Every year there are so many reasons to celebrate with flowers!  Weddings, corporate events, milestone birthday parties, fiftieth wedding anniversaries and cuddly, newborn bundles keep us busy providing finishing floral touches for all occasions.  We never know where our design consultations will go but the end result is always a one-of-a-kind event design. Pave style centerpieces including kale, callas and orchids set the stage for an elegant birthday party while a guys night gathering included blue hydrangeas and white roses in a contemporary design.  Just let your floral imagination run wild and La Paloma Blanca will take it from there.

Recently, we had fun studying an old black and white wedding album trying to create the perfect centerpiece using only sentimental bridal bouquet flowers of roses, stephanotis and ivy.  We went back and forth trying to determine what that blurry, mystery flower was.  The distinct, scalloped edge finally gave it away… sweetly scented, lily of the valley.

Florist and a Big White Truck

What does it take to deliver fresh flowers in the Arizona desert on Mother’s Day?  For La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs it took a large crew of designers, customer service staff, delivery drivers, great vendors and a big ‘ole truck!

History has shown that desert temperatures in May can hit 108 degrees and La Paloma Blanca takes no chances with Mother Nature when it comes to maximizing floral longevity.  As soon as our Mother’s Day flowers arrived they were whisked away to the waiting, twenty-four foot refrigerated truck for safe keeping. During the day, designers and drivers had to navigate the chilly temperatures and lift gate but after-hours we could rest easy knowing our 24/7 team member was in the back parking lot protecting our floral designs.

As we reflect on Mother’s Day 2013, it feels like to took a village but in reality, it took a dedicated staff, the freshest of flowers and a big white truck to ensure another successful holiday for our Scottsdale flower shop.  We hope everyone enjoyed their Mother’s Day bouquets!

Easter Cross

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs would like to extend a special Thank You to Linda Bobier for entrusting us to design an 8′ Easter cross that carries on her family tradition. This cross is a one-of-a-kind creation with over 250 blooms including white oriental lilies, roses, carnations and chrysanthemums.

The fragrance was powerful and it’s beauty was summed up in one word… WOW!

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy New Year!
from
Northern Arizona

As 2012 comes to a close, La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs would like to take a moment to thank all our valued clients for putting their trust in us to create lasting memories through fresh flowers!

All year long we celebrated with you as we discussed floral designs for your birthday and anniversary celebrations, new baby, get well wishes, weddings and holiday parties.  During funeral flower preparations, as you tearfully struggled to find the perfect card message to convey a sentimental good-bye, we felt your loss.  If, in some small way, the beauty of flowers comforted or brightened someone’s day then we consider 2012 a successful year!

The studio hideaway is still in holiday mode today as we prepare flower arrangements for New Year’s Eve parties and last minute bouquets.  We will be closing early today at 3pm to allow our staff to spend the evening with their friends and families.

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs wishes everyone a very Happy New Year!

Christmas Poinsettia

Yesterday, as we were closing up shop for the evening, a local man wandered by and said, “You have the best job on the planet”. What is it about this environment that draws people in?  Take a deep breath…this time of year, without question, it’s the fragrance!

Holiday decorating in the desert is well underway and with the arrival of our Christmas greens, designers are once again experiencing “sticky finger syndrome”, a seasonal condition that lasts until January! Boughs of princess pine, Douglas and noble fir, cedar and holly are lush and fragrant and our Scottsdale clientele are immersed in the sights and scents of fresh Christmas flowers.

La Paloma Blanca designers have been making on-site visits, decking the homes of Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek with fresh Christmas greens, flowers, ornaments, berries and a whole lot of glitz while at the same time designing silk Christmas arrangements, wreaths and centerpieces in our Scottsdale floral studio. Clients have been arriving with silk centerpieces of Christmas’ past, in need of an updated look. It’s amazing how much life is still left in these dated pieces. As environmentalists, we are always looking for ways to repurpose product. We are experts at disassembling, salvaging and redesigning these tired, silk and dried flower arrangements to make them fresh and new.

Speaking of repurposing, we must take this opportunity to thank our community angels who quietly leave bags and boxes of old vases by our storefront for us to find in the morning. These donations are always appreciated and throughout the year, if we experience an abundance of extra flowers we utilize these donated vases to surprise local nursing home residents with a colorful floral bouquet!

Our flower shop displays a festive, front showroom of poinsettias, blooming anthiriums, azaleas, plants, silk wreaths, Christmas trees, holiday candles and gift ideas.  By contrast, in the backroom design area where all the magic happens, we are navigating mass quantities of flowers, greens, containers and ribbons of velvet and satin. With so much debris on the floor, designers have to watch out for hidden calla lily stems that show up unexpectedly when we’re moving too fast. On those occasions, designers can be seen with legs and arms flailing trying to catch our balance after we’ve hit one of those slippery skins!

In addition to the December holiday season, we are busy consulting and designing custom floral arrangements for birthday events, parties and weddings also happening this month.  There are so many reasons to celebrate with flowers! La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs sincerely appreciates being your Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree florist of choice.

Fresh flowers during the holiday season always brighten up the home and here are a few popular floral arrangements for the Thanksgiving holiday:

Glow of Gratitude

Centerpieces

Thanksgiving centerpieces are one of the most highly requested flower arrangement for this holiday.  All across Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek, as families gather around the dinner table their focus will be on …  the turkey!  You probably thought we were going to say the flowers but we understand that on Thanksgiving, it is all about the turkey.  However, when it comes to the flowers, La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs is second to none.

Fall Harvest

Cornucopias

It just would not be a Thanksgiving blog if we did not mention this annual tradition for many families.

The cornucopia or horn of plenty is typically associated with Thanksgiving and symbolizes an abundant harvest.  Our team of designers fill this horn-shaped wicker basket to overflowing with a mixture of fall flowers or festive fruit, nuts and other edible items.

Two years ago we unexpectedly ran out of the container and ended up driving all over town, only to find that everyone else was sold out, too!  Thanks to Al at DreamWeaver who had a few left on his truck and agreed to meet mid-way in a parking lot for a quick hand-off.  After that experience we keep a year round supply of this novelty item!

Seasonal Roses & Succulents
by La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs

Custom Designs

Let one of the experienced La Paloma Blanca designers go all out on a one-of-a-kind custom arrangement for your holiday entertaining or hostess gift.   Yellow and red roses nestled in a locally hand-crafted, torched wooden box with fresh succulents, pumpkins, gourds and feathers is unique, seasonal, and a personal favorite.  Because the succulents are self-contained they can be replanted into a succulent garden after the flowers fade.  La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs’ artistic arrangements are beautiful in all shapes, sizes and budgets.  Contact us to consult with one of our designers for a La Paloma Blanca exclusive.  We are starting to experience a flurry of holiday activity and to avoid the last minute rush, please give us a call soon!

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs proudly serves Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek and we want to express our sincere appreciation and give thanks to all of our loyal customers who call, email and visit our studio hideaway.  On behalf of the entire staff, Happy Thanksgiving!

Blooming Kalanchoe

Is your kalanchoe having “a bad hair day”?  You know what I mean… the flowers begin to fade on what was once a beautiful blooming plant and you look at it and wonder, “What the heck is that?”  Kalanchoes are interesting succulent houseplants valued for their fleshy, green foliage and petite, long-lasting flowers.   With proper care, the showy clusters of pink, white, yellow, orange or red blossoms can last up to two to three months!

Kalanchoes are often discarded after they bloom but their scraggly appearance should not dictate a dumpster fate! When the plant head looks like it needs a good haircut, snip off the crispy blossoms and lightly reshape the overgrown plant without over pruning.  They are short day plants so if you are growing the plant indoors and anticipating a second bloom within the year, you will need to force the plant to bud by simulating the season of winter.

Place the plant in a sunny spot for a few hours each morning and then relocate it to a darkened room or closet for the rest of the day.  Keep the average daytime temperature 60 degrees and continue this practice for six weeks.  This fools the plant into shorter days and with very little effort, someone with only a modestly green thumb can achieve a successful, forced bloom.

Kalanchoes prefer a bright, sunny exposure and because of their juicy nature, do not require a lot of water.  Plant your kalanchoe in a container with good drainage, give it a good soaking every 7-10 days and allow the soil to dry out for a few days between watering.  In the winter months when the plant is not in an active growth state, allow the plant to rest by reducing the water to once every couple weeks.  During the growing seasons of spring, summer and fall, fertilize monthly with an all-purpose plant food and water thoroughly before and after feeding.  Sounds simple because it is!

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs maintains a wide selection of blooming plants in our Scottsdale flower shop.  Kalanchoes, orchids, African violets and bromeliads, either stand-alone or in dish gardens, are year-round gifts.  During the holidays, requests for fall colored Thanksgiving chrysanthemums and gorgeous Christmas poinsettias top all other blooming plant choices!

Our clients frequently ask for plant care instructions and these topics are now a regular feature in our blog postings.  You asked for it and we deliver… flowers, plants and care advice, too!

Bridal Bouquet
Photo Courtesy of Embree Photography

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs’ most recent wedding event gave new meaning to the phrase “blushing bride”!  When Michelle shared her wedding flower vision, it all began with a sentimental thought of her grandmother’s love of garden roses and carnations.  With a favorite color of pink and a lush poolside wedding planned, Michelle visualized a blush tropical wedding theme and our design team made it a reality for her.

Blush pink oriental lilies and roses, combined with a “hint of pink” dendrobium orchids and white carnations created the framework for the bridal bouquet.  Tucking in David Austin garden roses in a complimentary shade of pink was the perfect finishing touch to create romance and class.

Buffet Centerpiece
Photo Courtesy of Embree Photography

October is a popular month for Arizona weddings but we still need to take precautions to protect the delicate flowers from excess heat. A special thanks to wedding planner, Mrs. Hancock and her professional team who were poised and ready when we arrived to help whisk the flowers into cool, air-conditioned protection!

Large displays and centerpieces of roses, orchids, pink ginger, anthirium, carnations, and hanging green amaranthus cascading over the rock waterfall set the stage for this tropical Scottsdale wedding ceremony and reception.

It was a special moment to witness the wedding preparations and a tender interaction between the bride and one of the littlest members of the bridal party.  It was our pleasure to be a part of your special day and congratulations to both of you!

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs understands that selecting funeral flowers can be an emotional process and we offer empathy, compassion and all the time necessary to quietly prepare a service of remembrance.

Designing custom funeral arrangements usually starts with a sentimental item, a thought or a memory.  A rugged cowboy hat, a scuffed up pair of boots and a simple conversation starts the process of capturing  the personality and memories the family and friends want to convey.

Depending on the relationship, certain arrangements are more customary for family and friends.  Here are some guidelines:

• In general, funeral flowers dedicated for family members include casket sprays and sympathy wreaths.  Flower selections generally reflect the personality of the deceased and can range from classic white to a bright mix of colors.
•  If you have a close relationship to the family, it is appropriate to send flower arrangements or living plants.  If you do not know what type of flowers to choose, white, green or pastel shades are always safe.  Sending a funeral plant such as a peace lily or blooming plant is a wonderful choice for the family to take home following the service.
•  Children can send casket pillows in memory of the family member they have lost.
•  All funeral flower arrangements should be sent to the funeral home or church prior to the service so they can be on display.
•  If you miss the service, it is thoughtful to send a funeral gift basket or plant to the home of the family member you are closest to.

La Paloma Blanca offers same-day delivery to all Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree churches and all mortuaries, including Messinger Pinnacle Peak Mortuary, Hansen Desert Hills and Green Acres.  For out of state services, we utilize our world-wide delivery affiliations  with local florists through Teleflora or FTD.

The language of flowers speaks volumes and sympathy arrangements create a peaceful environment for grieving family and friends to reflect, honor and remember.

As summer comes to a close we cannot help but reflect on the weddings and shop renovations that kept us busy!  The remodel of the front showroom and expanded design area happened just in time for a multiple wedding weekend which sent teams of designers in opposite directions and was logistically flawless.  Congratulations once again to all of our newlywed couples for letting La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs be a part of their wedding day!

Our summer brides were extremely diverse with their floral preferences ranging from elegant coral roses and peonies to cheerful sunflower bouquets hand-tied with jute!  One playful bride stepped out in strappy, fuchsia shoes and opted for a mixture of lime green and fuchsia flowers to coordinate with her tootsies!  Upcoming fall weddings are proving to be equally varied with floral selections ranging from rich fall hues at the Four Seasons Resort to tropicals in a backyard desert oasis.  Scottsdale weddings… you never know what’s next!

Without missing a beat we are rolling into the fall season with a focus on earthy accents.  Floral designers are incorporating flowers with fresh pumpkins, gourds, millet, wheat and feathers! Speaking of feathers, peacock feathers are huge (literally!) this season and their classic beauty is a stately work of art.

La Paloma Blanca Floral Designs has a soft spot for our feathered pals and birdcages are trend setters for Fall 2012.  Fill them with candles, silk and dried florals, fruits and berries and you have a spectacular fall centerpiece.  To keep the little guys hydrated, we have added a beautiful collection of recycled glass hummingbird feeders as one of our newest gift items.  The vibrant colors entice this endangered species to hover within viewing range which serves as a captivating source of enjoyment.  We love hummingbirds…  one of La Paloma Blanca’s favorite websites http://www.hummingbirdsociety.org/index.php offers Hummingbirds 101 if you want to learn more!