1 – Gerbera

🌼 The sunny Gerbera is a popular choice for its wide variety of colours and long life in a vase.

🌼 Gerbera are named after Traugott Gerber, a German botanist from the 1700s, but they originated in South Africa and are also known as the African daisy

🌼 Did you know that Gerbera can assist with a better night sleep? They emit oxygen and absorb carbon monoxide and toxins at night and of course will make for a colourful bedside display.

2 – Orchid

🌸 With more than 25,000 documented orchid species throughout the world this means there are four times the number of orchid species than birds or mammals.

🌸 Orchids grow on every continent (except Antarctica). From the Arctic Circle to the southernmost jungle.

🌸 Orchid flowers always grow upside down when mature.

🌸 The vanilla orchid (and its vanilla bean) is the only commercially grown orchid crop (Vanilla planifolia). Orchids yummy enough to eat and cook with!

🌸 People use orchids for numerous purposes. Substances isolated from orchids are used in perfumes, spices and in traditional Asian medicine.

🌸 Biologists at Harvard University have identified the ancient fossilized remains of a pollen-bearing bee as the first hint of orchids in the fossil record, a find they say suggests orchids are old enough to have coexisted with dinosaurs. Their analysis indicates orchids arose some 76 to 84 million years ago.😮

3 – Daffodil

🌼 Ancient Romans cultivated daffodils and believed that their sap possessed healing properties. 🌼 Florists can develop an allergic reaction on the skin called "daffodil itch" after preparing floral arrangements made with daffodils. 🌼 Due to toxic sap in the stem, daffodil should not be kept in the vase with other plants, unless the stems are soaked in water for 24 hours. 🌼 Narciclasine is a substance isolated from the bulb, which (according to some medical studies) has the potential to treat breast cancer. 🌼 Galantamine is a drug that can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. It increases a natural substance in the brain required for thought and memory. Galantamine is obtained from the bulbs and flowers of daffodils. 🌼 They are the official 10th Wedding Anniversary Flower and the national flower of Wales. 🌼 They are one of the rare species of plants that are able to successfully grow through the snow. 🌼 Bunch of daffodils offered as a gift ensures happiness and represents good fortune. 🌼 The Cancer Society of New Zealand's Daffodil Day symbolises hope for 1 in 3 New Zealanders affected by cancer. Please donate generously.

https://www.daffodilday.org.nz/?gclid=COniwtHyjN0CFdZ2vAodWcAAlQ&gclsrc=ds

#DaffodilDay #DaffodilDayNZ #FlowerPower

4 – Poppies

Poppies symbolise the sacrifices made by service members around the world. During World War One, the poppies disappeared because of the trampling and bombing of the battlefields. The destruction stopped them from growing for four full seasons. After the war was over the poppy began to bloom again. According to reports, this historical growth was spectacular, with 2,500 poppy seeds per square foot found.

5 – Chrysanthemum

🧡 Chrysanthemums or 'Mums' for short come in a rainbow of colours and are usually available all year. 🧡 They are one of the most popular flowers only next to the rose. 🧡 They contain a chemical called pyrethrum which is a natural bug repellent. 🧡 These blooms also remove toxins from the air. 🧡 They are the November birth flower.

6 – Protea

❤️Protea symbolizes diversity and courage. ❤️ Protea date back approximately 300 million years, making them one of the oldest flowering plants. ❤️ It is believed they originated in the supercontinent Gondwana as they occur naturally in the Southern Hemisphere ❤️ Protea come in over 1,500 species (diversity) ❤️ Protea can survive wildfires, and withstand the toughest conditions (courage).

7 – Easter Lily

🐇 Native to the Ryukyu islands of southern Japan, this lily (Lilium longiflorum) was discovered by the famous plant explorer Carl Peter Thunberg in 1777 and sent to England in 1819. 🐇 Because the date of Easter varies each year, greenhouse growers carefully schedule their crop of potted lilies to bloom just in time for Easter. 🐇 Although the Bible describes lilies growing in Palestine, the large white lily we recognize today didn't become common in churches until the 1800s, when popular tradition gave them the nickname Easter lily.

At Te Puke Florist, all of our gifts are wrapped with love. Valentine's Day, the 14th of February is coming up next week.

Valentine's Day is the celebration of love and here is the story of how it all started.

The history of Valentine’s Day dates back to the third century BC when the Roman Empire was ruled by a king named Claudius II. A mercilessness king, he was nicknamed as 'Claudius the Cruel ' as he fought a number of wars. During these wars, he lost a lot of soldiers and people became reluctant to join his Army. Claudius believed that men did not want to leave their love and family behind so he cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome.

A Christian Priest named Valentine stood for the cause of Love. He began to marry the soldiers secretly despite the orders of Claudius. Claudius placed Valentine behind bars and deemed that Valentine would be put to death.

Valentine gave his life for the cause of Love and was executed because he helped young couples to get bonded together in nuptial bond.

Valentine's festivities start a week before Valentines Day, which is commonly known as Valentine’s Week. Each day has its own significance.

7 February – Rose Day

8 February – Propose Day

9 February – Chocolate Day

10 February – Teddy Day

11 February – Promise Day

12 February – Hug Day

13 February – Kiss Day

14 February – Valentine’s Day

In the lead up to Valentine's Day, we wish you all much love.

As 2017 comes to a close, Te Puke Florist wishes you a happy new year for the year ahead. It is now time to relax, close the doors and wind down. We are now closed until the 8th of January 2018.

It has been a busy and wonderful time leading up to Christmas for the team at Te Puke Florist. We wish you all a wonderful and magical holiday.

All was normal and then quite by sudden the town was over-run by witches, robots, princesses, spidermen and ghosts. We got into the spirit of Halloween this year and handed out treats to the Trick or Treaters for the towns very first Treat Trail ... and then as 6 PM rolled on – all was normal(ish)... until next year.

We’re very proud to showcase our floral work for Rachael and Simon Waalkens (nee Mayne) wedding day in summer 2017. Their fabulous wedding was held at Ataahua Garden Venue, Tauranga, and these beautiful photos are by PBryony Tyler-Whiteman from Newfound photography.

Greenery with a touch of white and soft pink was the theme which covered mantels, chandeliers and tables. A wild rustic flair with lush bunches of greenery with dashes of white, silver and soft pink. Bridesmaids wore floral crowns and the main bouquets were a collection of gypsophila, hydrangea, lisianthus, chrysanthemum, intermixed with gum, and olive greenery.

The overall display gave an enchanted atmosphere for their wedding day.

We love working with couples for their Wedding day. It is a great pleasure to present these beautiful photos taken by Pure Images and Jo Down Photography from the Wedding of Josh and Shaye Dudson (nee Burns).

Our floral work showcases beautiful posies of roses, hydrangea, lisianthus and gypsophilla in blush pinks, creams, blues and swags of greenery. At the reception flowers ran down the table centres and over the fireplace. Flowers spilled out of glass lanterns onto rings of tree trunk slabs creating a lovely rustic-vintage look. Flowers matching the bridal bouquets were hung off the chairs down the aisle – all with seed lighting winding through the arrangements.

The overall look – a stunning display for the perfect day.

We get so much enjoyment creating gifts of love. Our store is brimming with Valentine's treasures for your special someone. Our feature heart wall has been lovingly created for your enjoyment.

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away. ~ Anonymous.

The Te Puke community all came out on the sunny Christmas float day, 3 Dec 2016. Food stalls were set up by local charities and businesses with food options from many cultures. Te Puke Florist staff created a delicious Swiss theme stall with a chocolate fountain for dipping fresh local strawberries and delightful cupcake treats.

The Christmas season is here. Te Puke Florist stock a select range of Christmas decor and giftware to treat yourself or your loved ones. We have fresh and artificial wreathes, made-to-order gift baskets, Donovans chocolates or fudge and Christmas ornaments and bouquets.

chocolates and fudge and Christmas ornaments and bouquets.

The Te Puke Retail Awards were held in October and we were again asked to create the beautiful presentation bouquets for the winners. It is such an honour to be a part of celebrating and recognising our amazing business community. A big congratulations to the Supreme Award winner - Kiwi Produce. Very well deserved! (Photo credit: Grant Dally)

Christmas in Te Puke is always a fun time. We were involved in helping to set up the Santa Grotto and provide bouquets to our local celebrities Karena and Kasey Bird who came into town to draw the lucky winners of the Shop Te Puke 'Shop and Win'.