Color is influential in every aspect of our lives. It conveys a warm or cool feeling and can draw you in or divert attention. It can create feelings of cheerfulness, sadness, love or tranquility. In flower arranging knowing how to blend colors together can make or break your design so careful thought should go into your choice of colors before you start.

Flowers come in an astounding number of hues and shades due to continual crossbreeding. This is the most true in roses. There are well over a hundred different types of roses now of every shade imaginable and counting. They have even been bred now to have two or three different shades on the petals and are fast becoming a new favorite for florists and customers alike.

If you are new to arranging or still struggle with how to put color together, take heart, there is help in the form of what’s called the color wheel. It is made up of primary colors, secondary colors and intermediate colors. The first thing one needs to understand, is that the primary colors are only three colors, red, blue and yellow. All colors are made from combining these colors but you cannot make red, blue or yellow by combining any colors.

Red is a very hot, passionate and strong color. It creates drama in an arrangement. Red can make you think of Christmas or valentines. Yellow is a happy color and evokes a feeling of anticipation like you experience when spring has arrived and the sun is shinning and things are coming back to life. Birthday arrangements or baby arrangements often have yellow as it does evoke that feeling of cheerfulness.
Blue is a cool color and creates a softer feeling like you may experience when looking at the sky in the summertime.

Combining primary colors together creates secondary colors. Red and yellow make orange, red and blue make purple and yellow and blue make green.

Orange is a dramatic color, not as hot as red but it still has impact. If you want an arrangement to have the autumn feel then you should combine colors such as browns, gold or a bit of yellow and red-orange together. It will make a bold statement.

Purple is a vibrant color but unlike red and orange it has a calming effect. When you combine purple, blues, pinks and a bit of yellow together, you get this luscious vibrant and soothing arrangement.

Green is a universal color that goes with any color of arrangement. In nature all flowers spring up from greens so it is very natural to use them in all arrangements. In fact, I like to put together three different shades and textures of greens together before putting any flowers in my arrangement. It is very effective.

You can take any of these color combinations and put them together in their lighter or darker shades depending on what mood you are trying to create. Also, you do not need to stick to just these color combinations. If you want drama, try mixing together dark red, purple, yellow and a bit of white. Contrast can make quite a bold statement.

Last but not least here is a list of colors on the color wheel starting with yellow:

Yellow orange, orange, red orange, red, red violet, violet, blue violet, blue, blue green, green, and finally yellow green. Of course you could make many more hues but for our purpose here we stick with the color wheel.

I hope this helps.

Willie Jones

Willie is a freelance writer, researcher, floral designer, and artist. Thanks very much for reading this far. Please come and visit us at: http://www.artinspires.com/for an inspirational poster or two

“Make sure you enroll in the free motivational poster drawing. All winners receive a free framed print.”

Whatever the occasion may be - be it to share our greatest joys or express our deepest sorrows, flowers are most commonly used to represent our feelings. The formation can go as a single stem or a bouquet; these flowers, which are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and fragrances, can be arranged to express almost every sentiment.

History supports the long path flowers have traveled in expressing feelings. The passion for flowers was so high with the French that they even published flower dictionaries in 1800s. This helped them classify and use almost all available flower species. The significance of a single flower such as a marigold was so high that its direction in a bouquet defined jubilation or a mourning.

Today, gifting flowers is not simply considered a kind gesture, but in many cases a hard-and-fast rule. Flowers of various types have become seamlessly integrated necessities in many of our most important life rituals, including birth, marriage, and death. It is a rare maternity ward that is devoid of bright blooms, just as a memorial service would be missing more than the dearly departed if it were not for a subtle adornment of white lilies, lilacs, and roses. Similarly, a bride without a bouquet is almost not recognizable as a bride at all.

One can be most artistic with the formation of bunch of flowers on marriages. In earlier times, it was affirmed that as the bride was to step into her new life, flowers and herbs around her forced the wicked evils away and guarded the bride. Flowers also helped couples express their feelings for each other during the courtship period wherein they sent particular flowers to exchange love notes before their wedding.

Some selections of floral symbolic meanings include:

- Daisies and lilacs: (youthful) innocence

- Tulips and red roses: love

- Irises: affection

- Lemon blossoms: vow of monogamy

- Violets: faithfulness

Flowers can strongly relate to specific personalities and hence can act as personal tributes as well. Even though the irises are more formally accepted as funeral offering, branches and ferns would be more befitting a tribute to someone who has been an avid outdoorsman all his life. Similarly, chrysanthemums though denote the expression of serious love but a girl named Chrissy might just be delighted to have them as her first date gift!

As the old adage goes that beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder, the expression the bouquet conveys is dependent on the understanding of the recipient. The appeal of Red Roses as a romantic gift is universal and can be understood everywhere. However a grouping of poppies signifying extravagance may find it difficult to penetrate many minds. If a flower or an arrangement speaks to you then perhaps bright colors best establish your happiness on success at professional level or a promotion while a single lily may remind you of someone loved at home even though it is normally considered a funeral flower.

The colors, the varieties, the sizes, the combinations… flowers can combine to create an endless number of expressions and sentiments. The fresh aroma of newly-emerged roses can capture the memories of a childhood summer better than the most vivid journal entries and home movies. Breathe in the fragrance, take in the vivid coloring, and enjoy expressing that which cannot quite be put into words with flowers.

Copyright 2006 Flora Delboda. All rights reserved.
Flora Delboda is the webmaster of DM Flower- a Flower Portal which is a single resource for flower growers, gardeners, florists, wedding planners, and other flower enthusiasts. on the Internet. Be sure to visit her archive of articles at: http://www.dmflower.com/newsletters/

Noted for their low maintenance and wide diversity of plants, wildflower meadows are full of vibrant colors and interesting textures. The meadow approach to the landscape requires a clear understanding of a site’s natural conditions, more so than say a formal perennial garden bed. Wildflower meadows are a constantly changing landscape with some species surviving year after year while others may disappear and be replaced with something new. Along with these aesthetic benefits there are ecological benefits as well, including the reduced need for mowing, the creation of a habitat for native species of animals and the fact that wildflower meadows are very effective at trapping airborne pollutants.

The easiest way to create and grow a wildflower garden is to sow the seeds in spring in preferably a sunny spot on well-prepped ground where they will not be in competition with weeds and grasses. Wildflower meadows require extensive site preparation. Remove all existing vegetation from the planting area, this will reduce the risk of unwanted weeds and grasses invading the site. Don’t till the soil too deep as unwanted weed seed can be brought to the surface and germinate in the meadow or garden. Without proper site preparation opportunistic weeds may flood the site. With proper site preparation you can reduce the number of undesirable grasses and weeds in the meadow. Though one person’s weeds are another’s wildflower there are certain characteristics which define them. Weeds are generally not a member of the natural plant community, have rapid growth and abundant seed production, are troublesome, destructive and not economically valuable.

Successful wildflower meadows generally have equal percentages of wildflowers and native grasses. Though not as visually striking at any one point in time the wildflower garden offers far more diversity in plant variety over the course of a season and a more diverse floral display than a perennial or annual bed. Be wary if the meadow in a can, while these contain some perennials which will return year after year, they will also contain many annual species which will provide quite a bit of color the first year only to die off and disappear. While annuals are fine and provide a full season of color the majority of flower should be perennials. The grasses which sprout up in the wildflower meadow actually extend the season in terms of plant interest with their colorful autumn seed heads. One disadvantage of starting a wildflower garden from solely seed is that this method takes longer to establish itself. Use a mix of seed and established plants for the best results.

Once a year, preferably in the fall after the seeds have dropped from the plants, mow the field with the blades at a high setting. Another option is to use a weed whacker. This will allow the plants to get an early start in the spring. It also removes any tree and shrub saplings from taking over the site.

Wildflower meadows are all about adaptation, experiment with different seeds and plants to see what works best in the conditions of your garden. Though wildflower meadow takes a bit longer to establish, they are worth the wait so be patient and nurture the garden. Soon you’ll be enjoying a colorful, self sustaining, low maintenance landscape.

T Hallinan is a landscape designer and builder in Massachusetts. Visit his garden resource website http://www.gardenlistings.com for all kind of helpful information. For more garden guides visit http://www.gardenlistings.com/resources.htm

The skillful gardener employs numerous devices to achieve a colorful flower bed or border. For example, by planting spring flowering bulbs between and beneath other flowers, each square foot of ground should give at least two crops of bloom. Conversely, after spring bulbs, such as daffodils and tulips, are through blooming, they may be inter planted with annuals for summer bloom. As summer blooming annuals go by in September, they can be followed by chrysanthemum clumps transplanted from another part of the garden. An orderly plan, made in advance, will simplify the task of keeping the show going from season to season. The kinds of fresh flower arrangements blooming and greenplants you grow will be determined in a measure by the amount of sunlight available. This will vary from bed to bed, from one side of the house to the other. Most flowers will thrive in full sun but a few require shade. Others are shade tolerant, though doing better with a greater amount of sunlight. So it is possible to have flowers in the shade of trees, shrubs and buildings even where no direct sunlight reaches. Such plants as ferns, many wild flowers, and begonias have to be protected from the summer sun, for otherwise they may sun-scorch. When making a plan, it is important to know how tall each kind of flower grows so as not to plant tall growing ones in front of low ones.

When making a plan, it is important to know how tall each kind of flower grows so as not to plant tall growing ones in front of low ones. The habit of growth should be known too, so as not to crowd massive clumps like peonies next to smaller, weaker growers such as peachleaf bellflowers; or sprawling coreopsis next to a low, tufted Japanese primrose. Very rank growers like the plume poppy and spreading Chinese lantern are really best kept out of beds with other flowers altogether. Much has been said and written about planning color schemes in the garden. They are fascinating to think about, but often difficult to work out.

Do not be disconcerted if the results are not as expected. Flowers have an irritating way of not blooming just when they should, so that carefully planned combinations may not materialize. Colors vary too. Blues in catalogs are not always your idea of blue. This goes for lavender, purple, red, pink, orange, yellow and so on through the rainbow. In any case, there is enough green foliage to subdue impossible color combinations. Some people like to have their flowers in the front of the house where they can be seen. Others prefer to enjoy them in privacy. It is well to remember that in early spring and fall the weather may not be conducive to outdoor enjoyment. Plant so that cold weather bloom may be enjoyed from the warmth and comfort of the home, using the windows as a means of access to the garden. Flowers can also be planted so as to be seen from the patio or picnic area. In every instance, a garden with a pleasing pattern or design and an adequate background is more satisfying than one without.

The voice of experience is most helpful in planning a garden. Sources of help are garden clubs and friends and neighbors who may have had more garden experience. Much can be learned from visiting other gardens at home and on trips, nurseries, botanic gardens, arbore-tums and well-landscaped parks. All this will add to your knowledge of plants and how they grow.

Ethan Botan is a freelancer writer who writes gardening articles for numerous print and online publications. Check out his site with lots of fresh flower arrangements blooming and greenplants ideas.

When planning your wedding flowers you must consider them to be the bride’s arrangements, reflecting the spirit of her life’s happiest day. From bouquets to decorations and wedding reception flowers, many brides are clueless about which one of them to select.

Flowers should be chosen according to the bride and groom preferences, color of the bride and bridesmaids’ dresses, church and reception places, and sticking to the decoration theme, if any.

Another point to consider is the season because most floral varieties are easily found year-round, but seasonal flowers are cheaper and easier to find. Fresh flowers are the most viable option when it comes to planning the wedding day, but a few brides prefer dried flowers or artificial ones made of silk.

Having an overall perspective of the flowers available throughout the different seasons of the year may help to save money on flowers and yet allow you to select the most appropriate flowers for the big day. Wedding Flowers can be classified into Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Anytime categories.

Spring Wedding Flowers to choose from are tulips, violets, greenery, fern, pansies, peonies, ivy, daffodils, lilacs, lilies and lily of the valley, dogwoods, irises, forsythia branches, hyacinth, larkspur, sweet peas, apple or cherry blossoms.

For summer, the seasonal Wedding Flowers are daisies, roses, dahlias, zinnias, asters, iris, larkspur, Shasta, stock, calla lilies, delphinium, geraniums, hydrangeas, sunflower, sweet William, greenery, beech leaves, ferns, meadowsweet, stock, goldenrod, Jacobs ladder and Queen Anne’s Lace.

During the fall, most wedding arrangements include both flowers and foliage but not necessary. The mix of these elements is always a decision of the bride who can choose from a single flower theme to combined floral arrangements with or without specific foliage any time of the year.

In Autumn, Wedding flowers include asters, dried hydrangeas, roses, zinnias, statice, marigolds, chrysanthemums and gerbera daisies while the most commonly used foliage are autumn leaves, yarrow, rosemary and rosehip.

Wedding Flowers for winter include the classic poinsettias, as well as orchids, amaryllis, camellias, jasmine and forget-me-nots in addition to accents of pine, ivy, fem, spruce and rhododendron leaves, so there is no need for dried or artificial flowers as many brides still believe.

Apart from the flowers already mentioned, there are some others available anytime when brides seek fresh flowers, including a variety of carnations and roses, besides of gardenias, baby’s breath, snapdragons, stephanotis and ivy mainly used in wedding bouquets.

Wedding flowers are part of your special day, but can take a large portion of the wedding budget if not planned in advance. However, their importance should not be underestimated because they are symbol of joyful celebration, prosperity and fertility contributing to the atmosphere of love joining the bride and groom’s lives together.

The Internet opened a new and convenient way for people to order flowers. Summer 2004, Terry and Rick were getting married. Terry was in Sheffield, UK and Rick was in Leeds, UK. Typing in “Sheffield flowers”, and “florists in Leeds”, they planned their wedding flowers perfectly online.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. She writes about family, love and relationship. She enjoyed the experience of a Leicester florist, UK for flower delivery in Kent, UK.

In today’s society which is formed by many different cultures, religions, and preferences, it’s important to note there really isn’t a specific protocol designating which party is responsible for paying for particular wedding expenses. With wedding costs skyrocketing and many couples waiting until their careers are established before getting married, there are several options that can be considered. Sometimes the couple will pay for all of the expenses themselves or ask the families to chip in for the ceremony flowers or bridal attire. Perhaps one of the easiest options may be to divide the total expenses into thirds: one-third for each set of parents and one-third for the couple. The following is a summary of anticipated wedding expenses for budgeting purposes indicating who traditionally pays for what, while keeping in mind nothing is set in stone:

(BF - Bride’s Family, B - Bride, G - Groom, GF - Groom’s Family)

Pre-Wedding:

First engagement party (BF)

Second engagement party (GF)

Rehearsal Dinner (GF)

Bridesmaids’ Luncheon (B)

Ceremony:

Marriage License (G)

Location Fee (BF)

Officiant’s Fee (G)

Ceremony Accessories (BF)

Reception:

Reception venue and rentals (BF)

Food and Service (BF)

Beverages (BF)

Cake (BF)

Attire for Bride and Groom:

Bride’s Dress and Alterations (BF)

Headpiece and Veil (BF)

Bridal Accessories (BF)

Hair, Nails, and Makeup (B)

Groom’s Tux (G)

Groom’s Accessories (G)

Flowers/Decorations:

Bride’s Bouquet (G)

Bridesmaids’ Bouquets (BF)

Mothers’ Flowers (G)

Groom/Groomsmen’s Boutonnieres (G)

Flower Girl’s Flowers (BF)

Additional Boutonnieres or Corsages (BF)

Reception Decorations (BF)

Ceremony Decorations (BF)

Favors (BF)

Music:

Ceremony Musicians (BF)

Reception Band/DJ (BF)

Photo/Video:

Photographer’s Fee (BF)

Videographer’s Fee (BF)

Additional Prints and Videos (BF)

Stationery:

Personal Stationery (B)

Invitations (BF)

Response Cards (BF)

Thank You Notes (BF)

Save the Date Cards (BF)

Announcements (BF)

Rings:

Her Ring (G)

His Ring (B)

Transportation/Lodging:

Limousines and Car Rental (BF)

Guest Shuttle/Car Parking (BF)

Honeymoon (G)

Gifts:

Gifts for Bridal Attendants (B)

Gifts for Groom’s Attendants (G)

Gifts for Parents (B,G)

Wedding gift for Newlyweds (BF, GF)

Wedding gift for Bride (G)

Wedding gift for Groom (B)

Wedding Attendants:
Wedding attendants are generally expected to pay for their own attire, travel, and lodging, as well as for the bachelorette/bachelor parties. However, if someone needs financial assistance and it’s important to have them to participate in the wedding, then the bridal couple usually helps to defray those costs, which would also need to be included in your budget.

Charlene Davis is a published business writer specializing in business trends, online auctions, marketing strategies, e-commerce, parenting, travel, spirituality, and food. For more information and to see her latest books and publications, please visit her business website at www.cdavisfreelance.com. And stop by her recipe website (www.busymomsrecipes.com) for a great selection of recipes and to sign up for the free monthly newsletter.

All good things eventually come to an end and so summer is waning, even as autumn gives most of us a fresh start. I’ll bet your summer container plantings aren’t really benefiting, though, from the “back to school-oh I love a clean notebook” boost and aren’t dying as gracefully as summer itself is. You’re going to have to help them through this!

Saving Summer

I understand if you just can’t bear the thought of waving good-bye to your wave petunias just yet. That’s okay - you can bring some of your tropical annuals indoors for the winter, to ease the pain of parting with them.

If you have the space, a sunny window and enough moisture, you can save palms, ferns and other tropicals. Likely though, you’ll have more success with taking cuttings and helping your plants clone themselves. (It’s kind of like Day of the Triffids without the evil.)

Pick a healthy plant with no nasty bugs or blights. With a sharp knife, cut off non-flowering stems 3-4 inches (8-11 cm) long, and strip the leaves off the lower two-thirds of the stem. Dip the cut edges in rooting hormone, available at your local nursery, and stick them in dampened sand or peat moss, or a glass of tap water. Place the pot, tray or glass in a sunny spot and wait 3-4 weeks. If the cuttings are in sand or peat, don’t forget to water to keep them damp throughout that time.

When the roots are at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, you can plant them in potting soil in attractive containers and winter them on a sunny windowsill or table. This method works well with annuals such as geraniums (pelargonium), coleus, and some ivies. You can also try propagating impatiens this way.

Cleaning Up

Now that you’ve rescued what you can, get ruthless and empty all of your other outdoor containers. If you have a compost heap, chop up the remains and toss them there. Soil too! This is particularly important if you’ve been using terracotta or ceramic containers, as the moisture in the soil will expand when it freezes and you’ll end up with cracked pots. (If there are any crackpots around my house, I want them to be of the human variety!)

Next, wash out the empty containers to remove any disease and fungal spores. If your terracotta pots have a white build-up from water, potting soil and fertilizer chemicals, soak them for 24 hours in white vinegar and water with some baking soda added. Then scrub them with a stiff brush in warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly.

Air or sun dry the containers and then stack them with layers of newspaper between each. If you have a spot to store them where they won’t freeze over the winter months, all the better. If not, as long as you’ve made certain the pots are dry and well layered with paper, they should be fine until the spring.

Now you’re ready to put on a show of fall color. I can tell you EVERYTHING you need to know. Check under “Fall Planting Tips” on the fre*e articles page of my webs-site.

About The Author

Debbie Rodgers, the haven maven, owns and operates Paradise Porch, and is dedicated to helping people create outdoor living spaces that nurture and enrich them. Her latest how-to guide “Attracting Butterflies to Your Home and Garden” is now available on her web site. Visit her at http://www.paradiseporch.com and get a free report on “Eight easy ways to create privacy in your outdoor space”.

debbie@paradiseporch.com

Valentine’s Day is quite upon us. It’s a time when the majority of us turn our thoughts to hearts, flowers, cards and candy. For many of us, it’s a time of expressing through “things” what we find hard to say with words. For many of us, speaking from the heart and expressing our sentiments is challenging or uncomfortable, so, “we say it with flowers.”

Many of us long to be able to look our partner in the eye and say what’s in our hearts, to be completely open, to be transparent. Many of us long for the intimacy that allows connecting without words, an intimacy that allows connecting with but a loving glance or a loving touch.

Many of us long to be in relationshipnot just “acquaintanceship.”

Many of us long to be wrapped up within each other’s heart and soul and not just caught up in the wrapping of our partner’s “packaging.”

So, this Valentine’s Day, it might be a welcome opportunity to take some time for self-reflection and consider what your ideal relationship would really, really be like, right here, right now…not somewhere down the roadin the future. After all, the future begins now.

So, some questions to inquire about?

Do you see your relationship as a “problem to be solved”, or as an adventure to embrace together?

Do you see conflict as a friend and opportunity for growth or connection, or as a pain in the butt?

Does your partner support your becoming “whole”, or as someone who keeps you from being all that you can beon every level?

Are you willing to cross the bridge to “meet” your partner, or are you only waiting for your partner to come to your side?

Do you recognize that your partner’s bewildering behavior is a cry for your help, o do you see his or her behavior as an irritant that only results in your resistance or resentment?

Do you recognize that every frustration is a gift for your relationship?

Do you and your partner honestly, sincerely and openly dream your dreams together?

Can you and your partner gently and lovingly hold one another’s hand, or do you need to grasp on tightly and chain your partner’s soul to your way of be-ing and do-ing?

How do you view love? Does love allow you to stand tall and upright or does love mean “leaning” on the other?

Do you accept your defeats with your head up and your eyes ahead with the grace of a woman or a man, or with the grief or resentment or begrudging of a child?

So, on this Valentine’s Day, can you plant your own garden without waiting for someone to bring you the flowers?

On this Valentine’s Day, can you experience your own sweetness without waiting for someone to bring you the candy?

On this Valentine’s Day, how are you in relationship with your own heart? Can you look in the mirror at your own reflection and say: “I love you with all my heart; I am complete?” or do you “need someone else” to complete you?

Do cards, candy, and flowers create your sense of well-being, or can they simply the icing on the cake of a full, and complete heart, your own full and complete heart?

On this Valentine’s Day, are you in relationship or in acquaintanceship? How do you know?

Perhaps, take some time and ask your heart where your heart is this Valentine’s Day, and be still, and listen. What is your heart telling you?

(c) 2005, Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D. All rights in all media reserved.

Peter G. Vajda, Ph.D, is co-founder of SpiritHeart, an Atlanta,
GA firm specializing in coaching, counseling and facilitating.
Peter’s expertise focuses on personal, business and relationship
coaching. He is a professional speaker and published author. For
more information about his services, email Peter at
pvajda@spiritheart.net

Dried hydrangea wreaths are so beautiful and versatile
in a home, and a lot of fun to make as well.

You can either purchase already dried hydrangea flowers
from your local craft store, or you can dry your own.
The biggest trick when drying your own is the timing of
when you pick the flowers. It is best to pick them
right before you anticipate your first fall frost. If
you pick them mid-summer, they just will not dry
correctly.

You can either hang them upside down in a darkened room
to dry, or you can set them in a vase upright, even
adding a tiny bit of water in the bottom of the vase,
although even that is optional. As long as they are
picked at the correct time, it’s difficult to fail with
them. It’s fun if you can, to pick several blooms
from different bushes, as it will provide a nice
variety of colors to the wreath. After they are
dried, pick off any dead / discolored brown blooms.

Now, pick the type of base you want to use for a
wreath. My personal favorites are either Styrofoam or
grapevine type wreath bases. Take some floral wire
and wrap it around the wreath, then form a loop of the
wire to hang from the wall, and then wrap the wreath
again. You might try hanging it from the wall at this
point to make sure it lies correctly, and then make any
needed adjustments while the wreath is bare.

To do a Styrofoam wreath, use a low melt point hot glue
gun. Separate each bloom into smaller florets. Hot
glue each floret into the wreath base, actually poking
the stem down into the Styrofoam base. With each
bloom, space it out over the surface of the wreath, for
example; a floret at the top, next left side, bottom,
then right side, then inside the circle of the wreath,
and outside of the wreath. Continue to do this with
each bloom until you fill it.

Balance is what you are looking for. Balance in
shape, you don’t want any sticking out way above the
others, you don’t want one side of the wreath to be
fuller than the other. Try stepping back and looking
at a distance and just think “balance of shape”.

The second area to look for is balance of color. This
is the purpose of doing each bloom all over, then
filling in, so you achieve that balance of color.
Give another once over to check on that.

Now, this wreath is either finished, or you can add
perhaps add small sprigs of dried baby’s breath to it.

Really depends on the look you want. Sometimes the
simplicity of only the hydrangeas is stunning.

For a grapevine wreath, it’s the same principal but a
different look. You can tie a bow on the wreath if
you want (if you do, do so before adding flowers), or
ribbon. I like to leave bare spaces on these to be
able to see the grapevine portion as well. Again,
look for balance. You can also add dried roses to it
or any other type of dried flowers or grasses too.
You can get really creative with these and come up with
very different looks. Experiment to your heart’s
content.

Many times people expect dried floral arrangements to
last forever, and are disappointed when they start
looking bad after a few years. This is a
misconception. Expect them to look good for about a
year, that’s really about all they were meant to last.

If they are in direct sunlight it will be a much
shorter time. However, the next year, feel free to
strip the old flowers off, and make another with the
same base for another year’s worth of a gorgeous hand
made wreath!

By Valerie Garner-Mother, grandmother and candlemaker /
owner of Joyful Designs in Soy. She loves to write on
a variety of topics with a warm, and engaging style.
http://www.joyfuldesignsinsoy.com

The most important components in a landscape are probably trees. Their prominent shape and size gives the necessary depth to any garden or lawn. Such a large and tall plant can be impossible to ignore in any scenery and they can add a sense of permanence with their remarkable longevity, making it possible for them to be enjoyed through generations. Additionally, trees attract life as they have the ability to support whole ecosystems being a possible home to birds, bees, butterflies, squirrels, small plants, and other creatures. Moreover, trees can also become aesthetic, flowering trees can add beauty and grace apart from a sense of strength and prominence.

There are many kinds of flowering trees, each being valued for their distinct qualities. Here are some of the popular flowering trees in the landscaping scene:

Dogwoods - these are among the most popular and well-loved flowering trees that blossom in the spring. The soft white or pink flowers are indeed pleasing for to the eyes. Additionally, dogwoods also look good in the autumn as their leaves turn to a rich and bright red tinge. Having a dogwood in one’s backyard can definitely light up one’s surroundings for much of the year.

Rose of Sharon - while the rose of Sharon is technically a shrub, most people think that it is a tree because it can grow tall and be trimmed down to a single tree-like trunk. Its lilac-tinted flower is very attractive. The blooms come relatively late which makes it good to be planted with early blooming trees to enjoy flowers throughout the season.

Cherry, Mulberry, and Crab Apple - these flowering trees are generally grouped as weeping trees because of their teardrop-like buds. The elegant white to pastel pink flowers create a cozy ambience that is quite calming. These ornamental flowering trees add color and excitement to any panorama.

Washington Hawthorn Flowering Trees - this trees are very much valued because of the distinct time when they bloom. They usually flower from the latter portion of the spring to the early part of summer which makes them ideal in the transition period between the two periods, when most spring trees have shed they blooms and most summer trees have just started budding.

Magnolias - these are sometimes called saucers obviously for their big flowers that are very noticeable to anyone nearby. This type of flowering tree makes a big impression on anyone who beholds its beauty.

Crape Myrtles - this tree is considered as the queen of the flowering trees in the south as it is a very popular choice for Southerners. They bloom for long periods starting from the middle of summer to autumn. The flowers bloom in clusters that can be white, red, pink or lilac, which are attached to the tips of new wood. In temperate regions, these flowering trees can die in the winter, but come back in springtime.

Harry Lauder’s walking stick - this unique tree with an odd name is indeed a distinct flowering tree as it becomes beautiful only when it sheds its leaves. This is also technically a shrub that looks at a tree because it can go over four feet high. Harry Lauder’s walking street is ideal for those who have winter planting in mind.

There are several other kinds of flowering trees and each could add beauty as well as strength to any landscape. Planting trees can be such a worthwhile endeavor to beautify any piece of land.

Khieng ‘Ken‘ Chho - Online Flowering Tree Resources. For more, visit Ken’s website: http://floweringtrees.wicwoc.com/