Flowers We Commonly Use and their Lifespan

To keep our flowers fresh, we commit to handle and care for our flowers. We insist that we get the freshest product from our wholesaler and we inspect the quality of each bunch of flowers we receive. We make sure we use clean tools and clean buckets. And we make sure all our work stations and surface where we lay our flowers are scrubbed clean.

The flowers we use most often are those that have long lifespan so the recipients will enjoy their gift longer.

These are the flowers that lasts from 7-14 days; and these are flowers we use often:
Alstroemeria
Bells of Ireland
Carnation
Chrysanthemum
Gypsophilia or Baby's Breath
Liatris
Asiatic Lily
Stargazer Lily
Statice

Flowers that lasts more than 14 days:
Anthurium
Bird of Paradise
Dendrobium Orchid
Cymbidium Orchid
Ginger
Leucadendron
Protea

Flowers with 5-7 Days lifespan:
Calla lily
Gladiola
Gloriosa lily
Snapdragon
Stock

Flowers with 3-5 days lifespan:
Agapanthus
Daffodil
Delphinium
Freesia
Gerbera
Lilac
Peony
Queen Anne's Lace
Rose
Tulip

Flowers that last 1-2 Days
Camelia
Gardenia
Iris
Stephanotis
Zinnia

Tropical Flowers using Bells of Ireland, Bird of Paradise, Orchids, Protea, etc.

How to Preserve the Beauty and Fresh Look of Permanent Displays

Do you have Permanent(silk) Flower Arrangements?

The beauty of permanent floral arrangement lasts a long time but like everything else, it fades eventually. It could fade much faster if it is not freshened routinely.

There are simple ways to keep your permanent display fresh looking for as long as you can.

1. Using a soft paintbrush, dust leaves, branches and large flowers like Anthurium, Birds of Paradise, Orchids, Lilies, etc.

2. Use hair dryer set on cool setting to blow dust from the small flowers and any dust remaining on the foliage, branches and the rest of the floral arrangement.

3. Use Leafshine spray, if you have one, to bring out the shine and freshness to finish it off.

Ms. Quest, Our Flower Delivery Partner

Ms. Quest had tantrums when my sister finally passed her on to us. She must have felt the same way my sister felt who shed tears when she handed the keys and papers to us. My sister wanted us to have her but it took 4+ years for her to finally give her up. She was hesitant to give her up, but we had lost our delivery van to an accident. The driver of a big SUV run a red light and hit our van which was travelling at the speed limit of 45 mph. Our car was totaled and my driver/husband was hospitalized.

Back to Ms. Quest, fortunately her tantrums happened when it was at a safe location, like the flower shop which is next to auto repair shops. After, a month, it stalled a block away from the shop after all deliveries were completed for the day. It was in the repair shop for a week. Ms. Quest run so well after getting fixed, carrying a lot of birthday flowers, wedding flowers near and far, funeral flowers to cemeteries, funeral homes, churches, event halls, flowers to welcome newborns in hospitals and homes, get well flowers to cheer people who were not well and weekly trips to assisted living homes to cheer seniors with fresh flowers to adorn their dining rooms and reception areas.

A year ago, early in the morning, we drove to the wholesaler to pick up our stock of flowers for the week. When it was time to make a delivery, it didn't want to start. I was grateful that it did not break down on us on our trip to the wholesaler or on our trip back to the shop. Upon diagnosis, the starter was the problem. It was fixed after a week, and it purred like a happy kitten. It even took me to Berkeley and back to see my girlfriends.

Over the weekend, after a long day out delivering funeral flowers, event flowers at the Convention Center, birthday flowers and sympathy flowers for the family of a young man shot to death by a robber at an auto parts store, on it's way home, at a traffic light, it made a loud clunking sound when the light turned green and it was supposed to accelerate to go. Fortunately, it was not too far from home and one of our son's roommates was available to do the rescue.

I was at church when the car quit, so I was unavailable to help. I am very grateful for the service Ms. Quest has given us and for always quitting on us in safe areas. I am sure my God is looking over Ms. Quest and us in taking good care of this 1995 van and in keeping us safe and helping us complete all our flower deliveries. Goodbye Ms. Quest