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Tom - Gold Chain, Fluffy Dice and a lint remover

Travis - iPhone 4, Armani cologne and a basket of movie DVD's

Catherine - iPad, Diamond/Jewellery, Watch

Charlotte - a classic movie DVD, a novel and a perfume

Jonathan - 27" iMac, KEF iPod dock, and business success

Alicia - A pet poodle named Princess, a Macbook Air and Dance lessons

Claire - Dior Sunglasses, window tinting for my new car and a big new sports bag for the gym

Paul - 27" iMac, amazon.com voucher/itunes voucher

Noni - Perfume, Books, a holiday

Corina - iPod, Dior Addict perfume and tickets to the Chris Isaak concert.

 

We all have those moments right before Christmas where we sit for ages trying to figure out what on earth to get our loved ones. Trying to think of the most thoughtful, creative and memorable present without completely blowing the budget is a difficult task to say the least. Here are a few ideas for you that you may not have thought of yet.

1) The Quirky Gift:
The unexpected and unforgettable gift they will talk about for years to come.
*The Remote Control Wand:
This is your basic Harry Potter-esque wand with all the magic powers necessary to maintain your position on the couch. This wand reacts to differing ‘ abracadabra like waves’ to operate your TV, stereo and other infra- red devices.

2) The Cutest:
For the young at heart- this gift can’t miss! (Unless you are a complete old fogey)
*I’m Nut’s About You Keychain:
This keychain, shaped like a heart and sealed with a little cork actually contains real nuts. The gift tag simply reads ‘I’m Nuts About You!” Now that’s cute!

3) For the Girls:
Make her feel really special with this alternative gift...
*TaDa! Gift Experience Set: Supreme Pamper: This little gift box is especially for her. It contains one body ritual session, one facial ritual session and a voucher for skincare or makeup products. She will love you (and herself) for it! Why not team this with a dozen red roses and really impress her!

4) The ‘Blokiest’:
The Aussie Term for Manly- so you know it’s gotta have beer in it!
But what to put the beer in? How about the World’s Largest Beer Stein!:
Standing at around 4 feet tall and able to hold over half a keg of beer, this is certainly the manliest present I can think of. And what man wouldn’t want to show off lifting the 35 pound (empty) weight of this little beauty! Described as ‘The Chuck Norris of all Beer Steins’.

5) Most Extravagant:
We can only dream...
A helicopter ride over Iguacu Falls:
Ahhh, South America, so beautiful and exotic. But shall we go to Argentina or Brazil? How about both! This helicopter ride explores the massive Iguacu Falls. It is so wide that you can only really take in all of this stunning natural landmark from the air. Perhaps one day...

 

Welcome to your very first Flower Power blog post!

Flowers have long inspired us to write poems, sing songs and create brilliant works of art. Many people have even paid living tribute to flowers in the names of their children. Flowers are not culturally specific, they are enjoyed by anyone, anywhere at anytime. The beauty of the flower has been appreciated by the rich and poor, the old and young, the big and the small, the happy and sad...

Flowers also smell amazing! They inspire the finest perfumes and wines. I could go on- And I will!

Here are a few of my favourite tributes to flowers:

Names: Our “Rose’s”
-Rose Marie- Child singer of the 1930’s

-Axl Rose- Lead singer 1980/90’s band Gun ‘n’ Roses

-Gypsy Rose Lee- American Burlesque dancer-1930/50’s

Songs: An Assorted Bunch
-Build me up Buttercup- The Foundations
-Blue Orchids- The White Stripes
-Kiss From a Rose- Seal

Quotations: A Magnificent Arrangement of Words
- When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of bread with one, and a lily with the other. -Chinese Proverb
- I perhaps owe having become a painter to flowers. -Claude Monet
- Earth laughs in flowers.- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Art: Beauty Captured on Canvas-Iris- Claude Monet
-Sunflowers- Vincent Van Gough
-Roses- Pierre Auguste Renoir

Perfumes: An Enchanting Aroma
-Flower- Kenzo
-Iris- Donna Karan
-Lily- Christian Dior

Wines: A Taste of Springtime
-Riesling- A taste of rose blossom
-Dandelion Wine- A sweet dessert wine, hard to come across
-Hibiscus flowers- Perfect in a glass of champagne

So, now that we are all inspired. I hope you have a great week. Keep up that Flower Power mentality!

 

People all over the world have been sending flowers as a way of expressing themselves, for centuries. With a wide range of sizes, colours as well as their sometimes scarcity and varying styles, flowers have set many a different mood in paintings and have become the motifs for artists on many occasions.

There are many famous impressionist painters that feature flowers in their painting and deserve mentioning. Among those that we would like to tell you about:

Édouard Manet (1832 –1883) was one of the first nineteenth century artists to make the transition from Realism to Impressionism. Two of his flower paintings are; Flowers in a Crystal Vase, National Gallery of Art, 1882 and Carnations and Clematis in a Crystal Vase, Musée d'Orsay, 1883.

Claude Monet (1840 –1926) continued the practice of the impressionist painting philosophy of expressing one's perceptions before nature. He enjoyed his house and garden in Giverny. He is known to have said, “My garden is my most beautiful masterpiece.” Two of his paintings, to mention just a few, are; Still-Life with Anemones, 1885 and The Rose-Way in Giverny, 1920-1922.

French artist Paul Cézanne (1839 –1906) was a Post-Impressionist painter whose work laid the foundations of the transition from the 19th century conception of artistic endeavour to a new and radically different world of art in the 20th century. Cézanne is said to form the bridge between late 19th century Impressionism and the early 20th century's new line of artistic enquiry, Cubism. He used planes of colour and small brushstrokes that build up to form complex fields, both a direct expression of the sensations of the observing eye and an abstraction from observed nature.

Vincent Van Gogh (1853 –1890) was a Dutch post-Impressionist painter whose work had a far-reaching influence on 20th century art for its vivid colours and emotional impact. Two of his paintings are the still life; Vase with Twelve Sunflowers (August 1888) and Irises (1889 during the last year of his life at an Asylum). He called the painting "the lightning conductor for my illness", because he felt that he could keep himself from going insane by continuing to paint.

Order a bouquet or an arrangement of fresh flowers, to be sent to a loved one or for home delivery, or call us and one of our friendly floral consultants will help you. Who knows, the flowers may inspire you to paint, take up photography, write or just generally please the senses.

 

Here are some interesting trivia about some of popular flowers that are included in our collection of flower bouquets and arrangements:

Chrysanthemum is of Greek origin and means golden flower. A direct offshoot from the flower name and a popular girl’s name in Greece and Spain is Crisanta with various spelling variants.

Carnation is of Latin origin and the meaning of Carnation is "becoming flesh". Perhaps for that reason it has not become particularly popular as a girl’s name; however a famous brand of Sweetened Condensed Milk has the name.

Gerbera is a type of ornamental plant from the sunflower family. It was named in honour of the German naturalist Traugott Gerber, a friend of Carl von Linné who invented the modern universally recognized system of classifying plants and animals.

Iris is of Greek origin, meaning "rainbow". In Greek mythology Iris was a messenger-goddess who rode rainbows between heaven and earth to deliver messages from Olympus. A famous novelist with the name was Iris Murdoch. The Irish-born British author and philosopher died in 1990. "Iris" is also a song by the Goo Goo Dolls, originally written for the soundtrack of the film City of Angels.

Lily originates from the Latin word Lillian. One famous person with this name is English recording artist, talk show host, and actress, Lily Allen.

Orchid The Orchid family also includes Vanilla plant, Orchis and many commonly cultivated plants. Since the 19th century, horticulturists have produced more than 100,000 Orchid hybrids and cultivars. Rapper, actor, record producer, singer Robert Matthew Van Winkle from Dallas, Texas, USA is best known by his stage name Vanilla Ice.

Rose is English and the Latin form is Rosa, Both are well-used girls’ names in English-speaking countries. Rose Tattoo and Guns and Roses are two well-known bands. Rose is also a familiar surname. Murray Rose is one of the undisputed legends of Australian swimming. In the 1950’s he set many records.

Tulip is called Lale in Iran and Turkey. The name originates from Turkish tülbend, "muslin" or "gauze", and is ultimately derived from the Persian language dulband, "turban". The girl's name Lala is of Slavic origin, and the meaning of Lala is "tulip".

Read more about flowers on the READY FLOWERS website http://www.readyflowers.com.au/information/. We have compiled information on the different meanings of flowers and when best to send them. Have a look at our guide to make sure that you are sending the right flowers for the right occasion. Also we have added an Encyclopaedia and much more. While you are visiting the website, why not order a fresh flower bouquet or arrangement or a gift, to be sent to a loved one or for home delivery, or call us and one of our friendly floral consultants will help you.

www.readyflowers.com.au  

Did you know that the Barossa Rose and Flower Show is being held in Angaston, South Australia at the weekend? This annual event is designed to showcase the best of what the region’s gardeners have to offer and gives flowers enthusiasts from near and far the opportunity to meet over a Devonshire tea.

Join the garden party. Feed your senses with the fragrances and colours of a diverse range of roses and other cut flowers. There will be something for everyone. For the young there will be balloons and face painting available. The Angaston town hall will be transformed with floral arrangements as judges from the Rose Society of South Australia select the winners.

Flowers make a colourful and refreshing impression and give rise to enjoyable feelings. If you do not have the opportunity to visit the Barossa Rose and Flower Show on Saturday or Sunday, Ready flowers has nature on display every day. Create your very own Flower Show at home with an artistically designed flower bouquet or arrangement, made to please the senses. 

Do you know that it is Melbourne cup tomorrow? This year is extra special. The Emirates Melbourne Cup, as it is now called, celebrates 150 years this year. It was founded in 1861 and has long been known as the race that stops our nation. It is the greatest 3200 metre horse race anywhere in the world and the most challenging to win. It is run at Flemington Green Fields Race course. Melbourne Cup Day has also gained a reputation for fashion and flowers. It is the day to make your strongest fashion statement with an exotic or outrageous ensemble - hats are essential and so is a yellow rose in the lapel.

Horse racing began to become a professional sport during the reign of Queen Anne of England (1702-14), when match racing gave way to horse races involving several horses on which the spectators wagered.
Flowers have almost always been associated with horse racing. Presenting a garland to the winner of a sporting event dates back to ancient Greek times, when the winning athlete would be presented with a laurel wreath to wear. The laurel wreath gradually became more elaborate. The presentation of a wreath of flowers for winning racehorses seems to be a continuation of that tradition. The tradition of winning a garland of roses started at the Grand Derby in the UK and spread to other racecourses.

Various races have become associated with various flowers. Many races has an official flower as a symbol of luck, worn as lapel roses, as corsages or on hats and fascinators for a specific race day, for instance during the Spring Carnival there are a number of races that have official flowers; the Victoria Derby Day on the 30 October has the Cornflower, while as mentioned, the Emirates Melbourne Cup Day traditionally has the yellow Rose, the crown Oaks Day on Thursday 4 November has the pink Rose and the Emirates stake Days Day on the 6 November has the Red Rose.

READY FLOWERS has amazing flower bouquet and arrangement designs available in many different colours or colour combinations. Even if you are not attending the Melbourne Cup event, do as so many; arrange your own Melbourne Cup event with luncheon, sweepstakes, hats and dresses, yellow lapel roses, perhaps flowers to decorate your hats and a fancy bouquet of flowers for the winner of the sweepstakes if you are attending a function wear a yellow Rose or several for luck or wear the colours of the horse and jockey you are betting on!  

Spring is definitely sprung in Australia. In Roman mythology, Flora was a goddess of flowers, and flowering plants, both the fruit bearing ones and the ornamental ones. She also came to represent the season of spring. While she was otherwise a relatively minor figure in Roman mythology, being one among several fertility goddesses, her association with the spring gave her particular importance at the coming of springtime.

Her festival, the Floralia, was held in April or early May and symbolized the renewal of the cycle of life, fertility, and blossoming. During the Floralia festival the Romans would wear brightly coloured clothes and wear wreaths of flowers, especially roses. Chariot races were held in her honour. Her Greek equivalent was Chloris. Flora was married to Favonius, the wind god, and her companion was Hercules.

Flora’s name derives from the Latin word "flos" which means "flower." The word “flora” is still used as a general name for the plants of a region. Other related words are "flourishing" meaning prosperous or abundant and “floral”, meaning flowery. 

Do you know what Colour Therapy is? Well, colour is light with varying wavelengths and frequencies and as such is a form of energy that is used in Colour Therapy. Light is just one form of energy that we can actually see that is made up from photons (a photon is the basic unit for light and all other forms of electromagnetic radiation). We are surrounded by electromagnetic waves of energy of which colour is just a small part. Each colour has its unique wavelength and frequency.

We live in a wonderful world made up of colours that affect us in different ways. Colour can affect our moods; blue is regarded as calming, while red is considered to make you feel tense or gives you a rush of feelings. The use of colour as a therapy is a holistic, non-invasive method which dates back thousands of years. Light energy affects all living cells. Used in the right way, these different frequencies of light, that is colour, can have a profound and healing effect on us.

While we do not profess to know everything about colour as a healing therapy, our florists include wondrous, colourful blooms in our flower bouquets and arrangements to please the eye of the beholder. We are certain our colourful flowers will bring pleasure and uplift the spirits of all who see them. Among many blooms our Asiatic Lilies, Chrysanthemums, Gerberas and Tulips are available in the most stunning colours.  

Aromatherapy is a form of alternative medicine that uses extracted and condensed volatile plant materials, known as Essential oils, and other aromatic compounds for the purpose of altering a person's mood, thinking or health. Aromas or scents can affect both people’s psychological and physical wellbeing. Flowers have a natural fragrance or scent to attract insects, birds and animals to pollinate the flowers or in some cases to warn away animals that may damage them. Various parts of a plant are used to make Essential oils, for example lavender essential oil is produced by distilling the plant’s flowering tops; citrus oils are expressed (or squeezed) from the rind of the fruit; and sandalwood is distilled from the wood of the tree. Other essential oils are extracted from the leaves, seeds, roots or resin of a plant.

Essential oils have been found to be therapeutic or act as a complementary therapy to modern medicine in the treatment of a variety of conditions such as; mood disorders, reproductive issues, respiratory conditions, digestive disorders, aches and pains including arthritis. Essential oils are usually liquid at room temperature and will evaporate on contact with air. In spite of their name, essential oils are non-oily, soluble in fats, such as carrier oils, but will not readily dissolve in water. Pure essential oils can be up to 70 times more concentrated than the original plant and absorption into the bloodstream commences within a fraction of a second of application. They are strong chemicals and therefore should be used sparingly and with care. Pure essential oils should not be confused with fragrance oils which have no therapeutic value as such but do give a sense of well-being when the scent is inhaled.

Our florists include fragrant blooms in our bouquets and flower arrangements to give the added pleasure of sweet scent to the receiver and we are sure they have mood altering qualities, even in their natural form, and will put a smile on your face. Among many other blooms Carnations, Roses and Oriental Lily have a very pleasant fragrance! 

READY FLOWERS is pleased to announce that the www.readyflowers.com.au website is a Hitwise Top 10 Award winner for the quarter ending July - September 2008.

 

 

The 2nd stage of member services has been released today. Two main functions have been implemented:

1. Reward Points can be earned by sending flowers and gifts to a READY FLOWERS country. For example, if you send flowers to New Zealand then you will earn New Zealand points and Flowers to Australia, Australian points are earned. Every dollar spent, will earn you 10 points.
2. These points can be redeemed for Vouchers that are offered from time to time by READY FLOWERS. There will always be the options to select a 10% or 20% voucher but READY FLOWERS will offer other types from time to time.
3. These vouchers can be given as a gift to a friend by informing them of the number which have a unique identifier. Some vouchers will be offered as “reusable” and you can use it multiple times. READY FLOWERS intend to issue vouchers with a fixed $’s off and others to be used for Free Products or Delivery.

 

READY FLOWERS believe these features are unique to the on-line florists and gifts industry and once again demonstrate that we are focused on innovation to improve your customer experience and convenience of shopping online. There will be many exciting offers in the near future so sign up and be part of it.

 

Other member features now available include:

 

1. Record your billing information including multiple credit cards which will be used to populate your cart, saving you retyping your details every time you shop with READY FLOWERS
2. You can add/store multiple Recipients under your membership which you can use repeatedly. So those of you who use us multiple times for sending flowers and gifts to a regular person will save time.
3. Record special events and reminders

 

 

Due to a large number of requests from our existing customer base… READY FLOWERS has finally launched the READY FLOWERS New Zealand website. Now, sending flowers to New Zealand is going to be simple, using READY FLOWERS custom built internet technology.

We have decided to keep the website similar to the Australian site, so all of our current customers that are used to using the Australian site, will find it really easy to shop for their friends and loved ones in New Zealand.

There are no main differences between the Australian and New Zealand localized sites as far as functionality goes, however the advantage of our New Zealand website over its competitors is that we will process all orders that go to New Zealand in NZD. So people that are sending flowers in New Zealand can shop in their own local currency.

We have also added our custom built currency converter that changes all of the prices on our website according to your local currency. This means that we do all the work for you, saving you the time of having to work out exactly what your flowers are going to cost in your local currency.