World's Most Expensive Flowers

Tulip Bulbs

Believe it or not, in the seventeenth century tulip bulbs were a hot commodity. The bulbs were prized for their shape, their rarity, and their vivid colours. Having tulips back then was a status symbol, and special tulip vases were often used to display them. For a time bulbs were bought and sold at frantic pace in a kind of "tulipmania": some were known to sell for about 10,000 guilders, or about $5600 today.

Saffron Crocus

The crocus is a beautiful purple flower, but it’s the yellow stamens that are the big winner for this plant. The stamens are used to make saffron, the world’s most expensive spice. To get about 500 grams of this spice takes about 80,000 flowers, which are picked and dried by hand. This popular spice sells for about $1500 per pound!

Gold of Kinabalu Orchid

This rare and beautiful plant is an endangered species of orchid, and it’s very hard to come by. Firstly, it grows only in a small area of Kinabalu National Park in Malaysia. Secondly, it blooms only in April and May. Add to this it’s slow growth rate and beautiful appearance and it’s one rare beauty. These orchids sells for approximately $5500 each.

Shenzhen Nongke Orchid

This orchid is the priciest one ever sold. It is a man-man variety that took eight years to develop and grow.  It also takes four to five years for its flower to bloom. This orchid sold at auction in 2005 for a whopping $160,000!

Kadupul Flower

And the most expensive flower? This rare and fragile beauty is actually the flower of a cactus from Sri Lanka that is not only hard to find but also blooms only at night. The flower dies before dawn, and if picked, dies even more rapidly. For these reasons it has never made it to a shop for sale, and its value? Priceless!

GRANDPARENTS DAY CONTEST!

If we are lucky, most of us have fond memories of our grandparents—those very special people who love you unconditionally and discipline you a little (or a lot) less than parents, who give excellent advice if you are smart enough to ask for it, who tell you stories of the past, who laugh at all your jokes, who are delighted whenever you visit or pick up the phone.

Grandparents are a repository of family memories, with wisdom and experience that are gained only through longer living. After giving so much to the next generations, they deserve some recognition and more than a little love given back. 

You may not be aware of it, but for these reasons and many more we have a National Grandparents Day! Canada, the U.S. and many other nations have set aside a special day to recognize and remember the valuable contributions made by our senior members of society. 

It all started back in 1970 when Marian McQuade, a West Virginia housewife, came up with the idea of a day set aside to encourage families to visit their elderly relatives. She lobbied and promoted tirelessly until President Carter signed the day into law in 1978. There is even a Grandparents Day song: A Song for Grandma and Grandpa, and an official flower: the forget-me-not. 

National Grandparents Day began in Canada in 1995 with a motion to designate “the second Sunday in September of each year as Grandparents’ Day in order to acknowledge their importance to the structure of the family in the nurturing, upbringing and education of children.” 

There is no doubt that grandparents are worth it. Don’t forget them. To them, you are the most important people in the world. Take a little time this September and send some love their way.

Grandparents Day is September 7, 2014.

SHARE YOUR BEST MEMORY OF A LIVING GRANDPARENT! It could be funny or nostalgic, uplifting or serious—whatever stands out to you. Tell us in your own words why they deserve a special surprise this September. Send your entries to contest@bloomex.ca. A short note is fine, and photos are welcome!

THE TOP 3 ENTRIES WILL RECEIVE A GORGEOUS DESIGNER COLLECTION BOUQUET, A $100 VALUE! Delivery Friday September 5. Contest begins TODAY, and ends Monday, September 1, 2014. Good luck!  

TERMS & CONDITIONS:
1. By submitting your story and/or photos, you agree that they become, as submitted, property of Bloomex, and allow Bloomex to post your submitted materials publicly on sites including but not limited to, bloomex.ca and the Bloomex blog (bloomex.blogspot.ca). Bloomex is happy to change or provide only first names of people involved in the stories; please just let us know in your email if you would like us to do this.
2. The winning stories will be determined by a panel of Bloomex employees.
3. DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES is Monday, September 1, 2014, at 12 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
4. 3 winners will be chosen, with each winner receiving a custom designed Designer Collection bouquet free-of-charge from Bloomex on or around September 5, 2014.
5. Recipients of bouquets must live in Canada or the United States.

Amazing Alstroemeria!

Alstroemeria: Perfect for all Occasions

100 Blooms of Alstroemeria

The name might be hard to say, but the flower is lovely to look at! 

Alstroemeria is originally native to South America. It also known as the Peruvian lily, or lily of the Incas, and it is quickly becoming a favourite flower for almost any occasion. These abundant blooms are actually members of the Amaryllis family, resembling miniature lilies. They are named after Swedish botanist Klas von Alstroemer, who collected seeds from this plant and many others during a trip to Spain in 1753. 

Alstroemeria packs a lot of impact with its vibrant yet delicate beauty. The abundant blooms have lovely, graceful veining and enjoy a longer vase life than do many other flowers. The flowers come in a wide variety of rich colours with unique markings.

Consider the amazing Alstroemeria for your next bouquet, and wow them with something dazzling and unique!

Boost Your Health with Houseplants

Need a great gift idea? Consider a beautiful, growing plant!

As a decorative touch, houseplants provide big impact. Add a plant to any home or office space and instantly enliven it. They make an ideal gift that is appropriate for any recipient, whether man or woman, and that is suitable for any occasion. Plants come in a wide range of colours, textures, and sizes, with blooms or without, and they are lovely to look at. But did you you know just how much our leafy friends relate to good health? 

Blooming Planter Basket $44.99

 

Plants help us live longer and better by:

Boosting our well-being.

Studies suggest that having plants in your environment benefits you in many ways. A recent review published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology found that plants can reduce fatigue, boost mood levels, lower stress, increase pain tolerance, and improve reaction time. Another study from 2008 suggests that patients in hospitals recover faster and use fewer pain killers when there is a live plant in the room.

Providing a cure for what ails us.

 About 70,000 plant species are used for medicine. The first types of aspirin, pain killer and fever reducers came from the bark of the willow tree. Today, over half the drugs prescribed in the US have plant origins. Many more species remain untapped—perhaps important cures are waiting for us, in an unknown plant!  

Improving our eating experience

Around 2000 different types of plants are used by humans to make food. The vast majority of our food is plant-based, from grains to fruits and veggies, to beverages like tea and coffee. Some of our tastiest added ingredients come from plants, including vanilla (from an orchid pod), chocolate (from the cacao tree), and saffron (from a crocus flower).

Cleaning our air

Plants improve air quality. A 1989 study conducted by NASA identified 17 common houseplants and found that these plants remove toxic chemicals from our indoor air. Plants also reduce carbon dioxide levels and send oxygen into your environment.

So send an incredible plant to someone you care about—the beautiful and healthy gift that keeps on growing!