Pantone 2012 Color of the Year: Tangerine Tango

Pantone has once again released its color of the year, and for 2012, it is a bright and bold orange named "tangerine tango". Here is how Pantone describes it:

"Sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it. Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy."

Pantone tells us that you will see this color used in fashion designs and cosmetics, including lipstick, cheeks and nail polish as well as eye shadow(!). It will continue to carry through as an accent in the home and office. And of course, you can always find tangerine in flower colors, including exotic looking roses, cheerful gerbera daisies and bright hot lilies to name a few.

Welcome 2012 and bring on the energy boost of Tangerine Tango!

There's Still Time!

There's still some time to order flowers for a last-minute gift. Give us a call for a one-size-fits-all surprise that we can deliver for you or you can pick up. We're here from 8 am - 6 pm Friday and from 8 am - 3 pm Saturday. Check out our website for more ideas: http://www.waukeshafloral.com

Have a very Merry Christmas! We'll be closed Sunday and Monday, Dec. 26th to spend the days with our families. Enjoy your holiday too and thanks for being our blog follower!

Santa Claus is Coming to Town!

Just a little light-hearted post today, of Santa (aka Marty) with his mother, Janet. Janet and Noel came to Waukesha in 1976, purchasing Waukesha Floral. Previously, they had a flower shop in Racine. In the 70's, there were many flower shops in Racine, so when the lease came up, Noel and Janet searched for a new location that would be right for them and their family. Since that time, sons Marty and Tom have taken over the responsibilities of Waukesha Floral, but Janet is the one who provides us with cookies, care, and her sparkling personality. We love Janet!

New Variety of Poinsettia

Here's a beautiful red poinsettia with light green flecks... the variety is Glitter. It's a new and very vigorous plant at Waukesha Floral this year.

Remember, when you choose a poinsettia, the actually flowers are not the brightly colored leaves, but the little yellow blooms in the centers. You would like the little yellow blooms to not be all open but in bud form to give the best longevity to the plant, like this plant. The yellow blooms are not even showing yet.

The most important thing is good drainage, as poinsettias don't like wet roots. However, they don't like to completely dry out either. Poke a hole in the decorative foil on the pot and use a saucer to protect your furniture!

The Poinsettias are ready!

Waukesha Floral's greenhouses are bursting with hundreds of beautiful blooms! Here are two interesting pictures... Marty practically drowning in poinsettias, and a cool new variety of red with bright green splotches on the leaves. Come in now for the best selection. Our greenhouses will put the holiday spirit in you!

There's No Rule that Wreaths Must be Round!

Our contemporary version of the holiday wreath isn't round! Concordia University's new School of Pharmacy sports this unique chartreuse and silver wreath in their foyer. For the holidays, try something fresh and modern!

Sommers Subaru Celebration Flowers

Here are just a few of the arrangements for the Sommers Subaru grand opening celebration. Don't you just love the bright arrangement on the kids' table... with crayon vase and monkey tail foliage? Bright exotic flowers combine with cattails and callas to make an outstanding statement.

Congratulations and best wishes for future success to Sommers Subaru!

Bridal Bouquets

Today's bouquets prove that weddings in autumn don't always have to be fall colors! Two similar bouquets... but very different. The blue and white bouquet features hydrangea, alstromeria, freesia and gerbera daisies. The lavender and white bouquet has white and lavender roses, freesia and a touch of glittery ribbon. Best wishes to our bridal couples today and always!

Holiday Jingle Open House is this Weekend!

Join us Saturday 8-5 and Sunday 10-4 for our annual Holiday Open House. Enjoy savings of 15% off all giftware, plants and flowers this weekend only, plus a great sale table. There will be door prizes, free popcorn and hot cider plus kids' crafts. Bring a non-perishable food item with you to help fill our Waukesha Food Pantry barrels and enjoy free design shows.

Snowin' and Blowin': 10 am Sat/1pm Sun

Do you love the snow? Featuring snowy white, icey silver and warm gold tones, this show brings out holiday brilliance!

Where Treetops Glisten: 11:30 am Sat/3 pm Sun

Our treetops glisten with traditional red, evergreen, plaids and cozy colors. Treetops, tree trims and permanent holiday flowers star in this show, for traditional with our own twist.

Reindeer Games: 1 pm Saturday

Fresh, fun and fabulous flowers plus holiday trivia questions for our audience! We'll have fun at this show!

Pretty Paper, Pretty Ribbons: 3 pm Sat/11 am Sun

Change your gift wrapping with some ideas for pretty packages! Come on stage and help us wrap things in new ways. Everyone will get the chance to learn to make a bow.

For any questions on our holiday open house, call Waukesha Floral at 262-542-8152. See you on the weekend!

Boo!

Halloween is fast approaching! Waukesha Floral has many fresh arrangements and unique, collectible halloween items. Do a little "reverse trick-or-treating" and send someone a halloween themed flower arrangement or special treat basket today!

Beware! Stop in our store and you'll see quite the fright as we work to change over to the holiday season. Holiday Jingle Open House is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 5-6th.

Ladies Night Artwork and Artflowers

More pictures from Ladies' Night!

Vicki interpretted this "Lady with Blue Hair" picture from The Almont Gallery in Waukesha with similarly colored flowers!

To see more pictures of Ladies Night art, visit our Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/WaukeshaFloral

Like us on Facebook to get more pictures and all the latest news!

Third Annual Ladies Night - Howl at the Moon

Ladies night was once again a "howling" success! A good time was had by all, enhanced by the Brew Crew winning an important playoff game that night.

Our "Palette of Blooms" show featured local artwork from The Almont Gallery and Gallery One, and our designers interpretted each masterpiece in flowers. We came up with some beautiful and unusual things, and I will blog more about them in the near future.

Our lady guests also enjoyed chair massages from Therapeutic Touch of Brookfield, cakes from Rich's Cakes in Meadowbrook Plaza, chocolate samples from Indulgence Chocolatiers, pastries from Sweet Perfections, and make up consultations from our friends at Mary Kay. Everyone received a bolt of ribbon, candles, flowers and valuable coupons as a thank you for coming.

This pictures shows some of our guests working on a community artwork piece, weaving and tying ribbons on a giant frame. For more pictures, please see our Waukesha Floral & Greenhouse FaceBook Page.

If you are interested in being invited to our ladies night and receiving other monthly offers, please email jane@waukeshafloral.com with your name and email address.

Downtown Milwaukee Planters at City Center

Here's a picture of some fall planters designed by Planteriors of Wisconsin, our plant rental and maintenance division of Waukesha Floral. The stacked pots catch your attention, not only for the beautiful flowers and fall leaves and Kale, but because most people wonder, "how did they do that?" An iron rod is placed into the planter and the clay pots are "stacked" through the holes in the bottoms of the pots and then planted after being stacked. Based on the number of compliments and people stopping to take pictures of the planters, it is obvious that public flowers and art are really appreciated by all. Kudos to Compass Properties for recognizing this and asking us to do the job for them. If you're down by 735 N. Water Street, stop and take a look!

Permanent Flower Displays

It's nice to have a fresh look in your business or retail space with seasonal permanent flowers. Here is an example of a seasonal rotation of flowers provided to a veterinary clinic in the Milwaukee area. This was their summer look, and we have just installed their fall flowers. They also have a holiday look, winter, and spring. We provide the flowers and install them, and store their seasonal arrangements for them.

Spooky Season is Approaching

Come in to Waukesha Floral and see all our spooky friends like this great mummy candy holder and our friendly witches. As Autumn approaches, start thinking about some new (and affordable) friends for your Halloween scene!

Wedding Archway

Looking for an archway for your wedding or event? Waukesha Floral has a pretty, solid wood white archway that is easily transported in three pieces. It rents for $75 plus tax and delivery (if needed). The beautiful fresh flowers are additional. This archway also supports a large arrangement of flowers on its lattice top, and is tall and wide enough to easily stand underneath.

And no, those aren't palm trees in the background. It's our own Lake Michigan (with some rather dark looking clouds).

Pretty In Pink Bouquets

This last weekend's weddings featured this beautiful pink lily and orchid bouquet, and attendant's bouquets of dendrobium orchids. Pink continues to be a very popular color for 2011 weddings!

Hardy Mums Are Here

Big, beautiful, bright... hardy mums are here to save the tired garden! We have a nice selection at Waukesha Floral... although most plants aren't showing much color yet, the buds are set for an explosion of September beauty!

One Gallon Size: $5.99
Two Gallon Size: $10.99
Whopper Size: $29.99 (Comes in a nice terra cotta colored pot to just set on your porch or deck)

Buy three mums and get the same size free! Just mention you saw our blog.

Sunflower Season!

Sunflowers are beautiful right now... and we like to pick them before the squirrels do! They make a long-lasting, sunshiny statement in any flower arrangement, and come in more colors and varieties than just yellow. Many of our sunflowers come from local sources. Next time you order a bouquet, make it sunflowers!

Always Reliable Alstroemeria

Florists often refer to this pretty little lily-like flower as "Alstro". It's another staple of flowers, coming to us from South America. Alstroemeria blooms in a wide range of colors and is generally long-lasting. After its long trip from South America, it can often look very wilted and tender, but as soon as the stems are hydrated, the blooms start to come back to life. It is often used in corsages and as filler flowers in bouquets and arrangements, although it is certainly pretty on its own. It is the "friendship flower", symbolic of wealth, prosperity and fortune. If you receive a bouquet of Alstroemeria, consider yourself very fortunate!

Where Have All the Flower Shops Gone?

According to a recent report by the Society of American Florists, retail floral establishments fell to record lows in 2009, per data just released from the U.S. Census Bureau. The number of florists has fallen 34 percent since 1997 when the drop began, with a total of 9,381 retail florist businesses having vanished since 1997. The number of shops increased in only four states from 2008 to 2009: Wyoming, Hawaii, South Dakota and Nebraska.

Staffing also fell at retail florist shops, with 68% of all shops having 1-4 people, just under a quarter employed 5-9 people and only 9 percent of all shops had 10 or more staff members.

Waukesha Floral employs an average of 20 full and part time people per year, including those at Planteriors of Wisconsin, the plant rental and maintenance division.

Thank you for thinking globally, but shopping locally. Waukesha Floral hopes to continue its 107 year tradition of beautiful flowers and plants both now and well into the future.

A Snowdrift of Baby's Breath

Baby's breath is an unsung hero of the flower shop. With thousands of fluffy white blooms atop bright green stems, it is often a flower used in the background to compliment roses, lilies and other feature flowers. By itself, it can be very striking, especially in wedding flower work. Baby's breath is easy to care for, reliable and long-lasting. It requires fresh water and a new cut every few days, but is also easily dried. Names like "Million Bells" and "Snowdrift" describe the masses of white blooms that fill a vase with their light texture. It's a wonderful staple of Waukesha Floral!

Hundreds of Varieties!

Gerbera daisies are so popular these days, for both wedding flowers and everyday arrangements. The large heads of the flowers are heavy on slight stems, so you may see these with wires up the stems or straws that wrap around the stems and help keep the blooms straight.

As you can see, Gerbera Daisies come in a huge variety of colors, including these pink beauties with a double row of petals, and sunny bright orange daisies with a thin rim of vibrant yellow.

Waukesha Floral always has an assortment of Gerbera daisies, but for special order colors, it's advised to call at least a week ahead.

Go Brewers!

The Brewers are HOT this year! And here's a hot shot of Bernie with our Planteriors Account Manager, Stacey Balsley and our Creative Design Manager, Denise Gehrke. They were guests of one of our valued customers at a recent game and they had a lot of fun! Waukesha Floral is happy to provide flowers for the suites at Miller Park and for your Milwaukee Brewers.

State Fair Flowers

Come on down to the Wisconsin State Fair to see Denise and Jane show you some interesting and creative ways to dress up your next picnic... today at 12-2!

And while you're in the horticulture building, don't miss our decorated cart. Here are two of our favorite people by our cart... Casey Hamill-Barth and her friend, Hannah Loppnow. Their aspirations are to finish Carroll University and St. Norbert's College, obtain gainful employment, meet "Mr. Dreamy" and star in a Waukesha Floral commercial someday! Thanks for submitting the picture Casey! You're a star!

No Less Than Stunning!

Here is the bridal bouquet of yellow calla lilies shown in my previous blog post. The professional picture sent to us by the bride really shows just how gorgeous the flowers were! And I love the picture of our beautiful bride and her attendants holding the rose and freesia bouquets.... these are all fresh flowers, and with a beautiful summer palette of colors. Love love love these pictures! Thanks to our customer for sending them and for entrusting Waukesha Floral and Mary Jo with her wedding!

Flowers for Every Bride!

Today is a busy wedding flower day! Shown here are some of the bridal bouquets we have made for our brides and their attendants. Fortunately, there are so many different flowers and colors for every type of bride! What kind of bride are you? Do you prefer the elegance of calla lilies or the happy feel of daisies? Or would you choose the soft look of yellow lilies? Do you like a classic look with all white roses or a vibrant feel of bright and light pink roses with deep purple lisianthus? Or is lilac your color? Whatever you choose, you're sure to have happy memories with your own beautiful flower bouquets.

It's Time to Shop!

Our buyers will be traveling to the Atlanta gift market this coming week. If there are any items you would like to see offered at Waukesha Floral, please let me know! Some of our best gift items come from suggestions from our customers.... if you've seen something in your travels that isn't offered here, just send me an email at jane@waukeshafloral.com.

Wedding Wreaths

Here are a couple pictures of fresh wreaths used as centerpieces around hurricane candles at a recent wedding. A lovely combination of lavender roses and stock combined with light purple alstromaeria and white hydrangea florets. Many different types of foliages added shine and texture to the arrangements.
The second picture shows the wreaths in our cooler, waiting for delivery.

Snowman... In JULY??

Here's a nifty plant that came to Waukesha Floral from Florida this week. "Eugenia Myrtifolia", or commonly called Brush Cherry, in this topiary form, reminds me of a 3-part snowman! Of course, the greenhouse is a little warm for snowmen this time of year.

Clipped in a formal fashion, this would make a great plant in semi-sun to full sun outdoors, or would thrive in a high light interior. It is a tropical plant so it must be brought indoors in the winter, or used as an annual plant. It's a bright and beautiful plant, and I believe we have 4 of them currently. They are priced at $59.99 each.

Or add a top hat,carrot nose and charcoal for eyes plus a light summer scarf... snowman in July!!

I'm Thirsty!

These first few days of July have been relatively dry. Don't forget to water your plants outdoors, especially hanging baskets and container gardens which dry out quickly above ground. During these hot July days, watering daily or twice a day will ensure beautiful plants through the summer. A little liquid fertilizer in your water is also a big benefit.

Shown watering our plants is my daughter, Grace. She is between graduating (magna cum laude!) from the University of Notre Dame with a degree in Biology and continuing this fall at The University of Minnesota, working towards her PhD in water ecology. We are happy to have Grace helping us out with the plants this summer. Stop by and say hi :)

4th of July is Almost Here!

4th of July is a wonderful holiday. Here are some wonderful things about it:

• It celebrates the greatest day in America's history!


• The weather is usually warm!


• It's a casual holiday that doesn't involve cookie making, card-sending or shopping for presents!


• Fireworks! Oooh! Aaaah!

If you're going to a cook-out why not take some red-white-and blue flowers along to add to the celebration? We also have a few great hanging baskets (now half price) to spruce up the yard for your own enjoyment. Enjoy Independence Day!

Happy Monday... I think Summer's here?!

Finally, we had a beautiful weekend for all the celebrations and wedding ceremonies; the weather felt more like summer than spring!

Here's a quick picture of one of our bridal bouquets from this past weekend, designed by Mary Jo. This says "Summer" to me!

Fiesta!

This is a great look for hot summer parties! Ribbon is not often thought of as a table accent, but this lattice look really draws the colors of the flowers around the table. Using ribbon on the table requires lots of ribbon, patience and two people to weave and pull the ribbons taught. It also helps to have heavy vases and rocks as shown to hold the ribbons in place. When it's done, it's a great look... very festive. This table was designed by Denise for a special birthday party with a Mexican fiesta theme. Muy bueno, Denise!

Happy Father's Day!

Cheers to all dads this weekend!

And don't forget, all our garden plants are on sale for quick clearance at 33% off.

If your dad loves his garden, hurry in now for the final best selection of the season.

Enjoy the weekend... and remember to thank your dad!

Tribute to a Gardener

Today, Denise had the privilege of designing sympathy flowers for an avid gardener. His family brought in cuttings from his yard... Bridal Wreath spirea, hosta leaves, bleeding hearts, lamb's ears, allium and more. She added touches like tomatoes, green pepers and grapevine to make a very gardeny looking spray and a wood trug arrangement for the family. Here are some pictures of the spray and some closer pictures of the details.

It's always nice to have some personal touches at a funeral and we encourage our customers to bring in pictures, hobby items or family mementoes to encorporate into the flower pieces. The fresh picked garden items made a loving tribute for a special man who loved his garden.

Seeing RED!

A wonderful group of Red Hat ladies visited Waukesha Floral & Greenhouse this past Tuesday. I was delighted to give them a tour of the flower shop and greenhouses.

I'm not so sure of how the Red Hatters came to be, but I'm guessing this poem has something to do with the phenomenon:


WARNING:
When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple with a red hat that doesn't go, and doesn't suit me. And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves and satin candles, and say we've no money for butter. I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells and run my stick along the public railings and make up for the sobriety of my youth. I shall go out in my slippers in the rain and pick the flowers in other people's gardens and learn to spit. You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat and eat three pounds of sausages at a go or only bread and pickles for a week and hoard pens and pencils and beer nuts and things in boxes. But now we must have clothes that keep us dry and pay our rent and not swear in the street and set a good example for the children. We must have friends to dinner and read the papers. But maybe I ought to practice a little now? So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

So wear your red hat in to Waukesha Floral... you're always welcome!

Welcome Olde English Flower Shop Customers!

After more than 40 years in the floral business, Olde English Flower Shop in Waukesha has decided to start a new business venture. They have entrusted their floral and plant business to Waukesha Floral. We welcome their customers to become part of the Waukesha Floral family! Just give us a call or stop in. We will always strive to be the best flower shop in Waukesha... let our flowers and plants prove it to you! Waukesha Floral also carries a full line of gifts, cards, candy, outdoor plants, plush, baby items and so much more.

Thanks for letting us serve you for over 107 years!