Why Flowers?

What other gift can you give to someone, or do for someone, without them feeling they need to return the favor, that they "owe you one"?

· Being in the presence of flowers has been shown, scientifically, to alleviate depression in the elderly! (Texas A&M; Rutgers University; control gifts used in the research/study included gifts of candles, food gifts, etc)

· Being in the presence of flowers increase social interaction, and feelings of well-being. (Harvard study; and these studies show that the effects linger, even AFTER the flowers have died)

· Flowers not only relieve depression, these same studies show that in the presence of flowers and/or plants, work-place productivity is increased, and creativity is increased - Measurable results!

Europeans use flowers in their daily living – flowers, plants, even bouquets of grasses, berries and braches are commonplace in the home. (and maybe, are they a little more “balanced” or less stressed, shall we say, as opposed to Americans?)

Also, a recent study shows that people who give flowers are perceived as being sophisticated and thoughtful:

• 92% of women remember the last time they received flowers.
• 97% of survey respondents remember the last time they gave a floral gift.
• 88% of survey respondents say a gift of flowers changes their mood for the better.
• 86% say receiving flowers makes them feel special.
• 99% say that a person who gives flowers is thoughtful.
• 89% believe the giver is sophisticated.

A study at Harvard uncovered three main findings:

• Flowers feed compassion.
  
  Study participants who lived with fresh cut flowers for less than a week felt an increase in feelings of compassion and kindness for others.
• Flowers chase away anxieties, worries and the blues at home.
• Overall, people in the study simply felt less negative after being around flowers at home for just a few days.
• Living with flowers can provide a boost of energy, happiness and enthusiasm at work.
  
  Having flowers at home can have a positive carry-over impact on our mood at work, too. The study found that people were more likely to feel happier and have more enthusiasm and energy at work when flowers were in their home living environments.

72% percent of Americans are just waiting to be converted to flower lovers!

A passion of mine is to show people the correlation of our emotional and social well-being and the beauty of flowers in our everyday lives. Just a flower, not a huge bouquet.

Vase Recycling

Here at Blumen Garten Florist, we're going green, and we're asking for your help in saving the environment by recycling glass vases.

If you've accumulated a lot of vases, good for you! You have family and friends who send you flowers. Sometimes these extra vases are taking up valuable storage space or are left on a dusty shelf, unused. If this is the case, you can bring your clean, used vases to our shop and we'll put them to use again. Or, if they really don't meet our quality standards, we will take them to the recycling center.

Here's How It Works
Bring your vases to our shop when you're in the neighborhood. Our shop is located at 4687 Reed Road and is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and on Saturdays from 9:00 until 3:00 PM. If you come by when we're closed, simply place your vases (or box of vases) on our porch and we'll get them in the morning. We offer a FREE rose for every pair of usable vases we receive. If you plan to be a frequent recycler, you can "bank" your free flowers toward an arrangement in the future. Anyway, you look at it, those unused vases add up to value for you and us.
Why We Are Recycling Vases

No, there isn't a sudden vase shortage. And no, it won't really save us any money on vases. We just want to play a small part in helping the planet. And reusing and recycling is a great start!

Studies Confirm Flowers Improve Quality of Life

According to the Ukiah Daily Journal in Ukiah, California, scientists are finding a link between flower's ability to improve moods and increased quality of life. Scientists performed three studies, published in the April 2005 edition of Evolutionary Psychology, that demonstrated flowers' ability to positively impact mood. In the first study 147 women reported elevated moods for three days after being presented with a single flower.

In another study, 122 men and women were handed either a flower, pen, or nothing while riding on an elevator. Those who received a flower spoke more, stood closer to others, and smiled more often during the ride. The last study involved delivering bouquets to 113 men and women in a retirement community. The recipients reported positive moods and increased memory function.

It's no secret that flowers can perk up a mood. However, as scientists learn more about how to harness their positive power, we could potentially see them being used in a clinic setting to improve healing and quality of life.