Tips on Preserving Roses

Roses, as some of the most beautiful types of flowers in the world, are wonderful to look at and to have around. No matter how much you try on the care of cut roses, unfortunately, like a lot of flowers, they do not last all that long and sometimes it can seem as if you only begin to enjoy them and then you see the vase of wilting cut roses. Luckily, there are a number of methods available for preserving your roses for future enjoyment.

Number of Caveats In preserving roses, there are a number of caveats to remember prior to beginning the actual process. First, select which roses you want to preserve carefully. Insure that they are free of defects, blotches or insect damage. Remember too that the blossom, once preserved, will not retain the luster of a living flower. Dark blossoms will grow darker and lighter blossoms can become dingy looking, so it is wisest to pick a flower with a medium color-pink, red, orange, or yellow tones work best for this. Also check for any insect eggs or larvae. Occasionally, these creatures can survive the preservation process and it would be unfortunate to go to all the trouble of preserving your rose only to have it destroyed anyway.

Roses

Tips on Drying Roses Once you have checked everything over and made sure there are no problems, you are ready to preserve your roses! There are four main methods to rose preservation. The easiest is called air-drying. In air-drying, you bind your selected roses together at the stems with florists wire, after removing all the leaves. Make sure the blossoms are not touching each other, as otherwise you may get discolored or uneven spots. Via a paperclip or other form of improvised hook, hang the roses upside down from a coat hanger in your closet for around five to ten days and that is it. Your roses will dry out and often retain some of their fragrance in this process.

Moisture Transfer Another method of preservation is called moisture transfer. This technique involves the use of an absorbent which dries out the rose by sucking all of the liquid out of it. An absorbent can be any number of things, from silica to sand, cornmeal or borax. Simply place the chosen rose or roses in a container after pruning away most of the stem and sprinkle them with the absorbent chemical, carefully arranging your blossoms in the manner you want them to be preserved. Seal the container for three to five days and viola! Your roses are preserved.

Freeze Drying The third technique of rose preservation is called freeze drying. Freeze drying involves much the same idea as moisture transfer-essentially mummifying your rose. The process is slow, and it can prove expensive. You will not be able to do this yourself, so you will need to find a company that specializes in this method.

Coating Coating your roses is the fourth method of preservation. Coating involves dipping your roses in hot paraffin, which, unlike our other methods, does not dry the rose so much as encapsulate it. This method, unlike the other, will only preserve your roses for a short time, but it can be worth it if you are looking to preserve your roses for some special occasion or holiday event.

Tips on Preserving Roses

Bob Leland is a rose growing enthusiast. Visit About The Care of Roses for more expert advice on care of cut roses [http://www.aboutthecareofroses.com/CareCutRoses.xhtml], selecting that special rose, planting, landscaping, and other tips you can use right now to grow gorgeous roses.

Funeral Flowers-A Guide to Sending Sympathy Floral Arrangements

The death of my father was probably the most painful experiences I ever had. Despite death being a natural part of life, most people, like me, still have difficulties getting through this experience.

So how exactly do we alleviate the sorrow that the bereaved is experiencing?

Floral

It is traditional to have flowers sent to the church or funeral parlor by relatives and friends. But giving the florist a call, ordering some flowers, and getting them delivered is not quite enough. Some decorum needs to be followed regarding this tradition.

Sending the Flowers to the Proper Places

The recovery process of the mourning family is made faster because of the different ceremonies organized during the grieving process. Visitations and viewings are held to welcome everyone who wants to pay their respects to the family. Funeral flowers may be delivered to the home, parlor, or place of worship where such ceremonies are held. If no such services are held, flowers may be delivered directly to the residence of the deceased.

Prior to the initial visit to the parlor or church, funeral flower planning should be organized by a close family member. Funeral directors often allow flowers to be delivered a day before the wake. But most people choose to send them on the morning of the ceremony. However, if the delivery can not be made in time, the florals can be sent to the home of the deceased.

What Kind of Sympathy Flower Arrangement to Send

The spouse of the departed usually chooses a Bleeding Heart, while other types of floral sympathy sprays may be delivered by relatives and associates.

The immediate family of the deceased can order the sympathy casket wreaths or casket covers.

But different floral arrangements like crosses, wreaths, and sprays may be requested by anybody who would like to extend their condolences to the family of the deceased.

Numerous arrangements of funeral flowers that are even more personalized are now offered for these occasions.

• Normally comprised of roses or sometimes calla lilies, casket arrangements are top choices of friends and relatives.
• For a beautiful display at the wake, funeral flower baskets are the ones usually ordered.
• Sympathy sprays are popular with groups where the deceased is a member of.
• An organization of the family of the deceased can send floral wreaths.
• One may also choose to send vase arrangements to the family or close friends of the deceased.

Note, however, that often after the funeral service the grieving family needs the most comforting. Sending flowers, a gift basket, or a simple note of "Know that I will be here if you need me" even weeks after the death is a beautiful act of compassion.

Sending flowers for the loss of a friend or relative's loved one is never easy. Often times, people are confused by which funeral flowers would be appropriate to send. In order to alleviate some of the stress of this decision for you, here are some traditional sympathy flowers, plants, and messages for sympathy cards to help you out.

Funeral Flowers-A Guide to Sending Sympathy Floral Arrangements

Aurelia Fleur is an aspiring writer who recently experienced the death of her father and had a wonderful buying experience with http://www.Order-Flowers-Delivery.com

Lily Flower Tattoo Designs

Lily flower tattoo designs can be enjoyed strictly for the beauty of it, but this flower does carry various meanings making it even more attractive. With its gorgeous petals and vibrant colors, a lot of people especially women just can't stop admiring its charm, they just have to have it tattooed on their body.

Lily flowers are said to speak of purity, innocence, and chastity. In some cultures, the trumpet-like flower has evoked associations of erotic love and procreation. In Greco-Roman mythology, it was believed to have come from the milk of the goddess Juno. To the Jews, its the emblem of the tribe of Judah. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks connected the flower with fertility because of its erotic fragrance. In Christianity, its associated with Virgin Mary representing her purity as seen in early paintings and art.

Floral

The choices and styles for lily flower tattoo designs are seemingly endless, from a realistic full-color image to a black tribal floral design, anything is possible. It can also be incorporated into many different styles and imagery, making them a great accent to other pieces or even used as filler in full sleeve and full back tattoos.

In terms of placement, you can either go for the foot, wrist, ankle or lower stomach if you want to go for designs on a smaller scale. For elaborate and detailed lily flower designs, the rib, arm, shoulder blade and back are good body canvas and perfect for accommodating size on a larger scale.

There are indeed a myriad of ways to work with the lily flower as a tattoo design. You just have to use your own creativity and imagination to come up with something that you will be happy and be proud of for the rest of your life.

Lily Flower Tattoo Designs

For more photos and ideas for your Lily Flower Tattoo Designs, check out the Printable Tattoo Gallery online.

Wedding Colors for 2012

Wedding colors change with the season, and with fashion trends. What's in one year can be out the next, and even if you're looking for a timeless theme for your wedding (and you probably should) you'll find that the years fashion trends govern the choices available, unless, of course, you have the budget for custom everything.

Each year the fashion planners publish a collection of wedding 'palettes', each one designed to be appropriate in every season and adaptable to all budgets. These are then sent to everyone in the wedding industry, you'll see them wherever you look, from glossy magazines to florists windows. Going with the fashion, rather than against it will usually make your wedding less expensive, but will it mean you end up with a 'cookie cutter' wedding, just the same as the girl next door's? We think not.

Tulips

Fashion needs to be considered, rather than followed slavishly, and there is plenty of room within 2012's wedding trends to find something that is both in fashion and uniquely you. Your photographs will be on display for many years, as a result brides often choose timeless designs for their dress, and follow fashion in the colors and designs of their flowers.

Spring Wedding Colors for 2012

One of the most striking of this years color palettes is 'Vineyard',a mixture of olive green, blue, lilac and purple. Perfect for spring, 'vineyard' style flowers are extremely romantic and highly fragrant, imagine a bouquets of lilacs in their own spring green foliage, or blue and lilac hyacinths with bear grass and pepper berries. Delicate lilac freesias will also provide the right color and scent, or choose a simple bouquet of white lilac, green foliage and trim with purple ribbon. Bridesmaids in lilac dresses with green sashes could complete the picture.

Wedding Colors for Summer 2012

If you're planning a high summer wedding, the most stunning of this years color palettes is Midnight Sun; a rich mixture of sunshine and shadow in the form of yellow, gold and black. The perfect flower has to be the sunflower, but if you prefer something smaller, yellow gerbera daisies would provide a very modern look, while trailing yellow oncidium orchids add an exotic, opulent feel to any bouquet. Other excellent color choices include billy balls, yellow iris, or for the classic bride, yellow scented roses. Most florists roses have little scent, but you can still buy the 'old fashioned' kind, with their stunning natural perfume, from David Austen Roses.

2012 Fall Wedding Colors

The perfect palette for autumn/fall has to contain red and orange, but there's no reason to stop there. 'Escape' is the ideal 2012 palette for this season, orange, brick red and turquoise with neutral accents. Like many fall themes this is ideal for the extrovert, deliciously colored dinner plate dahlias can be found in the perfect color combination, or if you plan a destination wedding, tropicals like orchids. Exuberant parrot tulips, dark red freesias and roses would be also be an excellent choice.

Winter Color Trends for 2012

For the winter bride, 'Neo Pop' is a color palette with a difference. Explore midnight blue, indigo and violet and add orange and brick accents. Deep blue velvet dresses with bouquets of wild parrot tulips and orange gloriosa lilies will pay tribute to the season or why not create a something truly original, white dresses for bride and bridesmaid teamed with bouquets of all shades, brilliant blue cornflowers, brick colored roses and violet orchids would be simply stunning.

Whatever your personal style, there's an on trend color palette which will help you realise the wedding of your dreams. All you have to do is find it.

Wedding Colors for 2012

Jane Ogilvie is a lifelong flower enthusiast. For more information about 2012 color trends, bouquet pictures and idea boards, visit her website, read about and see all of this years color trends, from purple wedding bouquets to sunflower wedding bouquets and almost everything in between.

Hibiscus Seeds

There are many hibiscus enthusiasts out there today developing new breeds of hibiscus, as well as improving the seeds of the existing species of hibiscus. Their goal is to develop new varieties of flowers with different colors, and make hibiscus plants which are more resilient to the harmful elements which could cause it to die or produce inferior flowers.

Steps to Good Seeds:

Orchids

The most important part to producing a good hibiscus seed is to have a good supply of fresh pollen. They should also be kept in the ideal conditions of sixty to eighty degrees Fahrenheit and high humidity. Remember that these plants are tropical plants. After the flowers have been pollinated it is important to place a label around the stem of the plant. This is because the pollen must stay on the plant in order for it to produce seed pods.

After a few days, if your pollination is successful, the seed pods will begin to mature and the flower will begin to fall off leaving behind only the stem and the base of the flower. Depending on the conditions, the pods will fully mature within 6 to 14 days. You should pay close attention to these pods due to the fact that once they mature they will begin to turn brown and open up. If you let it open without supervision the seeds will fall off and be lost. The number of seeds in each pod can range between 0 to 60 seeds. Usually they will contain between ten to twenty seeds inside.

When storing the seeds you should make sure that the containers do not have any moisture inside them. If moisture gets inside the container in which you store the seeds in, fungi can begin to grow inside them. These seeds will then be ready to be planted and make beautiful flowers.

Hibiscus Seeds

Hibiscus provides detailed information on Hibiscus, Hibiscus Flower, Hibiscus Plant, Hibiscus Care and more. Hibiscus is affiliated with Care of Orchids.

Find the Best Shopping in Marrakech

There are many reasons to visit Marrakech; there are unique landmarks, feasts, festivals and fantastic nightlife to enjoy. However, if you are planning a trip to Marrakech you can't go past some of the fantastic shopping on offer. From high end retail to the exotic souks, there is a fantastic world of shopping to be enjoyed.

Before you start, you must learn the one golden rule of shopping in Marrakech. Bargain, bargain, bargain! Bartering over price is a time honored local custom. A lot of people feel uncomfortable bargaining in the souks, or market place, but the shopkeepers there are expecting it, its all part of the fun. Give it a shot, you'll be haggling like a local by the end of your trip. Who knows what bargains you will pick up?

Floral

The best place to start your shopping is in the Djamma El Fna Square. This world famous landmark is the most popular tourist attraction in Marrakech, and is a great way to experience the exciting vibe of this amazing city. By day its busy souk is filled with stalls selling food, drink, spices, leatherwork and jewelry. By night the square fills up with entertainment, snake charmers, acrobats and dancers just to name a few. You'll be able to get a henna tattoo, have your shoes shined and your fortune told all within the one place. The food in the square is fantastic, don't miss out on the coconut cookies! No matter what time you visit, there will be plenty going on. The square can be very busy, one of the best ways to appreciate it is by relaxing in one of the surrounding cafes and just taking in the surrounding chaos and excitement.

Of course, while you're shopping in Marrakech you will want to pick up a souvenir that reflects the special produce and handicrafts that reflect this unique region. Morocco is known for its leather craft and some of the finest examples can be found in Marrakech. Handbags, belts and journals are made by hand using techniques that have been passed down through the generations. The best place to pick up leather goods is in one of the many souks. For the quality of the goods the prices are quite cheap.

Some of the best carpets in the world are made in Morrocco, you will be spoiled for choice in Marrakech. In fact, you will find a whole Souk dedicated to carpets. The carpet souk is known locally as Criee Berbere. You'll also find excellent sheepskin products here. There are two styles of carpets that you will find in Marrakech. The first are known as modern carpets, although they actually fall into the category of traditional with geometric shapes and floral patterns in the style of Persian rugs. The second and far more interesting category is Moroccan carpets, known locally as berbere rugs. These feature geometric patters that have a distinct tribal vibe to them. The Souk de Tapis is a great place to look for a Berbere rug. Look for all wool rugs as these are usually the best quality.

These are just some of the excellent examples of the shopping in Marrakech. This is the tip of the iceberg, why not visit and discover these wonders for yourself?

Find the Best Shopping in Marrakech

When you are looking for Marrakech accommodation, consider an authentic Moroccan Riad. Why not experience the warmth and hospitality of Marrakech Riad during your visit to Morocco. A Riad, sometimes spelt Ryad or Riyad, is an affordable and comfortable way to discover Morocco. Marrakech Riad often have special offers and packages available, a great way to save on your Marrakech accommodation.

How to Make Flowers Using Tissue Paper

How to make flowers using tissue paper is an enjoyable and easy craft to learn. Assuming that you are just starting out with making paper flowers there are some supplies and tools you will need to get started. Let us take a look at what you will need.

* A paper flower making book (it should have step by step instructions, a picture of the flower once it is completed, a pattern with instructions on how to enlarge and shrink the pattern so you can have the perfect size flowers)

Flowers

* The list of tools and supplies you need to make these beautiful flowers you will find in the book

* White tissue paper and an assortment of this colored paper.

Now, that you have all the supplies you need you are ready to learn how to make paper flowers using tissue paper. There are many things you can make out of the these pretty flowers once the flowers are finished. You can make everything from centerpieces for your home or as gifts, flowery garland, hair pieces, decorations for bridal showers, baby showers, or any type of party, bridal bouquets, and wedding reception centerpieces and flowers for the church.

To start off with try a simple small centerpiece; to make this centerpiece you will need a small vase, tissue paper colors of your choice, and the flower(s) patterns you want to make from the paper flower making book. Once, your flowers are the way you want them you can add a little glitter to them or a ribbon or a lace bow can also be added to the center of the vase.

You can also add other decorative items to make your flowers standout such as a few colorful gems or fish tank gravel (depending on the size of the vase) fill the bottom of the vase with them. You can also add a few plastic items such as a butterfly, dragonfly, or any holiday item if the centerpiece is for a holiday. These plastic decorations come on a stick and can be bought in any craft store.

After you have mastered the art of how to make tissue paper flowers, you will be able to expand your creations and make larger centerpieces, bouquets, floral decorations for special occasions and holidays. There is a centerpiece for all occasions and for "just because" for a special person in your life that you can make.

How to Make Flowers Using Tissue Paper

Jane Morris
Next you can find the most detailed and best descriptive book on How to Make Paper flowers since the 1920's and if you would like to learn this craft the best and easiest way possible with pictures of the finised projects, patterns and detailed instructions go to: http://www.ourpaperflowers.com.

Tips For Making Your Silk Flower Arrangement Beautiful

Nearly anyone can learn to arrange flowers. You do not have to be a professional to make a beautiful silk flower arrangement. Silk flowers are an excellent choice for beginners because they are easy to work with and last forever.

The best place to begin is to decide where the flowers will be placed. A flower arrangement that is for the centerpiece of a dining table will definitely look different than a flower arrangement that is going to be on a shelf or in a corner.

Florist

Next, pick a vase. The size and shape of the vase will determine the size of the flower arrangement. A general rule is to use a vase that is half the height of the arrangement. This will give it a nice balance. Also, if you want a very full arrangement, you will want to choose a vase that is larger and has a wider opening. If you are going for something simple and sophisticated, you can choose a tall vase with a narrow opening. Another good choice for the beginning florist is to use a vase that has a crosshatch pattern over the top. This allows you to arrange the flowers more easily and evenly. Otherwise, you will need to cut a piece of Styrofoam or florist foam to fit inside the vase in order to anchor the flowers.

The only limit when choosing the flowers to arrange is your imagination. You can select a bunch of flowers that are the same color but in varying hues of that color. For instance choose several flowers that are different shades of yellow, from palest lemon to deep gold. Or you can work with all warm shades like yellow, orange and red, or all cool shades like blue, purple and green. It is best to choose three or more colors with one of them being more dominant than the others. It helps to have a color wheel that shows complementary colors, secondary colors and other pleasing color combinations.

To choose your design, you can go with a horizontal design or a vertical design, depending on what it is going to be used for. A vertical design that is spare and simple will look stunning on a corner table, and a horizontal design would look great on a buffet table or dining table. Use odd numbers of flowers to get the best effect.

Some people like to start with the greenery and fillers, and others like to start with the flowers. Experiment with both ways to find out which is more comfortable for you. Remember not to overload your vase. When you are done, take a step back and view your design. You want it to look symmetrical.

If you still feel like your flower arranging skills are not the best, you can always take a class at your local craft store or college. Making your own silk floral arrangements can be fun and fulfilling.

Tips For Making Your Silk Flower Arrangement Beautiful

Bob Hett offers great tips and advice regarding all aspects of flowers. Get some great ideas now by visiting http://www.flowerscenter.info

Rose Meanings Explained

Roses are the traditional gift given on Valentines Day, but they're well-received any time of year. The color and type of rose does carry a meaning, though. Be aware of what you're giving: the color of a rose can have a very different meaning from what you intend. If you're giving roses as a gift, follow this guide to make sure you send the message you want to send:

o Red Roses: Red roses say, "I love you." Red roses are the ultimate symbol of romantic love and enduring passion. Florists can't keep up with the Valentines Day demand for red roses, which makes them especially expensive in February.

Bouquet

o Pale Pink Roses: Pale pink roses imply grace, gentleness, and joy.

o Light Pink Roses: Light pink roses express a sense of fun, happiness, and whimsy.

o Deep Pink Roses: Deep pink roses say, "Thank you."

o Lilac Roses: Lilac roses indicate the sender has fallen in love at first sight with the recipient and is enchanted. (To make sure the recipient doesn't miss the message, an appropriate card might also be a good idea. The meaning of lilac roses isn't as widely-known as the meaning of red roses, for instance.)

o White Roses: Pure white roses symbolize truth and innocence. They also send other messages like, "I miss you," and "You're heavenly" (or both, if your loved one is away.)

o Coral Roses: Coral roses express one thing through their passionate color: Desire.

o Peach Roses: Peach roses signify appreciation, gratitude, modesty, and also can convey sympathy.

o Orange Roses: Orange roses communicate enthusiasm, desire, and fascination on the part of the sender.

o Yellow Roses: Yellow roses indicate friendship and freedom ― so don't send them if your intentions are romantic and long-lasting. Yellow roses are also appropriate for sending congratulations to newlyweds, graduates, and new mothers.

o Dead Roses: Regardless of the original color, dead roses say "It's over," loud, clear, and in a tacky and less than classy way.

Combining Colors

Put two or more colors of roses together, and a new rose meaning arises:

o White Roses + Yellow Roses: A symbol of harmony.

o Red Roses + Yellow Roses: A message of happiness and celebration.

o Red Roses + White Roses: An indication of bonding and harmony.

Other Rose Symbolism

These are acceptable ways to convey a meaning giving roses:

o 12 Roses: Gratitude. Any bouquet in full bloom also implies the "full flowering" of the emotion being conveyed: a bouquet of red roses in full bloom implies the full flowering of love.

o 24 Roses: Congratulations

o 48 Roses: Unconditional love.

o Single Red Rose: "I love you," (but I'm not going to go broke telling you.) A single red rose in a bud vase is a great way to surprise and charm a loved one.

o Single Rose of Any Color: "Thank you," (and I'm still not going to go broke saying so.)

o Two Roses Entwined: An engagement or marriage is in the near future.

Rose Meanings Explained

By Bambi Coker © All Rights Reserved.

[http://www.RosesSecretsRevealed.com]

http://www.aaaroses.blogspot.com

Candy Centerpieces - Sinfully Sweet and Surprisingly Cheap

Candy centerpieces have become an increasingly popular way to adorn the tables at all types of events and celebrations including baby showers, bridal showers, birthday and anniversary parties, and, of course, wedding receptions. Much lower in cost than a traditional floral arrangement, a candy centerpiece is at once whimsical and entertaining and can easily become the topic of conversation at any given event.

As a do-it-yourself project, all it takes is a few inexpensive supplies and your imagination to make a nice centerpiece of sweet treats. With literally thousands of varieties of candy available, there are probably hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to make candy centerpieces. The last thing that you'll ever need to be worried about is not being able to think of anything to make for an event. Browse pictures online and copy what you see. For this type of project, you can easily cut corners and no one will be the wiser. If you don't have a clear glass vase,take the label off any household jar and decorate it. Don't have fancy ribbons? Cut strands from old holiday bows. Can't find florist wire? Paint a few Popsicle sticks.

Floral

Candy Centerpieces Can be Sinfully Cheap

Particularly if you need more than one for your event, the cost of adorning your tables in this manner rings in at about half the price of traditional floral arrangements. The cost is low because candy, of course, can always be bought in bulk and anything bought in bulk is cheaper. With a little imagination, a few simple supplies and embellishments such as ribbons and Styrofoam, and a couple of pounds of your favorite sweet treat, you can create sinfully sweet masterpieces that look as elegant as anything you could purchase through a professional vendor. If you do prefer to buy your candy centerpieces, online stores as well as local candy shoppes are always offering amazing package deals for any sized event.

Candy Centerpieces Are Appropriate at Any Event

The fact is that everyone loves candy! In addition, since candy is so versatile and there's so much of a variety in colors, flavors, and shapes, creating appropriate candy centerpieces for different occasions is as easy as manipulating colors and containers. For example, a pretty glass jar filled with colorful jellybeans or a lollipop bouquet is perfect for baby showers and birthday parties. For a wedding, swap the jellybeans for white mints and swap the lollipop bouquet fora candy 'rose' bouquet made of Hershey's Kisses and you're good to go!

Whether you choose to create your own diy candy centerpiece or whether you choose to buy your displays from a professional vendor, the fact remains that your event centerpieces will surely be memorable for all your guests and appreciated by all in attendance long after the festivities have passed.

Candy Centerpieces - Sinfully Sweet and Surprisingly Cheap

Planning a wedding or party? Visit Zari's blog, Candy Centerpieces, to find plenty of bargain deals for your event as well as easy step-by-step instructions for making your own colorful candy centerpieces.

Proofreading Websites

Your business website is the virtual equivalent of your bricks and mortar reception area. Your potential clients get their first impressions of your business in about ten seconds' perusal of your home page. It is vital therefore to have your home page, and the rest of your website, looking as professional and polished as you would like your business image to be.

Proofreading the text meticulously is essential of course, but you need to go further than checking just spelling and grammar. Websites can be complex organisms and you need to ensure that all the internal and external connections are functional.

Florist

A specialist website proofreader and copyeditor will check links for you. This is something you can do yourself though, if you have time. Be meticulous going through each and every link to ensure that it is functional and that it connects to the information that you intended it to. Look out for misspelt urls. There are lots of advertising sites out there that take a well known website's address, change it by one letter or dash and hope to get traffic from misspelt urls searching for the genuine site. You don't want to send your potential clients off on a wild goose chase around the internet, so make sure you know where you are sending them. Re-check those links on a regular basis, every few months or so, as dead links leave your website looking out of date and uncared for.

Your website should have content added on a regular basis, to keep it fresh for clients, but also to keep the search engines noticing it. One useful way to do this is to write articles, on a relevant topic to your business, every couple of weeks and add them to your website. This also gets your name out there on the internet and gains you name recognition as an expert in your field. Again a good relationship with your proofreader and copyeditor will help you to maintain a high level of accuracy and readability, so that your website always looks attractive and professional on every page.

Take time proofreading and copyediting your website and if you've got the design elements and product right too you'll have the winning formula to impress clients and gain business.

Proofreading Websites

Kit Heathcock writes and copyedits for a number of websites from her own site Original Orange. She is currently working on a major travel website Just the Planet and is also co-creator of A Flower Gallery.

Tulip Care - A Must For Spring Gardens

If you love to see the beautiful tulip flowers in April and May, then tulip care during the growing season in your garden is a major priority for you. You spent good money and poured your time in planting new bulbs in the fall. As spring unfolds, you want to see those yellow, red, white, pink and other tulip flowers. They are saluting you as they wave in the breeze for taking care of them. Review this article to be sure that you take good care of your own tulips.

Tulip flowers are a hardy species, but if you don't know how to deal with the main challenges, your garden will suffer. Here are the top concerns and issues with tulips before flowering.

Tulips

Fertilize your tulip plants twice a year. The best time to feed tulips is in the early spring (before they bloom again). The best way to feed them is to add a tablespoon of a granular fertilizer on the soil around each bulb. This should be done before flowering because feeding your tulips after flowering could cause a disease.

Tulips need lots of water. If your garden gets plenty of rainfall nature will take care of the watering. If you live in a very warm area all-year-round make sure to water your tulip garden at least once a week.

Watch out for animal pests, like rabbits and squirrels. Rabbits eat the green shoots and can destroy the tulip plant so that no flowers blossom. Prevent rabbits from eating breakfast in your garden by using a physical fence like chicken wire, a deterrent like cayenne pepper, or non-toxic commercial products like Liquid Fence.

Squirrels can harm the tulip plant by digging and eating tulip bulbs. Protect the bulbs by installing netting over the bulbs when planting them. This will keep squirrels from reaching the bulbs. Once you have planted tulip bulbs, sprinkle blood meal on top of the soil around the tulip shoots. You can also install chicken wire over the top of the garden to protect the small shoots when they emerge.

Voles are another problem. Voles are small rodents that burrow and dig tunnels underground. Voles see tulip bulbs as food and will eat the bulbs, destroying your tulip garden. Unfortunately, there are not very many effective ways to remove voles.

Grubs are insects that are the biggest killer of tulip. If the dirt in your garden has grubs, use some time released insect/or grub killer on the ground around them once or twice a year. Nurseries and home garden centers offer various grub insecticides in granular form that control these pesky insects.

Here is an additional tip:
If you buy potted tulips from a nursery or store, you can plant them outdoors. Remember to plant the tulips as they are in the pot in a sunny location. You will kill the tulips when you separate them from the potting soil.

Tulip care in the spring is not an option. Your garden will thank you and your tulips will salute you whenever the breeze blows.

Tulip Care - A Must For Spring Gardens

Dave Pipitone is hopelessly in love with tulips and nourishes them in his Hope Patch. For more information on caring for tulips during the Spring, visit http://www.TulipReview.com

Sheet Mulching

Okay before we get to far let me just say that this is not about bed sheets but it is a very viable way to make flower beds or vegetable beds. In fact the idea of using sheet mulching methods is an organic way of converting grass lawns, weed fields, or other areas into rich weed free garden space using all natural methods and it is completely chemical free.

The idea of taking a piece of ground say 1200 square feet and digging up the grass and removing it to build a garden bed gets me tired just thinking about the work involved. Once the grass is removed of course you will need to loosen the soil and then amend it so that you can grow in it.There will be of course the weeds that you will have to contend with as well. The use of sheet mulching will help you with these task with out expending as much energy as the traditional method.

Flower

Sheet mulching takes the existing soil and plant materials and turns them into a rich humus filled bed by letting nature do most of the work. The materials for this are almost no cost or at most very little so it is very affordable. The biggest part is your labor but that is a pretty good investment of your time for the benefits you will receive.

Making A Planting Bed

1. The first step is to define the area you want to turn into a bed and mark it off. Next take a mulching mower and go over the area a couple of times as the lowest setting. Do not remove any of the clippings just leave them in place.
2. After the area has been mowed down spread 2" to 3" of compost over the area. This can also be horse manure or some other all natural compost.
3. Gather together corrugated cardboard enough to cover the whole area. Be sure that the cardboard is not waxed and no printing if possible. Place a layer of cardboard over the compost and wet it until it is damp.
4. Get wood chips and mulch the whole area with 5" to 6" of wood chips. You can get free wood chips from most municipalities or even tree services. Once you have spread the wood chips it will take about two months for the material you mulched up to be broken down. Worms will start to arate the soil and turn everything into some beautiful growing medium.

When you are ready to plant just pull back the chips and dig your hole but eh plant in and then pull the chips back around to cover the area again. When working around trees it is import to keep the mulch back from the trunk so that the moisture does not start to rot the tree trunk. There you have a way to turn a piece of wasted ground into a great weed free planting bed.

Sheet Mulching

Glenn Bronner is a professional grounds keeper with over 38 years of experience in gardening and the horticulture industry. Come join him as he tends the Urban Garden and The Woodland Garden and shares gardening tips and knowledge at his site.
Glenns Garden http://glenns-garden.com

Sending Flowers to Your Ex Girlfriend

After breaking up with your girlfriend, you have finally realized that you were wrong but it seems that your realization is too late because she has already moved on. It may be impossible to revive the past relationship that you have shared, but it would be a better way to apologize for your mistakes so that there will be no hard feelings in case your paths will cross again.

One of the best methods to apologize to your past girl is to send her flowers. You may think that this is not a good idea because sending a gift to someone who is already not in a relationship with you can be a bit awkward and it can give a different impression on the recipient. Aside from that, you may feel that this action can just result to a bad end. However, rather than thinking on that, you need to be more sincere towards your feelings and that you would really like to apologize.

Roses

Apologizing to your ex girlfriend doesn't necessarily mean that you would like to revive the lost relationship. If the chances of fixing the relationship is very low and you are sure that you are no longer harboring feelings for her, then it wouldn't hurt you if you try to apologize for your past mistakes and make things smooth for the two of you. One effective way of expressing your apologies to your former girlfriend is to send her with a beautiful bouquet of roses.

If you would like to make efforts of asking for forgiveness for your past mistakes but you are too busy or you do not have the time to look for local flower shops or personally send the flowers, you can always order it through an online Canada flowers delivery wherein you can order and send flowers even if you are at work and in front of a computer.

Saying sorry personally can be hard especially if you are guilty with your mistakes and you feel that you are unworthy to face the person that you have hurt. Hence, sending her beautiful Canada flowers made by an expert florist would be a good option. You can have the flowers sent on a particular date when you order it at an earlier time.

The goodness of ordering flowers online is that, you can order it any time of the day since it is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Aside from that, ordering online will not take much of your time compared to looking for various floral shops and comparing various prices of the roses being sold in these flower shops. Through online flower delivery services, you are guaranteed that the flowers are freshly prepared prior to delivery.

Sending flowers to your ex girlfriend would be a great way to express your apology; however, it would be best to do it only once. Constantly bombarding your ex girlfriend with gifts would only cause an annoyance rather than forgiveness. Hence, make sure that once you have sent the flowers, you can send her a letter of apology to express your thoughts.

Sending Flowers to Your Ex Girlfriend

While some men would think that it is improper to send gifts to their ex girlfriends, sending flowers would be a good way to express your feelings of apology. You can order flowers online and send it to your ex girlfriend.

Tips on Making Beautiful Floral Arrangements

Do you have your own flower garden and would like to make some use of it? Are you fond of crafts and do it your self decorative projects? Would you like to make some homemade floral arrangements to further accent your home or to give away as gifts? If this sounds like you, then please read
on for some tips on making beautiful floral arrangements.

To start your floral arrangements, you will first need something to put your flowers in. Get a
vase or some other container that is decorative and also holds water. Before you start your floral
arrangements, you may want to consider further decorating the vase or container by spraying it
with gold or bronze spray paint. Let it dry for 24 hours and then spray on a coat of clear enamel
spray. This will give your arrangement a more decorative feel.

Floral

Next, you need a base for your floral arrangements. The base is used for the flowers to have
something to anchor to. You can use a ball of willow branches, grapevine, or floral foam that you can
buy at a local craft store. The floral foam is called Oasis. If you use Oasis, be sure to soak
it in water and poke holes in it with a pen before you put flowers it so that it doesn't break the
stems.

When cutting flowers for floral arrangements, try to do so early in the day or morning. This is
because the stems have more water in them at this point of the day and the flowers are not
drooping. Be sure to only use cold water in the flower arrangement because warm water tends to make the
flowers open up too soon and not last as long.

If you want your flowers to last longer, you can places apple and lemon wedges in the water at the
bottom of the floral arrangements. The apples have nutrients that will help feed the flowers,
while the lemons prevent premature rotting and browning. It also adds a more decorative touch to your
flower arrangements.

When designing your flower arrangements, try to pick colors that go with the environment the
arrangement will be placed in. First use taller flowers to create the vertical part of the
arrangement. Then use full blooming flowers with bright and bold colors for the center and sides of the
floral arrangements. Then fill in the small gaps with tiny flowers.

Those were some great tips on making beautiful floral arrangements. If you use all of these tips
in conjunction with each other, you are sure to have a long lasting floral arrangement. With a
little practice, you can be well on your way to having beautiful floral arrangements that rival
those found in floral shops!

Tips on Making Beautiful Floral Arrangements

Sandy Beaches offers expert advice and great tips regarding all aspects concerning Flowers. Get the information you are seeking now by visiting Floral Arrangements