Roses for the New Year
Happy New Year! 2012 is going to be a great year- I am hopeful in so many ways, that this idea of flowers for people in hospice care will touch your hearts- and you might find a way to give a blossom or two to someone who needs a spark of beauty in their lives.
January is one of those slow months. Most florists are getting ready for the next floral holiday, Valentine’s Day! To be honest, it’s not my favorite- and I always tell people if they buy flowers, get sunflowers or tulips! Everyone knows- from the rose growers (whether in California or in Ecuador, worldwide now), to the wholesalers at every market — at each step of distribution, the prices escalate for the same flower that will drop in price by half the week after February 14th! Do I sound skeptical?! ah, let me paint a different picture then!! One of utmost appreciation for this common flower…
Roses are amazing! They are the number one flower that is donated to Heliotrope for Hospice, for the simple reason that every flower shop carries an abundance of them because they are one of the most popular flowers. So at the end of the week, if some of those roses are too old to sell, several dozen may be donated to Heliotrope. I take off any damaged petals, cut each stem down short for a mason jar, and these multi-petaled beauties will grace a bedside table for four days or so. “Modern day” roses last much longer, even thru international shipping, transit delays- packed dry or shipped with water supply- these flowers will provide a week or more of bloomlife to the consumer. We’re talking about a flower blooming three weeks past the point of cutting from the plant! Now that is amazing!!
I have my favorites…. the soft lavendar ‘Cool Water’ variety, the pure white of ‘Polar Star’ or the lightest champagne of ‘Vendela‘, the brilliance of ‘Cherry Brandy’, the rich merlot of ‘Black Baccara’, the truest red of ‘Freedom’, the lemon chiffon of ‘Skyline’…and of course, any variety of the “David Austin” garden roses… so many varieties with unusual names and characteristics, too many to list. Some people put significance on the colors of roses, but with all the new ones available (some in designer colors of mauve, kiwi, terra cotta and chocolate!), I think each rose is special because they are meant to be enjoyed for any occasion you can think to celebrate! Pick a color, to enjoy or to give- the meaning is in your heart. Grow them in your garden, carry them in your wedding, welcome a new baby, gift them to a friend, place them by a bedside, or remember a loved one. My wish for you this new year? a reason to celebrate, each and every day!
