Tag Archives: roses

Did You Forget Valentine’s Day?

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Oh no – Valentine’s Day is on Tuesday! As the last few hours before Valentine’s Day quickly tick off the clock, now is the time when even the most hard-core procrastinators start to panic. If you still haven’t found that perfect gift, or if you simply forgot (it happens), no worries! You still have some outstanding options left, as long as you know where to look.

Passionate Love by George Thomas Florist

Passionate Love by George Thomas Florist

Ordering a gift online and having it shipped is just too risky of an option this late in the game. Even with costly expedited shipping fees, there is still some lingering doubt that the correct item will be sent to the correct place at the right time. With so little time left, and so little room for error, this option will probably end up being even more stressful than figuring out what to get in the first place.

True Love by George Thomas Florist

True Love by George Thomas Florist

Your best option now is to find someone who can help – and find them fast! Time may no longer be on your side, but luckily you have friends in the business who are happy to assist you with finding the perfect gifts – and they’re only a phone call away. Want something more than just flowers? George Thomas Florist has you covered with balloons, teddy bears, chocolates, and so much more!

Best of all, after you make that phone call you can rest assured, knowing that the perfect gift is already on its way to being carefully created, packaged and hand-delivered to your valentine in time for Valentine’s Day.

Our customer service representatives here at George Thomas Florist are experts on last-minute gift ideas. Their “Yes We Can” commitment not only makes for a stress-free Valentine’s Day shopping experience but also makes you look like a hero in the eyes of your valentine for being so thoughtful and creative. It will be our little secret that you waited until the last minute!

Pictured here are a few of our most popular choices.

Do Roses Cost More on Valentine’s Day?

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Is it true that roses cost more in early February than they do the rest of the year? The short answer is yes, but not just for consumers. Many people are led to believe that flower retailers artificially raise prices to stick it to desperate consumers, when if fact that couldn’t be further from the truth.

hw0_690387Yes, roses cost more this time of year, but they also cost more for the florist, and the wholesaler, all the way down to the grower. In fact, the incredible demand for long-stem red roses on a single day puts a tremendous strain on the entire industry; and that affects everyone involved in the complex process of bringing fresh flowers to your door on Valentine’s Day.

In order for growers to meet the annual demand for red roses, they must time the growth of their flowers. This is accomplished by altering the rose plants’ growth cycle to optimize the harvest for February 14. By doing so, the growers must interrupt everyday production for several weeks in order to produce a bumper crop at precisely the right time. Unfortunately, the cost of stopping everyday production comes at a price, and that gets passed on down the line.

Is that the only reason?

That’s one reason for the price increase, but many additional factors come into play before the flowers reach the consumers. For starters, the unusually large harvest of roses can swell up to three times the normal volume that is typical for other times of the year. Since roses are processed manually, this necessitates hiring temporary laborers to help harvest and package the roses. Once the roses are ready to be shipped, importers are not only forced to pay more for the extra needed cargo space, but also for the extra trucks and drivers necessary to handle the extra volume.

Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the years for florists, but our preparation for this holiday begins weeks – if not months – in advance. In order to meet demand, we must hire additional help, work longer hours, and rent additional delivery vans in order to make sure all the orders are delivered on or before the 14th.

Nobody likes to see the annual price spike for roses, but unfortunately it’s an unavoidable result of supply and demand. With an increasingly crowded marketplace dominated by online-only flower shippers, the profit margins for local florists are razor thin compared to many other times of the year.

So, what’s the good news?

The good news is that we work very hard at George Thomas Florist to keep costs low and prices competitive while never sacrificing quality or service for our customers. We understand the importance of this holiday to our customers and their loved ones and always do our best to exceed their expectations.

Whether it’s a dozen red roses or something else you had in mind for your sweetheart, we’re here to help you find the perfect gift. Remember, the earlier you order, the better! Do yourself a favor by not waiting until the last minute when items are picked over and delivery times are full. Make this Valentine’s Day one they’ll never forget, with the help of your friends at George Thomas Florist.

Run for the Roses

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June is finally here, which not only marks the official start of summer but it also means National Rose Month!

Colorful, fragrant, and graceful, it’s no wonder roses hold a special allure for romantics, artists, and designers alike. In fact, roses are overwhelmingly the world’s undisputed favorite flower with over 85% of people calling it their top choice.

100 Premium Roses Vased from George Thomas Florist

100 Premium Roses from George Thomas Florist

Rose blooms span nearly the full-color spectrum from delicate shades of soft pastels to bold confident hues in solid, striped or variegated petals. From the purest white to the darkest red, plus pink, yellow, orange, mauve, russet (and many shades in between), roses coordinate with any setting. Their fragrance will fill a room with classic rose, citrus, sweet, or spicy notes, and their durability allows them to adapt well to nearly any weather environment.

It’s not surprising that roses have accumulated deep symbolism and a devoted following. They are America’s national flower, as well as the state flower of Georgia, Iowa, New York, North Dakota, and the District of Columbia. They’re June’s birth flower and the 15th and 50th wedding anniversary flower. New Year’s Day celebrates them with a parade and college football bowl game in Pasadena, California.

Most of all, roses are an irresistible indulgence and an excellent way to express your true feelings. When you’re tongue-tied or can’t find the right words to express your feelings, there’s no better flower than roses to do the talking for you. Roses have long been used to send covert messages which are easily decoded if you know their secret language. From love at first site, friendship, or true love and new beginnings, appreciation, and congratulations, there is a color to symbolize your heartfelt sentiment.

Did you know there is a whole language around the color of roses?

Red – enduring love, romance
Lavender – love at first site, enchantment
Bright orange – passion, excitement, and fascination
Coral – desire and happiness
Yellow – friendship, gladness, delight
Light pink – happiness, joy, admiration
Deep pink – appreciation, thankfulness
White – innocence, purity, honor, reverence
Peach – appreciation, admiration, modesty

Here are 10 fun facts about roses that will give you an even greater appreciation of our favorite flower:

  1. There are over 100 species of roses.
  2. The first rose fossil was found in Florissant, Colorado and dated back to 35 million years ago.
  3. There is no such thing as a “black” rose. The closest to black is a rare breed called the Turkish Halfeti – a dark deep crimson that appears black to the eye.
  4. The term “thorns” is technically incorrect when referring to the sharp objects on the stems of roses. The correct term is “prickles.” Thorns have deeper roots in a plant’s stem whereas prickles attach at the surface.
  5. There is, however, a blue rose. Rose petals lack an enzyme that is necessary to create a blue pigment. For years, breeders have tried to cross different colored roses to create what seemed impossible. In 2009, however, with the help of genetic engineering, the world’s first blue rose was created.
  6. Sorbet Bouquet from George Thomas Florist

    Sorbet Bouquet from George Thomas Florist

    More than 54% of land in Ecuador is used to cultivate roses. Over 80% of the land of Zambia is cultivated with roses as well.

  7. Rose hips contain more vitamin C than any other fruit or vegetable.
  8. George Washington was the first rose breeder in the United States. He named a variety after his mother, Mary.
  9. The tallest rose bush measured in at over 23 feet tall!
  10. Roses can live a long time. The oldest rose bush in the world is over 1,000 years old and is found covering the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim Germany.

Since it is National Rose Month, there’s no better time than now to send some fantastic roses to someone special in your life. Check out our website for some of our amazing designs that feature roses in a multitude of colors and styles.

At George Thomas Florist, we truly have something for everyone! If you don’t see exactly what you’re looking for, give us a call or stop in and talk to one of our designers and we’ll make something completely unique that you’re sure to love!