| Chicago Flower & Garden Show |
 
Date: Saturday, March 6 through Sunday, March 14, 2010
Location: Navy Pier (600 E. Grand | Chicago)
Presented By:
BELGARD HARDSCAPES
Inspirational...Educational...Motivational...
these words describe not only the Chicago Flower & Garden Show's
triumphant return to Navy Pier in 2009, but set the stage for the
show's return in 2010.
In 2009, 50,000+ visitors were wowed by the gardens, including
many created by leading designers and builders in collaboration with
Chicago's best known cultural institutions. In 2010, the "theme"
gardens will be back and pair designers and builders with several of
Chicago's acclaimed theaters in keeping with the 2010 show theme:
"Cultivating Great Performances."
Other returning highlights (and there are many) include the wildly
popular FREE educational seminars (which broke attendance records in
2009!)...interactive gardening workshops... Garden Gourmet cooking
demonstrations...inspirational Tablescapes...the Children's Activity
Garden...and much more!
Also returning is the popular vendor "Marketplace" filled with
fantastic products and services. And be sure to check out the "What's
New" link for updates on new show features.
In 2010 the Chicago Flower & Garden Show, sponsored by
BELGARD, is again supported by the City of Chicago, Navy Pier, the
Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau and the Mayor's Office of
Special Events.
Visit this website often in the coming months for the latest show information, news and updates!
Show Hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Adult admission is $17 weekends
and $15 weekdays. Tickets for children under 12 are $5 every day.
Special discounted parking is only $14.
For complete information and to purchase tickets online please visit: www.chicagoflower.com
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| SFTeam | February 25, 2010 | Event calendar | |
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| Comments (0) | | | | | February Flower - Violet |
February flower is Violet. The violet family contains about 830 species of herbs, shrubs and even some woody wines and trees—almost half of which are in the predominately herbaceous representative genus. Wild species, often called heartsease, are grown for their blue or purple color, fragrance and interesting flower shape. Some, such as the sweet violet, have very short stems and the leaves appeared to emerge directly from the ground; others have well-developed stems.
Violets are easily hybridized, and many types have been developed in shades of white and yellow. These are usually called pansies and are popular spring and fall flowers. The flowers are irregular, but all have five petals with a backward-projecting appendage and the lowest of the five petals has a spur. Many violets are sweet-scented, including the sweet violet of Europe and Asia.
Violets signify faithfulness, warmth of affection, prosperity, faith, wisdom, hope, inspiration, humility and cleanliness.
During the middle Ages, violets were a symbol for humility and modesty not only because of the blooming habits of the flower but also because of their association with the Virgin Mary. Shy people are often referred to as shy violets and the reason is clear when one looks at a blossoming violet. Often the flowers are tucked away beneath the beautiful dark green heart shaped foliage and only peek out from under their hiding spot. The retiring behavior of the flower made it a fitting symbol for Christ’s mother.
Violets also have a unique method of reproduction, known as cleistogamy, which is found in very few flowers. In other words, violets self-pollinate. Naturally, the ability to create seeds without the interference of a bee or another plant reminded believers of the Immaculate Conception.
Legends about violets start way back in time. In ancient Greece, violets sprang up where Orpheus slept and were the symbol for the city of Athens. In France, the pansy was a love token between Napoleon and Josephine and later became Napoleon’s political emblem. The ancient writer, Pliny, wrote about the medical use of violets for gout and spleen disorders. In France, during troubadour times, violets were given as a poetry prize, and in Germany in the middle Ages, the first violet was celebrated with dancing.
All violets are edible. Both the blossoms and the leaves are tasty and great in salads and teas. The leaves are often used as garnishes for chilled soups and punches. The flowers are candied and used for garnished in cakes or pastries.
It is known that viola odorata contains myrosin and other glycosides and saponins. Violets are an abundant source of vitamins A and C. An aspirin-like substance can be obtained from violets, and they also have an antiseptic property. Violets have been used to cure cancer, tumors, and respiratory disorders.
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| SFTeam | February 03, 2010 | Flower Of The Month | |
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| Comments (1) | | | | | Valentine's Day February 14th |
Happy Valentine's Day!
www.sunflowergallery.net
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| SunFlowerGallery | February 03, 2010 | Holidays | |
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| Comments (0) | | | | | Shrimp Plant( Justicia brandegeana) |
Unusual color and form mark shrimp plant for distinction. Best known for its reddish brown bracts that resemble the shape and color of a shrimp’s tail, shrimp plant stands out among the somewhat limited selection of autumn potted plants. Look for some newer variations of shrimp plants too, such as those with yellow bracts or variegated green and cream-colored leaves. These new additions are just now beginning to become available from suppliers. The species name, brandegeana, is a tribute to the late 19th-century American botanists Townsend and Katharine Brandegee.
Shrimp plant blooms all year-round. It originated in Mexico. Plant grows up to 12 to 18 inches tall.
Select bushy plants with an abundance of medium-green leaves. Flowers should be fully colored, not pale or yellowing.
Shrimp plants should be kept moderately moist, but not saturated with water or allowed to sit in a tray with water. They should not be allowed to dry out, as this will cause many of the lower leaves to yellow and fall off.
Bright light (750 foot candles) is essential to maintain the colorful flowers (bracts), but hot direct sunlight should be avoided.
Temperatures of 60 degrees at night and 70 degrees during the day are ideal, but shrimp plants tolerate slightly higher and lower temperatures without showing stress.
Fertilize shrimp plants during all but the winter months with a high-quality blooming-plant fertilizer. Use one-half the manufacturer’s recommended strength.
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| SFTeam | January 30, 2010 | Flowers & News | |
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| Comments (0) | | | | | January Flower - Carnation |
Carnation is the birth flower for those born in the
month of January. The genus name, Dianthus, derives from the Greek
for ‘flower of love’. Carnations used to be called “clove gilly-flowers” in
reference to their intense clove-like aroma. Some modern cultivars are very
fragrant and are used to make perfumes. Carnations can be stored longer than
any other flower and can be opened to high quality flowers from very tight
buds. Miniature carnations are also referred to as spray carnations. The wide
range of colors and forms, especially for miniatures, allows florists and
consumers to use and enjoy them in many ways.
Carnations are known as flowers that
express feeling, which makes them popular flowers. For example, giving a red
carnation is symbolic of admiration or deep love, depending on the depth of the
red. White represents pure love and yellow represents rejection.
Carnations are often worn on special occasions,
especially Mothers Day and
weddings. They were known as "Jove's Flower" in ancient Rome as a tribute to
one of their beloved gods. In Korea, red and pink
Carnations are used for showing their love and gratitude toward their parents
on Parents Day (Korea does not separate Mother's Day and Father's Day, but has
Parents Day on May 8). Sometimes, you can see parents wear a corsage of
Carnations on their left chest on Parents Day. Not only on Parents Day, but
also on Teacher's Day (May 15), people express their admiration and gratitude
to their teachers with Carnations. It is the national flower of Spain, and the provincial
flower of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands .
It is also the symbol of the Portuguese Carnation Revolution. The state flower of
Ohio is a scarlet carnation. The choice was made to honor William McKinley,
Ohio Governor and U.S. President, who was assassinated in 1901, and regularly
wore a scarlet carnation on his lapel. Carnations are grown all over the
globe they can be found in Europe, Kenya, India, Australia, China, South
America and the United States and are available year-round. They come in more
than 10,000 shades and varieties, the most popular ones being light green
(Prado) and bicolor blooms such as Alpha and Tundra.Carnations
don't produce a pigment called delphinidin,
so you can't breed a blue carnation by natural selection. It shares this
characteristic with other widely sold flowers like roses,lilies,chrysanthemums
and gerberas.
Once the flower has reached its full
bloom, it will remain fresh and fragrant for about three weeks if it is kept
properly hydrated. |
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| SFTeam | January 08, 2010 | Flower Of The Month | |
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| Comments (5) | | | | | 1 2 3 4 5 |
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