Brighten your day–or a friend’s day–with flowers now

by Connie Oswald Stofko

If you’re tired of the gray, gloomy skies we’ve been seeing for weeks, get a little sunshine in your life with fresh flowers.

Spread the cheer by sending flowers to your Valentine or to your friends.

What might make you even happier is supporting a local grower and getting flowers picked that day.

At Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville, they grow their oriental lilies in their own greenhouses.

“We cut them fresh daily,” said Mark Yadon, vice president at Mischler’s. “They’re not stored.”

Mishler’s lilies come in shades of pink and white.

“They pair beautifully with roses,” Yadon said.

The lilies open in succession; an arrangement will have some lilies in full bloom while others are still in the bud stage.

Tip: When you get an arrangement with lilies home, change the water every three days, Yadon said. That way, the flowers should last a couple weeks. (Note: Unfortunately, lilies are toxic to cats.)

If you want flowers that last a super-long time, cyclamen is for you. This houseplant will begin to bloom around November and bloom until April or May, Yadon said.

“They have really bright colors,” Yadon said, “and the foliage is striking, too.”

Cyclamen likes it on the cooler side, and they prefer indirect light rather than really bright light. A north-facing window is good.

Tip: Don’t overwater cyclamen.

“People generally overwater it,” Yadon said. “Let the soil dry out in between waterings.”

In the summer, cyclamen will lose its flowers, but the plant will continue to grow.

Popular now at Mischler’s is a Cyclamen Bowl. Three cyclamen plants are nestled into a bowl along with two green plants.

Tip: If you want to buy or send flowers for Valentine’s Day, order early.