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Ask Dr. Steve!!
Hi. Since we set up this web site for The Rittners School
of Floral Design in Boston, we've enjoyed the email, calls and
letters that we've received. While we won't answer
detailed inquiries about spots on
someone's plant, some of the questions that have come in are very interesting
and
quite unique.
While we are happy to answer many questions, we are selective. We won't respond to questions like, how to set up your flower shop, how to price floral art, or other questions that we teach in great detail in our programs. ( We are generous, but not foolish...and we appreciate your common sense and consideration in this area.)
However, there are lots of floral related questions that we are delighted to answer. We thought that it would be fun to
share some of the more interesting questions, and
we will continue to add to this section.
Some of Your Questions
But my Plant DOES have white spots on it. It looks awful. What should I do?
If it looks that bad, you may want to consider consider getting rid of it.
Plants, in many cases are relatively inexpensive, especially when you
factor in the amount of time you may have enjoyed them.
Besides which, your nursery really could use the business (grin!).
At the very least, isolate it any other plants until you have a better
idea what
is causing the problem.
If your plant is infested with mealy bugs it may have to be destroyed.
On the other hand, white spots could simply be the white wash from the
greenhouse and can be wiped off. Or it could be mold or mildew or white
flies.
One option is to simply take the plant back to the nursery or shop where you
purchased it, and ask one of the folks there to actually look at it.
If you like to research such things there are many resources to help
you. I especially like:
- The House Plant Survival Manual By William Davidson, Galley Press, NY.
- The House Plant Expert By Dr. D.G. Hessayon, PBI Publications, England.
- Pests And Diseases/Time-LIfe Encyclopedia of Gardening, Time-Life Books, Alexandria, Va.
- The Instant Guide To Healthy Foliage Houseplants By David Longman,Times Books, Random House, NY.
There are, of course, many other fine sources. A visit to the gardening
section of your local bookstore will help you develop a fine library!
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What is the symbolism of corsages?
I understand that at one time there was a symbolism in corsages...
that young women wore different kinds of items in their corsages
at different ages. I'd like to bring back that custom with my
daughter ( girlfriend, etc. ) Any info please?
Thanks for your email.
Wow!!! This is a really interesting question. We get this one in from time to time in various forms....ranging from a special birthday present, to an office gift to even courting.....
The actual practice DOES go back a number of years.
Here is a list that we found in our files:
- For 8 year old---juice fruit
- For 10 year old---lolli pops
- For 11 year old---gum drops
- For 12 year old---tootsie rolls
- For 13 year old---bubble gum
- For 14 year old---dog biscuit
- For 15 year old---life savers
- For 16 year old---sugar cubes
- For 17 year old---lemon drops
- For 18 year old---cigarettes
- For 19 year old---roses
- For 20 year old---dollar bills
Obviously, a contemporary update would require some major league changes.
Cigarettes are absolutely not appropriate.
Further more dog biscuits which symbolized "puppy love" would be
taken the wrong way today (eg. someone's a dog!!)...
So while I'm happy to share this archival stuff with you, I think that
new substitutions would be far more in line with 21st Century lifestyles and attitudes....
Either you or your local florist should be able to modify this
and incorporate new items.
Keep in mind that you know your loved one better than either we or your local florist. You would have an idea as to what kinds of things incorporated into corsages may delight her.
Sending a little corsage with sugar cubes with a card indicating that the recipient is sweet is a nice gesture whether she is sixteen or fifty. Ultimately the very fact that you went to a special effort to send something a little different will certainly impress the person who receives this corsage!
Please share your progress with us.
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Where do florists buy their flowers and supplies?
Florists buy their flowers and supplies from many sources such as
nurseries, importers and manufacturers.
Probably the most popular source of supply are "floral wholesalers."
These are very large operations, open, in most cases, only to the trade.
As a third generation in the floral field, I grew up visiting these places
and taking them for granted. But every time I teach a new class and introduce
my students to wholesalers, I get a great opportunity to look at them from
a renewed perspective. These are really great places....sort of like an
fantasyland for anyone interested in floral art. They carry enormous inventories,
and really get the creative juices flowing.
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Your School has a great reputation, But I live in ____________.
Can you recommend a school just like yours in my city?
You won't find one "just like ours."
At one time, we tried to offer suggestions about floral programs
in other places, but we found that folks would come back to us with
all kinds of complaints. The "school" ended up being run in the
back room or basement of a shop, the flowers were recycled over and
over again, there wasn't enough hands-on instruction, the instructor was
a good designer--but not very good teacher, and so on.
So, at this point we won't offer any suggestions of this nature,
because we don't want you to come back to us later feeling unhappy.
The bottom line is that we run a very unusual and unique school,
one that attracts people from all over the world because of the
excellence of OUR courses.
At Rittners you will find a real school that has been around for over 60 years
(not a shop backroom or basement), and a staff that includes a doctorate
in education, as well as great designers. Our school enjoys
specialized facilities with all of the necessary library,
and media support systems, and strong support systems for our graduates.
And we don't compete with
our graduates for retail trade.
We believe that people deserve and expect quality in their
education.
So, if you are seeking excellence, and are serious about
attending a school
like the Rittners School of
Floral Design, we suggest that you come to our program.
Please see reasons it's to your advantage to attend Rittners
Hey, It's our web site, so of course we are going to tell you why to come here!!!!
:->
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I'm doing a science project for school, and I need information
about foam products florists use and/or flower care and handling
information.
Thank you for your question.
There are many foam manufacturers out there.
Two of the larger foam manufacturers are:
- Smithers-Oasis,
PO Box 118, Kent, Ohio, 44240,Tel:800-321-8286
- Floralife Inc.,
120 Tower Dr. Burr Ridge, Il. 60521,Tel:800-323-3689
Both of these companies are constantly doing research in care & handling
techniques and sell preservative products as well as foam.
For more online information about care and handling of floral products
see our "Care and Handling" section
in our Floral Education Center
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At my 50th birthday party a close friend gave me a corsage that contained some dried
prunes!!!!
Your letter indicated that you thought it was hilarious, and it is!!!
This is another example of symbolic corsages discussed earlier.
I do caution our readers,however, to be very careful about flower jokes. Your
friend obviously knew that you'd appreciate this one, but not everyone has your
terrific sense of humor.
Thank you for sharing this with us!!! LOL LOL LOL
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I want to make a centerpiece for my table? What colors should I use?
Many people think that there are certain "rules" that one must follow when choosing
colors for floral designs......I prefer to say that there are not really rules, but rather
simply, guidelines, that can facilitate your choices.......
For example, when choosing colors for the table, you could incorporate colors that are
found in the linen that you are using........You could use color(s) that are found in your
dishes........You could even incorporate colors that are found on the walls in the dining area....
All of these are possible options.........
If you are stylizing flowers for a holiday, seasonal
colors are always in style........
Never forget that simply making a lovely centerpiece using
white flowers can be an elegant and smart choice, for white will "work" with just about
anything.....
There are also so-called "color harmonies"---groupings of colors that are believed to be
pleasing....We teach more about color harmony in some of our courses here at Rittners.
Be bold......Feel free to experiment......Color is one way that you can add visual boldness
to a table setting.......And don't fuss about making a "mistake." Relax and experiment with
different combinations.......If it feels good to you, it is most likely great!
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Don't you get upset about the fact that you are working in
a very transient media?
I also hear this one all the time.
No, I don't get upset about the fact that flowers die. It is the nature
of floral media. Look at it this way....When you go to a movie or to the
theater, your viewing experience only lasts a few hours. Does that diminish
your enjoyment of the experience? I think not. The experience of a concert,
a short song, a meal or even a drink with a friend certainly is short lived,
yet is still quite enjoyable. The newspaper or magazine is usually savored
for only a few hours and then discarded. People don't expect any of these
things to last for a long time...Why should flowers be any different?
Flowers do some pretty remarkable things. They make people happy. They bring a nice
atmosphere to settings. They help make occasions and events seem extra special.
As long as they fulfill that function for that event or occasion they are
doing what they should do. Don't be sad if they don't last on and on. Go out
and get some new flowers!!
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How do I do an "Art Nouveau" design?
This is a very interesting question.
There are times when you want to do a particular kind of floral
design that represents a period, style or a style of art. This may
be in the context of a floral competition, or for a customer who
has asked for a very specific "look."
The easiest way to handle a request of this kind, is to research
the salient features of the look or style that has been requested, and to
incorporate it into your floral art.
So, for example, a few years ago requests were coming in to some florists
for "punk floral art." The designers took a hint from some of the customers'
dress and appearance, and produced very unique designs combining such things
as tinted blue philodendron leaves, with pink dots and a pierced earing, with
strelitzia painted black with alternating stripes!! Obviously not for
every taste, but the recipients were very pleased, for it reflected the
kind of look they wanted.
Art Noveau was quite popular from the mid 1880s through around World War I.
It was characterized by curves and natural motifs. One of the easiest ways to
achieve this look is to get hold of a container that has that style and to
utilize it as your base. Also consider if you can find any old architectural
details and use them as bases or incorporate them into your design.
Art Noveau motifs in foam cor or reproduced posters of the era could also
enhance your design. Look to period jewelry for inspiration, and consider
the use of many of the floral motifs (eg. iris, lilies).
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I've just received flowers from a friend. How do I take care
of them?
This is an important concern.
To get the optimum enjoyment from your flowers you should know
how to take care of them. This subject is so important that we have
set up a specific "Care and Handling" section
in our Floral Education Center.
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I would really like to make a topiary tree for my home or special event. How do I do this?
We have been getting an enormous amount of questions about topiaries.
For your enjoyment we have included an entire
Topiary Tree Clinic
in our Floral Education Center
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I am taking a very lovely young lady to a dance. It is a new relationship.
Is it appropriate for me to bring her flowers?
Most ladies love flowers!!
In fact most people love flowers. Quite simply, flowers make people feel good.
They bring a smile to just about anyone's face. If someone does not appreciate flowers, then you should question if you want to be around that person!!
Flowers are an ideal gift for just about any occasion or situation, because they are so universally appreciated. Even big companies when taking care of their gift needs to friends, customers, employees and business acquaintances, often use flowers because they realize that flowers are greatly appreciated and that gifts of other kinds (eg. money or alcohol) could sometimes be interpreted the wrong way.......
So by all means bring her some flowers.......And good luck!!!!
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I would like to become a floral wholesaler. How would I prepare for that career?
Being a floral wholesaler is not an easy job...
First of all you need plenty of money behind you. Contemporary wholesalers carry
huge inventories of hard goods ( such as silks, drieds, containers, ribbons, etc. )
Wholesalers dealing with live flowers also tend to buy in large quantities. (Hey that's why they call it "wholesale." )
Remember that your ultimate goal is to sell to retail florists. This means that to be successful,
you must understand your customer, their needs and concerns.......One of the easiest ways to have
an understanding of retail floristry is to get a strong background in the field itself......
And of course one excellent way to do so, is to take one of our great professional floral design
courses here at Rittners!! (I couldn't resist the opportunity to get that plug in!!! LOL :-> )
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Looking for a Sympathy Design
I want to let you know that I enjoyed your
website immensely. You make it look so easy for us "all thumbs" flower
arrangers wannabees. Your arrangements are breathtakingly beautiful. I was
hoping to find one arrangement that could be presented for a funeral or at a
grave (cemetery) of a loved one. They are so expensive to buy and I can't
afford one for my dad and several other relatives. Can you please show me
how to make one?
Thanks for your nice email.
Glad you like our web site.....We plan to add more exciting arrangement "how-tos!"
We don't have any of the symbolic sympathy designs on our site, but there is an increasing
trend these days towards the use of vase arrangements for sympathy designing.......
Which means that many of the designs that are already illustrated could be easily adapted to
remembrance/sympathy use.....
As a case in point, we sometimes show people our design called
How To Make a Lovely Basket Arrangement of Flowers.
This is a lovely design often used to decorate hotel lobbies, and for party work.......
It looks complex, but is really relatively easy to make, and showy.
It is also quite appropriate as a sympathy tribute!
Good luck on your designing.......
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I would like to
arrange something nice for a girlfriend who is about go get married. Is
there any wedding designs that you can think of to help me?
By wedding designs I assume you mean wedding bouquets.........
There are a few wedding bouquets on our web site, however, here is one little
trick I will share with you that might be fun.......If you like the designs
stylized in glass vases in water......You may make up one of those designs, but do so
in a glass container minus the water!!
Then tie it up very tightly with twine and cover the twine with a ribbon bow........
Pull it out of the glass vase, and your design can be carried as a wedding bouquet
with natural stems sticking out of the bottom...........You could use almost any
combination of flowers to do this!!!
Hope this is helpful and.......Good luck!!
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What is the proper name of the green foam used in designs?
There are many companies that manufacture the green foam used in floral designs.
You may, for example, have heard of "Oasis" one of the larger and better known
companies. I would suggest that if you are buying foam from a florist or a floral
supplier, that you simply ask them what varieties of foam they have available, and
follow their recommendations.....If you are
in the florist trade, and are buying from wholesale sources, it never hurts to ask
your wholesaler
if there is a sale or special on any particular varieties of foam.....
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I am getting married, and would like to have large centerpieces in the middle of
my tables......On the other hand, I am concerned that these large designs might
hinder the view of my guests......Any suggestions PLEASE???
Obstructed in Oklahoma
Hi Obstructed....
Weddings provide great oppportunities for you or your florist to show off design
talents.......Large table centerpieces are a wonderful way to create a lavish
and opulent setting....They give the guests something beautiful to focus upon as they
enjoy the eats.......But you are absolutely correct......They can hinder the view of the guests
and interrupt the free flow of conversation around the table......You want to use these kinds
of designs to your advantage......And not allow them to detract in any way from your festivities......
You do have various options......
The florist may use a container
that includes a pedestal (eg. the three graces holding up an urn in which the design is made).
On the other hand, you may have your florist design flowers on more than one level.....We call
this kind of floral art
multi-level floral designing.....And we teach it here at Rittners. The whole idea is
to place part of your floral art on a second or third tier, above the sight lines of the
guests. This can be accomplished through the use of risers or pedestals of differing heights,
or through the use of special extension modules that florists may buy through their supply
sources.
Regardless of the solution that both you and your florist decide upon, your finished product
will most likely be spectacular......and costly!
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How much are a dozen roses?
LOL. Go to your local florist and ask him/her!
Seriously, prices in the floral field do fluctuate.......They are influenced by supply and
demand. All kinds of things influence the price of flowers. Typically on a major holiday
such as Valentine's Day, everybody wants to buy flowers. The large demand coupled with a
finite supply will increase some prices. Weather conditions such as snowstorms may affect
the ability to transport flowers from one geographic region to another and do have market
impact....
Anything that could disrupt flower
shipments from a country or region will influence prices.....So the question of how much a
particular flower costs is not as simple or clear cut as you might believe....Your florist
is often at the mercy of market elements far beyond his/her control.
Incidentally, at Rittners Floral School, we teach our students how to determine the price of
floral
products, regardless of the market's fluctuation.
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Do Florists dry flowers?
A few florists will dry flowers if they own land and are interested in growing floral product
and processing dried materials.......
Most florists, however, don't bother drying their own flowers....Retail florists are very fortunate.
Typically we can go to floral wholesale suppliers and buy hundreds of different kinds of dried
materials, brought in from the four corners of the earth......Our importers even dye
them different colors and sometimes do special treatments such as adding glitter, etc.
If you really would like to play with drying flowers several good sources would include:
The Complete Book of Flower Preservation by Geneal Condon, Prentice House, 1970
The Flower Arranger's Encyclopedia of Preserving and Drying by Maureen Foster, Blandford, 1988
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Can I learn it in a couple of days?
"My mom & I have never done any floral designing..... We are planning to
open a retail florist shop and think that your class sounds like just what
we need. But I didn't realize that it was a semester-long program. We live
in ______ and are hoping to find something offered over the course of a few
days that will teach us the florist business. If you offer anything like that,
please let us know."
All too often folks figure that flowers are natural, pretty,
and therefore, there can't be too much involved in opening up a retail flower shop......
Then they are amazed when they run into all kinds of problems......... The floral field
has some rather odd peculiarities ranging from buying, management and marketing issues to
knowledge of a wide range of design approaches and techniques..... And today,
like all other industries it is a
competitive field, where you will be going up against other retailers (both floral and nonfloral)
who have taken the time and energy to do their homework....... The best way to prepare for that
is to get a strong background and knowledge base of your own.......
The shortest program that we offer here at Rittners is our Spring and Summer Concentrated
Courses..... (which include the curriculum normally run over 12.5 weeks during our
Evening Course).
This is not to try to pursuade you to take any particular course, but
if you and Mom are planning to invest the kind of time and money that a business venture requires,
you would be very prudent to first get far more background than just a few day seminar......
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I need to do a project involving "historical floral designs." I have to include all types of
flowers, vases and accessories used at that time.
Please help me!!
Consider the following books, which are some of the best historical
sources:
A History of Flower Arranging by Dorothy Cooke, and Pam McNicol,1989, by
Heinemann Professional Publishing
The Art of Flower Arrangement by Beverly Nichols, 1967, Viking Press
A History of Flower Arrangement by Julia Berrall, 1968, Viking Press
These are not currently available at book stores, but should be found in large
public libraries.....
Also please consider a visit to the nearest major Fine Arts Museum.....
Many still life paintings going back centuries are great sources for the floral styles, etc.
of their day......(Besides Fine Art Museums are fun places to visit!)
Good luck on the project.......
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Looking for wedding suggestions
Could you give us some suggestions as to what kind and what style of flowers
that we should use for my daughters wedding. It is in Aug. She wants to use all real flowers,
greenery with her candleabras in Church and maybe a
few flowers on her pews. She wants small bouquets tied with ribbon for her bridesmaids
and a ribbon tied bouquet for herself. Can you give us some suggestions, please.
It sounds like your daughter already has a pretty good sense about what she likes
and wants....And it sounds like it will be a lovely wedding!!
Florists generally love a customer who already has some particular ideas before they come into
the shop for a wedding consultation.......If you are a bride to be, consider what kinds of flowers
you like.........Consider the kinds of colors you enjoy..........Consider the kind of look that you
want to achieve.......Perhaps you have already seen some photos in a magazine that appeal to you.
Perhaps you have been to some of your friends' or business associate's weddings, and really liked
some things that were done for them.......
The key factor is to communicate that to your florist.
Let him/her know what your tastes are like......It doesn't matter if it is as detailed as
the comments suggested above.....or simply a vague gut feeling about styles and color.........
The florist can show you photo books that
we have in the trade, with all kinds of floral combinations.......Some florists have
photo albums of their own work from past weddings........Your daughter can look at the
various combos and pick out what feels good to her......Flower, color and stylistic choices for
weddings are
really emotional......
The only way you both will feel comfortable is to actually see some ideas in a book.....
Your florist will also be able to advise you as to availability factors........and can advise
you of possible alternatives that can give you the look you want,
at the price you can afford.....
One last word of advice........
Remember it is your daughter's wedding.....(not your own).
Please make sure you give her the freedom and space to make her own decisions in this area!
Hope this helps out!!
And best wishes on this very nice occasion!!
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I am a student. I am having trouble
finding info on the history of flowers...their meanings, purposes, etc.
I keep running onto links that mainly sell flowers.
Thanks for your email.
Sometimes it is more productive to go into a library with books, rather then online........
Here are a few sources that might be useful to you:
Flower Chronicles by Buckner Holingsworth Published by Rutgers University Press, 1958
The Meaning of Flowers by Claire Powell, Pub. by Jupiter Books, London 1977.
The Language of Flowers by Kate Greenaway ( a classic) written more like a dictionary, Avenel Books, NY
The Culture of Flowers by Jack Goody, Cambridge University Press, 1993--very interesting, but more advanced....
an anthropological survey of use of flowers in different cultures.......
100 Flowers and How They Got Their Names by Diana Wells, Publ by Algonquin Books, 1997---very nice book.....
very current.....
Best of Luck......And consider a floristry career!!!
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What is the language of flowers?
Back in Victorian Days different flowers had symbolic meanings.......This meant that if you
gave a loved one flowers, you could express your sentiments, not just by giving flowers, but
even more specifically through the choice of the actual
flowers chosen.....The most famous example of this would be of roses symbolizing love.
In the past actual "dictionaries" were compiled of this symbolic information......The language
of flowers is not widely used today (and it's debatable how much it was used in its day).
Nonetheless it is a rather fascinating part of floral history......Even today, very florist
gets a request from time to time, to send something using "the language of flowers."
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I am not a retail florist. Where can I buy florist supplies?
Retail florists buy their flowers and supplies from floral wholesalers.If you are not a retail
florist, or working for one, then you have to use other means to get these materials. I suggest
that you may want to visit craft stores in your area......Also develop a good relationship with
some retail florists and/or nurseries near you......If you are a regular customer, and want to buy some floral foam,
or ribbon, etc. to play with flowers on your own, most will be happy to encourage your floral
habits! Mass merchandisers are also a possible source of supplies. When you find that you are
buying large quantities of flowers and supplies on a regular basis, then perhaps you will
consider turning your hobby into a profession......(And take one of our professional floral design
and floral business diploma courses!!)
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I am doing a school research project on coloring flowers. Could you please tell me the best way
to color flowers. Will the dyes cause the flowers to degrade at a faster rate?
The one thing that you don't want to do, is to go to your local paint store for dyes
to use on your flowers.
The various dyes that florists use to paint their flowers are specially formulated
for use with floral products and to the best of our knowledge will not affect the
lasting quality of the flowers in any significant way. These are purchased from floral supply
sources. If you need those items you may get them from your local florist.
Two major companies that manufacture floral dyes are
Design Master and
Floralife (sometimes takes a few seconds to open).
You may want to contact them for more information. Good
luck on your project!!!
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Happy to Hear from You
We are always happy to hear from you. Please contact us with your questions.
Interesting responses will be posted above!!
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