Blog
New to our flower department
Wild Smilax
One word...STUNING!
The leaves are dark, glossy and waxy. The long vines are perfect for arches, trellis, any type of hanging work as well as greenery in designs and arrangements. The vines come usually in 6'-8' lengths. It is hard to say exactly what size you get because it depends on how it is harvested. The smilax is available from mid July through April and then it needs a rest while it is getting new growth.
You receive a 13 1/2 lb garbage bag filled with smilax. Each bag comes out to at least 120'-130' per bag. And it is ready to use, right from the bag. Nothing but smilax!
And it will last and last. Three weeks in the cooler and if it starts to wilt, recut and put the stem in water. You are going to love it! Stop in one of our locations and ask to see a bag. And don't be surprise if you start thinking of a million ways you could use it in your designs!
We have a new feature on the website. On the top bar, look for Order Form. This is the place to type in and send us your flower, supply or plant order, any time of the day, 24/7. You select the location and fill out the form. It's that easy.
The order will be sent to your branch location and your salesperson will call with confirmation and any additional information.
Fill one out for your upcoming weddings and put the name and date in the note section for easy remembering. Fill one out for holiday ordering. Fill one out because you are at the shop late and want to place the order now instead of ordering tomorrow when you are busy.
There are lots of reasons why to fill it out, try it...you'll like it!
Looking for an excellent late summer/early fall flower?
Look no further than Michigan Grown Dahlias. Large flower heads in a multitude of bright colors...the quality is unsurpassed. 
Don't miss out, they are only available for
4 to 5 weeks! So they will be gone by
the middle of September!
Tis the season for the best in selection and quality for locally grown flowers. The weather this summer may not have been beach weather but it was great for the local flowers - the cool weather made for an extended growing season and excellent quality and color!
Harvard Business.org had an interesting blog today (8/06/09) about how many small businesses are surving, even thriving in this economic downturn. Thought it was worth the read...
For the entire read, go to http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/08/how_small_businesses_win_big.html?cm_mmc=npv-_-DAILY_ALERT-_-AWEBER-_-DATE
...For every small business failure, dozens more are actually thriving despite the economic panic.
What are these small businesses doing to outperform the economy? Consider the following strategic approaches:
Action. This is an entrepreneur's best weapon. Things happen fast these days and fluidity favors small businesses — you don't need to sort through the layers of bureaucracy that can slow down, or even cripple, larger companies. Small businesses can adapt to any circumstance quickly. As every thriving entrepreneur knows, speed breeds success.
Planning is important. Plans aren't. It's good to have a strategy in place, but don't succumb to analysis paralysis. With things changing almost hourly, can you afford to spend time following a bloated plan that was outdated almost as soon as it was completed? Spend your time with your ear to the ground and respond accordingly.
Innovative financing. There are a number of resources available to small businesses and innovative approaches that can have a positive impact on your bottom line. Diana Ransom touched on some of these tactics in a WSJ Smart Money column. She recommends offering upfront pricing, using seller financing, and switching from fixed to variable costs. She also recommends selectively discounting items. Although, I've gone on the record as saying discounting can damage your brand, the key word here is selective. Circumstances also come into play. If your business is based in a community that is particularly vulnerable economically (such as Detroit, let's say) or your target audience is responsive to discounts, then by all means try this approach.
Give the people what they want. People are staying home more and they're looking for value. Smart companies are tapping into that. For instance, Skinner Baking is giving people what they want: comfort food during hard times. And I'm willing to bet that the sales of that much maligned blanket with sleeves, the Snuggie, aren't going to do too badly this winter either, what with people staying home and turning down their thermostat.
Test, measure, refine, repeat. Small businesses have another added advantage these days that they didn't have in past recessions — social media and sophisticated online marketing tools. You can measure the success of your marketing and advertising and conduct all the market research you need in real-time with a click of the mouse. You can engage your customers online in a number of low-cost ways. And you can optimize your website so your customers can find you quickly and easily. Likewise, effective use of eCommerce capabilities can help keep you in the black with minimal overhead.
What tactics are you using to keep company performance up while the economy is down? We would love to hear!
Locally Grown Flowers are here.
It's the time of the year when we have lots and lots of summer garden flowers in stock. Each week, it's something new! It's like having a farmers market at each of our locations!
Locally grown is the buzz word for the summer. Have you noticed how the fruits and vegetables at the grocery store are labeled "locally grown"?
Try having your own farmer's market and let your customers know that you have lots more than the "regulars" in flowers!
Don't miss out on the fun!