Valentine's Day Means "I Love You!"

For hundreds of years, Valentine's Day has been thought of as the romance holiday, or only for couples.  This is the day that you shower your significant other with flowers, chocolates, teddy bears and balloons, dine out or in, do something romantic, or even get engaged.  Love rules the day.

Why does Valentine's day have to be just for couples?  Why can't it be the day to express the love you have for others, such as a parent or child, your friend, co-worker or neighbor.  And ladies, don't forget the men in your life!  They deserve a show of your affection as well.

Bank of Flowers is your destination for Valentine's Day.  Our 2 locations, Menomonee Falls and Pewaukee are fully stocked with beautiful roses and other fresh flowers, gorgeous blooming plants, chocolates and caramels, romantic gifts, huggable teddy bears, and bright mylar balloons.  Daily deliveries are made to Pewaukee, Oconomowoc, all of the Lake Country area, Germantown, Menomonee Falls and throughout Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.  Send flowers and candy to your mom, she can share the chocolates with dad.  Your 6 year old would love the teddy bear with the "I love you" balloon.  Your neighbor who lets out your dog would appreciate a vase of tulips. There are many types of love and many different flowers to show it!

For those of you true romantics, 6 Million couples are likely to get engaged on Valentine's Day, (according to an American Express report).  Bank of Flowers is here for you too.  We create custom wedding flowers as well!  So no matter what the "Love" occasion is, we're here to help you show it!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Luan Kurriger
~Manager, Pewaukee
Bank of Flowers

The Garden at Bank of Memories Pewaukee

In June 2009, owner Melissa Maas and the ladies of Pewaukee's Bank of Memories & Flowers planted a garden on the east side of the store.  Their efforts that year and every year since have produced a small but beautiful retreat for insects, wildlife and customers alike.  It has grown into a sustainable perennial garden that we harvest and use in arrangements and bouquets.  No pesticides are used on the flowers and the store's rain barrel uses runoff to water the garden.  As a matter of fact, when the shop's flower buckets are cleaned weekly, the week old flower water is used on the garden as well.

Every spring we are surprised by the daffodils and tulips pushing up through the dirt, and sometimes the snow (well, it is Wisconsin).  The first signs of spring like hyacinths and veronica, are then harvested in time for use in Prom and Mother's Day corsages.  The veronica and cottage yarrow sometimes bloom twice in a season.  Next in our time line are the peonies, my personal favorite.  These fresh fragrant peonies are a popular wedding flower.

Summer, of course, is the best time for the garden!  Hydrangea, Liatris, Lilies and Echinacea (cone flower) are in full bloom right now.  We love how lush and full the garden looks and hate to cut the flowers but nothing is better than being able to go out into the garden and pick the flowers we need for an order.  Our garden is also one of our favorite sections of store merchandise.  This summer we have a several Art Peace Poles, metal and glass rain gauges, and garden astrolabes.

In 2014, we decided to expand our gardens to the back side of the building and we added Astilbe, Tall Phlox and Echinacea.  More flowers for more arrangements.  I personally, am asking for the whole backyard to be a garden next year!  Wish me luck.  By the end of summer and into the fall, the leftover Coneflowers are used for their "pods" and the Sedum is finally blossoming and ready for use.  This year for Halloween our garden will be the home to families of ghosts, 3 different sizes of metal decorations for the yard.  I can't wait!  In late fall, we put the garden to bed.  We cut back those plants that need it and leave the rest as shelter and food for the birds.  At Christmas time, we decorate the garden with holiday yard art as well as different seasonal greens.  Some people have sugar plums dancing in their heads this time of year, we tend to have perennial plants dancing in ours.  Watch for new plants next summer!

Be sure when you drive by or stop in the Pewaukee store, give yourself some time to look at our garden. Like any "parent", we are proud of our garden and want to show off!

Luan M. Kurriger, Manager
Bank of Memories & Flowers, Pewaukee
262-695-9911
https://www.bankofmemories.com/

The Secret Life of a Florist

I have to tell you a little secret about floral designers.  We do more than stick flowers in a vase or play with pretty flowers all day long.  OK, we do play with pretty flowers all day long BUT there is a lot more to being a florist that you may not know about.  Besides the creative side of designing, we are part business person, part quality control inspector,  part scientist,   part engineer, part counselor, part student .

Florists are part business people.  Fresh flowers are ordered daily, weekly, or months in advance depending on the orders we receive, what flowers are in season, or for everyday stock.  They can be ordered with local wholesalers or with national companies.  As all companies, we prefer a good product at a fair price and we also prefer dealing with companies that follow what is known as a cold chain.  What this means is that the flowers are harvested in the fields and are immediately put in refrigeration at the growers, and are kept consistently cold from the growers to the freight companies to the wholesalers then to the local florists.  The longer they are kept in the cold, the longer they will live and we won't have to dispose of them.

Florists are quality control inspectors.  Once the flowers are delivered to us, we unwrap them and "process" them.  Each flower is examined for rot, damage, or breakage and are generally stripped of any foliage that would be under water.  They are then cut with a sharp knife and put into a bucket of cold water treated with special flower food.  We are also consistently checking the flowers on a daily basis for freshness and appearance.

Florists are part scientist.  Since there are many types of flowers, there are also many different factors in their care.  Tropical flowers do not like the cold coolers that are 35 degrees Fahrenheit, hydrangeas take in a lot of water so they should be in a bucket with more than usual amount of water, etc.  The flowers are stored in a walk-in cooler or in a display cooler until they are used for designing.  We also know to keep fruit and other produce out of the cooler.  Fruit produces ethanol when it ripens and that ethanol kills flowers.

Florists are part engineer.  We are asked constantly if we can design something and truly....sometimes....when we say yes, we actually are not sure how we can.  BUT, we as designers always either know another designer who does know how to do something or we just figure it out.  Plus, we have floral tape!!

Florists are part counselor.  We deal in emotions.  Flowers are used in life's events such as weddings, birthdays, well wishes,  births and funerals.  While some are happy and cheerful, other times they are sad.  Florists can direct you to the right wording, the appropriate flowers, all the while listening and congratulating or consoling.  We have lots of Kleenex around as well.

And, lastly, florists are part student. In this day and age, we cannot sit on what we know, we must be learning, either a new design, a new product, a new computer program, or a new marketing technique.  Our local wholesalers offer hands on classes as well as national speakers.  We read home magazines as well as industry magazines looking for new trends.  We also attend industry conventions, always searching and learning.  We also teach whenever we can.  Florists teach other florists as well as the public about flowers and plants.

Floristry is not plunking a flower in a vase, it's actually a multitude of skills, so next time you receive a floral design, you know all that went into it.

Luan M. Kurriger, Manager
Bank of Memories & Flowers Pewaukee
262-695-9911
 www.bankofmemories.com

Learning to Design

Recently, our Menomonee Falls location of Bank of Memories & Flowers hosted a few hands-on events.  These design classes are held in the shops new upper space nicknamed "The Studio".  This newly renovated space is located on the top level of the store and gives us a place to host larger classes and events, and more room to design large wedding and event flowers.

I assisted Melissa, our shop owner, in the most recent design event.  Participants learned about the history of the shop, a bit about fresh cut flowers, and step-by-step floral design.  It was an amazing evening and so much fun!

Each of the ladies who attended got to make their own fresh flower arrangement, which they took home with them.  Some planned to enjoy their creations, while others had plans to give them as gifts.
The evening started with a tour of the shop, originally a bank in the early 1900's.  Everyone learned a bit of history about the building, as well as fun facts about fresh cut flowers including where they come from and how they are handled.

Melissa started the design portion by explaining the basics of flower design including greening and flower prep.  Next, the focal flowers, and then accents and filler flowers.  Although everyone had the same flowers and container to work with, each arrangement looked different and unique.

 

Everyone had a great time and many gals asked when the next class was going to be...so I think its safe to say that there will be more fun with florals to be had in the future.  Keep an eye out on Facebook and in the shop for more information on future design classes!

Wendy Walker
Floral Designer
Bank of Memories & Flowers

A Behind-the-Scenes Peek into Valentine's Day!

It's hard to believe that it's almost here!  That famous day of love...St. Valentine's Day.  It's by far the busiest floral holiday of the year, and you can feel it in the air here at Bank of Memories & Flowers. We begin the Valentine's Day preparation months in advance, from pre-ordering our flowers, to choosing this years specialty containers, chocolates, and stuffed animals.

As we approach the holiday, the buzz and excitement builds here at the store.  Our shop owner Melissa puts together an "Emergency Kit" filled with snacks and goodies for all of us gals and our fearless drivers.  Krista and Luan, our managers, put together contests and challenges to keep us on our toes and make this busy and stressful holiday a fun and light-hearted one.   And all of us workers bring in food for a week-long pot luck, so we don't have to worry about making lunches each day!   And this is just the non-floral prep for this big day!

This week, we will receive countless boxes of roses and other fresh flowers, each requiring special processing and care.  The holiday containers and candies get unpacked and the shelves stocked.  After all of this, we are ready to assist customers with their individual requests.  After the orders are taken, each order is hand-designed by one of our team members, packaged with care, and sent out into the world...to be delivered by one of our friendly delivery drivers!

It's sounds like we are ready for Valentine's Day....ARE YOU?  Give us a call, we're ready to help you make this holiday of love a truly special one!  1-262-253-9111 for our Menomonee Falls store, and 1-262-695-9911 for our Pewaukee store.

Happy Valentine's Day!
Wendy Kaye Walker
~Floral Designer
Bank of Memories & Flowers

New Years Resolutions for 2016

It's that time again, the time of year when we all contemplate our New Year's Resolutions.  What will it be this year?  Promises to lose weight, go to the gym more often, or to quit smoking, usually top the list of resolutions every year for a lot of us.  We try to do our best but every year we take on more than we can handle.  This year can be different, and this resolution can increase your well being and happiness as well as those around you.

BUY YOURSELF MORE FLOWERS!! Europeans have done this for years, they stop by a florist or flower cart and buy flowers for THEMSELVES.  Flowers are not a luxury, they are a staple, just like air and water.  A study done by Rutgers University found that having flowers in the home triggers happy emotions and have a long term positive effect on mood.  Not only do flowers visually stimulate us, they also induce memories through our sense of smell.  A beautifully scented lily wafting through the house does more to alleviate anxiety and depression than one would believe. 

If you don't feel comfortable picking up flowers for yourself, then buy flowers for others.  Nothing gives me greater joy than seeing the faces of people who are receiving a flower delivery.  Receiving flowers is a joy but it is a joy for  the giver as well.  Studies have shown that senior citizens who receive flowers suffer less confusion, less depression and feel a greater sense of community.  What a powerful gift!

So, go out there with your NEW New Years Resolution, adding flowers to your daily life or the lives of those around you!!

Luan M. Kurriger, Manager
Bank of Memories & Flowers Pewaukee

Fact or Fiction: How to Keep Your Flowers Fresh

How many of us have heard the advice "add a little sugar or vodka to your vase to help keep your flowers fresh?"  There are many myths when it comes to keeping your cut flowers fresh, but what method really works and which ones are just tales? At Bank of Memories & Flowers, we have put it to the test and have investigated what is really true. 

Aspirin

An aspirin (not ibuprofen), dissolved in the water seems to somewhat lengthen the life of the flowers. The acidic nature of the aspirin helps water flow through the stems. If using this method, just be sure to snip a bit off the ends of the stems each day to keep the tissues open.

Penny

This myth has some factual evidence to back it up. Since copper is a fungicide, adding a penny to the vase water helps protect your flowers from bacteria. The antibacterial chemical base of the substance contained in our packets of flower food works much the same way. When using a penny, it is recommended that you also add something of an acidic nature (such as the aspirin above) to encourage water flow.

Bleach

Using a little bleach serves the same purpose as the penny since bleach kills bacteria. However, be careful not to use too much as the bleach will also cause the flower stems to turn white. Like with the penny, adding an acidic element is suggested to increase the water flow in the stems; many people use lemon juice, lemon-lime soda or vinegar along with the bleach to accomplish this. Keep in mind a little bleach goes a long way.

Sugar

When the stem of a flower is cut, it immediately begins to receive less nutrients than it was before due to the fact that photosynthesis has stopped. The process of photosynthesis basically creates a "sugar" of sorts for the plant so therefore, adding sugar to your vase water will help to give your flowers the nutrients they need to remain alive and vibrant. Keep in mind, however, that sugar also encourages the growth of bacteria. This bacteria can cause a bad odor and can lead to quite a quick death of your fresh cut flowers. Therefore, if you are going to go the sugar route, be sure to include a penny or bleach to help combat this bacteria.

Vodka

Believe it or not, the use of vodka in vase water helps to slow down the ripening rate of the blooms. Use in moderation, however, as too much can kill your flowers (or make them drunk! ha ha). Just a few drops will do the trick!

So which method do you think you'll try in your next fresh arrangement? Whichever one you choose, just be sure to do so in moderation -- too much of a good thing is never good! Adding any of the above in amounts too large may have the opposite affect and leave you with a vase full of dead flowers. If you do happen to give any of these tricks a try, be sure and come back to share your findings in the comments below! What's our advice? The most important thing your fresh flowers crave is a fresh cut every other day and fresh, clean water. This will help to encourage water uptake through the stems and keep your flowers vibrant and long-lasting. 

Melissa Maas, Owner