit us at the shop to see how you can incorporate succulents into your own home décor this Fall! 🌿🍁

A post shared by Hummingbird Floral and Gifts (@hummingbirdfloral) on Oct 6, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT

So next time you come to the shop take a peek at the succulents-fall's exciting surprise!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift

3 Unique Fall Finds!

Fall is nearly officially here!  That means it's time to find a new look, whether it be in houseplants, fresh flowers, or home decor.  Here are three of our most unique fall finds!

Croton Plant



Croton plants are wonderful fall houseplants.  Their broad leaves are a mixture of green, yellow, orange and red, a permanent way to have fall foliage in your house!  They are simple to care for and will bring a little bit of the autumnal spirit into your house.

Coffee Break rose



Coffee Break roses are subtly brown with tints of oranges and yellows that give them a full gradient of color.  They make perfect additions for arrangements and bouquets as the weather cools, especially when mixed with red, yellow, or even purple roses.

Gygi Fall prints



Darren Gygi has a line for every season.  Fall brings cornucopias and turkeys for a classic autumn look, or witches and monsters for Halloween.  You can find them at our shop in several sizes, or let us order one in for you from his website.

Of course, this isn't all we have for fall plants, flowers, and decor.  The shop is in full fall swing, so be sure to stop by and see the new products, fresh flowers and plants, and all the other season surprises we have in store for you!

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift.

Dorm room/office plants

Houseplants brighten up a room in more ways than one.  They clean and purify the air we breath, add a touch of nature to the indoors, and even teach about nurturing and caring for another living thing.  School is starting soon for many, so here are some ideas for easy to care for houseplants that will brighten a dorm room or even an office that needs some green.

For the simplest plant to keep in a dorm or office, try an air plant terrarium.

A simple air plant setup

These plants are perfect for placing in a vase or hanging bowl.  They require little sunlight and because they have no roots need only to be soaked or misted about every week to stay healthy.  Just place them with whatever decorative stones or sand matches your room for an instant conversation piece.

Another very simple houseplant is the marimo moss ball.

Use sand for an exotic look

An alternative to fish tanks that require regular time consuming maintenance and are difficult to transport during breaks, marimo terrariums are the aquatic version of a pet rock (and a little more interesting to look at!) Marimo are happiest out of direct sun in cool, shadowed areas.  Just replace the water every other week and run the moss under cold water, gently squeezing out the old water like a sponge.  That's it!  

Of course, if you want something a little more traditional, you can't go wrong with a spider plant.

Be warned: spider plants grow fast!

Spider plants are ubiquitous in office spaces, and for good reason.  They grow quickly, don't need large amounts of sun, and propagate i.e sprout miniature 'pups' that can be cut and potted separately.  Water it as you would any potted plant, and remove the pups as they grow.  

Another leafy plant that does well in dorm or office spaces is philodenron or pothos plants.  

A pothos

Similar in care to the spider plant, these leafy, vine plants do well with indirect sun and can even be kept in vases of water rather than pots.

So, what do you think?  What kind of indoor plant do you have the best success with?  Let us know in a comment below.  

SPECIAL CODE WORD: PLANTS.  MENTION THIS WORD IN THE STORE FOR BOGO ON LOOSE ROSES.  Thanks for reading the blog!

-Your flower loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift

The ultimate orchid care guide

Orchids have long been known as difficult houseplants.  They've been described as delicate, picky, and require far too much work for the average houseplant owner.  But these ideas are simply not true.

In Victorian England, only the wealthy could afford to import exotic plants and flowers for their homes and greenhouses.  Importers traveled the world and brought back strange plants that fetched high prices in high societies.  Charles Darwin and other naturalists cataloged some of the 30,000 varieties of orchid and noted each of the species differences.  

Today, anybody can keep an orchid.  The most popular varieties include:

Moth Orchid

  

Cattleya Orchid

 Paphiopedilum Orchid

So how do you keep this beautiful flowering plant happy?  This care guide will focus on the moth orchid, as it is our most popular sold at Hummingbird.  Other varieties may have different care needs, let us know which orchid you want a care guide for next in a comment below and we'll help you out!

Moth Orchid care: 

Temperature : Keep your orchid away from direct sunlight or drafts.  An interior room away from doors or large windows is best.

Watering: Always feel your orchid's substrate for dampness, the dirt shouldn't be overly wet or dry and crumbling.  Water with cool water whenever your orchid feels dry.  Orchids also appreciate a misting every week or so with a fine spray.

Fertilizing: To ensure the health of your orchid plant, fertilizing is recommended.  Use a fertilizer marked for use in orchids or houseplants and follow the fertilization guidelines.

Regrowth:  When all the flowers have dropped from your orchid plant, cut the stems down, leaving 2-3" of stem above soil.  Continue watering every 10 days or whenever the soil feels dry, and the plant will begin to regrow.  If the stems droop or lean, tie them to a support branch placed in the soil so the flowers will grow outwards rather than down.

What do you think?  How have you had success with the intimidating orchid?  Let us know in a comment below.

-Your flower-loving friends at Hummingbird Floral and Gift

An Introduction To Us

Welcome to the official blog for Hummingbird Floral and Gift!  If you want beautiful posts of weddings and the flowers we provide for them, insider posts about the flower business and how it works, or even suggestions for new products and gift ideas, you've come to the right place.

First things first: we want to introduce ourselves.

Summer is in full effect out front

 Hummingbird Floral & Gifts is an all service floral and gift store located in Shoreview, Minnesota.  We provide arrangements and floral services to not just the surrounding communities but locations throughout the state and the country.  Not only do we pride ourselves on the high quality flowers that go into your arrangements and bouquets, but we also find the most unique boutique-style gifts to offer in our spacious store, from artisan jams to jewelry, cards, and even handmade lamps.  Here's a little more of what we do.

Flowers:  We know how much a great arrangement can mean to a wedding, funeral, anniversary, birthday, even prom!  That's why we offer a wide array of flowers that will suit any occasion.  Designers work with customers to create one of a kind pieces that fit any budget. We make sure your flowers are of the highest quality by sourcing flowers locally and by maintaining the cold chain (more on that later) from the grower to our shop.

Gifts:  Alongside the floral aspect of our business, we dedicate time into finding products that can't be found anywhere else.  Whether it be an intricate Lifetime candle that will burn for years, or a stunning hand blown Kitras glass ornament, we make sure every product we offer is something we would put in our own homes.

Now, on to the blog!  We want this blog to highlight things we love.  Expect posts about recent events we have made arrangements for, such as weddings or parties, and get ideas on what kind of flowers you want for your next special occasion.  We will spotlight trends in flowers (like which ones people are decorating cakes with!) and the behind the scenes looks at the flower industry and those who work in it.  Finally, we will let you know what products we are loving at the moment, and more about the companies who make them.

But that's not all!  What do you want to see?  Maybe you're curious about how many different arrangements are used in a wedding.  Or what scents and essential oils are best for a friend that needs to relax more.  Or maybe you just want to see what flowers we have in the cooler.  Let us know in a comment below and we'll get back to you.

Last thing: this blog will be updated weekly!  Check back every Tuesday for a new post.  In the meantime, check us out on facebook and instagram.

-Your flower loving friends at Hummingbird Floral