Are Poinsettia Plants Really Poisonous To Children & Pets???

How often have you heard Poinsettias are deadly poisonous and claim the lives of children and pets every year? I hear this often when my customers are interested in purchasing a plant as a Christmas gift. Usually they say - What do you have besides poinsettias? My friend has pets (or children). This is a myth that has been so wide spread for decades that even some florists believe it to be true. Luckily for us and our pets, it's not true.
The origin of the myth dates back to 1919 when a 2 year old child of a US Army officer stationed in Hawaii passed away suddenly. It was believed that the child ingested poinsettia leaves. The American Society of Florists has looked into the matter extensively and says there was never any proof that poinsettia leaves were responsible for the child's death and has been determined hearsay. Since that non poinsettia death in 1919, there haven't been any real ones either. And no wonder, it would take a 50 lb child to ingest over 1.25 lbs of poinsettia bracts (500-600 leave) to exceed the experimental dose according to POISINDEX information services. (POISINDEX is the primary resource used by most poison control centers.) If a child or pet were to try to ingest the leaves they may end up with a tummy ache, mainly because they are ingesting something foreign into their digestive system. Though this is highly unlikely, as the taste is described as horrible.

Now that you know the truth, don't be afraid to fill your home with these beautiful Christmas plants!

Fall Festivals

For the last three years, our long time designer Marianne has donated her time and flowers for South Hills Elementary School and South Hills Christian Church's Fall Festival. The yearly festival raises money for the school's PTA as well as for the church. Children and families enjoy the food, bounce house, games and the book walk. Each year Marianne brings buckets and buckets of fresh flowers to the event and creates hand-tied bouquets. Each bouquet is unique with roses, poms, lilies, orchids and more. Everyone loves watching how they are made! Many people like to take them home, but a few enjoy giving them away. One young boy bought five bouquets and said he was giving them to each of his girlfriends! Marianne always has a great time at the festival and looks forward to it each year.

Scenic Fall Drives in Fort Worth, Texas

The Dallas-Fort Worth area is alive with the beautiful colors of the fall!  Everywhere you look, you’ll see gorgeous reds, browns, oranges, and yellows.  If you love looking at these fall colors and want to take a relaxing scenic drive in the DFW area, here are some of the best routes to take.

The Palo Pinto Mountains are a short drive from the Metro area, but they are absolutely stunning in the fall.  The acres of trees provide plenty of opportunities for pictures and for hiking.  Mineral Well State Park, located in the mountains, is a great place to camp out and relax.  Another park, Possum Kingdom State Park, is also near the area.  If you’re the adventuring type, bring a canoe and take a ride down the Brazos River!  Take a drive on Farm Road 4 or Highway 16 to see the fall foliage on the go.

Another nearby area to see fall foliage is around Tyler, Texas.  Tyler Sate Park is a quite nice this time of year.  You can also drive through Tyler’s tree-lined streets and visit the Tyler Rose Garden, although there may not be many roses in bloom this time of year. 

Take a drive up to the Cedar Ridge Preserve to get both a great view of fall foliage and a nice view of the Metro area.  It’s only about 20 minutes from Dallas.  With more than 600 acres and 10 miles of hiking trails, you’ll find a lot to see.  The preserve is at 755 feet above sea level, so you can look out and see pretty far.  A native plant nursery and butterfly garden are also options.

Finally, you can enjoy the fall foliage without ever leaving the city if you visit the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden.  While it’s not a drive, definitely take the time to walk through the 66 acres of trees, gardens, and flowerbeds during this time of the year.


Fall Flowers Delivered in Fort Worth Texas

Go Horned Frogs! TCU Memorabilia from TCUFlorist

Here at TCUFlorist, we have a wide variety of different flowers, gift baskets, and other great items.  They’re perfect for sending to just about everyone for any occasion.  However, we’re more than just another florist—we’re a TCU florist, and we have many different products for students and fans of Texas Christian University.  We’ve got all your Horned Frogs merchandise, items for your sorority sisters, and great gift baskets for students.

Our cute little TCU frogs are great little gifts for fans of our sports teams. We also have larger concrete horned frogs for your gardens.  They’re the perfect garden gnome companions!

Another great garden accessory is our TCU stepping stone.  It’s shaped like the state of Texas with “TCU” done in purple in the middle. 

We have purses, clutches, and small handbags in TCU purple and in a variety of different styles.

If you’re thinking about adding balloons to a flower arrangement, we have some great TCU-themed ones, including a football shape.

Need something for your sorority sister?  We offer sorority crosses with the greet letters of your choice and jeweled trim done in the colors you request.  We’ve also got a Sorority Foursome flower arrangement that features four roses of any color in a rectangular glass vase.  A ribbon with your sorority letters completes this neat gift.  Our sorority ceramic mug is another great gift choice.

Of course, we have several TCU-themed flower arrangements, too.  We have a sorority tumbler featuring a great topiary design of fresh flowers.  We also have a purple and white arrangement and a student arrangement that comes in a dark purple vase.  We have a number of other arrangements featuring purple flowers that are also great for TCU family members.

What if you have a son attending TCU?  He might not care for flowers.  How about junk food?  You know he would love some chips and candy!  Send him one of our junk food baskets.  It’s full of great snacks for those all-night study sessions.

These are just a few of our great TCU merchandise.  Stop by the store or look online to see all our great TCU products for the Fort Worth Texas area.

1,000 Facebook Fans!

At the beginning of the summer, I was challenged to bring our Facebook Fan base to 1000 fans. At that time, we had around 460. Once we were able to reach our goal, we would throw a party for all our fans. Well, I am thrilled to say WE DID IT!!! Our party was September 30th and we had great turn out. Customers were impressed by our updated showroom and the new gift items that we are now carrying, especially the purple Flamingos and TCU accessories. Garland Geeslin, our good friend and owner of Sassy Hot Dogs, parked right outside. He served up some great food and created quite a buzz. Along with the hot dogs and burgers, we had hors d'oeurves, wine, beer and pie! Each customer received a free gerbera daisy and a lucky few found a gift card tied to it. Our Grand Prizes were a $100 gift card and a FREE design lesson. Congratulations to all our winners! We had so much fun putting together a great party and reaching our goal. Thank you to all our loyal Facebook Fans. I am really looking forward to the next party!
Check out our before and after pictures of the showroom!

The Sunny Sunflower

The sunflower has a bright, cheery face (and tasty seeds).  In addition to being beautiful, the sunflower is also a very important agricultural crop in the northern part of North Dakota and the panhandle of Texas.  But where did the sunflower originate, and why do we love it so much?  Here’s a bit of history about the sunflower.

The sunflower, or Helianthus Annuus as it’s scientifically called, is native to North America, but it was actually commercialized in Russia.  After being cultivated as a crop flower, it was reintroduced to the U.S.  However, Native Americans had been growing domesticated sunflowers for years.  They started cultivating the flower in what is now New Mexico and Arizona back in 3000 BC.  In fact, some evidence shows that they may have grew sunflowers before they grew corn!  The seeds of the sunflower were ground into flour, plus it can be mixed with other vegetables for different tastes.  The seeds, of course, were eaten as snacks.

In addition to eating, the sunflower was also used for a few other things.  It can be made into purple dye for different decorative purposes.  Some parts of the sunflower can also be used as medications for snakebites and other ailments. 

When the Spanish explorers came to the area, they found the sunflower fascinating, and they took it back to Europe in the 1500s.  There, it was developed as both decorative and medicinal.  Peter the Great was especially fond of the flower.  Eventually, the Russians were growing more than two million acres of sunflowers!  By 1880, these new sunflowers were re-introduced to the U.S. 

Now that sunflowers are grown around the world, they’ve become very popular.  Many people love seeing their big, yellow faces in the morning.  Here are a few interesting facts about the sunflower:

The cultivated sunflower has one head, but wild sunflowers can have up to 20 or more.

Sunflower oil has more Vitamin E in it than any other vegetable oil.

Most sunflowers grown for commercial use in the United States are grown in eight states—California, Texas, Nebraska, Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, and North and South Dakota.

The largest producer of sunflowers is Russia, although Argentina, China, India, Turkey, and South Africa also grow a large amount of the flower.

Kansas is called the Sunflower State because of the many wild sunflowers that grow there.  In fact, it’s actually considered a weed by some!

Many great artists have painted sunflowers, including Picasso and Van Gogh.

The tallest sunflower on record was grown in the Netherlands and stood over 25 feet!  A sunflower in Michigan holds the record for the most heads on one plant—it had 837.

Summer Flowers, plus Blog Readers get a Discount!

Summer may be coming to an end, but summer flowers are still blooming!  Here at TCU Florist, we have a number of different summer flowers in stock.  There’s no better solution for turning someone’s day around than to send them a bright, cheery, vibrant bouquet of summer flowers.  Here are just a few different options we have available:

Sunflowers!  Nothing is as bright or as cheery as big, yellow sunflowers.  We have a great arrangement of beautiful blooms in a small clear vase.  These sunny sunflowers can help anyone who is feeling a little down.

How about daisies?  Daisies are also very happy little flowers.  They have a very different look than sunflowers.  A nice arrangement of daisies with other flowers, like yellow roses, makes a nice mixture. 

How about something colorful?  Orange roses, Asiatic lilies, and carnations are bright and colorful.  An arrangement of these bright flowers can turn a dull room into a happy, energetic place.
Did you just send your daughter away to college?  Why not send her an arrangement of bright gerberas?  These charismatic flowers come in pink, red, orange, and yellow.  They’re simple, pretty, and colorful, and they’ll turn any dorm room into a paradise.

If you need some help selecting and sending any of these great summer flowers to your friends and loved ones, TCU Florist can help.  We have a huge variety of different flowers available, and our designers have years of experience in creating outstanding, unique arrangements to match any occasion.  Plus, just for reading this blog, you can get $10 off your next order!  Just visit our shop and use promotion code BL8.  There’s no minimum order, and the discount applies to all of our arrangements!  Visit our shop and find the perfect flowers for the special people in your life.

Feeling Fall-ish?

September 19th, 2011 | By: Mandy Maxwell

Fall is the wonderful transition from the sizzling summer to ice cold winter; the time when the weather is just perfect. It's almost like a second spring that's even more beautiful: with flowers blooming and colorful trees turning their autumn colors. Overall, it's just a wonderful season to be celebrated while it lasts.

Fall History

Before the 16th century, harvest was the term used to refer to the season. However, as more people moved away from farming to living in towns, the word harvest lost its reference and came to refer to only the actual activity of reaping, and autumn, as well as fall, began to replace it as a reference to the season. Although we do not call it harvest anymore, we still use many references from harvesting in our fall decor: cornucopias, wheat, gourds and pumpkins, corn, hay, etc.

Why We Love Fall

Fall is arguably the favorite of all seasons. Everyone loves the colors of fall and seasonal decor during this time is a MUST in most homes. You will see hay, pumpkins scarecrows as yard decor all season. Some of our favorite holiday parties happen during fall: Halloween &Thanksgiving. Halloween pumpkin carving is a favorite fall activity that dates back to the 1700s and Thanksgiving is all about celebrating the bounty of fall. American Football also gets everyone together for a party. Long fall nights are made for spending time indoors with family and friends.

Fall Flowers

Fall decorations are essential to any home during this season. If you're throwing a fall party, inviting friends over for football, or simply getting together to watch a show from the fantastic fall TV line-up, wow them with fresh fall flowers. The colors and textures of fall can be beautifully arranged to match your personal decor and delight guests of all ages. Talk to your local florist about what type of autumn colors work best with your home's style. Here are a few suggestions:

Fall For Modern Style Homes

Go with bright colors of red and orange mixed with dark metals like brass and copper.

Flowers to consider: Anthurium, kangaroo paw, dahlias, protea

Fall Vintage Chic Style

Choose muted colors in dusty browns, olive greens, yellow ochre, navy and pale blue. Wrap your container in burlap for added interest.
Flowers to consider: Amaranthus, alstroemeria, sunflowers, hypericum berries, calla lilies

Traditional Fall Flowers

Consider flowers in all the colors of fall, reds, oranges, browns, and yellows. Use a cornucopia as a whimsical container. (Doesn't always have to be Thanksgiving to use one!)

Flowers to consider: Mums, lilies, hypericum berries, roses, fall leaves
Fun and Funky Fall Flowers

Think playful colors like bright orange, reds, light tan and accent with a fun teal blue.

Flowers to consider: Gerber daisies, red peppers, mums and snapdragons

-via FlowerShop Network

Big Brothers Big Sisters Event

TCU Florist is proud to support the Big Brothers Big Sisters fundraiser! Big Brothers Big Sisters is a volunteer organization that provides children support, guidance, friendship and fun by matching them to adult role models. One-to-one youth mentoring has been shown to have a significant and positive impact on the lives of children. Our staff has a special place in our hearts for children, so thank you to Earl Campbell of Fort Worth Floral Wholesale for connecting us with this special event! If you would like more information on this organization visit www.bbbs.org/NorthTexas

                                            Mixed Colored Hydrangeas, Roses and Liatris

Exciting Changes At TCU Florist

At TCU Florist we are always thinking of new ways to better serve our customers. We are really excited to announce some new things that will be happening over the summer!!!
In the next couple months we will be able to alert you by email that your statement is ready for viewing. All you will have to do is go to our website and click on My Account. From there you can view your statement and your invoices. I'm hoping eventually you will be able to pay them online as well. This will be so convenient for everyone and help our environment!
Pay Pal has now been added to our website. Many people find Pay Pal more convenient and safer than other methods of payment. This should make for some very happy customers!
Market is this week and I can't wait to go shopping for the latest trends! I'll be looking for unique containers and gift items, as well as Fall and Christmas items. So keep a look out on Facebook where you will see them first.
Speaking of Facebook, I have always been a big believer that Facebook is a great way to engage our customers and form relationships with them. At the beginning of summer, I asked Tom if I could reach 1000 fans could I throw a party for them. He said yes! So hoping I didn't stick my foot in my mouth, we will be throwing a party in September. This will be a super fun event with a showcasing of new items, our updated show room, future holiday specials, give aways, food and more.

Got a smart phone? You will start seeing a lot more bar codes like the one below. Just scan it with your phone to get connected to our website quickly!

Pass Bouquets, A New Trend

Pass bouquets are flower arrangements that are shared by a group of people, For example, someone may purchase an arrangement for an office. Each person gets to keep it at his or her desk for a set period of time. That way, everyone enjoys the flowers.
These bouquets are fun gifts from office managers to their staffs. Or from one employee to another. Some offices even pool funds and purchase a pass bouquet to share each week. It's an inexpensive and fun way for everyone's day to be brightened by flowers.
Print up cute cards that can be sent out with the arrangements. perhaps: "Please keep these beautiful flowers at your desk for the next hour. Then pass them on as a gift from you to someone else. Be sure to share these instructions with the person to whom you pass the bouquet." - Teleflora

What a fun idea to bring excitement to an office while on a budget!!!

TCU Florist In The Community

TCU Florist is proud to be a part of the Fort Worth Community. The people and businesses of Fort Worth have been so good to us throughout the years that when we have a chance to give back, we jump on it! Though we do a lot of donations, it's always exciting when we can physically go out into the community to do something fun. This week our designer, Marianne Mullen, visited South Hills Elementary School for career day. Marianne has been with us for 25 years and is our premier wedding and funeral designer. The last two years she has visited with the South Hill's students, teaching them the ins and outs of floral design. The 110 fourth graders learned how to make Sunflower faces this year! Marianne also talked about the different types of flowers and where they are grown. Each child received a flower to take home as well. It was a fun filled day, but what made it most rewarding was when a young girl told Marianne she "wanted to be a florist when she grows up because it looks like fun!" Well, who wouldn't have fun and love this job? :)