| Florists shut up shop but the Big Fella will still get his blooms
FOR the past 12 years, sisters Mary and Terry Hewitt have arranged monthly floral bouquets for the grave of Michael Collins in Glasnevin Cemetery. The monthly bouquet comes from a French admirer of the assassinated IRA leader. "It's been a business that's been very good to us over the years. Our customers have always been very good to us. "We received a lot of thank-you notes and we've kept many of them. She took the trouble to ask us to look after the flowers for the grave for so long and we owe it to her to continue what she does," said Mary, who learned her trade at well-known florists, Marie James on Dublin's Dawson Street. "She struck a chord with us. The sisters have made many loyal customers over the years. But it is Veronique Crombe -- a lecturer and guide at the French National Museum who orders the monthly arrangements from Paris -- who will remain their sole customer. It gave me a real buzz working alongside flowers and to see the power they are able to have in so many different situations and the meanings behind them. Florists shut up shop but the Big Fella will still get his blooms |
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Florists shut up shop but the Big Fella will still get his blooms
Dear Mom ... this is for you
| Mother's Day is just around the corner and this year let's give Mom a fabulous gift designed just for her. Even if the planter is the typical ceramic, resin or metal variety, increase the design bar by embellishing the front with a vintage brass doorknocker, a painted wood molding detail or even a wall sconce that can hold a candle. Now for the plants: Plant trailing bamboo, banana palms or another fabulous tropical and fill with colour-coordinating flowers and fabulous textured leaves. Everyone in the family is going to want a copy, so be certain to print more than one. Moms are notorious for not pampering themselves, so plan a spa day for Mom and a friend or Mom and you. Splurge and also hire a professional stylist, like Sam, to consult on a new look, give makeup tips (of course you'll want to treat Mom to all the new products she'll now need) and possibly even a whole new outfit. I gave my Mom an iPad at Christmas and she's addicted. I knew she would love it, I just didn't realize how much. Register yourself and Mom in an art class, a wine tasting or a cake-decorating class. My Mom loves it when I give her custom-designed front door planters. This is a great book that shares stories of 20 inspirational women: Estee Lauder, Mata Amritanandamayi and Ella Fitzgerald, just to name a few. A great book with a beautifully handwritten inscription from you, telling her how much she has inspired you, is truly priceless. Of course, we start with great planters. What a great evening and this can even include a cooking lesson. Give Mom a beautiful picnic basket, complete with lunch for four, and have a great day enjoying a favourite local park. Moms are busy people, so treat her to a day with a professional organizer. Cleaners once a week for the month of May is also a great gift that can help Mom have more time for her. |
Saturday, 5 May 2012
Mother's Day: Bouquet Buyers Beware
| Mother's Day: Bouquet Buyers Beware
When you order Mother's Day flowers online, what you see isn't always what Mom gets. Most sites offer the disclaimer that arriving bouquets need immediate watering and a few hours to look their best.
Our first impression out of the box was, where's the rest of it? The 10-stem arrangement filled the vase in site photos, but looked noticeably sparse in person -- and more so as we opened other florist site boxes. As is, though, we think Mom would be mad we spent so much for so little. "We make every effort to deliver each arrangement as shown on the FTD. com Website," says FTD president Robert Apatoff. He says customers who aren't satisfied are encouraged to reach out "so that we can do our best to make things right. The polka-dotted vase -- though nicer than the plain one we'd picked -- arrived cracked. The underlying question: If this showed up at her doorstep, would she be impressed? . " The site provides a 100% satisfaction guarantee, and consumers unhappy with the quality of their offer might receive a refund or replacement, she says. It was nice to see a pop of color after two greener arrangements, but then we took a closer look. It's never too early to begin talking dollars. The tulips seemed smaller and less vibrantly colored than in the photo, too. The site describes the arrangement as "shipped fresh, budding and ready to bloom. " A day later, though, and no new flowers have opened. We're very proud of the freshness and cut stage of the product," he says, noting that new flowers should continue to open for two weeks. By the next morning, nearly a dozen of the lilies were open. com, says the flowers arrive in bud form to allow the customer to enjoy the bouquet for a longer amount of time. But we saw potential. The site promises "at least 20 blooms" on eight stems of white and pink lilies, and we counted at least twice that number of buds in the vase-filling arrangement. And it was already more fragrant than the other bouquets. Ella Orsatti, the general manager for Kabloom, says the substitution was likely the result of a quality issue with the roses, and in those cases the policy is to add extra (and more expensive) blooms rather than greenery. It's a good thing we went for a cheaper clear vase rather than the "garden green glass" version we initially saw pictured. Damaged or late shipments may be eligible for store credit or a replacement. Florists also tend to have signature touches and looks, she says, which may lead to a bouquet that differs from the standard stock photo. The most colorful and freshest of the bunch, Kabloom's bouquet was the only one to arrive with the stems in water. But the flowers weren't precisely what we ordered: the yellow spray roses had been replaced with yellow daisies and green dahlias, which gave it the appearance of a less-expensive bodega bouquet. Problems blooms typically result in a free replacement. With most couples waiting to marry and three quarters of marriage partners living together first, many celebrants are paying at least part of their wedding bill. Jesse Matney, vice president of marketing and ecommerce for OrganicBouquet. |
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Friday, 4 May 2012
Bargain Blooms for Mother's Day
| Bargain Blooms for Mother's Day
Mom may want diamonds, iPads, or even just one lousy phone call for Mother's Day. FTD. 08 on the bloom portion, up 8%. "Flowers have always reigned as one of the top gifts," says NRF spokeswoman Kathy Grannis. What you order online is not always exactly what you get. "Make sure that you know where the bouquet is coming from, and what it will look like when it arrives," she says. Here are some of recommendations for getting a better deal on flowers this year:. Coupon codes are prevalent among flower-delivery sites, Grannis says. 17, up 6% from last year, while people buying a bouquet and another gift will spend $18. com is currently $15 via PlumDistrict. Deal vouchers usually cannot be combined with coupon codes, however. That makes it simple to arrange. Another idea for novices: go big, with two or three bunches of the same kind and color of flower. Some also tack on extra charges of up to $20 for arrival on popular days -- namely, the weekend of Mother's Day -- or for guaranteed arrival by a certain time of day, he says. (Sparks says local florists typically don't charge such premiums, but there may be a discount for having an arrangement delivered before the holiday weekend. Those buying only flowers will spend an average $27. They're a safe bet -- what woman doesn't love flowers? -- as well as an easy add-on for picks like jewelry, dinner out or a spa gift certificate, she says. Check daily-deal sites, too: $30 worth of flowers at Teleflora. com presently has an offer for 20 percent off most orders; ProFlowers. com, up to 50 % off specific arrangements. Consumers counting on say, sunflowers or an all-pink bouquet may want to call the florist or make a note in the online order highlighting that request. But there's a bright spot for shoppers: as opposed to red roses for Valentine's Day, there is no signature flower for Mother's Day, meaning you shouldn't expect to pay elevated prices compared with other times of the year, say experts. |
Bargain Blooms for Mother's Day
| Bargain Blooms for Mother's Day
Mom may want diamonds, iPads, or even just one lousy telephone call for Mother's Day. "Flowers have always reigned as one of the top gifts," says NRF spokeswoman Kathy Grannis. 08 on the bloom portion, up 8%. com currently has an offer for 20% off most orders; ProFlowers. Check daily-deal sites, too: $30 worth of flowers at Teleflora. com is presently $15 via PlumDistrict. "Make sure that you know where the bouquet is coming from, and what it will look like when it arrives," she says. Consumers counting on say, sunflowers or an all-pink bouquet may want to call the florist or make a note in the online order highlighting that request. Even $5 or $10 in blooms from a supermarket or farmer's market can look luxe. Here are some of recommendations for getting a better deal on flowers this year:. That makes it simple to arrange. Some also tack on extra charges of up to $20 for arrival on popular days -- namely, the weekend of Mother's Day -- or for guaranteed arrival by a certain time of day, he says. (Sparks says local florists typically do not charge such premiums, but there may be a discount for having an arrangement delivered before the holiday weekend. What you order online isn't always exactly what you get. They're a safe bet -- what woman doesn't love flowers? -- along with an easy add-on for picks like jewelry, dinner out or a spa gift certificate, she says. Coupon codes are prevalent among flower-delivery sites, Grannis says. FTD. com, up to 50% off specific arrangements. Deal vouchers usually can't be combined with coupon codes, however. Those enticing sales are usually just a starting price, Verdery warns. |