Top Selling Foliage Plants

Challenges for the Chinese Evergreen
Curled or shriveled leaves and brown edges.
Solutions:
The air is too cool or too dry, or the plant is in a drafty location.
Chinese Evergreens need warm temperatures in the summer and a minimum of 60 degrees in the winter. They also need moist air, Mist leaves regularly. Keep the plant in semi shade to bright indirect light. Keep them well away from direct sunlight.

Challenges for Ferns
Yellowing fronds, brown spots on fronds and brown tips.
Solutions:
The air may be too warm or dry. Ferns' compost must be kept moist-but not waterlogged-at all times. Ferns cannot tolerate high temperatures, so keep them away from heat sources. Good indirect light, preferably from an east or north facing windowsill.

Challenges for Ficuses
Sudden loss of leaves.
Solutions:
The cause depends on the species, but possibilities include over watering, low winter temperature, too little light, too much fertilizer, cold drafts and changing locations. Tree types require placement in bright sun, but others need partial shade.

Smile

While attending a marriage class weekend, Walter and his wife, Ann, listened to the instructor declare. "It is essential that husbands and wives know the things that are important to each other." He then addressed the men, "Can you name and describe your wife's favorite flower?"
Walter leaned over, touched Ann's arm gently, and whispered "Gold Medal All-Purpose, isn't it?"

Emotional Impact of Flowers

With today's high-tech and fast-paced lifestyle taking its daily toll on our lives, experts advise exercise and other personal lifestyle changes to relieve stress. According to research done at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health - flowers.
The presence of flowers triggers happy emotion, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

Wedding Traditions

Wedding traditions have their origins in some rather strange and odd historical customs and superstitions. Some are based on romantic myth and others on religious beliefs.

Sharing the Wedding Cake
When the bride cuts the first slice of cake and offers it to her groom, she is carrying out an early Roman ritual. In Ancient Rome, couples plighted their troth by sharing food. Sharing food is a symbol of sharing one's life.
Wedding Bells and Honking Horns
Loud, honking horns escourting a newly married couple in a motorcade of friends and family may seem to be only in high spirits and boisterous public congratulations, but its roots go deeper. Older traditions were clanging bells and shooting guns, both methods for frightening away evil spirits.
Something Blue
Part of the old litany "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue,"which describes the talismans a bride should wear on her wedding day was quite specific about the color blue. Waring a snippet of blue ribbon, or other bit of blue about her gown denotes purity, fidelity and love. It was also the color associated with the Virgin Mary.
Bridesmaids Dressing Alike
In more superstitious times, the bride and groom were surrounded by friends of similar ages dressed in similar attire, as a way of confusing evil demons. This way the demons could not find the real bride and groom and bring them bad luck. Today's bridesmaids dress alike as do the groomsmen, as it's a way of confusing any who would wish the couple ill luck.
With This Ring
Rings have been with us since time began, but they have become intimately linked to engagement and marriage. Before the minting of coins as currency, gold rings were circulated for that purpose. When a man gave his bride a god ring, it signified that he trusted her with his property. Today the diamond solitaire, symbolic of wealth and undying love, is the popular choice for American engagements.

Cyclamen

Cyclamen is one of the most popular of all winter flowering pot plants. It has obvious charm with compact growth, beautiful swept-back flowers on long stalks and decorated foliage patterned in silver and green. Most Cyclamen are unfortunately consigned to the garbage after a few weeks. With care they will bloom indoors for several months.

Choose a plant with plenty of unopened buds, then put it in a suitable home; a north facing windowsill is ideal. The spot must be cool and away from direct sunlight. A warm room means a short life for a Cyclamen.

Cyclamen prefer a temperature of 50 to 60 degrees. Keep compost moist at all times, but not saturated. Stand the pot on a pebble tray to increase air humidity.

African Violet

African Violets are known for their ability to flower at almost any time of the year. If the plants basic needs are met - steady warmth, careful watering, good light, high air humidity and regular feeding - there should be several blooming periods a year. Dead flowers and damaged leaves should be removed from the plant immediately. Water on the leaves and flowers can cause spots and cold water can cause dead spots in the plant, so water carefully with tepid water. Water either right under the rosette of leaves with a narrow neck water can or pour water into a saucer underneath the pot and allow the roots to absorb what they need.
African Violets prefer bright, indirect light. Keep soil moderately moist. Water when the surface is dry to the touch. High humidity is essential. Place plants on pebble trays. African Violets like warm temperatures of 70 to 75 degrees during the day and 65 to 70 degrees at night.
Available colors include; white, pink, red, purple, yellow and bicolors.