What began as a minor religious holiday dedicated to the patron saint of romantic causes, St. Valentine's Day is now celebrated throughout the world. On February 14, people give their loved ones cards and gifts such as flowers to show their feelings toward them. But for some, remembering the date can be difficult.

 

Yahoo has revealed there is an annual spike of around 150 per cent more times the question 'When is St Valentine's Day?' on its search engine. But to be fair to the men, women can be just as ignorant. Yahoo said 79 per cent of the searches are done by men, the rest by women. The Internet giant found teenage girls are the most starry-eyed about the occasion. They make up a third of the searches for 'love quotes'.

Yahoo also reported an increase in the number of searches for free and cheap things, like 'free valentines day cards', up 224 per cent; 'free restaurant vouchers', up 522 per cent; 'cheap lingerie', up 63 per cent; and 'cheap engagement rings', up 195 per cent.

 

 

 

One couple will likely remember Valentine's Day as they celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. Ron and Ann Valentine, of Horsham, West Sussex, be joined by family and friends at Horsham Cricket and Sports Club for a party today. The couple, who have two sons and a daughter, met at a dance club in 1957 and set up recruitment agency Valentine Executives shortly after they married. Anne, 69, said she 'could not resist' marrying Ron, now 76, on Valentines Day. She said: 'I was glancing through the diary and saw that Valentines Day was a Saturday and we could not resist it.' And it is not just humans who are celebrating as amorous animals too are showing affection for each other.

Valentine's Day: It's not just humans who are feeling the love as these skunks demonstrate

In an unlikely pairing,  a skunk who is more Pepe Le Pew than 'phwoar look at you' gets some l'amour from his female partner, proving that love and not bad smells are what count in the air this February 14. And then after a romantic meal and whispered sweet nothings, there is nothing left to do than to retire to the bedroom and to follow the lead of pair of rabbits who only have eyes for each other.

Valentine's Day: Love is in the air for these two rabbits

 

Valentine's Day: Opposites Attract: A Golden Retriever and British shorthair cat

Even for those couples who have been together so long and may have lost that special something, what can be more inspiring than the sight of a puppy and a cat together? Surely if these opposites can still attract then there must be hope for all of us.

Green shoppers can cause a stink

If  you are concerned about the environment, shoppers can cause a stink this Valentines Day by buying paper roses made from recycled elephant dung. A spokesman for the Canadian-based company behind the dung products, Poo Poo Paper, said: 'Our roses, while at first sniff and glance may seem a tad odd, are extremely green and rather sophisticated.

'They are entirely made from paper derived from a pulp made from elephant dung fibres. 'It is not as crazy as it sounds. Elephants eat grass and grass is fibrous - the basic criteria for making a pulp. 'What a green alternative to traditional genuine roses which have a limited shelf life and are ecologically taxing on agricultural lands where they are grown.'

Valentine's Day: These are made from elephant dung

The heavyweight manure is cleaned to extract fibres which make up the elephants diet such as grasses, bamboo and fruit skins which are not digested. Company founder Michael Flancman got the idea when he heard about a villager in Thailand who was making paper from elephant dung. He asked for samples and sold them to the Toronto Zoo, Canada. He said he liked the idea of taking something undesirable and turning it into something functional. Although the dung roses are not yet available in the UK, other elephant dropping creations such as cards and photo frames can be bought at London Zoo and the Natural History Museum.


Anti-Valentine's protests in India

But St Valentine's Day still provokes controversy in some countries. In India, police arrested six members of a hard-line Hindu group for attacking and cutting the hair of three couples on Valentine's Day near the Taj Mahal - India's white-marble monument to love. Meanwhile, members of another group vandalized a shop selling Valentine's cards and raided a restaurant looking for romantic couples in the Indian portion of Kashmir. Public displays of love are frowned upon by the older generation in India. Kissing, holding hands and cuddling are all social taboos, though the influx of Western culture has made it a more common practice among younger couples.

 

The protests by groups like Shiv Sena - which says it is defending traditional Indian values from Western promiscuity - have become an annual event on Valentine's Day.
Authorities tightened security this year in major Indian cities in an attempt to prevent attacks. India's economic surge in recent years has brought with it the trappings of Western culture, including McDonald's, MTV and Valentine's Day. Shops stock cards and chocolates, vendors sell red roses and restaurants offer romantic specials.

 

Valentine’s Day is widely perceived as a day in which love of all its forms is celebrated through dining, wining, present giving and defining – that which exists or is lacking in one’s romantic life. The coming of this day elicits various emotions in singles and couples alike, so we’ve come up with a few ideas to ease the stress on our readers and increase the fun factor on this Valentine’s Day…

People who are alone on Valentine’s Day often sneer at the thought of it, as every hanging heart and squishy bear they come across is yet another reminder that they have not yet found their other half. A good way to combat such feelings is to realize that Valentine’s Day is truly just a day like any other and its arrival should not be a looming marker judging where you stand. Remember that life and love move at their own pace and not with the ones marked on our calendars. Your Prince Charming or Petite Juliette will come when the time is right, in the meantime, no one said you should not celebrate love on this day anyway! Going out with a group of single friends you can be yourself with, is always a safe bet, but if you’re feeling a little bit more adventurous this year, then here’s what you can do! Show some love to the ones who rarely receive it and give them, and yourself, a Valentine’s Day to be remembered! Does one of your grandparents or parents spend their days alone? Do you know someone who has recently suffered a bad stroke of love or anyone else who may be cheered up by a tasty meal and some good company? Be their Valentine. The best Valentines can be the most unorthodox and unexpected, because their love comes deep from inside and transcends the comfortable convention of Valentine’s as a couples’ day.

On the other hand if you do find yourself with a love buddy, then I say once again, it should be like any other day, however the meaning here has slightly different implications. What I mean to convey is that we should never stop trying to capture each other’s hearts. Valentine’s Day should not be the one day in the year in which we make that extra effort to show how much we care, but it should be one of 365 other days on which we treasure and love each other. Your I do’s may have long been said, but love requires your presence each and every day to grow and be nourished. So use this Valentine’s Day to strengthen that spark between you, no matter where you stand in your relationship. Recreating your first date and reliving the memories that bound you is one great way to do this. Thoughtful gifts, special home-cooked meals made with love or just spending some together time in your own special way, are also simple ideas that can put a smile on both your faces.

If I had to be completely honest, I’d say the Valentine’s Day is really just an over commercialized, man-appointed feast which superficially celebrates love with much benefits for the money-generating society which we form a part of. However, I have grown to see a more positive aspect to it. I believe that love is the single greatest factor that makes the journey of life worthwhile and if filling our days with it can bring us happiness, then why not use Valentine’s Day as just another excuse to celebrate love and happiness?’

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you wince at the thought of laying waste your best summer borders with secateurs and stuffing valuable cupboard space with vases, florists’ wires and pinholders, then you are probably not cut out to be a serious flower arranger.

But there is a world of difference between the real McCoy and someone who – like me – just enjoys having a few fresh-cut garden flowers thrust informally in a jug indoors.

That rural, rustic, Victorian cottage windowsill look is very fashionable, so my daughters tell me. What’s more, it’s something anyone can do – without taking lessons or decimating the garden. Just grow the right sort of plants and choose your cutting material with care so you don’t leave gaping holes in your borders.

All sorts of summer shrubs are brilliant for cutting. Ribes, forsythia and philadelphus are specially suitable as they need fairly hard, regular pruning after flowering. So, by snipping a few flowering stems for a vase, you are merely doing the job a few weeks earlier.

Weigela and deutzia also don’t object – missing shoots are quickly replaced and if you cut neatly you will actually improve the shape of the plant.

But roses are the real stars – they view it as early dead-heading. Simply cut your flower with 6in-12in of stem, snipping just above a leaf joint. The plant puts all its energy into producing a new shoot, so the next flush of flowers appears far faster than if left to nature’s devices..

Quite a few perennials make stunning cut flowers but it’s worth taking only those that you know will last fairly well
in a vase and look good indoors. The big beauties such as peonies, scabious, delphiniums, achillea, hollyhocks and alstroemeria are brilliant but don’t overlook “filler flowers” such as gypsophila, alchemilla (lady’s mantle) and Monte Cassino asters – there is still time to plant a few now if you are short.

Perhaps the best Christmas gift for Mom this year is a bouquet of flowers. The holiday season sees a beautiful array of cold-weather flowers that are in bloom that Mom would absolutely adore.

 

The Classic

 

Not at all a stretch, the Poinsettia is always a great choice. The red and green colours pop in a snow white backdrop. As they are perennial plants, they are fit as a centrepiece for weeks after the holidays. Though the most popular Poinsettia array consists of red leaves, they also come in white and pink.

Care for this plant is fairly straight-forward: keep hydrated, but don’t overwater. Keep it in indirect sunlight, with temperatures no lower than 55° and no higher than 65°.

Assorted Bouquets

There are many ways to ring in the holidays with flowers that range in style from daisies to roses. Both come in classic Christmas colours: red and white. An arrangement of these flowers makes a gorgeous centrepiece and will give Mom a warm thrill. Posies –also in red– are rather lovely, as well, warming up any home with their light, fluffy composition.

Assorted Flora

Don’t think that flowers are the only way to impress Mom this year. Different sized and shaped plants provide holiday cheer and get the entire family in the Christmas spirit. An assortment of holly and berries is a holiday classic, balancing the striking green holly with the juicy red berries. Holiday wreaths are also very popular and provide a great deal of utility, acting as both an attractive door piece as well as lovely centrepiece for any dinner table. To add a little variety to any holiday bouquet, consider adding pinecones and full cinnamon sticks. The earthy spice of the pinecone and cinnamon gives the home a lovely aroma and gives Mom a great surprise for her senses.

Christmas Ccactus

Perhaps a plant that many have neglected to appreciate is the Christmas cactus. Remember, it’s Christmas all over the world and cacti provide some lovely flowers ranging in colour from red, to white, to purple. Though the nature of the cactus provides that it requires very little watering, the flowers do tend to fall off after a few weeks.

Nature doesn’t stop for the holidays. Shops may close, but nature is always on the move. Flowers for Mom and the whole family will add warmth and majesty to any home.

 

 

The flower of the holy night or the Christmas flowers have got a special connection with the Christmas celebration. Be it the Thanksgiving function or mid night mass on Christmas Eve, nothing says season’s greetings better than Christmas flowers. During winters around Christmas, most of the flowers are in their full bloom.

They make the environment as blossoming as the Christmas.

•Christmas Flowers Meaning
Flowers symbolize life. When buds blossom into flowers, it represents a celebration of the renewal of life, which is the very core of Christmas celebration. Each flower signifies peace, love and prosperity. So, we often get to hear about flowers like Christmas rose, Holly, Ivy, Poinsettia and Mistletoe as Christmas Flowers.

Flowers are the essence of every festival, and especially Christmas. Every year on Christmas people buy flowers for decorating their houses, shops and many other things. Christmas flowers are a vital element of Christmas decorations. Decorations on Christmas are incomplete without the colorful Christmas flowers. Mostly around the winter season, near to Christmas, flowers are in their full blossom, which creates an intoxicating and invigorating aura everywhere. People spend a lot of money on flowers during Christmas as flowers beautify the environment a great deal.

•Christmas Tree
The most important thing to keep in mind while buying flowers for Christmas decorations is that which flowers will go with your theme. If you are throwing a party on Christmas, then you must take into consideration the theme of the party before buying the flowers. Decorating flowers on Christmas requires a great amount of creativity.
The décor will finally reflect your creativity and inventiveness. One thing that you can do with flowers this Christmas is that you can decorate your Christmas tree with them. Lights and ornaments have been used extensively for many years for decorating the Christmas trees. You can do something unique and different by decorating the Christmas tree with colorful flowers this season.

There are many ways in which you can decorate flowers for Christmas. You can make a beautiful bouquet of flowers for your center table and can also put candles around the flowers for a dazzling look. Small flowers can be used nicely for outdoor decorations. Another way to use flowers on Christmas is by drying them and then pasting them on a transparent sheet and wrapping them around the candles and lights.

Besides the decorations, Christmas flowers can also be used to send wishes across. You can send Christmas flowers to your near and dear ones on Christmas. Along with Christmas cards and gifts, if you send flowers, it will give a wonderful impact on the receiver. Christmas flowers make awesome Christmas gifts. Choose the flowers as per the choice of the receiver. The person receiving the gift should be glad on getting the flowers so his choice is very important.

There is a vast range of flowers available on Christmas. You can also search for these flowers online. Search for the colors and types of flowers, and they will be delivered to your house.

 

 

When giving cut roses as Valentine gifts, we adhere to a time-honored formula that takes into account rose color meanings. The formula matches a rose's color to its intended meaning as a gift. Valentine's Day is primarily a lovers' holiday, and red roses are traditionally for lovers. "Valentine roses" and "red roses" go hand in hand, even though other colors have their place on the holiday. Our close family members may also be treated to red roses for Valentine's Day, but we avoid giving roses of this color to friends on Valentine's Day -- that would simply convey the wrong meaning. The following are the meanings traditionally attached to the most popular roses, according to colors; use this list as a guide when selecting Valentine roses:

    • Red roses mean romantic love; they're the "Valentine roses," par excellence.

    • Purple, coral and orange challenge red as the color for Valentine roses. The rose color meanings for these 3 are as follows:
          ◘ The specific purpose of purple roses is to signify that the giver has fallen in love with the recipient at first sight.
          ◘ Meanwhile, coral and orange roses signal desire.


    • The meaning of yellow roses is joy and friendship.

    • We express our gratitude and appreciation with pink roses....

    • While feelings of admiration and sympathy find words with roses that are light pink in color.

    • Peach is more ambiguous, as it can signify either sympathy or gratitude.

    • Their purity naturally enough lends to white roses the meaning of reverence and humility.

What about black roses? Do they exist and, if so, what is the meaning? While no jet-black rose exists, there are some of such a deep red as to suggest black. E.g., Rosa 'Black Magic.' Alternatively, some florists dry fresh roses and dye them black. And the meaning? There is some disagreement on this point. Many say black represents death and can thus be used as a symbol to express vengeance towards a foe. But others interpret that more liberally, suggesting as a meaning for black roses the death of old habits, thus signalling rebirth.

Unless you're a "Goth" or are trying to be funny, I'd stay away from sending black roses: the interpretation is too iffy. But the formula listed above will work for the other colors. Just follow the formula that matches the colors with the corresponding meanings, and you can't go wrong as a gift-giver. But is growing rose bushes in the yard also that simple? Yes, it is. Nor is there any great mystery surrounding it (although pruning roses can be tricky for the beginner, the subject of Page 2). The formula for growing rose bushes is a well-known one, since it is a formula that the average landscape plant lives (or dies) by:

sun + water + drainage + rich soil = rose success

I use the terminology "rose bushes" to refer generally to all roses, regardless of form, which can range from miniature shrubs to sprawling climbers. Once you're committed to following the formula for growing rose bushes, for maximum success you'll simply have to tweak the formula a bit and add some extras. For instance:

    • While roses like six hours of sun per day, it does matter what part of the day those six hours come from. Six hours of morning sun is preferable to six hours of afternoon sun, for two reasons:
         1. Rose bush foliage prefers to be dry. The quicker the dampness from the night is burned off the foliage, the less likely disease is to become a factor.
         2. The afternoon sun is often excessively hot. Roses profit from some afternoon shade.


    • To keep insect pests off your rose bushes, try companion planting with garlic. And once per week, while watering your rose bushes, mix some dishwashing soap into the water and apply this "insecticidal soap" to your bushes (of course, there are also true insecticidal soaps that you can buy).

    • As always, soil pH is a consideration. Roses prefer a pH ranging from 6.5 to 6.8.

    • For fertilizing roses, a monthly feeding of rose food is recommended.

Care for Rose Bushes on the Landscape: Overwintering, Watering:

    • In cold climates roses can be mulched, but if you really want to make sure your bushes are protected, practice a winterizing method called the "Minnesota Tip."

    • Roses need a lot of water (how much "a lot" is will depend, of course, on many factors). As in the case of sunlight hours (see above), not all rose-watering methods are created equal. On the average, it is best to water rose bushes twice a week -- and to water them thoroughly. It would be better to water twice per week deeply than to apply four shallower, less thorough waterings over the same time period.

These are some of the basics of rose bush care. Not too difficult, right? In fact, since there's a logical reason behind all these tips, they're probably easier to remember than the rose color meanings, which would seem to be rather arbitrary.  

Viola is a genus of flowering plants in the violet family Violaceae, with around 400–500 species distributed around the world. Most species are found in the temperate Northern Hemisphere, however viola species (commonly called violets, pansies or heartsease) are also found in widely divergent areas such as Hawaii, Australasia, and the Andes in South America.

Most Viola species are tiny perennial plants, some are annual plants, and a few are small shrubs. A number of species are grown for their ornamental flowers in borders and rock gardens; the garden pansy in particular is an extensively used spring and autumn/winter bedding and pot plant. Viola and violetta are terms used by gardeners and generally in horticulture for neat, small-flowered hybrid plants intermediate in size between pansies and violets.

If your birthday falls in the month of February, then your flower is the violet. This is always nice to know if you are giving a February birthday flowers or planting a memory garden representing your family and friends.

Botanical Name:
Viola spp. / Saintpaulia

Common Name:
Violet

Description:
Common violets are low-growing, with fragrant flowers that are supported on stalks which rise from the leaves. The leaves are dark green in color, and are heart, oval or kidney shaped. African Violets (houseplants) have a five-petaled velvety flower.

Colors:
Violets flowers can be purple, blue white and infrequently, yellow.

Availability:
All year round

Growing Tips:
Violets are annuals that like full to partial sun. They can be grown from seeds (they germinate slowly) or small plants and can often be found growing in the wild. Violets do well in both beds and containers and although hardy, will not survive a hard frost or freeze.

Fun and/or Interesting Facts:
Violets are the state flower of Illinois, New Jersey, Rhode Island and Wisconsin

One of my favorite things to do with Violets is to make violet water. To make it, simply steep Violet leaves and flowers in water until it becomes fragrant. Violet water makes wonderful warm and/or iced tea. Another fun way to use the Violet water is to make them into ice cubes and use them in water or juice. You can make them even more special by freezing a couple of pedals or small flowers inside the cubes.

 

Flowers are always the favourite thing in any special occasion. Flowers have been offered during religious ceremonies since the early days. They are also a popular option for decorating homes or offices. the demand for flowers has increased and they are now used for almost every occasion over the years. Christmas is a festival that brings a lot of joy to people who like to celebrate the festival with friends and family members. They gift one another Christmas trees and flowers .

  Symbolize the happiness of the festival, Christmas flowers gifted to friends and relatives. Beautifully decorated flower baskets to women remind them of their beauty and grace.Cheerful flowers such as tulips, and carnations are the ideal flowers to gift a daughter or a mother. Signify romantic relationships red roses have always been a popular choice. However, pink, yellow, orange or white roses are more appropriate for a mother or daughter.

For men, They also enjoy receiving floral gifts on special occasions. During Christmas the ideal flower gifts that are presented include bright and vibrant flowers in colors of red, orange and yellow. The ideal Christmas flower gift for a husband or boyfriend is a beautiful bouquet or basket of red roses that represent the love and passion.. They are as appropriate for men as they are for women.

 

 

 

How can I make my flowers last longer?    

Certain varieties of cut flowers last longer than others. Carnations, for example, can remain vibrant for long periods. Roses have a shorter vase life, but are prized for their special and delicate beauty. When buying flowers, be sure to ask your florist how long you should expect your arrangement to last. Whatever variety you choose, a little TLC will go a long way to keep your blooms looking fresh longer. Here are a few handy tips that can help add days to their beauty!
 

Essentials for your flowers
Keep them in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit; 18 to 22 degrees Celsius), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, direct drafts from a ceiling fan, and the tops of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, causing flowers to dehydrate.)

When your flowers arrive in wet foam        
Keep the floral foam soaked in water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.

 
When your flowers are arranged in water        
Keep the vase filled with water containing floral food provided by your florist. Be sure to follow the directions on the package.

If the solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely. If possible, recut the stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife.

Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial growth that can harm the flowers.

 
When your flowers have woody stems and branches (such as Quince, Forsythia, or Lilac)        
Cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place in warm water containing fresh floral food to promote flower opening.

 
What is floral food and why use it?        
Floral food is a combination of additives that help to nourish the flowers and discourage bacteria from growing in the water. It is one of the best—and easiest—ways to extend the life of your flowers. It is very important to follow the directions on the package correctly. Improperly mixed floral food can do more harm than good.