With allergy season upon us many people are suffering from the dreaded hay fever caused by Ragweed, including some members in my own family. Ragweed deserves the bad rap it has but a close relative does not, Solidgo. Solidago, used in floral design, is often unfairly blamed for causing hay fever. Solidago is not wind pollinated like Ragweed and will only causes allergic reactions when handled.

Common Name:  Goldenrod
Botanical Name:  Solidago (so-li-DAY-go)

Providing a soft texture and a punch of bright yellow color, Solidago consists of closely packed clusters of very small flowers spreading like a feather on 20-30" branching stem. Also know as Goldenrod, Solidago is available all year and can be dried. If you can get past its weedy cousin, Solidago can be a lovely addition to any floral design. Meaning precaution, encouragement, and good fortune, this filler is very stunning.


Interesting Fact: Thomas Edison experimented with goldenrod to produce rubber, which it contains naturally. Edison created a fertilization and cultivation process to maximize the rubber content in each plant. His experiments produced a 12-foot-tall plant that yielded as much as 12 percent rubber. The tires on the Model T given to him by his friend Henry Ford were made from goldenrod.


Below is a great video to help you tell the difference between Solidago and Ragweed.

Sorry for the delay with my blog this week but sometimes things happen for a reason. Today a Facebook friend of mine posted a link to Fifty Fleurs Variety of White Flowers. How perfect and just in time. It does a great job showing how all white roses are not created equal. Let me know which is your favorite.

http://www.flirtyfleurs.com/varieties-of-white-roses/

 If you are planning a wedding in/from Central Wisconsin, I know just the place for you to start looking for those extraordinary, hard working wedding professionals. It's the Central Wisconsin Wedding Professionals, CWWP. Maybe you have already seen them at one of the local wedding shows. The CWWP is an organization of professionals that can make dreams happen! From florists like us, to photographers, bakers, wedding planners, officiants, and more, you can rest assured that you are in good hands with any member of the CWWP.


The CWWP will be hosting the Rolling Bridal Tour on 11/11/12, we would love to see you there. 

Or Click here or the link above to find out more info on the CWWP.

There seems to be some wet stuff falling from the sky today. It has been so long I forget what they call it. All I know is that, for today anyways, I can take a break from the task of watering the flowers. Instead I sit back and watch out my windows as the trees in the woods turn dark green as they drink up their fill. So it is because of this rare occasion this summer, the rain, my favorite color, purple, and one awesome Prince song, Purple Rain that I drew my inspirations. Enjoy and leave me your comments below.

So unless you have been living under a rock you must have seen some the 2012 Summer Olympics. If not there is still time, check it out! I am probably the most uncoordinated person you will find, and over the years I have found it safer to be a spectator vs a participant. Although clumsy, I am still absolutely taken with the Olympics. The grace and ease these athletes have is mesmerizing. Their will and dedication to their sport is honorable. I can and do watch them for hours. The best part is each medal winner receives a "Victory Bouquet"!

The Victory Bouquet was designed by the creative director at Jane Packer, Susan Lapworth, to reflect the energy and vibrancy of the London 2012 Games. This vivid combination creates visual impact, which will also enhance the athlete's moment of victory.

The bouquet is sectioned into boldly colored quadrants of Aqua Pink Roses, Illios Yellow Roses,  Marie Claire Orange Roses and Wimbledon Green Roses  to mirror the 2012 logo. These are separated by typical British food ingredients of English Lavender, Rosemary, and Apple Mint. These provide an eclectic fragrance which is important to enhance the ‘moment’ of triumph for the athlete without causing an allergic reaction which some heavily scented flowers often do.  Along with these herbs,  wheat is included as a source of energy, to reflect the ‘energy lines' of the London 2012 theme that has been an influence throughout the design process.


The flowers and herbs in the bouquet are British grown and bouquets are made with the help of floristry students across the country.Sadly no UK grower was currently producing roses for commercial use, so the roses used in the bouquets were commissioned and grown specifically for this project. Hardy varieties were chosen to l withstand varying temperatures as there are no cold storage facilities at the venues. 4,800 floral bouquets will be presented to athletes along with medals during the Victory Ceremonies.


Information regarding the "Victory Bouquet" was found at:
http://www.jane-packer.co.uk/UK/Olympics/Olympics.html