by Connie Oswald Stofko Have you ever sent flowers to a man? Why not? As we gardeners know, men like flowers. They plant flowers in their yards and go on garden walks and participate in garden clubs. And men like to receive flowers as a gift, just as women do, says Frank Mischler, president of Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. For men, choose bold, masculine colors, such as you see in the video below. Another thought…
by Connie Oswald Stofko Since it’s the beginning of a new year, we thought it would be fun to look at some of the current trends in floral design. In this video, Maggie Wittmer, floral designer at Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, leads us through the new styles. Some trends, such as smaller, compact designs in flower arrangements, have evolved for practical reasons. Some people simply don’t have a lot of room to display a huge arrangement at home or on…
Anyone can take the floral design class offered this fall at Niagara County Community College, and those over age 60 can audit the class for free. “Seniors can audit any horticulture class for free,” said Carolyn A. Stanko, CNLP, Horticulture Program coordinator & assistant professor. “It is one of the best kept secrets out there.” See a list of NCCC horticulture courses here. HRT 111 Floral Design I is a hands-on class. It will meet Mondays from 9-11 a.m. and…
by Connie Oswald Stofko It’s easy to force cherry blossoms, say the organizers of Buffalo’s Cherry Blossom Ball, and the technique can be used on other branches including forsythia, apple and plum. Forced cherry branches will be used in centerpieces for the ball, which will take place from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Thursday, April 2 in the Great Hall of the Buffalo History Museum, 1 Museum Court, Buffalo. Tickets are $150 per person. Tickets can be purchased online by March…
You can enjoy flowers any time of the year when you make the “My Suzie” flower arrangement with these easy directions from Mischler’s Florist and Greenhouses, 118 South Forest Rd., Williamsville. This is a trendy design, but it’s simple enough that even a beginner will get good results. It uses hydrangeas, spray roses and lemon leaves (also called salal), which are available year round at Mischler’s. You can even get the container at Mischler’s. If you prefer, you can use…
by Connie Oswald Stofko If you want something a little different for the holidays, choose a wreath that isn’t round. You can find creative shapes at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. The handmade wreaths at Lockwood’s can be shaped like a heart, Christmas tree, cross, square or rectangle as well as the traditional circle. You can custom order wreaths, too. Some people come in year after year for the same wreath, said Jill Kisker, grower at Lockwood’s. Others come…
A staghorn fern mounted on a rustic plaque is one of the intriguing floral crafts you can make in the series of classes to be held this fall at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. The staghorn fern has fronds that look like the horns of a staghorn deer. It’s an epiphytic plant or air plant. Epiphytic plants usually grow on another plant such as a tree and derive their moisture and nutrients from the air, rain and debris accumulating…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I’m always delighted by the creativity on display at flower shows. Yes, there are flower arrangements, but there is so much more. Here’s a darling three-dimensional baby bed made of plant material. Wouldn’t something like this be cute for a baby shower? I saw this at the annual flower show organized by the Eighth District Federated Garden Clubs of New York State at Plantasia in March. Chris Wheaton made this prize-winning creation. The blanket is made…
Presentations on gardening as well as hands-on floral workshops will be among this season’s classes to be offered at Lockwood’s Greenhouses, 4484 Clark St., Hamburg. Registration is necessary for all classes. You can register for most of the classes online now (some of the classes aren’t posted on the Lockwood’s site yet– check back soon), at the store or by calling 649-4684. Coming up first are two classes this Saturday, April 5, where you can learn how to integrate food…
by Connie Oswald Stofko I have been fascinated with making decorations out of frozen spheres. I made a large arrangement of frozen spheres for my porch, then I added candle holders made out of ice. I kept thinking that you should be able to use this idea inside, too, but I quickly recognized some drawbacks. The spheres in the large arrangement don’t just balance; they’re sort of glued in place. I poured water in between the spheres. When it froze,…
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