Blossoming Delights: Exploring Edible Flowers for the Curious Palate

09Aug By admin

Today, we’re diving into a whimsical world of flavors, colors, and fragrances – yes, you guessed it right, we’re talking about edible flowers! 🌸🌼

Ever wondered if those beautiful petals you see in gardens and on Instagram feeds could actually be part of your next delicious dish? Well, wonder no more, because we’re here to spill the petals on everything you need to know about edible flowers.

**Are Edible Flowers Nutritious?**

Let’s start with the juicy details – do these floral delights pack a nutritional punch? You betcha! Edible flowers like nasturtiums, violets, and pansies are loaded with vitamins and antioxidants. They can be a delightful addition to your salads, boosting not just the visual appeal but also the nutritional value. Talk about beauty from the inside out!

**Do Edible Flowers Taste Good?**

Now, onto the most crucial question – do they taste as good as they look? Well, the answer is a resounding YES! Edible flowers offer a spectrum of flavors, from mildly sweet to slightly peppery or tangy. Imagine a burst of nature’s freshness in every bite. Experiment with different blooms to find your personal favorite – marigolds for a subtle citrus kick, or borage flowers for a hint of cucumber. Your taste buds are in for a treat!

**To Refrigerate or Not to Refrigerate?**

Okay, let’s get practical. Do you need to toss those precious petals into the fridge? Yup, you sure do. Most varieties can stay gorgeous and vibrant for about 1-2 weeks. Edible flowers are delicate creatures, and they thrive best in a cool, humid environment. To keep them perky and ready for action, place them in an airtight container lined with damp paper towels. Voilà! Your edible blossoms will thank you for the cozy stay.

**Can You Freeze Edible Flowers?**

Got a surplus of petals? No worries, you can absolutely freeze them for future culinary escapades. Simply pop those beauties onto a baking sheet, freeze them until firm, and then transfer them into an airtight container or a resealable bag. They’ll stay preserved and lovely, waiting to grace your next gourmet creation.

**How Long Will They Last as Garnish?**

Here’s the scoop – when it comes to garnishing, we want our creations to look picture-perfect. The lifespan of your floral garnish can vary depending on the type of flower, how it’s been stored, and how old the bloom is. Generally, edible flowers can last anywhere from a few hours up to 24 hours as cuisine embellishments. Honestly, who can resist using these lovely petals? We’d say, don’t wait too long – let them shine on your dishes, impress your guests with your edible artwork!

**Blossoming Beauties: A List of Edible Flowers**

Alright, time for the grand reveal! Here’s a list of edible flowers to spark your culinary creativity:

1. Nasturtiums – Peppery, vibrant, and oh-so-pretty.
2. Violets – Delicately sweet with a hint of floral elegance.
3. Pansies – Mildly sweet and available in a rainbow of colors.
4. Calendula – Earthy and slightly tangy, perfect for a pop of color.
5. Lavender – Fragrant and subtly floral, ideal for desserts and teas.
6. Roses – Floral and romantic, ideal for desserts and floral waters.
7. Marigolds – Citrusy and vibrant, a cheerful addition to any dish.
8. Borage – Refreshing cucumber notes, a unique and delicious choice.

So, there you have it – the lowdown on edible flowers that will make your taste buds dance and your dishes dazzle. It’s time to embrace your inner kitchen fairy and sprinkle some floral magic into your culinary works of art. So, grab a handful of petals, experiment fearlessly, and share your flowery culinary adventures with the world. Stay vibrant, stay fabulous, and keep blooming in your own unique way!

Bon appétit and happy flower feasting! 🌺🍽️

Shoreline Steward: A Rainbow Floral Installation at The Hilton, Niagara Falls Fleurs de Villes

03OctJanuary 8, 2024 By admin

The Shoreline Steward

Our brief was to work with a rainbow theme at The Hilton’s request, and to include an extraordinary headpiece. The message we wanted to convey was love for our water, and our Shoreline Steward was born. The artistic vision was to do a fantastic imitation of life, from sun to rainbow, and cascade to mist to whirlpool.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (7) — Her corona weighs about 20lbs and is made with 100 stems of Pampas grass!

Our Shoreline Steward, with her magnificent corona, is a beacon of hope for all. Her reverence for the natural wonder of the Thundering Waters of Niagara Falls is embodied in virtually every aspect of her being.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (3) — The wings of mist were made with over 120 stems of Baby’s Breath!

We tilted her forward on a custom made platform so she would radiate leadership and strength. With your eyes and hearts drawn first to her beauty, you get a sense of power and purpose, leading, striding forward, her feet barely touching the ground, almost as if to take flight. Looking at her from face on, the placement of the mist armature creates the impression of an Angel.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (101) — Our Shoreline Steward’s toes grounding in the earth.

One of the things you will notice is that she is, perhaps uncomfortably for the viewer, perched right on the edge; this placement is meant to echo the environmental precipice that humanity is perched on. She was designed to be a sensory experience, to bring you into an awareness of your physical self, in the significant natural environment of Niagara, on this great planet Earth; our Shoreline Steward’s bare feet in the soil connects her to this world, to us.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (5) — Her superhero emblem is a symbol of the crescent moon, echoing the crescent of the corona, our beacon of hope.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (8) — Details of her wrist cuff and moss body suit, and the caves of Niagara Falls behind the cape.

Her wrist cuffs and chest emblem trumpet her status as a superhero. Her bodysuit of moss muffles her physique and her hair is natural and free, eschewing the trappings of conventional fashion, to cast attention to her message instead of her body. Her cape seems fluid, in the liquid emerald shades of the crystal clear waters at the crest of the waterfall. The caves behind the Falls are hinted at in the interior of her cape, with drops of water being flung outward with frenetic energy, that you may strain to hear the ferocious thundering roar of the water.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (12) — To make her solar headdress, we used over 300 strawflower blooms! Detail of the fluid emerald cape.

The sun, as the central focus of her headdress, shines through the perpetual mist of the cascade, creating an intensely brilliant rainbow. The flow of colours pulls you through stages of understanding, urgency, and respect. The subtle fragrances of the blooms (over 1500 stems!) in the rainbow teases your sense of smell awake, further forging your relationship with nature.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (11) — Our rainbow mannequin at The Hilton in Niagara Falls, Ontario – The Shoreline Steward – was an explosion of colour!

As you reach the great plumes of mist rising above, you can almost sense the droplets landing lightly on your cheeks, a soft persuasion, encouraging the evolution of your thoughts to action.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (102) — The vortex of rose petals in the center of the whirlpool were set on a turntable that rotated!

Finally, you encounter a serene scene devoid of colour and extraneous noise, and with empty spaces, to help clear your mind for contemplation. As you gaze at last upon the calming, quiet, hypnotic spiral of the whirlpool, you are motivated to reflect, and determine what one step you will take for the integrity of our shorelines. A swirl of pure white rose petals circle in the vortex of the whirlpool, and a handful of these petals are presented to you. As you connect with the petals, and feel their velvety softness, you are encouraged to take them to the real Niagara River’s edge, to connect with our water, and to scatter them over the surface of the river as your own Shoreline Steward ceremony, pledging your initiative. The petals will wind their way downstream to the real whirlpool, the purity of the petals a reflection of our vision for the purity of our water.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (103) — The path from enlightenment – the shining corona, to action – the rotating whirlpool.

Moving back away from the piece, looking over the whirlpool, through the mist, and up the arc of the rainbow, is a surprising perspective. It allows you to clearly see your journey through the experience, your path from enlightenment, to action.

Shoreline Steward at The Hilton Niagara Falls, Fleurs de Villes, Crescent Gardens Florist (99) — Lisa Kelleher (left), Owner, and Stephanie Cote (right), pose with the rainbow mannequin known as The Shoreline Steward, in the lobby of The Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, for the Fleurs de Villes exhibition.

Crescent Gardens Floral Ltd pledges $700 ($100 for each colour of the rainbow) to sponsor a shoreline cleanup through a local nature group.

#LoveOurWater
#ShorelineSteward

Stay tuned for our “How we made it” post!

5 Beautiful Health Benefits of Fresh Flowers

11OctOctober 12, 2020 By admin

Those who gleefully chanted the words “flower power!” during the 1960s were actually on to something. Flowers DO have power.

1. Flowers can help heal.

While plants and flowers aren’t a direct cure for disease or illness, during dry winter months especially – when the lack of humidity can contribute to infection – flowers add moisture to the air, and this moisture helps with dry skin, dry throat and dry cough: all factors that contribute to seasonal illness.

2. Flowers can improve mood.

At the most basic level, connecting with someone by receiving flowers can help lift a mood because it means someone cares, and that is always impactful. Even if the flowers are bought and enjoyed by the same person, they can help improve mood because they look beautiful and smell fresh – two factors that are proven to provide an emotional boost. An improved mood can lead to improved health, and people who are in a good mood are more likely to bounce back from an injury or illness faster.

3. Flowers improve memory.

Can this be true? Science says it can! Flowers oxygenate the air, and this freshly oxygenated air can boost give a boost to our brain cells, which improves memory, clarity and concentration. Think of flowers as superfood for the brain cells!

4. Flowers aid relaxation.

The act of tending to flowers can be relaxing, and can specifically be a healthy way to work through stress or frustration. Also, the fresh scent of flowers is known to aid relaxation, thus sachets and bath products are often floral. (Who doesn’t love a lavender-scented bath or candle?) Though we may not understand the science behind it, it’s tough to deny that botanicals aid in relaxation.

5. Flowers increase energy.

Having fresh flowers around the home or office is linked to an increase in positive energy. Their colour and scent, specifically, can boost energy. Additionally, flowers are proven to increase creativity (they’re linked to an increase in positive energy). Place flowers in your creative space or any place where a mental boost would be helpful. Sit by an arrangement of flowers when reading or doing puzzles or brain exercises. Enjoy the view and benefits of increased mental energy.

Treat yourself or someone you love to the gift that keeps you connected… click here to learn more about our Floral Subscriptions for the Senses.

Succulent and Cactus Plant Care

05SepSeptember 9, 2020 By admin

How to care for Succulents and Cacti

In nature, typically, succulents and cacti grow in extreme conditions, with lots of sunlight, and very few days of rainfall.

As the desert is their native habitat, it stands to reason that the sunniest spot in your house is the best place to home these little creatures. South facing windowsills are ideal, but anywhere where there is lots of sunlight will do. If you find your little ones reaching out and getting “leggy”, they could do with more light!

Plants in a Sunny Windowsill — Plants in a Bright Windowsill

Always let them dry out completely between waterings. The worst thing you can do is over-water a cactus or succulent. Having said that, when you do water them, make sure you are very generous! After watering, and giving the soil time to re-hydrate, if there is any water that has drained out and is sitting underneath the pot, definitely discard it. Although they love to get a great big gulp, they easily rot if left sitting in water. If the container that the succulents or cacti are in doesn’t have drainage, be very careful not to over-water!

Often, succulents and cacti are planted with lots of friends, tightly packed in a container. They will be quite happy to grow alongside their companions, but eventually they’ll run out of space, and you will want to give them their own mini desert-scapes. Make sure to use a proper soil, specifically for succulents and cacti, as regular potting soil holds too much moisture for them. Re-planting prickly cacti can be painful if you’re not careful. Gently using a pair of kitchen tongs helps a lot!

We find that each little succulent and cactus has their own personality, and we grow to love each and every one of them! Click here to see if we have any in stock!

Graceful Phalaenopsis Plant Care

18JanSeptember 9, 2020 By admin

How to care for Phalaenopsis Orchids

These graceful flowers can last for weeks, and the green plant will live for years.

Water sparingly, once a week. Inside the ceramic pot that the orchid is in, under the plastic pot that holds the bark/coconut husk matrix that holds the plant in, there is a small space. This space is a reservoir to hold any excess water, as most orchid roots don’t like to stay wet, they just like a caress of water. This water can be discarded, to avoid having the plant sit in water. The roots are what look like relatively thick greyish green ropes, and shouldn’t be cut off.

They like humidity and filtered sunlight, not direct sunlight, and always keep indoor plants and cut flowers away from any heat sources and cold drafts.

When the flower blooms die off, if you cut the dark green flower stem just on top of the node where the lowest or second lowest bloom was, it’s possible it will send out another flower spike from that node.

New Phalaenopsis Orchid Flower Spike From An Old Flower Spike — New Phalaenopsis Orchid Flower Spike from an Old Flower Spike

As your flower spikes die, the spikes will go from glossy dark green to anaemic yellow. At that point, the spikes can be lopped off at the base, and the support dowels removed.

Phalaenopsis orchids originate in a tropical jungle climate. Typically, they use their roots to cling to the sides of trees, and their flower spikes would cascade downward from the plant.

After being forced to flower in the greenhouse, there can be quite a long dormancy period. The plant will likely rest for even up to a year, but once it starts to flower again, you can expect it to flower regularly, with the blossoms lasting for weeks or even months.

Continue regular watering during all phases of plant growth, blooming, and resting.

Click here to see if we have any in stock.

Category: Blog

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