Gift Flowers

Rose Oil - A Gift From The Flowers Of Love

2007-10-18T05:36:00.000-07:00

Ah, Wonderful Rose Oil

If there's an aroma that more individuals find deeply moving than any other, it is the oil of rose. The scent is divinely sweet, rich, and deeply floral - exclusive to the extract of history's most revered flower. Though the rose is renown for it's fragrance, the flower actually contains very little aromatic oil by weight. Some 60,000 roses are needed to distill a single ounce of oil, or about 60 roses PER DROP, a fact which brings the seemly high cost of rose oil into perspective.

The Flower of Love

The hardy nature of the thorny rose bush and the flower's magnificent beauty make it a horticulturalist's dream. The genus Rosa has some 150 species spread around the globe, being cultivated in your grandmother's backyard garden, in vast fields in Bulgaria's Valley of Roses, and everywhere in between.

Roses have somewhat of a unique past, peppered with interesting stories and extravagant displays of affection. The flower's association with devotion was perhaps most wonderfully expressed during the Roman empire, with banquet halls being carpeted with petals. Cleopatra once received her beloved Marc Antony in a room literally knee-deep in rose petals – how's that for greeting? Roses are the unrivaled symbol of love, given dear ones through the ages as an affirmation of true affection. It's no wonder the flower's oil has great healing properties, both physically and emotionally, for the human heart.

Rose's health Benefits

With it's considerable therapeutic and aesthetic value, the 'queen of the flowers' had a special place in medicine and perfumery in the ancient civilizations of Persia, Egypt, India, Greece and Rome. The modern healing tradition of the extract of rose began in the 17 th century with the writings of English physician Nicholas Culpeper. The herbalist described the use of red roses to strengthen the heart, it's cooling and astringent actions, and its effect on headaches and tired eyes. Perhaps inspiring it's use as a beauty tonic 'par-excellence', he went on to suggest it's use as a remedy for a variety of skin complaints.

In aromatherapy, the psychological effects are wondrous for those with a broken heart, or other emotional wounds. Rose oil calms and supports the heart center, inspiring a sense of happiness and well-being. When rejection or loss has injured one's ability to love and nurture, either themselves or those around them, rose oil can bring sweet and gentle comfort and allow an emotional 're-opening'.

Use in Aromatherapy

It is the Bulgarian Damask rose, or Rosa Damacena, most often used in aromatherapy. The oil of this 36-petaled beauty is available in two forms: the 'otto', or true essential oil, and the 'absolute'. Harvest of the flowers occurs in the early morning, before the sun's rays has warmed away the aroma. Rose otto is made in a two step steam-distillation process; the first distillation yields an essential oil and a large amount of 'rose water'. The water is again distilled, producing an oil which is combined with that from the first distillation.

The absolute is made with a different process entirely. Similar in a way to 'effleurage' (the pressing of petals in fat to produce an extract), the flowers are processed in a solvent, with a wax-like 'concrete' being produced. Through a second extraction of the concrete, rose absolute is yielded. This method is significantly more efficient than steam distillation, producing nearly 7 pounds of oil per 10,000 pounds of roses (distillation yields 1 pound oil per 10,000 pounds of roses), with a corresponding lower cost. Does one produce a better oil? There is certainly debate; while some argue that traces of solvent are likely to exist in the absolute, others claim the heat of distillation does not result in a true representation of the flower. And as with either method, the quality and effect of the oil varies greatly with the experience and care of the manufacturer – the answer truly lies with the individual and the application.

Using Rose Oil

Oil of rose can be utilized in a number of ways; it is very gentle, being suitable for use on the skin 'neat', in massage oil, and in a bath, as well as in a diffuser. As a perfume, the absolute can be worn directly on the skin – it's 'tenacious' quality will have the aroma slowly released for many hours. For therapeutic use for the emotions, a dilution of 10% of otto or absolute in jojoba oil is often used, being massaged into the heart area – a diffuser is very effective for this purpose as well. The absolute or otto can also be added in small amounts to any skin cream, though using a home-made natural recipe is often the nicest. Rose water, or hydrosol, the water resulting from the distillation process of rose otto, can also be used directly on the skin, with it's mild astringent and toning properties.

A rose and lavender facial cream can be made using the following recipe:

Melt ½ ounce of beeswax in 4 ounces of jojoba using a double boiler. Add 3 ounces of distilled water in a thin stream while stirring vigorously with a wire whisk. Remove from heat and continue stirring while adding 20 drops of rose oil (absolute or otto) and 15 drops of lavender. Allow to cool, then enjoy this wonderful homemade cream for sensitive skin.

There are, of course, many ways to enjoy rose oil's benefits. It is revered on many levels, from its pure aesthetic aromatic beauty, to its physiological healing and emotional uplifting. True rose oil, with its great depth and sweetness, is easily appreciated by almost all who experience this natural wonder.

By: Misty Rae Cech, ND

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Misty Rae Cech, ND, is a naturopath and yoga teacher practicing in Boulder, Colorado. She enjoys rose absolute and other essential oils, using aromatherapy as an adjunct to other natural therapies. More can be found at the Ananda Apothecary, www.anandaapothecary.com

Ordering Flowers

2007-07-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

As former florists, we witnessed all too often "Order Gatherers" taking advantage of consumers. These companies even purchase ads in your local yellow pages. They buy sponsored ads in major search engines online. They create websites that lead you to believe that they are a local florist. These companies often work in a call center, far removed from the recipient of your gift flowers.

These companies will process your $60.00 floral arrangement order and pass it on to a local florist at a value of $43.00 (to include delivery) You paid $60.00! It just doesn’t make sense. We find these companies to be misleading and dishonest. They would never tell you that the value of your arrangement is compromised. They are happy to process your order and keep a portion of your money. Consumers deserve better.

Always make sure you are dealing directly with a REAL local florist to get the best value and better service!

Here are just a few of the advantages of ordering your gift flowers from a REAL local florist;

A Better Value!- 100% of your order is applied to your gift flowers and delivery, No middleman, No extra fees!

Professional advice- Only a professional florist can offer you expert advice to your floral questions. They can suggest creative floral ideas for any occasion. After all, THEY will be designing your flower arrangement. Talk to the people who know flowers, not pictures of gift flowers.

Availability- By talking directly to the florist you know what flowers/gift items are available.

In Store Promotions/Sales- You may discover that the florist is offering a sale or special promotion that you were not aware of...saving you even more money!

Your Specific Details- You can specify any little details about your order, even important delivery specifications. Errors are common when your order is relayed through a middleman. When you call the florist directly, your order is placed right at the source.

You are supporting a small business within the community- A business that in turn supports their community, keeping it thriving economically.

Gift flowers are the ultimate gift of expression. You deserve the best value for your money. A REAL local florist will provide you with professional advice & service. Always make sure that the florist you are calling holds a physical address in the area you are sending to. You will be so glad you did!

About The Author
Tenley McDonald- Former Florist- Now Co-Owner of www.flowerpowernetwork.com (Online Directory of Real Local Florists) Ms. McDonald has over 14 years experience in Consumer Relations~Customer Service Management~Floral Design. Please email the Author for reprint permission of this article.

Mother's Day Gift Flowers

2007-07-14T01:35:00.000-07:00

Gift flowers are one of the most common presents for Mother Day’s. They are a symbol of life and beauty, and they always manage to put a smile on a woman’s face. In fact, you may spend your whole life looking for a woman who does not like flowers and still not find one. That could be one of the reasons why gift flowers are such an appropriate present for Mother’s Day. You can get your mom a bouquet with a variety of gift flowers or a simple bunch with her favorite flowers. They can be your only gift flowers or be a supplement gift flowers.

When choosing flowers, remember that any flower you get will make your mother special. While selecting gift flowers, you can either buy her favorite flowers or buy her different gift flowers in her favorite color or colors.

If you are wondering what color to get and what each of them signifies, following is a guide. Besides passion and romance, red gift flowers also represent courage and congratulations. White gift flowers are for loyalty, integrity, sympathy, and eternal love. Orange is for fun and cheerfulness and to wish luck and say thank you. Green gift flowers signify health, prosperity, and success. Pink gift flowers are to show appreciation, to show that you care and also to signify harmony and happiness. Yellow gift flowers are for happiness, new beginnings, and friendship; and purple gift flowers are perfect to show your admiration and enchantment and to ask for forgiveness.

You can also combine two colors to signify different things. To show abiding love, unity and teamwork, use red and white gift flowers. Purple and white gift flowers can say you are sorry. Yellow and orange gift flowers can symbolize friendship, and green and yellow represent success. Pink and white can be used to convey harmony and purple and pink for admiration and hope. Red and orange gift flowers can say thank you—or, you can simply get all colors to show an abundance of feelings!

By Kevin Stith