Modern Christmas

At Visser's Florist, we are always looking to do something a little different. This arrangement was created by Yolanda G., our floral designer that specializes in the more modern and high-style arrangements.

It's a simple arrangement combining Anthuriums and Christmas greens, accented with pinecones and whimsical touches of gold. Although it's not currently on our website, you could get one made by calling us at 714 772-9900 and asking for the Yolanda Special. The price is a very reasonable $44.99.

Christmas at Visser's

Yup, it's Christmas at Visser's once again. For 51 years straight Visser's florist and Greenhouses is decorated to the hilt for our favorite holiday. We really go all out for this one. We flock our own Christmas greens, create beautiful wreaths and garlands and bring in poinsettias as far as the eye can see (well, almost).

You really owe it to yourself to come and take a look. Bring the kids, bring grandma and prepare yourself to be awash in Christmas beauty. You won't be sorry.

And don't forget, as long as it isn't nap time, ask to see my two month old grandson Nathan. He likes to hang around the shop and greet people.

Poinsettias for Christmas

Is it that time already? It’s almost December 12, which I’m sure you all know is National Poinsettia Day. The day was set aside to honor Joel Poinsett, who first imported them to the United States. Need to know more about the plant? Here are a few snippets taken from Wikipedia.

- First of all, thank goodness for Joel, because without him December 12 would be known as Euphorbia pulcherrimaf day since that is the scientific name of the flower. Also, the bright red part you see is not the flower of the plant. Those are leaves called bracts. The flower is a tiny little yellow thing in the middle.

- Next, poinsettias are not really toxic. There is an urban myth about a child being poisoned but those rumors appear to be false. However, even though you probably won’t die, eating them may make you sick, especially if you are allergic to latex.

- There are exactly 109 varieties of poinsettias, although most Americans prefer the red ones. One grower on the west coast, Paul Ecke used to have a virtually lock on the U.S. production of these plants, but now they are produced in several locations.

- A Mexican legend explains how poinsettias came to be associated with Christmas. Apparently, a child who could not afford a gift to offer to Christ on Christmas Eve picked some weeds from the side of a road. The child was told that a humble gift, if given in love, would be acceptable in God's eyes. When brought into the church, the weeds bloomed into red and green flowers and the congregation felt they had witnessed a Christmas miracle.·

- Your poinsettia is able to rebloom after the first year, but making it happen takes a bit of work. They are a subtropical plant so they need warm, but not hot environment. And to flower, they need two months of long, dark, uninterrupted nights in the fall.

Visser’s Florist & Greenhouses is currently loaded with beautiful, florist-quality poinsettias. Our greenhouses are bursting with the Red, white and pink varieties of these beauties. Come in and see for yourself.

No Florist for Thanksgiving?

With all the negative economic news on TV lately, we are all looking for ways to save a few bucks. In fact, I just read an article that suggested you make your own Thanksgiving flower arrangements.

On the surface it sounds good. And, it's fine if you're the Martha Stewart type. In reality though, you will probably end up spending more money and a lot more time to end up with something that doesn't quite measure up. Let's face it, you spend a lot of time and effort (not to mention money) to make everything just right for your friends and family on this most special day. Do you really want your flower arrangement to be the humorous topic of conversation on the guests' drive home? Probably not.

Do the right thing. Come to Visser's Florist and Greenhouses. We've got the plants, flower arrangements and cornucopias that you need and unbelievably low prices. We'll be open until 1:00 p.m. on Thanksgiving so you can pick up your flowers at the last minute.

Halloween Flowers

Oooooh, scary! Here is a cute Halloween arrangement that would be perfect for a halloween party or to decorate the office reception area. All of the Halloween arrangements made by Visser's Florist are custom, so call us today with your budget and your preferences, and let our professional designers do their goulish magic.

Call us today at (714) 772-9900 and start enjoying the Halloween fun.

Wedding flowers - Don't wait too long

A recent trend here at Visser's Florist is for Brides to wait until the very last minute to come in and order their wedding flowers. Now, I'll admit that being able to handle last minute wedding orders is one of those little customer services that made Visser's so famous over the last 52 years.

However, due to the global economic slowdown, some flowers are getting tougher to get without a little notice. Here's a story about how Holland's flower exports are down almost 20% from the prior year.

For most flowers, we are still able to scramble around and get them for you, even with just a few days notice. But really, do you want to take a chance on your wedding not being exactly like your dream? Give us a little time. You won't be sorry.

It's a Boy

Visser's Florist & Greenhouses has its newest team member! Little Nathan Ray Robinson was born last Wednesday, October 1st. My son Dennis and daughter-in-law Olivia are doing fine and are as happy as can be.

He weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces and (while I may be predjudiced) he has to be the cutest kid ever! Don't you agree?

Best of Orange County--Again

Fall is here and you know what that means--The Orange County Register's Best of Orange County list is out again. Once again, Visser's Florist and Greenhouses made the list for Best Florist.

Althought it's not really a surprise since we have made the list almost every year since it started, all of us at Visser's are extremely proud of this honor. We work very hard to provide the very best flowers and plants, and to give the absolute best customer service anywhere.

To all of our loyal customers that voted for us, we say thank you. We will continue to work hard throughout the year to stay "The Best of Orange County".

The Lovely Croton

For some reason, the popularity of the croton is growing like wildfire. The Croton is a tropical plant, meaning that it is native or grows best between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn. Lucky for you, however, that this little beauty has been adapted to flourish indoors.

The leaves of this colorful plant actually start out green, but then develop their bright yellows, reds and oranges as a response to a strong light source. A good tip is if the existing leaves are staying green there is probably not enough light, or you are over fertilizing, especially during the summer. Fortunately, both problems are easily corrected.

Starting a Croton is easy. The best method is to go down to Visser’s Florist in Anaheim and buy one. We have them all year long, with prices starting at $2.99.

However, for the adventurous types, it is pretty easy to propagate one from an existing plant. According to the Croton Society start by cutting off a stem, at least a few inches long. Remove the lower leaves and flowers. Keep the stem wet (like in a baggie with water) until you are ready to propagate. Place cuttings in a container with water, for a couple of days in bright light, not in full sun. Next, plant the cuttings in a pot, mist the leaves, water well and seal with a clear plastic bag until it starts to root, maybe 4 or 5 days. Then repot and care for normally.

Crotons grow best in bright light and warm temperatures, but not blazing sun. Also, if the leaves turn yellow and start falling off, you are probably overwatering the plant. Finally, use a fertilizer regularly.

Los Angeles Angeles of Anaheim

OK, I know what you're thinking. Is this a sports blog or a florist blog?

Of course, it's a florist blog, but being in Anaheim we can't help but being proud of our baseball team. The Anaheim Angels (sorry, but I just can't do the L.A. thing) have clinched a spot in the playoffs, WITH THE BEST RECORD IN BASEBALL! Arte Moreno, the owner of the team, has really done great things with our team.

Also, Frankie Rodriquez, the Angel's ace in the bullpen, has set a major league record for the number of saves in one season: 58. Another great year for Frankie.

We are happy to congratulate the Angels on their accomplishments, and think this year could mean another world championship. And, don't forget, it you do need flowers, don't forget to call Visser's Florist & Greenhouses.

Gold Medal Volleyball Team

This Saturday, September 13th, the City of Anaheim is having a celebration to honor the U.S. Olympic GOLD MEDAL WINNING Men's Volleyball team. The U.S. team was the only men's team to go undefeated at this year's olympics in Beijing.

And, guess who was selected to provide the flowers and plants for the celebration. That's right, it's Anaheim's own Visser's Florist & Greenhouses.

Anaheim is the host city for the team and Visser's is proud to help them celebrate the gold medal. The celebration starts at 11:30 a.m. at the park in Gardenwalk. More details are here.

Don't miss this opportunity to see the team up close and personal.

SENDING FLOWERS TO SCHOOLS

It's September, and the kids are back in school. This time also marks the end of summer--which can be a good thing for florists.

During the Summer, with everybody on vacation, the flower industry tends to slow down. Sure it's a good time for doing a little deferred maintenance, but frankly, it's boring.

That's why, at Visser's Florist we're always glad to see those shiney yellow school buses back on the street. Now, let's get to the point of this rambling post. SENDING FLOWERS TO SCHOOLS.

I think that sending flowers to a teacher or school administrator is a great way to say thank you, or to show that you appreciate the great work. However, most schools do not accept flowers for students. Before you send little Susie a bouquet celebrating her return to school, call the school and ask if students are allowed to receive flowers. You could save yourself a lot of time. Or, just call us at Visser's, and we will find out for you.

Sympathy Flowers this month

Here's some good news. According to the Center for Disease Control's website, of all the months, you have the least probability of dying in September (7.7%). All the Summer months are good but September is the best.

Now for the bad news. January is the month when most people die (9.4%), followed by December and March. Maybe it's the cold weather?

Anyway folks, go ahead and enjoy the month. You probably won't be ordering sympathy flowers from Visser's Florist in September.

Flowers for Hillary Clinton

This is a big week for the Democrats. The democratic national convention starts today. It sure looks like Senator Obama has it locked up. However, there are still millions of Americans that voted for Hillary and aren't quite ready to give it up. Well, good news. There's still time. The vote hasn't happened yet. Why not send a delegate this patriotic flower arrangement from Visser's Florist, with a message that you still support Hillary, and you want them to vote accordingly.

This is for the presidency of the United States of America. You know you'll feel better if you give it one last try.

Indian Independence Day

What an interesting day it was yesterday. I begrudgingly tore myself away from watching the olympics to attend a celebration of Indian Indepence Day.

Since Visser's Florist supplied the green, white and orange centerpieces, it seemed like the right thing to do. The party was put on by Anaheim City Councilman Harry Sidhu and his wife Gin, who are both good friends of Visser's. It was attended by hundreds of people, from politicians like Orange County Supervisor Chris Norby to neophites like me just wanting to see what was going on.

The party was great. There was a lot of Indian singing and dancing and the Indian food was fantastic. Now I'm really looking forward to next year's celebration.

Orange County Plant Maintenance

Did you know that Visser's Florist and Greenhouses has a world class Plant Maintenance service? In case you aren't familiar with plant maintenance, it's where we come to your office or house and take care of your plants. We do all the watering, fertilizing, trimming etc., and, if for some reason one of the plants dies we replace it free (with just a couple of exceptions).

The service is guaranteed, and unbelievably inexpensive. Almost all of our accounts stay with us year after year. How's that for a recommendation? Give us a call today at (714) 772-9900 and we will come by and give you a free quote. You won't be sorry.

California Balloon Law

Yippee! As unbelievable as it is, the California legislature has acted in a logical and sane manner and gutted the proposed draconian Mylar Balloon Law. Read about the changes here.

The proposal's sponsor, Sen. Jack Scott (D-Altadena) has changed his proposed outright ban on Mylar balloons in favor of tougher enforcement of the existing law and increased penalties for violating that law. If the bill passes, which it probably will, a florist (like Visser's Florist--world's best florist) would be fined $250 for selling a mylar balloon without a weight to keep it from causing a power outage.

Let me say this. At Visser's, we are concerned about the impact of what we sell on the environment. That's why we include a free balloon weight with every Mylar sold. We congratulate the California state legislature for making the changes that will protect the environment without penalizing the small businesses in California.

Sunflowers

Summer is here and it's Sunflower time. These beauties can really brighten up someone's day. Come on in to Visser's Florist and pick some up today. You won't be sorry.

And by the way, the vase arrangement pictured above just happens to be our secret email special of the week. By calling our store at (714) 772-9900 you have get this happy bouquet for only $22.95 (Good only today and tomorrow). If you like, we can deliver it for our normal delivery charge, but unfortunately we cannot send this order out of our normal Orange County delivery area. Our partner florists just cannot match our unbelievable price for this one. Don't delay, because when they're gone--they're gone.

Independence Day Flowers

It occurs to me that despite all of the fun on the 4th of July with the BBQs, parades and fireworks, the real meaning tends to get lost (like a lot of other holidays). We really need to honor and celebrate the true concept of independence day.

Let's face it. The freedoms that we often take for granted didn't just happen by accident. The reason that we are able to live in an independent and free nation is because of the sacrifice of so many people in the military over the years.

Here's my idea. Friday morning, before the day's festivities begin, take a few flowers, go to a local cemetary and find the grave of a soldier. It doesn't matter if you don't know him or her, just find one that doesn't have any flowers on it and leave yours. Maybe say a quiet word of thanks.

Now, before you say this is a commercial for our flower shop, let me say that Visser's Florist, and most other flower shops will be closed the 4th. That's not the point. Go out in the back yard, pick a few flowers from your garden, tie them together with some ribbon and use those. It's the thought that counts. And, I absolutely guarantee that if you do this you will feel better on this 4th of July than you have in a long time.

Happy Holiday.

Money CAN buy happiness

Let’s face it, the economy is not doing very well. The real estate market is in trouble, the job market isn’t that strong and the price of gas is ridiculous. It can easily cost $100 to fill up your tank. Plus, it doesn’t help that the news media loves to remind you how bad things are on a daily basis.

One common response to all this negative input is to cut back your spending everywhere you can. Even here at Visser’s Florist, one of the top florists in the nation, we see people cutting back every day.

My message to you is simple. When you come to Visser’s, or any reputable flower shop and make just a small purchase of flowers you are not buying a commodity-- You are buying happiness.

Think about it. Pick up a few flowers on the way home, for no reason at all, and surprise your spouse. Or, on the way to lunch with a friend, buy a small bouquet. Maybe one of your co-workers or employees has been working extra hard and you want to show your appreciation, but can’t spend much money. Flowers are perfect for these types of occasions. The happiness you create with these small acts of kindness is worth many times more that the small amount you paid.

And remember, it isn’t just the person receiving the flowers that will be happy. Think about how good you will feel for the rest of the day! There really is nowhere else that you can spend so little money to buy so much happiness. Do yourself a favor, try it today.

Rainbow Roses & Same Sex Marriages

Tomorrow California starts allowing same sex marriages. At Visser's Florist & Greenhouses we have discovered the perfect flower to celebrate the occasion: Rainbow Roses.

These exquisite roses are stem-dyed using a special process to highlight their beautiful vibrant colors. They provide a perfect backdrop for your special occasion. And, when arranged by our award-winning wedding designers, they would be perfect for the main wedding bouquet, as alter pieces or centerpieces. Stop by Visser's today and take a look.

Tough days for florists

This is sad. In the news today are two stories of flower shops closing. In the first, the Tommy Tucker Flower Shop in Belmont, Ohio will close later this month. The flowershop has been faithfully serving the community for fifty years. Here’s the story.

In the second story, a flowershop has been in business for 100 years, owned by four generations of the same family. It is closing today.

I have never been to either of these shops, but it's still very sad. This is a tough time for small business. Please do what you can to support them. When you’re driving home today stop by your local flower shop and pick up a few flowers—just for the heck of it. The flowers will make you feel happier and you will be doing you part to keep small business America going.

Finally, just a reminder, Visser’s Florist and Greenhouses has been here for over 50 years. Next time you’re driving down Lincoln Ave. in Anaheim, stop by and say hi.

DIY Wedding Flowers

Let’s face it, everybody’s trying to save a buck. Brides are no exception. The cost of a wedding keeps going up year after year. Now, there are business springing up to provide brides with “wedding quality” flowers that they can design themselves.

Bad idea. Designing your own wedding flowers makes about as much sense as buying a couple of bolts of material and designing your wedding dress. Yes, I know, some people can actually pull it off. Most brides, however, cannot.

In the total cost of a wedding, flowers are usually a smaller item. Reception site, caterer, photographer, dresses, etc. will all cost more than the flowers. But think about this. When you look back at your wedding pictures, flowers will make or break the memory. Beautiful flowers, professionally designed, don’t have to be excessively expensive. Go to a trusted florist (hopefully Visser’s Florist), give them a realistic budget, and leave the hassle and worry to them.

Don’t ask your aunt, or your cousin to take on the responsibility. It isn’t fair to them and the final product will not be what you are hoping for. This is the best day of your life. Shouldn’t your flowers reflect that?

Teleflora Advisory Board

Good news! I have been appointed to Teleflora’s Florist Advisory Board. This is a rotating panel where some of the country’s top florists get together to advise Teleflora on future products, marketing strategies and other priorities. It will be a good opportunity for me to relay the preferences, desires and concerns of Visser’s customers to an organization representing thousands of florists throughout North America. I will report back on our progress as it happens. In the meantime if you want to send me any suggestions to pass along, feel free to email me at Ted@vissersflowers.com.

Santa Ana Orange Grove

It's a sad day for Santa Ana, CA. One of the last Orange Groves in the city has been sold and is going to be turned into houses. According to the OC Register, the 4.5 acre property is the last remaining grove of any size in Santa Ana.

For those of you that don't know, Santa Ana was started almost 100 years ago with a few cottages built among the acres and acres of oranges, apricots and walnuts. Boy how things have changed.

Don't get me wrong. I understand that with more and more people pouring into the region, something has to give--and in this case it's the trees.

Still, it seems a little sad. At some point all of Orange County will be wall to wall development. The kids being born today will know a completely different OC than the one that I knew.

I guess the only thing to do is to stop by Visser's and buy your grandkid a nice plant. (It couldn't hurt)

FTD quality program

We are please to announce that Visser's Florist will be part of a new quality program being implemented by FTD. As you know, Visser's is one of the top 100 FTD florists in North America (out of 20,000) The program puts in place several technical changes regarding the use of the FTD system for sending out your flower orders to different parts of the country.

The changes will result in much better coordination among the FTD florists throughout the world, so when you call Visser's to send flowers to your Aunt in New Jersey, you can relax knowing that your order is being well taken care of.

Graduation Leis

Well, Mother's Day is over. All of us at Visser's worked really hard to make everyone happy--and I think we succeeded.

Now, let's turn our attention to Graduation. It's a very special time if you have a graduate in your family. What better way to celebrate than with Dendrobium Orchid Leis from Vissers?

In Hawaii, giving leis for Graduation is a time-honored tradition. Often times, a graduate gets so many leis that they can't wear them all and must share them with others.

Long ago, leis were made of a variety of natural things, like shells, ivory, teeth, seeds, nuts and flowers. Today, the traditional graduation lei is made of Dendrobium Orchids. Visser's special prices for these beautiful graduation leis are $19.99 for a single and $29.99 for a double. We usually have them is stock, but it is better to call us a little in advance to reserve them.

Also, if your school or organization would like to sell leis as a fundraiser, give us a call.

Mother's Day Flowers

Sunday is Mother's Day. Start planning what to do for mom right now. Obviously, here at Visser's Florist we hope that you will order flowers to show your gratitude and love for the person that has done so much for you. It doesn't take much effort. Either click here, or call us at 714 772-9900. We have flowers and plants to fit all budgets.

We will deliver your flowers to mom on Friday or Saturday, so when you go over to her house Sunday morning they will be there. In fact, mom will be so happy that she will probably have some freshly baked cookies waiting for you. So come on, pick up the phone and make your mom happy.

FTD Acquisition

(from Suntimes.com) "FTD, the Downers Grove-based floral company, will be acquired by United Online Inc. for about $456 million in cash, notes and stock, the companies announced Wednesday.

United Online, the operator of NetZero and Juno Internet service providers, intends to expand FTD's online revenue-making opportunities, particularly because less than 5 percent of the floral industry's revenue comes from Internet sales, and the two companies have more than 50 million overlapping customers.

United Online intends to help florists increase their revenues, too, by improving "how they present themselves; how they are integrated with the FTD story so they appear much more a part of the family; and how they use the Internet as a leverage tool to drive their business rather than looking at the Internet as a competitor."

I just want to comment on this acquisition. United Online clearly wants to grow the internet part of this business. That's fine with me. Internet shopping is growing everyday, with no letup in sight. The flower industry will probably benefit from having these experts on the team.

Visser's Florist is proud to have partnered with FTD for so many years. However, let me make one thing perfectly clear. We have grown and prospered for over 50 years because we provide outstanding customer service--every single day. THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

Our commitment is to make every customer glad that they shopped at Visser's. If we do that we will be here another 50 years.

I'd appreciate your comments.

Wedding show for Visser's

It's a big weekend here at Visser's Florist. We are taking our wedding crew and hundreds of spectacular flowers to The Great Bridal Expo. It will be Saturday 4/26 at 12:00 in the Anaheim Convention Center.

Debbie, our head wedding designer, has also been asked to create the bridal bouquets for the fashion show. I guess word about Debbie's talent travels fast!

The tickets are $9.00 at the door. If you are planning to get married in the near future (and you are in the Anaheim area) I highly encourage you to attend.

And if you do, stop by the Visser's booth and say hi to Debbie--and to me! By the way, I tried to get a picture of Debbie but she is too busy. Here is just one of the bouquets she is making--black magic roses and black calla lilies.

Columbian Free Trade Agreement

The Colombian Free trade agreement is effectively dead—for now. Congress decided not to vote on an agreement that would eliminate trade barriers between the U.S. and Columbia. Congress is concerned about how workers are treated in Columbia, so they decided to put them out of work by reducing the amount of flowers shipped to the U.S. from their country.

Now, I know what you’re saying—“why should I care about that, we have enough problems here to worry about”. The answer is that it makes our flowers more expensive.

A very large percentage of our flowers, especially roses and carnations, comes from South America. The cost of these flowers is already going up because of the decline in the value of the dollar and because of skyrocketing fuel costs. Do we really want to make them even more expensive?

In addition to making flowers cost more and putting agricultural workers in Columbia out of work, there is another issue. Columbia buys our products—beef, vegetables, cotton and other agricultural products. The agreement would have made those products more attractive to Columbians and helped our farmers.

I do realize that more and more flower production is shifting away from my native California and moving to foreign soil. This reality reflects our high cost of labor, and the recent housing boom that took farmlands out of production to build houses. However, putting tariffs (or taxes) on products will not change the economics of flower production in California. It’s just too expensive to grow flowers here.

Congress needs to “wake up and smell the roses” and stop playing politics with this issue.

Administrative Professional’s Day

It’s next Wednesday so you better start planning. For some reason, maybe because the “bosses” have faulty memories, the holiday has been expanded into an entire Week. (I tried the same thing with my birthday but it didn’t work).

Anyway, the “real” days to send flowers, plants or go out to lunch are Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. If you wait until Thursday or Friday, your assistant is going to be embarrassed, and frankly, you will end up spending more just to make up for your little lapse.

The best thing to do is to call Visser’s Florist today and schedule something to be delivered. We have flowers, plants and balloons in all price ranges. Have it sent early in the week and make all the “other” bosses in the office look bad. Or, if you’re really a nice person, get together with all of the other bosses in the office and place one order. Talk about a win-win situation!

Our Flower shop’s Subprime Mortgages

It seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the news these days without seeing something about subprime mortgages. It’s especially interesting to listen to the politicians talk about the subject.
Politicians on one side of the aisle say that this is some big conspiracy by evil mortgage companies and they must be punished. The politicians on the other side say that the borrowers were just too dumb, or were financial speculators and nothing should be done.

I’m not advocating either point of view. I just want to share the story of two of Visser’s employees that were caught in this mess to show that it’s not as simple as the politicians make it out to be.

The first employee is a middle-aged, married woman. She has owned her house for a number of years. Her and her husband raised their kids there and everything was going along fine. Then, serious medical problems hit, and even though they had insurance, the out of pocket costs were big. They were stuck—couldn’t pay. The only way they could make it was to refinance the house. Needless to say, they got an adjustable rate mortgage and now the interest rate has reset. The medical bills are mostly gone, but sadly, they are going to lose their house in the process.

The other employee is a single mother, working hard to support her kids. After years of saving, she was finally able to get her piece of the American Dream. It was a modest house, but I have never seen anyone that was more proud. Unfortunately, her mortgage rates have also risen substantially, and she may also lose her house—along with her life savings.

As I said before, I’m not pushing any particular solution, or trying to place blame. My point is that when you see these stories, remember that they are really about real people going through the worst time of their lives.

Flowers in Hot Weather

It's 96 degrees here in Southern California. While we can sit back in our easy chair and drink beer to stay cool (ok, that may not work but it makes me feel better), flowers aren't so lucky. Visser's Florist & Greenhouses has two, 6,000 sq. ft greenhouses full of plants. We also have 100,000 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of cooling power to keep the plants cool and the humidity up.

Your plants and flowers may not be so lucky. If you are blessed enough to have some beautiful flowers in your house, you need to do a couple of things. First, try and keep them cool. I'm not saying run the air conditioner just for your beautiful Visser's roses, but keep them in a cooler part of the house, and not by a window where they can get direct sunlight.

Next, if you do have air conditioning, don't put your flowers or plants right by the vent. Air circulation is important, but if they are by the vent the air will dry them out. Next, make sure they have water. You drink more when it's hot and so do flowers and plants. In fact, occasionally misting them with a little cool water is a good thing also.

Finally, if you have any questions about your plant or flower care, please call us at Visser's at (714) 772-9900.

Secretary's Day Flowers

I guess I just don't get it. When I was younger, things seemed a lot simpler. Secretary's Day was one day a year, and business people all over the country sent flowers to the person that helped them out throughout the year. That person was called a secretary. Frankly, secretary was a pretty darned good office job.

Somewhere along the road, "secretary" became a menial job title. It seemed to happen about the time that businesses switched from typewriters to computers. Maybe the first secretaries to learn a word processing program wanted to distinguish themselves from the mere mortal typewriter users.

Anyway, things have gotten so out of control, that now, nobody even knows what to call the holiday. Secretary's Day, Administrative Assistant Day, Administrative Professional Day, etc. Plus, it isn't a day anymore. Apparently business execs are too dumb to remember one particular day, so now it is a whole week.

Isn't the whole thing a little silly? Most admin assistants I know work pretty hard doing the legwork for their boss. They deserve to be recognized for what they do, but for goodness sake, let's get rid of the political correctness.

On Wednesday, March 23, call Visser's Florist in Anaheim and order something special for the person that makes your life easier. Don't call the holiday anything--just say thank you.

Visser's on TV

Monday morning--let's say you're not doing anything around 6:00. Turn on local TV channel KDOC (for me at Time Warner cable it's channel 6). Ron Caro, one of Visser's Florist's top notch drivers will be featured on the morning show called Daybreak OC.

They have a segment called I love my job and Ron will be the star of the day. The picture at the top plays a special role in the show also--so watch for it.

By the way, for those of you who may not get up at 6:00, it's also on at 7:00 a.m.

Lilacs in the OC

It's here, it's here. Lilac, that hard-to-get (in Southern California) fragrant flower has come to Visser's. It is only to available to us for about three weeks out of the year.

They tend to be most popular with transplanted "East Coasters" but almost everyone loves their fragrant beauty. Order now and you can reserve your vase of fresh lilac.

This item is for local Orange County delivery only, as most flower shops do not stock this hard to get flower. Prices start at $14.99 for a bunch of these beauties and $49.99 for Lilac arranged in a vase. The vase pictured above is our $69.99 price point. Don't wait--time and lilacs wait for no one!

Newest Flower Designer

We would like to welcome our newest designer to the Visser's Florist design team, Celi Barbosa. Celi has been a floral designer for over 12 years and we are so happy that she decided to join Visser's. Celi brings an interesting and unique style to our talented design team. Her specialty is wedding design, but all of her designs are just amazing. Next time you're in Anaheim, stop by the shop and say hello to Celi.

San Diego Flower Fields

It's almost April, and Spring is here. I thought I would share one of our favorite Spring daytrips with you: The Flower Fields in Carlsbad California. The Flower Fields are south of Orange County in Carlsbad California--off the 5 freeway going to San Diego. From March to May every year it is simply one of the most spectacular displays of flowers in Southern California (well, maybe not better than Visser's Florist and Greenhouses), and well worth the drive.

For eight weeks every spring, the giant renunculus are in bloom and the land is changed into a sea of vibrant colors. There are currently 50 acres of planted renunculus and also 10 acres of gladioli, watsonia and other flowers that make the area even more beautiful. The impact of so much color and beauty is difficult to describe. Once you go, you will never forget it. Also, be sure and visit the All-American Rose Selection test garden. The Flower Fields conducts group tours and wagon rides—especially popular with the kids. If you love flowers, this is truly a worthwhile drive—and fun for the entire family.

Directions: Take Interstate 5 to the Palomar Airport Road exit and go east to 5704 Paseo Del Norte. The Carlsbad Flower Fields are about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego (760) 431-0352.

Be sure and take your camera.

Visser's Flowers on TV

What an interesting morning. No, I'm not talking about the 1 1/2 hours I spent unclogging the drain in the walk-in flower cooler. Visser's Florist is going to be on TV.

Local TV station KDOC has a morning program called Daybreak OC on in the morning. Every Monday morning they have a segment called "I love my job". One of our delivery people, Ron Caro, is going to be featured on the segment in three weeks. Ron, who really does love his job, will be shown working around the flowershop and actually delivering flowers.

The great thing about delivering flowers is how happy people are when they get them. And, with all that positive energy how could you not love your job!
Anyway, the tentative date of the airing is April 14. We will keep you posted.

Super Plant Sale

Next week March 31 - April 5 will be Visser's annual plant supersale.

Hundreds of plants on sale for 50% - 75% off our regular low prices. These plants are mostly overstocks and excess inventory. A few are orphans that need a little TLC. Come on by and check out this sale--it only happens once a year.

Easter Flowers - not like the good old days

It's interesting to me how celebration of the holidays change over time. Easter is a good example.

Obviously, Easter is a Christian holiday (although pagans also celebrate a similar holiday) celebrating the resurrection of Christ. It has a confusing date which is based on the vernal equinox and a full moon. And, since approximately 80% of Americans identify themselves as Christian, this should be a big holiday.

In one way it still is. Church attendance soars on Easter. In fact, there is even a term for this--CEO which refers to people that attend church on "Christmas and Easter only". However it seems like the family celebrations are just not the same.

Our family used to get up early, get all dressed up (my sister in her new easter dress) and go to church. Then we went home, got the potluck dish that mom made the night before and headed off to grandma's house for the easter egg hunt and family potluck. For us kids it was the second biggest candy holiday--slightly behind halloween. AND, most importantly (since I am a florist) everybody took an easter lily or small flower arrangement to liven up grandma's house.

I just don't see this anymore. There is still a lot of commercialism, but the specialness and focus on family togetherness seems to be gone. I think it's sad.

Anyway, put in a little effort to make this holiday special for your family. Maybe even stop by Visser's Florist on the way to grandma's. It will make you feel good inside, and you know grandma will like it.

Easter Lilies

The Easter lily (Lilium Longiflorum or long flower lily) is a of symbol beauty and life during Easter season in the United States. How did it get that way? And more importantly, why does it bloom right at Easter each year when Easter can vary from late March until mid-April.
According to Dr. Leonard Perry, University of Vermont in this article, the plant originally comes from Japan, discovered in the late 1700s. Then after world war II, a soldier brought some bulbs back to his home in Oregon, starting production in the United States. Now, the California Oregon border, known as the Easter lily capital of the world, produces 95 percent of all Easter lily bulbs in the world and virtually all of the plants seen in the U.S. Ten growers account for almost all of the production.
Now, on to the big question: How do the plants know when to bloom? The answer is really pretty simple. The plant needs about 1000 hours of cold temperatures in the ground before they sprout. After they sprout, the grower constantly monitors the temperature and increases it or decreases it to speed up or slow down the crop. Each plant is watched carefully and moved between a colder or warmer spot to get it to bloom at just the right time.
When buying a lily, look for one with some buds and some open flowers. Avoid plants with yellowing leaves or signs of insect damage. When the flowers open pull out the yellow anthers in the middle to prolong their life—but do not get the pollen on your clothes as it stains bad. If you do, use a pipe cleaner to take it off, don’t rub it or use a rag.
At home, keep your lily away from drafts and drying heat sources such as appliances or heating ducts. Place where there is plenty of light but not direct sunlight. Don’t overwater. Finally, if you have cats, especially those that like to chew on leaves, keep your lily away from them. Any part of this plant can cause kidney failure in cats.

Best Wedding Flowers Yet

I am proud to say that we just finished our best wedding ever. Our son Dennis, Visser's Florist's flower buyer was married this weekend. I can't tell you how beautiful it was (although I might be slightly biased).

It was a fairly small wedding, about 110 people but it took 3 people 4 days to create all the flowers. Each of the centerpieces contained 9 dozen roses.

I want to thank all of the people on the Visser's team that worked so hard to make Dennis and Olivia's day as magical as they dreamed--especially because we did 4 other weddings on the same day.

In the next couple of weeks we will try and post some of the pictures on our website. The two pics at the top don't really convey how beautiful it was.

FTD top Florist

I'm back! I just spent a week in Mexico with the top 100 FTD florists from the USA and Canada. What a great week it was. It is such a great learning experience to be able to mingle with so many successful florists. We have never gone to one of those events and not come away with several ways we can improve our customer service (and a pretty serious case of sunburn).

In the coming weeks look for several exciting things to come from Visser's. We believe that if we keep improving our service and value to you, we will remain one of the top florists in the country. And finally, if you have any ideas about how we can improve our service to you, feel free to call me, Ted Robinson at 714 772-9900.

Flowers in a recession

A number of people have asked me lately about the impact of the recession on the floral industry. Obviously, an economic slowdown will impact retail sales in a couple of ways.

First, the business that comes from big companies will decrease. As a big company downsizes, or tightens its belt, the flower orders will go down a bit. Maybe they cut out a company party or stop sending birthday bouquets. This definitely has an impact on your local flower shop, which in turn has an impact on the flower wholesaler, and ultimately, the farms that grow the flowers.

Second, the business from individuals is also impacted. People are losing jobs, record numbers of houses are in foreclosure and gas is going to $4 a gallon. Even the people whose jobs and houses aren't affected get nervous with all of the bad news coming out every day. This generally means that people may send flowers a little less often, or will send something but spend a little less money.

The good news is that flowers are an inexpensive way to brighten up someone's day. There aren't that many other ways to spend a small amount of money and still make someone feel good. The flower shops that have provided great value and great customer service and that have supported their community during the good years should emerge from this downturn stronger than ever. That's why Visser's has been here for 51 years.

Email Wedding Flowers

Recently, more and more brides want to email a list of flowers to us and have us give them a quote for their wedding--without ever talking to a real person. I have problems with this approach.

First, it usually means that the bride has emailed 20 florists and is just looking for the cheapest quote. This is a horrible way to get your wedding flowers. Remember the old adage "you get what you pay for". Some flower shops will lowball the quote just to get you in the door, and then you find out the price is actually much higher. Other shops will bid low, and the cheap flowers will reflect the bid.
Not us. When you pick a shop like Visser's, that has years and years of experience, and one works hard at maintaining a great reputation, you don't have to worry about your wedding flowers.

When you look back at your wedding, either in your pictures or in your memories, flowers will play an extremely important part. Give them the attention they deserve.

Finally, it doesn't cost anything but a little time to come in and talk to a wedding consultant. It's their job to make sure you are happy. They can tell you how to get the most for your money, and how to best create the magic that you are striving for. Be honest with them--give them your budget (the real one) and share your vision. You will be amazed with the results.

FTD Top Member -- Again!

We have recently been notified by FTD that Visser's Florist has once again been selected as a FTD top member florist. Based order volume and certain other criteria like product quality, FTD selects about 100 of the biggest and best flower shops in the nation to be its TOP MEMBERS.
I am proud to say that Visser's has been a member of this elite group of shops for several years in a row.
What this means to you is that when you deal with Visser's you are dealing with a flower shop that has been ranked at the very top of the thousands and thousands of shops in the U.S. We have the volume to buy quality flowers at cheaper prices and pass the savings on to you. We also have a 51 year reputation to protect so when you send an order through us, you know we stand behind it.
After all, isn't that what you really want when ordering flowers--reasonable prices, qreat quality and a commitment to getting the best for our customers? Give us a try--you won't be sorry.

Who would kill a florist

A Florist in Toronto was found dead in the bathroom of her flower shop by her husband. Felicia Hosany, owner of Flowers by Felicia, was discovered by her husband. Subsequent reports link her death to a robbery, which is very similar to another flower shop robbery a few blocks away.
After her husband found her and called paramedics, they forced open the bathroom door in the store, and found Felicia tied to a chair and was bound and gagged with duct tape.
She was declared dead at the scene. It appears that she suffocated because the tape covered her mouth and nose.
My question is why would anyone want to rob a flowershop. Most of them don’t make very much money to begin with, and what they do bring in is usually paid for by credit card. It’s really a sad state of affairs when even a florist is at risk.
We didn’t know Felicia personally, but nevertheless, we will all miss her.

Last Minute Wedding Flowers

Something strange is going on here. In the last week we booked three weddings that will happen within two weeks. One will happen within 5 days of the bride coming into the shop. And, all three weddings were pretty good sized weddings, with bridal bouquets, centerpieces for the reception, flowers on an arch, etc.

In the past, brides have usually come into Visser's at the last minute because of some type of emergency--you know "My aunt was going to do the flowers to save money, but now she can't do it" or something like that. Now, it seems like a trend is developing to not bother with the flowers until the last minute.

Let me say this, Visser's Florist is happy to take your last minute wedding orders. However, it is better to plan a little in advance to insure that the flowers, vases, candles will all be available on that short notice. Give us a little time so that we can work with you to make this your most special day.

Remember, when you look back at your wedding day flowers will represent one of the most important parts of your memories, and your pictures. Isn't that worth a little planning?

The beautiful Azalea

As many of you know, Visser's Florist & Greenhouses has lots and lots of azaleas. In fact, they are one of our best selling blooming plants. A recent article by David Robson in the Southern.com provides a great overview of the care of the plants. Here are some of the highlights:

• Don't confuse florist azaleas with outdoor azaleas. The kind that comes from a florist will do fine on a patio, but should not be planted out in the yard.


• Place them where they will get plenty of light but where they will be cool. Keep them out of direct sunlight. The like a little humidity so mist them once in a while.


• Keep them damp by watering them a little every day or every other day--just a little. Don't keep them drenched in water. Make sure the pot has plenty of drainage.


• If the leaves turn yellow, the soil is too alkaline, or that the plant is too warm and dry. Talk to your local plant expert, like Linda Latouche, greenhouse manager at Visser's.

After the blooms die, don't discard the plant. Properly taken care of, the blooms will come back year after year.

So, what are you waiting for? They don't cost much, and the reward of having such a beautiful plant in your house is truly wonderful.

Flower buying advice the whole year

One of the biggest holidays of the year will occur in just a few days, but guys just don't seem to have a clue about the power of flowers at times other than Valentine's Day writes Jo Ellen Meyers Sharp in the Indy Star.

It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that when women are given flowers they respond with smiles and it gives them a sense of well-being. Unfortunately, most men don’t get it since they only make about 20% of most flower purchases. However, according to SAF, (The Society of American Florists), that number goes up to over 60% on Valentine’s Day.

The point is that most men don’t know or don’t appreciate the value of buying women flowers year-round. The same goes for women. Men who receive flowers tend to open up and become more social. What better reason to visit your local florist.

Finally, if you’re one of those flower-challenged people and need some help visit www.savedbythebud.com for demonstrations, advice and a lot of good knowledge.

Flowers and Stress

A Harvard University study has found that living with Flowers Strengthens Feelings of Compassion, Decreases Anxiety and Worry. I always knew they did even more than make my wife happy. The study wanted to know if having flowers at home could alter people's moods. Can the effects carry over into our daily lives? This study says yes.

The main findings of the study are as follows.

• Flowers feed compassion.
• Flowers relieve anxieties, worries and the blues at home and make you feel less negative.
• People can feel the power of flowers: Participants most frequently placed the flowers in their kitchens, dining rooms and living rooms, where they spend a lot of time at home.
• Living with flowers can provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm at work.

Do yourself a favor. Stop by and grab a bunch of fresh cut flowers on the way home and see for yourself. CNN also reported on this study. See for yourself.

Socially Conscious Flowers - Helping Others

Talk about a win-win situation! Buy your sweety some Valentine's Day flowers and help displaced Colombian families through the school of floriculture.

Here's the story. Colombia supplies hundreds of millions of dollars of flowers to the U.S. every year. Now, 70% of the growers have banded together to form a group called Asocolflores to help people displaced by the crushing violence in Colombia.

"As an industry, we are committed to any programs that will help to support the people of our country," said Augusto Solano, President of Asocolflores. "The School of Floriculture gives Colombian families the unique opportunity to earn back their independence and dignity. And flower purchasers help to support this initiative by simply buying and enjoying beautiful flowers."

The School of Floriculture promotes the creation of jobs and allows participants to earn an income and start a new life. Beneficiaries begin the training process and join Asocolflores member companies as apprentices receiving a salary while they train in flower production techniques. After one year, apprentices may choose to accept a permanent job in the company.

With an investment of US $1.8 million, the School of Floriculture has benefited more than 1,631 families to date. In addition to funding and assistance from Asocolflores and member farms, the program counts on financial and technical support from the Pan American Development Foundation (PADF) and financial resources from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).

Your flower purchases this Valentine's Day will help support this cause. Not only will your sweety be happy but you can do something good for the world.

Too Many Wedding Roses?

Ok, our youngest son Dennis is getting married. Obviously we (Visser's Florist) are doing the flowers. Just as obvious is that fact that we are "donating" the flowers and the efforts of our 9 person design team.

I told him to come up with some nice centerpieces. This is what he came up with--140 cream colored roses, with jewels and accents in the vase. I am showing the picture with Dennis in it so you can get the scale. These things are huge!

So now what? His bride to be absolutely loves the centerpieces. Am I stuck?

Frozen Valentine's Day Flowers

In the news today was an article saying that wild storms and icy cold is blasting parts of the U.S. It's probably time to remind my faithful readers about the proper way to say Happy Valentine's Day.

It's really simple, call your local florist. A real florist, in the neighborhood where you sweety works or lives. Have them send over a fresh, beautiful arrangement that conveys your true feelings--and I don't mean flowers in a box.

Sure, you can save a few bucks ordering the so-called direct ship flowers, but a do it yourself flower kit doesn't have nearly the impact as a real florist designed arrangement. Plus, if it's freezing cold where the flowers are going, the flowers may well be frozen (aka Dead). Check out this video of an actual delivery of proflowers. How much credit do you think you're going to get for sending those?

Finally, since we're talking about credit, here's a great tip. Have the professionally designed flowers delivered on Feb. 13, the day before Valentine's Day. No, I'm not off my rocker. Instead of your honey waiting all day at work to get her flowers while everyone around her is acting all smug because they have theirs, she gets her flowers first. All the other people at work will be jealous and you, my friend, will be King of the world.

Lucky Bamboo

Visser’s plant of the week is the Lucky Bamboo. Technically, it’s not really a bamboo, but a member of the dracaena family (but don’t let that ruin your fun). It’s a very popular plant, not only because of the Feng Shui association, but also because it is so easy to grow.

This unique plant has a variety of spiritual meanings, based on Feng Shui--the Asian beliefs regarding the balance of elements in life. The ancient Chinese believed that elements of life are wood, water, metal, fire and earth. The lucky bamboo brings the elements of water and wood, and with the red ribbon often tied around the stalks, fire. This is almost guaranteed to bring good energy (Chi) to your home.

The number of stalks also have different meanings: three for happiness, five for wealth or six for health. There are never four stalks since the Chinese word for “four” sounds like death. The plants come in all sizes and designs which only make them more special.

The lucky Bamboo makes a great gift for someone special. Visser’s florist has a variety of bamboo assortments that are sure to bring some Feng Shui to your home.

Care Tips:
The plant needs just a little light (no direct sun), clean water (spring or distilled is best as tap water has a lot of chemicals) and once or twice a year a little fertilizer. In fact, it doesn’t really need soil. It is often grown directly in water, with a few little pebbles to hold it up. A few tips:

• Keep canes submerged in at least 1” of water. Try to maintain the same level of water.
• It prefers bright diffused sunlight, but will grow in most indoor light conditions.
• This is a tropical plant. Place in a moderate to warm temperature location
• If a stock turns yellow, it is going to die. It is probably getting too much sun, or the water is not clean. Change the water (or give it less sun). Also, remove it as soon as possible so it doesn’t affect the other stocks.
• You can make more stalks (but never four) by taking a cutting from the originals. Cut with a sharp knife just below the joint.

OC Florist wins Amazing Race

Rachel Rosales, 23 and T.K. Erwin, 22, are both from Orange County and are the newest winners of The Amazing Race--and $1 million.

Rachel is the owner of Costa Mesa florist in Orange County. The race covered 30,000 miles in 21 days and went through 10 countries. Talk about jet lag! Although they were known on the show as the hippies, I guess Rachel showed them how tough florists really are.


All of us at Visser's say congratulations Rachel and T.K.

Carl Karcher flowers

Just thought I would share a picture of one of the arrangements that we did for Carl Karcher's funeral. As I mentioned before, Visser's created most of the family pieces as the Karchers and Vissers were friends for over 50 years. The piece was designed by Gudrun Martinez, our head designer and was sent to the service by Carl's grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

A blue rose?

Ahhh, the blue rose. Often talked about but seldom seen. There is only one true blue rose, and it was developed using gene replacement techniques (see picture above). Those roses are very rare. Most roses that are called blue are either sort of a purplish color, or are stem-dyed.

In fact, flowers often have to be dyed in order to get a specific color or to return their original color after they are dried. Frankly, there are times when you need a specific color of flower and it just isn’t available. While spray paint is sometimes an option, stem-dying produces some unique, and often superior results.

Whether the target color is blue, green, purple or magenta, the best color of flower to start with is white because it is more reliable in its results, but other colors work as well. Here is a nice summary of stem-dying from a floral art website called preservedgardens.com. Special coloring for flowers by Design Master or Koch are the best dyes (contact your local florist—like Visser’s or floral supply house) but food coloring may also be used.

Start the process by cutting the flower stems at least 1 inch from the bottom. Remove the lower leaves from the stem. Use the freshest flowers possible because it takes a couple of days for the color to pick up. Mix the dye with warm water and add a little flower food like Floralife. Put the flowers in the water. The color will start to change at the edge of the petal and then move inward. In addition, the leaves and stems will change colors also. After a couple of days, you will have beautiful artificial colored roses that are unique and fun.

Visser’s plant of the week, the Orchid

Visser’s Florist and Greenhouses is now introducing our plant of the week. Each week we will feature a different plant with interesting facts about them.

This week’s plant of the week is the orchid. Did you know that the orchid has been around ever since dinosaurs roamed the earth?!. The term ‘Orchid’ originated from the Greek word ‘Orchis’ meaning testicle, referring to the paired underground tubers of the European variety. The orchid has more than 25,000 known species and more are being discovered everyday. Orchids have adapted to live in all types of locations except Antarctica.
Although different species require slightly different care, here are some general care techniques:
· When watering your orchid, water the soil, not the leaves. If the leaves get wet, dry them off quickly using a tissue or cotton ball. Water your plant every 5-7 days.
· After you water do not allow standing water to come in contact with the base of the orchid plant.
· When all the flowers drop off, cut your flower spike (the long stem) halfway down the stem. Your orchid may re-bloom if proper care is continued.
· Orchids need bright light, but not direct sunlight.
· Feed with an orchid fertilizer during the growing season only. The rest of the year use only water.
· Buy your plants from a reliable source—like Visser’s Florist of course.

Goodbye Carl Karcher

The world lost a good person last night. Carl Karcher died at St. Jude's Medical Center. He was 90 years old.

Carl and his family were good customers, and good friends, of Visser's since the 1950s. He was a good man, successful in business and in life.

The restaurant story is well known: Bought a hot dog stand for $326 in the late 1930s, built up the business and opened his first Anaheim restaurant in 1945. Today his legacy is a company with over 3,000 restaurants.

He was a loyal family man with 12 children and a devout christian. He has given much to his community, fighting homelessness and supporting educational causes. For this, we will always be in his debt. His wife Margaret died in 2006. Now they can be together again.

Valentine's at Visser's

Get ready! The countdown to the biggest holiday of the year is officially underway. Only 34 days until Valentine's Day and we're ready. Our windows and the inside of the shop are decorated and ready. The picture above is just a sample of what awaits you when you visit Visser's.

Just one tip. Don't wait until the last minute to order flowers for this special day. Most florists max out on their deliveries before Valentine's Day arrives. Why not call today and lock in your spot?

Amazing Tulips

This is really interesting. Most people don't know that tulips drink tons of water. We recently conducted a test to demonstrate how resilient these flowers are. The picture at the top is where we got some yellow tulips and deliberately left them out of water for a day (Let me tell you that as a florist this almost killed me to do that)

Then, we cut the stems about 1 inch up and added water. Just plain water--no flower food. Voila! here are the same flowers:

The point is this: Flowers, especially tulips, are very resilient. If you buy cut flowers (hopefully at Visser's) and they accidentally dry out and look all droopy, don't throw them away. Cut off the stems, put some fresh water in the vase, and cross your fingers. More often than not you will be rewarded.

FTD ROSE PARADE FLOAT

As most of you know, Visser's Florist is one of the top 100 FTD flower shops in the nation. That's why we were happy to see that the FTD rose parade float won a prestigous award.

FTD won the Tournament Special Trophy for exceptional merit in multiple categories! FTD's tribute to New Orleans drew attention from all over the U.S. and across the globe this year with media coverage on ABC, CBS, FOX and KTLA in LA, New Orleans and on TV spots across the globe, as well as newspaper.

"The Magic of Mardi Gras" was FTD's 55th entry in the parade. Featuring more than 100,000 roses, the glittering style and carefree folly of costumed revelers, music and dance is magnificently captured in the float's floral juxtaposition of color and excitement.

Since FTD's first entry in the Rose Parade, FTD has received 36 trophies for outstanding floats, including the grand prize Sweepstakes Trophy in 2007 and 2006.