Promote May Day in Your Flower Shop

May Day is on May 1. May Day has its origins even before the birth of Christ. It is not a prominent holiday in America, but it could be encouraged if advertised correctly. Inspiring May Day would be another little fun holiday to promote and bring in extra sales. You and your shop could make it an annual event that you and your community can participate. Excellent exposure for your store!! Sponsor it as a time of celebration, the beginning of summer.

May Day is best celebrated with fresh spring and summer flowers. The tradition of the May basket is a unique way to let your friends and loved ones know you are thinking about them. The baskets can be any size, but generally are small.  Paint them bright, cheery colors, or leave natural. Offer a bunch of assorted flowers to your customers so they can place them in the basket. Miniature rose, baby’s breath, heather, daisies, miniature carnations, and alstoemeria would be excellent choices to make mixed bunches. It is said that the basket giver would leave the basket of flowers on someone’s doorstep, ring the doorbell, then run and hide so the receiver does not know who left the basket. The person receiving the basket would try and catch the giver. If they caught the giver, they would exchange a kiss.  

The flowers can be put in waterproof containers, and hung on the doorknob. Also take a canning jar, put in the flowers chosen from the florist, and tie it off with a piece of jute rope. Jute gives the arrangement a rustic feel. A simple arrangement of irises and lily of the valley offers long lasting fragrance and color. A vintage tin can could be used.  Punch two holes, one on each side of the can and run a wire through, pinching the ends so the wire does not come out. Add some acacia, heather, monte casino, and baby’s breath. Tie a gingham ribbon around the can. Hang somewhere or give it away!!

Baskets and unique containers are not the only designs you can promote for May Day. You could also surprise a friend of loved one with a halo of flowers with long, tiny satin ribbons flowing in the back. They would wear the halo on their head or drape it on a chair. Also, you could create a garland of flowers for a front porch rail. Leis would also be exciting. That could be worn at an outdoor barbecue or the May Day happenings, providing lots of enjoyment. Fun!!!

See, you can get very creative and playful and have a lot of fun promoting this age old holiday. These are great May Day ideas, or even every day gestures. Your customers will appreciate the creativity and the uniqueness. Place an ad in your local newspaper or create a radio spot for your May Day activities. Endorse it as a spry, relaxed chance to give flowers and make someone’s day. 

There is also the Maypole dance. Legend has it that at dawn English country dwellers would meander in the country gathering flowers and blooming branches. A maypole was erected, usually a tall birch pole, and decorated with lots of flowers. Ribbons would be strewn from the pole and used in the dance. Beautiful! Then the villagers danced and sang around the maypole. 

Promote a maypole dance on May 1^st. What a distinctive way to advertise your flower shop. Maybe involve an elementary school. It would be an awesome field trip for the kids, plus you are exposing the young ones to flowers and their enjoyable beauty and fun. Rejoice in the oncoming of May and the summer season. Besides, kids are May Day!!

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Trade Publications and Organizations for the Floral Industry

It is very important for a florist and a business person to stay abreast of new trade and industry trends and news. There are several ways a florist can do this. One of the methods is to subscribe to trade publications and become a member of trade organizations.  Below is a list of the top trade journals, magazines and organizations with which you should be involved.  This compilation serves as a support for growers, wholesalers, florists, students, and manufacturers of floral products.

These publications will keep you informed on a weekly, monthly, bimonthly or quarterly basis. Some of them are free to members, while you can subscribe to others. Research each one of these and select a handful. Begin to educate yourself and stay informed. You do not want your customers filling you in on new trends such as color, styles and new products related to your business. You are the professional! By subscribing to trade publications and trade associations you will not only keep yourself and employees informed, but you will spark your creativity and challenge yourself as a unique member of the floral industry.

The Publications and Trade Organization:

Florist Review

Professional Floral Designer

Florist and Grower

Grower Talks

Nursery News

Flower News

Floral Mass Marketing

AFS - American Floral Services

FTD – Florists Transworld Delivery

Teleflora

The Retail Florist and Floral Finance

Gift Basket Review

Flowers &

The Cut Flower Quarterly

California Grower

FloraCulture International

Floral and Nursery Times

American Floral Marketing Council

American Institute of Floral Designers

Society of American Florists

American Academy of Floraculture

Professional Floral Commentators International

Allied and Florists’ Associations

As with any industry it is best to strive for excellence in your field in order to be successful. You must improve yourself by gaining new skills and experience.  The purpose of new knowledge is to challenge a florist visually and creativity and to compete with peers. Education helps to unlock your full potential.  Learning new ideas and concepts is not enough; one has to put them into practice. One has to build upon old skills, with implementing new styles and conceptions.

Trade organizations and associations are a group of like-minded people. This includes growers, wholesalers, retailers, florists, and students. It is advantageous to belong to at least one or two floral organizations. Belonging to these groups are a chance for us to learn about specific needs of our business. Specific is the key word here. You can learn about bookkeeping practices and tax information “specific” to the floral business. You can learn about “specific” business trends. These organizations allow you to stay on top of the sale and promotion of flowers and floral products.

By being a member, you will belong to an elite group of professionals and have the chance to further your know how. AIFD, American Institute of Floral Designers offers wonderful certification opportunities that will enhance your expertise in the floral field, which will also add to the perceived value of your shop.

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5 Amazing Plant and Flower Facts

• Rafflesia Arnoldi - The world’s largest and rarest flower is from the jungles of Southeast Asia. The rafflesia arnoldi can reach a diameter of up to three feet and weigh as much as fifteen pounds. This heavy flower is pollinated by beetles and flies. It has no roots, leaves or stems and the disembodied blossom grows only as a parasite on the vines of another plant. The large single flower has no chlorophyll. The huge fleshy, fungus like petals are reddish-brown spotted with white. Very little is known about the rafflesia arnoldi because it is difficult to travel deep into the dense rainforest. It has been impossible to duplicate its environment in which it lives therefore it has been unattainable to grow it in confinement. When the flower is ready for reproduction it gives off a potent stench of decay to attract its insect pollinators. The flowers can be smelled long before they are seen. This rare flower is near extinction because of the destruction of its habitat, the rainforest.
• Water Lilies – The royal, or giant, water lily is one of the wonders of the plant world. On the Amazon River, their buds begin to open in the morning and by mid-afternoon are fully opened, staying open all night. Among  all the blossoms, only one flower opens at a time. The huge leaves of the water lily can reach up to six feet across and are strong enough to support the weight of a child. Water lilies are probably the oldest group of flowering plants. The earliest known fossilized pollen originated from one of these plants about 140 million years ago.
• Bromeliad Plants – Bromeliads claim their home on tree branches. These types of plants are called epiphytic plants; flowers that cling on to other plants for support. The Tillandsia is a rootless bromeliad, a true “air” plant that lives on the nutrients in moist air. The bromeliad makes its home on the branches using their roots as anchorages only and not to take nourishment from their host.
• Moving Flowers – Plants do not have a nervous system, but they are capable of movement. Their rudimentary sensitivities can cause reactions to environmental factors such as light. This is called tropism and the movements are called tropism. Sunflowers are especially “phototropic”, growing in response to light. A field of sunflowers will follow the sun as it moves across the sky during the day. Keeping their “faces” to the sun ensures that the flowers mature, are pollinated and ripen their seeds. At night, the sunflower stems slowly return to their natural upright position. The individual sunflowers in a row will move at slightly different speeds, but overall will follow the same track.
• Century Plants – The Saguaro cactus, Carnegia gigantean, takes about 150 years to grow to a height of 36 feet. Young plants grow very slowly and may not bloom for 25 years. The saguaro’s habitat is the Sonoran Desert of California, Arizona, and nearby Mexico. The largest saguaro has more than 5 arms,and is about 200 years old. This cactus has surprisingly shallow roots for its height and width. It is the home of the Gila woodpecker and the red-tailed hawk, among other wildlife.

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Opening a Flower Shop – The Legal Aspects

Opening your own flower shop is not too difficult. There are a few legal things of which you need to be aware. Always, consult a lawyer if you feel the need and are unsure of yourself. I am not a legal expert, but am only speaking from experience. 

One of the first things you will need is business license, state and local. These can be purchased for a minimal fee and by filling out an application. You do not need any special certifications or degrees for your floral business. Your licenses will need to be displayed in your shop. Your state license (your sales tax license) and sales tax number you are given will be what you need to pay quarterly taxes from on the sales your store has generated. Also, besides paying quarterly sales taxes, this license allows you to buy merchandise for your shop tax exempt. When buying from wholesale vendors they will need your tax identification number as well. 

In the very beginning you may want to hire a professional accountant that can keep you straight on tax laws and paying your taxes. I have learned from experience that by hiring this professional person first before anything, in spite of the cost, will save you much stress, anxiety, and money in the long run. You may think you can do it yourself, but this is an area I would advise against scrimping on. By having this professional on your team you will stay out of trouble. By working with an accountant on a monthly basis they can help you in a variety of ways; very much worth the expense!! Furthermore, if you ever build your business and want to sell it in the future, your books will justify the asking price of your business. Without proper bookkeeping, the worth of your business is null. 

You will need to talk to an insurance agent to see what types of insurance your business will need. What if someone falls in your store and breaks a leg? You are going to need insurance to cover this type of accident. You will also need automobile insurance for your delivery vehicle. Just tell your insurance agent what you are doing and they will tell you everything you need to have to be protected.

You may want to talk to a lawyer about the different ways of incorporating your business. Are you sole proprietorship or are you going to be a LLC? Much to think about here and a professional can educate you on the pros and cons of all. You may also need a lawyer for your lease agreement if you are leasing your shop space. Similarly, you may want help with the hiring of employees. You may need to learn the laws concerning employees. Just protect yourself! An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure! Be sure and set your new business up properly. It will be that much less with which you have to be concerned.

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Grow Gourds for a Unique Difference

This spring as you are planning your garden, include gourds. They are interesting and are a guaranteed conversation starter. There are many varieties to try.  After the vines have died and the weather is cool, bring your gourds to your shop for added autumn appeal.

Plant your gourd seeds after all danger of frost are over. They do need a long growing season so get them in the ground as soon as you can or start the seeds indoors about four weeks before you are to plant outside. Be sure to plant in a sunny location as they are heat loving plants. Gourds love to have a trellis or a fence to climb onto.  If you have an unsightly chain link fence or if you wish the fence was more natural in look, plant gourds to grow on the fence. They will entirely cover it and create a natural barrier.  

Gourds are related to the melon, squash, cucumber, pumpkin family. Gourds have been grown for centuries as utilitarian vessels, such as ladles and bowls, for ornamental purposes, such as birdhouses, and for cosmetic uses.  There are two main kinds of gourds to grow. They are Cucurbita or soft-skinned gourds and Lagenaria or hard-skinned gourds.

The soft-skinned gourds must be harvested before frost. Any sign of frost will turn them to mush. Cucurbita gourds are the gourds we use for decorations. They look like small squash. These gourds come in many shapes and sizes. These would be the gourds that we might see spilling out of a cornucopia in a fall display. Also, you can take them and turn them into a fresh flower container by hollowing out the gourd and inserting floral foam. Use oak leaves and cattails, along with hardy, long lasting mums and daisies for a distinctive floral design for autumn.

The second type of gourd is the hard-skinned utilitarian type. This gourd will mature on the vine well past frost and be okay, although it is best to harvest before frost and dry in a warm dark area. The gourd will eventually turn from green to tan and mottled browns.  Once the gourd is very light and rattles when shook, the seeds inside, then it is dried and can be prepared for its intended use. The lageneria gourd is what is used to make birdhouses and long handled dippers and vessels. This is also from where the luffa sponge comes. The gourd fiber inside is dried and it becomes an exfoliating luffa sponge. The shapes of this type of ornamentals can be very exceptional and fascinating. 

Gourds will add a captivating experience for your floral customers.  Create an autumn dried flower decoration in one. Maybe you can find someone to hand paint them. They can be customized for any area as a great souvenir.  Paint the ocean, the mountains, or the desert. Hand sign and number each for a collectible. The possibilities with gourds are endless and will add class to the floral shop. 

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