Pugh’s Flowers Blog

Fall is here and everyone loves to see all the color changes and leaves falling, it's a beautiful time of year. Fall also gives us quite a few opportunities to spread good cheer. Here are some upcoming holidays to celebrate the people who are special to you. October 8, 2012 Columbus Day October 16, 2012 Boss's Day October 20, 2012 Sweetest Day October 31, 2012 Halloween History of Bosses Day (wikipedia) Patricia Bays Haroski registered "National Boss' Day" with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in 1958. She was working as a secretary for State Farm Insurance Company in Deerfield, Illinois at the time and chose October 8 because she forgot that the birthday of her boss, who was her father, was actually on the 16th. Four years later, in 1962, Illinois Governor Otto Kerner backed Haroski's registration and officially proclaimed the day.[citation needed] Hallmark did not offer a Boss' Day card for sale until 1979. It increased the size of its National Boss' Day line by 28 percent in 2007.[citation needed] National Boss' Day has become an international celebration in recent years and now is observed in countries such as Australia, India, South Africa, Ireland, the UK, and Egypt. Note that Egypt celebrates their equivalent holiday on 10 December every year.

We have a busy Fall and it's all wonderful. First thing to mention is that Pugh's Flowers was the title sponsor for the Rose Cup Soccer Tournament that was held this past weekend out at the Mike Rose Soccer fields. Pughy was there to hand out candy and coupons, we supplied a fun corn hole game and winners got to take flowers home! Next fun thing to join us in is the Camp Good Grief 5K, which is held on October 7th, 2pm. Sign up here and be a part of helping to send grief striken kids and teens to a warm and loving camp where they can learn to deal with their grief from a recently lost loved one. It's the only camp of it's kind in the mid-south and it's free for the campers. Another great thing that we are sponsoring is the 2nd annual Viral Video Contest, going on now through November 10th. Simply submit your home made videos about the world of flowers to us, we will ppost all the videos on our YouTube Channel and then the voting begins. Views equal votes, and the videos that are short and funny usually get the most views! Kids learn about making videos and the winning school gets $2500! Get creative and have some fun Memphis.

There is a lot of talk today about donating to charities instead of sending flowers to send your condolences.  While some families request this flowers are still a valuable part of the healing process.  There is a new director in town, Todd VanBeck of Forest Hill Cemeteries, who has written a wonderful and informative guide to the ins and outs of funeral flowers and he has graciously shared his work with us.  Following is an excerpt from  his article and it has some great information. By: Todd VanBeck SYMBOLISM AND FLOWERS          Through history, flowers have been used to symbolize almost every aspect of the life cycle, from birth through death. In death, flowers are used to symbolize how the beauty of creation is temporary and, as sure as the flower must be cut from the stem, so it is with life—we all, too, must have our life cut from the stem, so to speak.          Flowers also have a particular aesthetic value in the face of death, for the beauty of the flower helps balance our emotional response to the sharp contrast of the perceived ugliness of death. Flowers help soften the raw data imagery that death leaves with survivors.          The fragility of life is also symbolized by a flower. Flowers, to be healthy, require the proper condition to grow and expand – just like human beings.          And finally, the color of flowers has a specific symbolism, particularly in religious thought.          A.  A purple flower is a symbol of penitence and royalty. This floral color is used during the preparatory and penitential seasons of Advent and Lent.          B.  A white flower is the symbol of joyous and celebrative color of light. This floral color is used during the festive seasons of Christmas and Easter, and on high days during ordinary times.            C.  A green flower is the symbol of nature in the freshness of growth – hence our green cemeteries. This floral color is used, except on high days, during ordinary times, the seasons after Epiphany Pentecost.          D.  A red flower is the symbol of fire and blood, and is used on the Day of Pente­cost and on other special occasions when the work of the Holy Spirit or the blood of Christ or of martyrs is being commemorated.          E.  A black flower is the symbol used for Good Friday, though red flowers are also sometimes used.          Flowers, as we have just discussed, help the person think in symbolic terms, which is the way that much of the information concerning death is communicated.

Are you ready for some fun? Get creative Memphis and show us what you've got! Pugh's Flowers is  hosting our second annual Viral Video Contest this Fall. Entries can be submitted any time in September or October. By October 21st, we will gather all entires and submit them for viewing on our You Tube Channel, then the viewing/voting begins. The funnier and more creative the better! The kind of videos we are looking for are short, funny, and feature flowers in a differnt and exciting way. We got some great entries last year and you can see examples HERE. Please tell your schools that we welcome videos and think of this project as a teaching tool, and a way to get $2500 for your program. Get creative Memphis students!

Here are a few links to two new videos that we made to help our customers take good care of their flowers and plants after receiving them as gifts. It's just common sense, but you can meet two of our designers, Karen and Laura.  Hope you guys enjoy the videos!   How to make your floral arrangement last longer by Karen How to take care of your house plants by Laura

How to Find the Perfect Spot for Your Plant Wondering what plant to put where? Here's an indoor plant lighting guide to four categories of light exposure for house plants. What is a sunny (direct sun) location? Within 2 feet of a south- or southwest-facing window. Window sills flooded with sunlight. A sun room (If you have one, lucky you!) What is a bright (indirect sun) location? Within 4-5 feet of an east- or west-facing window. 3-5 feet from a window that faces south or southwest. Any place where the sun shines into a room for several hours. What is a partially shaded (low light) location? An east-facing window where the morning sun shines into the room for only a few hours. Morning sun is cooler than afternoon sun, so you don't have to worry about overheating your plant. At least 3-5 feet away from a window that faces south or southwest. Directly in front of a north-facing window gives a plant low-to-medium light intensity. What is a shady location? More than 6 feet away from a south- or southwest-facing window. Hallways, staircases, and corners of rooms. Near windows that are shaded by trees. Getting Indoor Plant Lighting Right:Not Enough Light...or Too Much? How do you know when your house plant is not getting enough light? It will tell you. Here are some things to look for: Growth is spindly, with long spaces between leaves New leaves are smaller than existing ones Lower leaves turn yellow and fall off No growth or slow growth Flowering plants fail to bloom or bloom poorly Variegated leafy plants turn a solid green New shoots reach out and grow toward the light Here are some signs that your plant is getting too much light: Brown scorched patches on leaves Leaves look faded or washed out Plant wilts at midday Leaves become dry and fall off Growing House Plants with Artificial Light If your rooms don't have enough light for your house plants, artificial indoor plant lighting may be the solution. It can supplement natural daylight -- or even replace it during the winter months when the days are shorter and the intensity of light is much lower. Artificial lights provide the sun's spectrum of wavelengths, which we identify as colors. For example, white light carries all the colors of the rainbow. Plants need the cool blue and violet hues of the spectrum for foliage, and the warm red and orange for flowering. Reading light is mostly green and yellow -- two colors that plants don't need. Fluorescent lights are efficient because they provide the type of light (the blue and red parts of the spectrum) that plants need for photosynthesis. A good setup includes a half-and-half combination of cool-white and warm-white fluorescent tubes mounted under a reflector. They should be 40 watts each. Keep foliage plants at least 12 inches below the lights and flowering plants 6-12 inches below the lights. If it's not practical to lower the light fixture, you can raise the [...]

Romance her with Flowers.... Let us help! One of the most classic and romantic ways to show love, affection, appreciation, or just plain ole Hey, I Like you is with flowers! I'm sure you've seen this before. Guy likes girl, Guy asks girl out, Guy brings flowers for girl on date, Girl and guy fall madly in love. Flowers are absolutely appropriate on a first date. They are also appropriate on several other occasions as well, such as birthdays and anniversaries. However to really make an impact with flowers here are a few special hints just for you guys..... 1. Be Spontaneous! You don't have to wait for a special occasion to give flowers. You don't need one! In fact, flowers given for no reason at all other than "thinking of you today" mean so much more to the recipient simply because they are unexpected. If your loved one is having a bad day, there is no better way to make it better! 2. Don't overlook anyone! Flowers are great for girlfriends and wives, but there are many special women in your life I'm sure that would love a gift of flowers. Bouquets can express a whole wide range of feelings, from romantic to friendly and everything in between. Your wife will appreciate flowers but so will your mother, sister, daughter, and friends. 3. Try Something New. Women are interested in a wide variety of flowers and colors. So, when giving roses, consider pink, peach, yellow, white, or assorted colors to catch her attention. And, remember, most women appreciate a beautiful assortment of fresh flowers, as well as roses. Consider a mixed bouquet of all kinds of different flowers and switch it up a little every time you get one for her. You can have roses added to any arrangement. They look great with just about everything. Also pay attention to which flowers she seems to like the best and incorporate her favorites into every bouquet. That says you know what she likes and she will appreciate you noticing.  4. Recycle vases. Giving flowers regularly can get pricey. Here are ways you can give flowers often but save money as well. Recycle vases. Here at Pugh's we LOVE recycling. You can bring in any vase and we will make up a fresh arrangement for you in it and you save money not buying another vase. You can also save money on the flowers themselves. Certain flowers are less expensive than others and you can make a lovely bouquet by just incorporating some of these with other more expensive flowers. The best way to know is to stop in and let us help you. We can suggest flowers and put something together to fit your budget. 5. Flowers are never boring. No matter how many times you receive flowers it is always exiting to receive them. Plus, because of their infinite diversity and unique appeal, flowers never lose their uniqueness. Each new floral arrangement is a fresh and individual declaration of appreciation, [...]

From Wikipedia: Independence Day, commonly known as the Fourth of July, is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain. Independence Day is commonly associated with fireworks, parades, barbecues, carnivals, fairs, picnics, concerts, baseball games, family reunions, and political speeches and ceremonies, in addition to various other public and private events celebrating the history, government, and traditions of the United States. Independence Day is the national day of the United States.[1][2][3]   Background During the American Revolution, the legal separation of the Thirteen Colonies from Great Britain occurred on July 2, 1776, when the Second Continental Congress voted to approve a resolution of independence that had been proposed in June by Richard Henry Lee of Virginia declaring the United States independent from Great Britain.[4][5] After voting for independence, Congress turned its attention to the Declaration of Independence, a statement explaining this decision, which had been prepared by a Committee of Five, with Thomas Jefferson as its principal author. Congress debated and revised the Declaration, finally approving it on July 4. A day later, John Adams had written to his wife Abigail: The second day of July, 1776, will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more.[6] Adams's prediction was off by two days. From the outset, Americans celebrated independence on July 4, the date shown on the much-publicized Declaration of Independence, rather than on July 2, the date the resolution of independence was approved in a closed session of Congress.[7] There is no question that July 4, 1776 is the date that the Congress approved the final official document, having voted to declare independence two days earlier.[8] Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and Benjamin Franklin all later wrote that they had also signed it on that day. However, most historians have concluded that the Declaration was signed nearly a month after its adoption, on August 2, 1776, and not on July 4 as is commonly believed.[9][10][11][12][13] In a remarkable coincidence, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, the only signers of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as Presidents of the United States, died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration. Although not a signer of the Declaration of Independence, but another Founding Father who became a President, James Monroe, died on July 4, 1831, thus becoming the third president in a row who died on this memorable day. Calvin Coolidge, the 30th President, was born on July 4, 1872, and, so far, [...]

The Summer Rose Sale starts June 1st and runs through August 31st. Pugh's Flowers is happy to pass along great savings to our customers for the summer months. Summer is a great time to surprise someone with red roses and it's the perfect time to save in the process. Wholesale prices on red roses go down in the summer months and Pugh's believes in giving their customers the benefit of the price reductions.