On Thursday, my cute friend Barbara and I ventured to the Floral Market.  From that visit I thought I would share my visit to the floral market with a few floral tips. Barbara is hosting an outdoor bridal shower today and wanted fresh flowers for her tablescapes and centerpieces.  I can never resist a visit to the floral market and Spring blossoms, so off we went!! A tip for floral market newbies: You will be walking into a refrigerator.  A refrigerator so cold you will need a coat.  Really, you will.  It is c-o-l-d where the flowers are stored. As we walked in, these lovely roses caught our eye.

Barbara chose the full, light pink garden roses on the far right.  They are called “David Austin”.  They are a full rose and have the similar look of a peony, but cost less.  They are going to look beautiful on her tables.

To our right there were buckets and buckets of hydrangeas.  Can you believe this??  Just gorgeous.  Hydrangea heaven, wouldn’t you say??  Barbara loved these, but wouldn’t walk over to see, because she wanted all of them!  She said, “Oh don’t even get me started!  I could fill my whole yard with these!”

These buckets are filled with various button daisies, status, small hydrangeas, and fillers.  This area was an order for a local major hotel.

Wax flowers and babies breath were filling the room as well. Barbara picked up 1 bunch of white wax flowers with pink centers.  Perfect choice to go with her tea cups and coffee filter flowers.

Who doesn’t love a colorful Gerbera daisy??  They are whimsical and fun.  And the “stock “was in every color as well.  From a deep purple to a muted peach.  The muted peach stock is what Barbara was needing.

Also in this picture, look in the background.  See all of those white/colored vertical boxes?  Each one is filled with 2 dozen roses!!  From white to the deepest red you can find.

The floral market is enjoyable.  The scent of flowers filles your senses as soon as you open the door.  I only shared a tiny portion of our visit.  There is also lots of  greenery.  From every type of fern to palm leaves to succulents.  You will also find an area with all tropical flowers.  Flowers that you have never seen before.  These flowers are such vibrant colors such as fuchsia, bright orange, and raspberry red.

If you haven’t ever been to a floral market near you, take the time to go.  They usually only sell to wholesalers, but you can walk around, enjoy the scents and the overwhelming beauty of the market without purchasing a thing.

After Barbara purchased her lovely flowers, this was some advice I gave her…

*Don’t buy flowers that have brown along every edge.  They aren’t fresh.  And will wilt soon, no matter how you care for them.

*The best way to care for your flowers is to keep them as cold as you can.  

*Cut the stems at an angle under water with a sharp floral knife or scissors.   Cutting them under water helps the pores of the stem receive water immediately, keeping your flower as fresh as possible.

*Place them in a vase, bucket or pitcher of cold water.

*If possible, store them in your refrigerator.  

*Store your flowers away from fruits and vegetables.  These cause the “life” to be sucked out of your flowers.

*If your flowers can’t be stored in the frig, keep your vase, bucket, or pitcher filled with about 10 ice cubes.  If you don’t need to use them for a few days, place them in a dark room such as a closet.  This will keep your flowers from opening before you need them.  And also prevent them from wilting.

*When preparing flowers, don’t be afraid to pull off a sad, wilted, or brown looking petal.  Flowers are heartier than you think.  And your flower will be a perfect presentation.  (Although, I wouldn’t try this with a Gerbera Daisy.  You might end up with all the petals falling off-not good.)

I hope you visit your floral market soon.  It is easy to spend a few hours browsing around.  It is one of my favorite things to do.  I feel refreshed and inspired every time I walk in.

Thanks for stopping by today so I could share my visit to the floral market with a few floral tips. You make me smile every day.