What do you think of when you see an Iris? Irises always take me back to my childhood. There were seas of yellow that seemed to go on forever, all the way around the house. The best part was that mom always let me cut some to bring inside.

Did you know that Iris takes its name from the Greek word for rainbow, referring to the wide variety of colors found among the many species. Irises can be found in blue, purple, white, yellow, pink, orange, brown, red and even black. There are some 300 species in the genus Iris.

Common Name: Iris
Botanical Name: Iridaceae

Irises are perennial plants. They have long, erect flowering stems which may be simple or branched, solid or hollow, and flattened or have a circular cross-section. The distinctive flowers have three large outer petals called "falls" and three inner upright petals called "standards." The falls may have beards or crests. Bearded iris are so-called because they have soft hairs along the center of the falls. In crested iris, the hairs form a comb or ridge.

Most irises flower in early summer but most florist can have them imported year round. They are hardy, reliable, and easy to grow. Irises also attract butterflies and hummingbirds and make lovely cut flowers. What a great source on interest in a design.

Interesting Facts:

• Iris leaves or leaf-sap were used as a dye, to give the blue color to tattoos. 
• The iris is the French royal standard Fleur-de-lis and also the symbol of Florence, Italy.
• Oral root, taken from the dried roots of Iris 'Florentia', was considered a cure for blood and lung diseases, and teething babies were encouraged to gnaw on a "finger" of dried root for its natural fluoride.

So if you are one of the lucky one's who was given flowers by your Valentine, you are probably wishing they would last forever. Unfortunately they don't and chances are right about now you are contemplating throwing them away. Well, if you are anything like me you will wait for the very last sign of life to leave before taking them out to the compost bin.

On average, cut flowers should last about 4-7 days in your home. With the proper care(see tips here) you can extend the life of your cut flowers. If your arrangement happens to have more than one type of flower you may notice that some last longer than others. Although there is no guarantee just how long a flower will last, below is a list of some of the more popular flowers and their average life span.

        Flower                                                Vase Life in Days
    Alstromeria (Peruvian Lily)                                     6-14
    Baby's Breath (Gypsophillia)                                    5-10+
    Calla Lily                                                               4-8
    Carnation /Mini Carnation                                       6-14+
    Chrysanthemum                                                    7-14+
    Cymbidium (Orchid)                                               7-28
    Daffodil                                                                 4-6
    Dahlia                                                                   4-10
    Delphinium                                                            4-12
    Dendrobium                                                          10-16+
    Freesia                                                                 4-12
    Gardenia                                                               1-3
    Gerbera                                                                4-14
    Gladiolus                                                               6-10
    Hyacinth                                                                3-7
    Hydrangea                                                             5-10
    Hypericum                                                             10-21
    Iris                                                                        2-6
    Larkspur                                                                4-12
    Lily                                                                        4-11  
    Lisianthus                                                               6-10
    Peony                                                                     5-10
    Phalaenopsis (Orchid)                                              20-30
    Queen Anne's Lace                                                  3-5
    Ranunculus                                                             3-7
    Rose                                                                      4-12
    Snapdragon                                                            5-8
    Statice                                                                    4-8+
    Stock                                                                      5-8
    Sunflower                                                               5-12+
    Sweet Pea                                                               3-7
    Tulip                                                                       3-7
    Waxflower                                                               5-9


A few other things that will affect the vase life of your flowers are: growing conditions, the amount of time the flower spent in transit, and post harvest care received in the distribution chain. One other note, arrangements made in floral foam generally do not last as long as flowers in a vase of water. The best advise I have for your flowers, sit back and enjoy them! Then will not last forever!

The appearance of the groundhog this past weekend has left me with hope that the long days of winter will soon be a memory. But since we still have a few weeks to go, all one can do is make the best of what Wisconsin winter will bring. As for me, I am growing use to the long hours of darkness. In fact I took inspiration from a recent starry night for this board. Lose yourself in the feeling of magic and closeness that only night can offer. Imagine yourself taking pictures with a full moon in the background or the soft glow of candles at your receptions. Regardless of the season, you are always guaranteed the wonder of nightfall and a show of evening lights. Whether they are from Mother Nature or mankind, both can offer unique beauty. If you need more ideas or help creating your own starry night to remember contact us.