What flowers do I send to a Libran? 

Those born under the sign of Libra are peaceful and fair and hate being alone so partnership is very important for them.  Libra is an Air Sign with expressed intellect and a keen mind.

LIBRA - Born September 23 – October 22

FLOWERS 

Rose, Chinchincheree, Molucella (Bells of Ireland), Cymbidium Orchid, Gardenia, Tea Rose, Tuberose, Freesia, Gladiolus

The rose zodiac flower sign exposes the truth in all things. If you have this flower sign you have a unique ability to see the hidden meanings in things and expose the underlying evidence for what it is. You have an eye for classic beauty, and you love to surround yourself with beautiful things too. You are attracted to philosophy, poetry and art. Because you see the beauty and truth in all things you do not tolerate injustice or cruelty. You are most happy when you are with friends and family – taking a walk and enjoying nature..

Caring for your flowers

You've just received your lovely bouquet or arrangement in floral foam.  They will have come with a sachet of flower food and a card with suggestions for care.

If you have received an arrangement in a container it will contain floral foam.  This amazing product can hold a lot of water but it will evaporate quickly so you will need to top it up daily.  Florists should leave a little gap at the back where you can slowly pour in the water.  If there isn't a gap, then place the arrangement on the sink and top up.

If you have received a bouquet it will be wrapped in pretty paper or some other decorative wrapping.  It is your choice whether you remove the paper as usually this is part of the presentation and you may decide that it is so pretty you will leave it on.  With other wrapping such as dried lotus leaves, this is part of the design and should be retained.  Bouquets should always be delivered in a water bubble or some other method of keeping the stems hydrated.  Remove the wrapping from the stems and if they have been delivered out of water you will need to cut approximately 2cm from the bottom of the stem on an angle.  A sharp Swiss Army type knife is the best way to cut stems but if you don't have one, use clean, sharp seceteurs.  Scissors will damage the water uptaking vessels in the flower stem, which shortens the life of the flowers.

Fill a clean vase with water and dissolve the flower food sachet in it.

Ensure that there is no foliage on the stems where they will be underwater.  The florist should have done this already but if you've picked up your bunch from somewhere else, it's important that you do this as leaves under water will create flower killing bacteria.  You may need to recut the stems to suit your vase but this must be on an angle so that the point is resting on the base of the vase so it can drink and the maximum amount of vessels are exposed.

It is imperative that the water be changed at least every 2 days.  If you wouldn't drink the water then the flowers shouldn't either.  Gerbera stems will rot if you overfill the vase and some flowers are very thirsty. (Lilies)

Position your flowers away from sunlight, draughts, (air conditioning), direct heat generating appliances (microwave, TV, toaster) and not in excessively heated rooms.

Some flowers will last longer than others and it's important to remove spent flowers as they create ethylene gas which shortens the life of the other flowers.  It's also important that flowers are not placed near fruit as this also generates ethylene gas.

Have you ever wondered what you should look for when buying flowers?

TIPS  FOR BUYING FLOWERS

There are a few simple steps you should follow to ensure you get the best quality flowers. The main aim when buying flowers is simply to spot the bunch which is the freshest!    By following these steps and our Cut Flower Care tips, you can ensure the flowers you buy last as long as possible.

Of course, if you buy from an experienced florist you can rely on them to provide you with good quality and freshness, making purchasing so much easier and reliable for you.  We can also provide you with specific care advice at home relating to the type of arrangement and the variety of flower.

BUY ‘INSIDE’ FLOWERS

Many retailers place flowers outside to advertise that they sell flowers.  Never buy these!  Buy the flowers that are inside the shop, out of the sun and away from potentially harmful car fumes. To make sure they last, most flowers should be kept in the cool and out of the sun.  Some flowers can also be harmed by car exhaust fumes which contain deadly (to flowers) ethylene gas.  This gas accelerates the aging process, resulting in flowers wilting and dropping.  Most affected are  carnations, roses, orchids and waxflower so it’s best to choose flowers that are displayed inside, away from these harmful conditions.

CHECK THE STEM ENDS

Turn the bunch upside down and have a good look at the cut stem ends.  They should be green or white and look freshly cut and on an angle.  Don't buy bunches with dark stem ends, or where the ends have split and are curling back, as these are signs of old flowers.

CHECK THE WATER

The flowers you buy at any retail outlet should be in water.  Check the cleanliness of the water and the container.  Is the water clear? If you wouldn’t drink it, it needs changing.  Is the container clean? If not don't buy the flowers.  Dirty water and dirty containers will reduce the flowers' life.

CHECK THE LEAVES

In many types of cut flowers the leaves start to die before the flower.  Check the leaves for signs of yellowing or blotching.  If you see these signs don't buy.  This is especially useful when buying lilies or chrysanthemums.  If you are buying roses, don't buy bunches with dried leaves.

CHECK THE FLOWERS

Lastly, look at the flowers and buds.  Many flower buds, like roses or lilies open well in the vase (with proper care) so choose the bunch with the fewest open flowers.  On the other hand, don’t buy lilies unless some flowers are starting to crack.  Other flowers like Gerbera need to be fully open but take care not to buy Gerberas with lots of pollen as they are already old.  Look for bruises , creases, petal transparency, brown marks and signs of insect damage or disease.   Buds should be tight but not too tight that they will fail to open, have strong necks  and showing some colour.  Hold the flower bunch upside down to see that no flowers fall off as can be the case with Singapore orchids.