This Mother’s Day FromYouFlowers.com and Universal Music Group Nashville have teamed up to offer eight special floral arrangements inspired by some of today’s hottest country music stars.  With every purchase from the artist inspired collection, FromYouFlowers.com will be giving away a free song download from UMG Nashville artists.  FromYouFlowers.com is also hosting a sweepstakes offer for customers to win tickets to see the artist of their choice live in concert.

The team at FromYouFlowers.com pulled inspiration from some of today’s hottest country artists including George Strait, Sugarland, Josh Turner, Gary Allan, Billy Currington, Easton Corbin, David Nail and Laura Bell Bundy.  All InBloom readers Save 15% across the entire collection.

The complete list of Mother’s Day flowers as inspired by UMG country music stars includes:

• “Sunny Skies“- Inspired by Sugarland and includes a free download of “It Happens” from the album Love on the Inside

• “Pink Reflections” – Inspired by Josh Turner and includes a free download of “Why Don’t We Just Dance” from the albumHaywire

• “Cheek to Cheek” – Inspired by George Strait and includes a free download of “Gotta Get To you” from the album Twang

• “Polka Dots and Posies” – Inspired by Laura Bell Bundy and includes a free download of “Giddy On Up” from the albumAchin’ and Shakin’

• “Fragrance Vase” – Inspired by Easton Corbin and includes a free download of “A Little More Country Than That” from his self-title album

• “Teacup Blossoms” – Inspired by David Nail and includes a free download of “Turning Home” from the album I’m About To Come Alive

• “Perfectly Pastel” – Inspired by Billy and includes a free download of “That’s How Country Boys Roll” from the album Little Bit of Everything

• “Burgundy Blush” – Inspired by Gary Allan and includes a free download of “We Fly By Night” from the album Get Off On the Pain

To view the collection of arrangements or to enter the sweepstakes, please visit FromYouFlowers.com.

Today our Preferred Customers will open their email to find a certain question posed to them: What’s Your Mom’s Style?  As returning customers those recipients were offered $10 off en route to answering the question but we also figured it would be a good one to ask of our InBloom readers – who Save 15% themselves!

Come May 9th we’ll all celebrate those we call Mom and FromYouFlowers.com wants to make sure you celebrate your Mom’s style – sending something that uniquely suits her.  So, is she the Adventurous type, Joyful, Classic or Refined?  Don’t see your Mom’s style?  No sweat!  Visit us here to find the perfect gift and Save 15% as you browse the entire Mother’s Day Collection.

With Valentine’s Day just days away personal finance guru Vera Gibbons has published her latest Valentine’s Day gift guide on CNBC.com.  “Americans are expected to spend almost $15 billion on gifts and merchandise this year, making it the second biggest spending holiday after Christmas” according to the guide.  With flowers consistently among the top gifts Ms. Gibbon’s take on the best floral option is always met with great enthusiasm.  This year FromYouFlowers.com comes in as the top pick for quality and price, making it the only florist recommended by Gibbons and CNBC.  Other categories evaluated include chocolate, jewelry and spa-related gifts. “The quality of your order is only as good as the florist fulfilling it,” said Gibbons.  “Our top pick, in terms of meeting our expectations, as well as overall quality and price, is FromYouFlowers.com.”

This accolade follows Ms. Gibbons’ appearance last year on CBS’s Early Show where she showcased her take on five different online florists.  Those results saw FromYouFlowers.com come in as the “best value,” a sought-after title given Gibbons’ focus on thrift and quality.   Ms. Gibbons career as A financial journalist has seen her opinions regularly featured on CNN, MSNBC, Today, and in various finance publications in addition to the previously mentioned CNBC and Early Show.

FromYouFlowers.com’s roses in particular received this year’s coveted stamp of approval with a dozen long stem red roses in an elegant, clear vase costing only $59.99 (we also feature a dozen roses at just $39.99).   With our hand delivered arrangements available for same-day delivery nationwide FromYouFlowers.com will be offering Valentine’s Day delivery on those roses, along with most other products, right up until Sunday, February 14^th.  Arrangements start at just $29.99 on FromYouFlowers.com and all shoppers are given the peace of mind of a 100% satisfaction guarantee.

Other exciting products being sold this year include:

• Red Hot Bouquet - $59.99: As seen during the Super Bowl commercial!  Surprise your Valentine with luscious red roses and pink lilies in a sleek red contemporary vase that’s so hot it practically sizzles. You’ll get a very warm reception.

• Be My Love – $49.99: This wonderful bouquet of red roses, mini carnations and white Asiatic lilies features a grand selection of blooms to impress your true love. A splendid choice.

• Hugs and Kisses – $34.99: Whether for your significant other or your sister, aunt or grandmother, this delightful floral gift is a sweet way to say “I love you.” Sweet price, too.

• 1 Dozen Mixed Valentine’s Roses – $39.99:  A dazzling kaleidoscope of color, this mix of red, yellow, purple, white and pink long stem roses is sure to win her heart!

For more information on FromYouFlowers.com and to Save 15% as an InBloom reader visit www.fromyouflowers.com.

We had yet another exciting contest in the year’s biggest game as the New Orleans Saints went on to beat the Indianapolis Colts.  For some the Super Bowl is little more than a game played in between an in-home screening of some the of latest and greatest commercials.  For those viewers our partner Teleflora didn’t disappoint as they featured our wonderful Red Hot Bouquet. The arrangement made its acting debut alongside the salty flowers-in-a-box played by Don Rickles (watch below).

We’re thrilled that the Red Hot Bouquet got this widespread – and expensive – exposure and we’re ready to deliver it just for you.  InBloom readers and Twitter followers can save $10 when you buy yours today. Enjoy!

So the boss might not be too happy with a post highlighting direct competition but if its flower-related and interesting we have a duty here at InBloom to blog about it.  That said, sorry in advance!

Today saw the launch of the latest line of products in the wildly successful Product (RED) campaign.  Founded by Bobby Shriver and U2 frontman Bono, (RED) has done a tremendous job of raising funds and to a greater extend, awareness in the fight against AIDS in Africa.

FLOWE(RED) is a new internet flowers shop that will be putting all profits towards helping those living with HIV in Africa.  Currently delivery is limited to those living in the UK – which is most likely the reason I’ll be here to blog another day.  To kick-off the latest extension of the brand, (RED) set-up shop in the bustling tourist point of Covent Garden in central London.  Radio and TV personality Cat Deeley was on hand but the real show-stopper was the amazing Africa shaped arrangement assembled entirely out of flowers. At the time of this blog post free individual roses were still being handed out.  All this comes on the heels of another exciting launch in London with Nike’s soccer star-studded release of their Lace Up Save Lives laces.

While FromYouFlowers.com isn’t affiliate with (RED) we do understand the power of giving and social awareness.  In response to the crisis in Haiti we have set up a dedicated shopping site where we will send 25% of each purchase to Yele Haiti’s disaster relief efforts.  Simply go to FromYouFlowers.com/yelehaiti or mention code “HAI” over the phone.

Valentine’s Day shopping isn’t exactly easy.  Whether you’re shopping for that new person in your life, the one who’s been right there with you for years or just for yourself (don’t laugh!), figuring out the right thing to get can be daunting.  You might want it to be memorable, you certainly want to send the right message, and more often than not value is important.  As we all know flowers are often the answer to this dilemma and right now FromYouFlowers.com has a great range of products for your Valentine’s gifting.

With great prices across the entire catalog our arrangements make a perfect stand-alone gift or pair them with something else to make for a truly special Valentine’s Day.   We like some of the interesting complimentary gift ideas New York Magazine threw together for ’09 – especially the Little Spoon o’Love Gift Tower – and we’ll certainly be on the lookout for this year’s edition.

Surprise that special someone at work the Friday before or wait until Sunday – either way we’ll get it there for you!  Click any of the images to jump to the product page.

For the Budding Romance: Playful, simple and flirtatious

For  the Girlfriend: Vibrant, elegant and lively

For the Real Significant Other: Classic, luxurious and gorgeous

Various Loved Ones…Including Yourself: Decorative, fun and…dare we say…comforting

All InBloom readers Save 15% with the code TWT – our discount for @fromyouflowers Twitter followers

As the winter chill sets in, and colorful leaves of fall and give way to bare tree branches, it casts a more somber tone on the landscape. But just because the vivid oranges, golds and reds fade away outdoors, it doesn’t mean that you have to sacrifice color inside. In fact, the late fall and winter are perfect opportunities to get creative with seasonal décor.

For instance, rather than just relying on cold weather plants and blooms to liven up a room, why not add an extra point of interest with complementary fruits? Of course, pumpkins and gourds are the go-to option for early fall and Halloween, but don’t limit yourself to them. The chilly months offer a variety of vibrant options, including pears, cranberries, and pomegranates. Even a large bowl filled with a lively selection of fruits, intermingled with dried leaves or flowers, can have an attractive effect.

If you aren’t sure where to start, these ideas might offer some help:

• Kumquats: Don’t overlook the potential of these lovely, palm-sized citruses. Better Homes and Gardens suggests creating your own seasonal kumquat topiary using flower foam as the foundation. Simply the cut the foam to the desired shape and attach kumquats around the base with picks, topping it off with coordinating rose blooms.

• Cranberries: For a clever way to add an extra splash of color to a flower arrangement, fill the vase partially full with cranberries. Be sure to add enough of the tart fruits in the vase to prevent them from floating around in the water, and the stems will also nest securely in the bed of berries. To replicate this effect in a gift, send someone a seasonal flower arrangement filled with cranberries.

• Pears: Bring out the glitter and gold for the winter, and try your hand at gilding pears. Highlight the fruit’s delicate shape with easy-to-use gold, silver or copper leaf paper. Most craft stores sell gilding kits that should include everything you need. USA Pears recommends silver leaf on Gold Anjou pears and copper on Red Anjou.

• Pomegranates: These symbols of good luck also dry beautifully for long-lasting décor accents. According to eHow, the first step is selecting fresh, healthy pomegranates that are smooth and firm. Then, all you have to do is space them out on a wire rack and allow to air dry for at least three weeks. Take care to turn them every couple of days as well to preserve their shape. Once dried, integrate them into floral centerpieces, wreaths and garlands or display them on their own.

• Apples: The wonderful part about decorating with apples is their sheer variety. Bright green Granny Smiths, blushing Galas and sunny Golden Delicious are just a few of the options you can choose from. Martha Stewart suggests coring out apples, placing votive candles inside the spaces and floating them in water to cast a warm glow on an autumnal meal. Or showcase a harvest-themed centerpiece made up of chrysanthemums, roses, carnations and eucalyptus, interspersed with glossy apples.

As you start thinking about how to liven up your home for winter, consider bringing the fruit out of the kitchen and into dazzling displays. They can provide cheerful notes on the fireplace mantle, coffee table, dining room centerpiece or any entranceway. Just find a fruit you like and have fun with it.

When it comes to hanging on to the beauty of fresh flowers, you have several options. You can dry or press your flowers; both of these methods yield gorgeous results. Another way to preserve your flowers is to wax them. Wax flowers are beautiful and lend themselves to all sorts of crafts, decorations and projects. It is actually an easy process–read on for details!

What You’ll Need:
Double boiler
Fresh Flowers
Scissors
Spoon
Toothpick
Tweezers
Tray lined with parchment paper
Paraffin wax
Thermometer
Floral foam
Rubber bands
Small cup (optional)
Display dome (optional)
Candle pillar (optional)

1. Use fresh flowers that are completely opened. Flowers with firm petals are best—delicate petals disintegrate. Good choices include roses and lilies.

2. Melt a pound of paraffin wax in a double boiler. Keep in Mind: Never melt paraffin directly over a flame!

3. Temperature is key here. Heat wax to 130 to 150 degrees. Maintain the ideal temperature throughout process with a thermometer. Wax will not coat flowers effectively at a low temperature and a higher temperature will scorch them.

4. Cut all flower stems to at least 2 to 3 inches.

5. Take your fresh flowers, holding each flower by the stem end and dip the flower head completely into wax. When waxing them, you will want to use a slight angle instead of straight on, and be sure not to touch the sides of the double boiler. Immediately lift out, allowing excess wax to drip into pot. If you’re waxing a flower with many petals you might want to spoon wax into flower middle to fully cover. When waxing small blooms you can insert a toothpick into the center and dip into wax, or use tweezers.

6. Cool the flowers by placing each blossom’s stem in floral foam or on its side on a parchment-paper-lined tray. It will cool and harden completely in 5 minutes. Be sure to handle the flowers carefully!

7. Now it’s time to finish the process by waxing the stems. When the blooms have hardened, wax their stems by holding the bloom this time and dipping the stem in wax.

8. You have endless options when it comes to displaying these waxed flowers. You can showcase them on their own, make cards with them, display them in a centerpiece, use them when wrapping a gift, arrange around a candle…the sky is the limit! One way you can showcase them is to display them in a simple, small cup and put them under a glass display dome or bell jar. Just snip your flowers to a few different lengths and secure with a rubber band. Fill the small cup with floral foam and—using care—arrange the flowers in the cup. You can add decorations like ornaments if you wish.

Enjoy, and stop back by for more tips about how to showcase the beauty of flowers!

Congratulations are in order! I am proud to announce that FromYouFlowers.com has made the Inc. 5000 list!

How exciting to be an honoree! The Inc. 5000 list is Inc.’s annual ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America!

Check out our write-up over at the Inc. website.

The methodology for making the list:

” The Inc. 500|5000 is ranked according to percentage revenue growth from 2005 through 2008. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by the first week of 2005, and therefore able to show four full calendar years of sales. Additionally, they have to be U.S.-based, privately held, for profit, and independent — not subsidiaries or divisions of other companies — as of December 31, 2008 (a number of companies on the list have gone public or been acquired since that date). Revenue in 2005 must have been at least $200,000, and revenue in 2008 must have been at least $2 million. ”

FromYouFlowers.com is committed to providing the freshest flowers at great prices, most available for same-day delivery. Our commitment to quality, coupled with top notch customer service, has made an impression on our customers–and recipients!

Thanks to all of our customers for supporting us!

White Phalaenopsis Orchid

So, you’ve been the lucky recipient of an orchid plant–congratulations!

Once the gorgeous blooms start dying off, perhaps that feeling of joy has turned to one of panic. Questions pop into your head…along with the premonition that you surely cannot keep this thing alive.

What now? When the flowers die is the plant dead? Do I put it outside or inside? How often do I water it? Should I just throw it away since the flowers fell off?

Stop panicking…believe it or not, orchids aren’t as high maintenance as their reputation makes them out to be! That said, they definitely aren’t as low maintenance as that cactus on your desk! But, just follow a few general tips and you can enjoy your orchid plant for months, maybe years, to come. There’s a reason why ‘orchid people’ are an infatuated bunch of folks–they can’t resist the unique beauty of the breathtaking plants!

Read on for basic info–applicable to most orchid species–along with great orchid resources for detailed info.

Take it From the Top

Congrats–someone must really care for you to send you such a gorgeous plant! So, take good care of it!

-When you receive your new orchid, feel the ‘soil’ (orchids use a different potting mix than other plants and do not survive in plain old dirt/soil) to see if it is very dry. If it is, water it–lightly!–over a sink.

-Orchids need light! Don’t stick it in a dark corner, but don’t put it in direct light either. Filtered, indirect sunlight–like on a nice window sill–is best.

-Enjoy the show! Appreciate the flowers while your plant is still in bloom. Different species keep their blooms for different amounts of time. If your plant is blooming for quite some time, make sure to water it–lightly!–once every 7 days and to make sure it is getting enough light.

-Figure out what kind of orchid you’re dealing with. There are many different species, which require different care. Some of the most popular are Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Dendrobium and Oncidium. Posted below are three popular species; see the resources section at the very bottom of this post for a more detailed list in order to identify what kind of orchid you’ve got and how to care for it.

Dendrobium:

Oncidium:

Oncidium Orchid

Phalaenopsis:

Lavender Phalaenopsis Orchid

What Now?!?

So you’ve enjoyed your orchid in all its blooming splendor…now what? Well, it’s time to repot!

-Your orchid most likely came in a small, decorative flowerpot with minimal drainage. You must repot it so it has a bigger home to flourish in.

-Clay pots, shallow but wide are the best. If you cannot find a special orchid pot with holes for good drainage online or at a local nursery, then head to the Home Depot and grab a shallow terracotta ‘azalea pot’.

-Orchids cannot survive in potting soil. They require a special mix. This is a great one; if you cannot find orchid mix at your local nursery/home improvement store, then look for fir bark at Home Depot or Lowe’s.

-Fill the pot about 1/3 of the way with the orchid mix.

-Carefully remove your orchid from the decorative pot it arrived in–taking care not to damage the plant or roots. You may have to use a screwdriver or knife–just be sure to clean it with alcohol first–to gently pry it out.

-Fill the rest of the pot with orchid mix.

-Water lightly and place it back in its favorite spot with plenty of light. Don’t water for another 6 days or so.

-Keep an eye on it and make sure not to over-water it! Water your plants over a sink and never let it sit in water. Always water in the morning!

-Fertilize with orchid fertilizer once a month. Make sure the fertilizer you buy is specially made for orchids.

Bad Signs

Once you’ve repotted your orchid, you need to keep an eye on it to look for signs of sickness or distress.

-Your orchid leaves should be a medium green color. Very dark green leaves mean your orchid may not be receiving enough light; lighter green leaves means it is getting too much light. Adjust accordingly!

-If your orchid starts to get blotchy or damaged looking leaves, hold off on watering. It may be getting “root rot” from over-watering it. If the leaves and new growth turn black, then it is definitely getting root rot.

-If you see signs of distress, then seek help! Check out the orchid resources listed below for more in-depth help.

Orchid Help: Care, Identification and Shopping

Orchid Care Tips: Beautiful Orchids

Orchid Identification: My Orchid Care

Orchid Care for Specific Species: Aloha Orchids

Send Orchids: FromYouFlowers.com

Buying Unique Orchids for Yourself: Aloha Orchids & Angel Street Orchids

Happy Growing!