The Flower Blog

13V01                  Beary Lovable               $29.95

The Beary Lovable bud vase includes two red long stem premium roses, babys breath, seeded eucalyptus and a keepsake teddy bear! This is a gift perfect for a guy or girl and is the perfect size to sit on their desk at work!

13V02                  Tulips Renoir             $44.95

Send the gift of spring with the Tulips Renoir bouquet! This bouquet includes ten fresh cut tulips in mixed colors and tree fern elegantly designed in a keepsake vase decorated with hand painted tulips! This painted tulip vase will be cherished for years to come! 

13V03                  Love Is...                      $44.95

This bouquet is so popular that we remake it year after year! This year, Love is... is filled with tea roses, alstroemeria lilies, carnations, daisies, mini-carnations, limonium and a keepsake silver heart keychain. Roses, lilies and a heart! What can be more perfect than that?

13V04                  The Love Bug Bouquet                $39.95 

The Love Bug bouquet is a small vase filled with carnations, alstroemeria, limonium, daisies and a small keepsake plush love bug that makes kissing noises when you press on the belly! This bouquet is filled with all long lasting flowers! With proper care you can expect this bouquet to last your two weeks!


13V05                  The Key to My Heart Bouquet          $34.95

The Key to My Heart bouquet is filled with daisies, alstroemeria, carnations, limonium and a keepsake keychain!

The Key comes packaged with a poem that reads:
“Late at night when I’m sound asleep, Into my heart you so softly creep. I sit and wonder how it could be, But you must have stumbled across the key. This key holds the secret to true love and more, So take it now and unlock the door. And I pray that we will never part, Now that you have the key to my heart.”

13V06                  Sweet Annie                            $29.95

If your Valentine loves to get flowers but doesn’t get into the decorative hearts and roses, this will be the perfect gift for them! The Sweet Annie bouquet is a small vase filled with lavender daisies, alstroemeria lilies, carnations and wax flower! A long lasting bouquet in wonderful spring colors! 

13V07                  Vin Rouge                     $79.95

Vin Rouge is the classic symbol of Valentine’s Day, an elegant dozen roses! This clear glass vase is filled with 12 long stem red roses with babies breath, greenery and a bow! Red roses represent love and this bouquet sends a lot of love! But if your Valentine doesn’t like the color red, ask about the other colors we have in stock for no extra charge! 

13V08                  Cupid's Choice                    $64.95

Send a bouquet that makes a big statement like a dozen roses with out hurting your wallet! The Cupids Choice bouquet is a clear glass vase filled with nine pink carnations, three pink roses babys breath and a keepsake plush bear! Pink roses stand for appreciation. Tell your Valentine you appreciate them with the pink roses in this bouquet! 

Check out our Valentine’s Day Specials and more on our website by clicking below! 

One of my favorite things to give for Christmas is the poinsettia! Poinsettias get a bad wrap because they are poisonous to animals but did you know that it can take up to 10 whole poinsettia plants to be poisonous to a cat?  I have two cats and they will nibble on various plants and flowers I bring into the house but they don’t eat the whole thing.

So, What is poisonous in the poinsettia? The milky white sap found in poinsettias contains the chemicals: saponin-like detergents & diterpenoid euphorbol esters.  While poinsettias are commonly known as poisonous plants, the poisoning is greatly exaggerated. Also remember that poinsettias on affect cats and dogs, they are not poisonous in any way to humans.

But just in case you are worried about your cat or dog being poisoned, here are a few symptoms to watch out for: vomiting, drooling, and rarely, diarrhea may be seen. If the milky sap is exposed to skin, dermal irritation - including redness, swelling, and itchiness- might develop. There is no at home treatment for poinsettia poison. If you feel your pet has been poinsettia poisoning, you will need to go see your vet.

Since there is no true threat to your animals from poinsettias, feel confident to pick up a poinsettia before Christmas and enjoy having the beautiful colorful plant in your home all winter and spring!

There are a few poisonous plants I want to note that you should worry about if you have pets.

Lilies, holly and mistletoe.

Just a few bites from a lily can result in severe acute kidney failure in cats. When holly is ingested, it can result in severe gastrointestinal upset thanks to the spiny leaves. If ingested, most dogs and cats lip smack, drool, and head shake excessively due to the mechanical injury from the spiny leaves. As for mistletoe, most of us hang it high enough so it’s out of reach of our dogs and cats but the leaves and berries can dry out then fall from the stem to the floor. So, keep an eye on your mistletoe after it is hung.  Thankfully, American mistletoe is less toxic than the European varieties of it. Usually mild signs of gastrointestinal irritation are seen with mistletoe ingestion.

When ordering your Christmas bouquet or a bouquet at any time of year, just mention to our sales staff if the home the flowers are being delivered to has animals and we will make sure to exclude anything that may be harmful! Because our designers love the look of variegated holly, we keep silk holly on hand to use in bouquets for homes with pets!

Check out some of our great poinsettias and other plants by clicking below.

Check out our  Christmas Video below! 

Father’s Day is this Sunday and millions of children out there are scrambling to find Dad the perfect gift. Studies have shown that the Necktie is the most popular gift choice for Father’s Day. Don’t you think Dad has enough neckties? Don’t just get Dad something different this year, get him something he will never forget!

We make several bouquets with keepsake containers with Dad in mind. Year after year we get calls from customers who send Dad one of these keepsake arrangements and we always get rave reviews! Customers order these bouquets year after year because they say “He talks about that bouquet all the time!” So, really Wow him this year with a mini Jeep filled with flowers, a Ford Truck filled with plants or a Weber Grill filled with candy!

If you don’t see a keepsake container that Dad will go crazy for, Check out our Terrariums! What is A Terrarium? A terrarium is a miniature indoor landscape with living plants that are perfect for people who want to decorate their office or home with house plants but don’t have a lot of space and time to care for them. These mini gardens are easy to maintain and a popular gift for men!

If Dad isn’t much of a plant man, maybe you should check out our Gift Baskets! We have a wide selection of baskets that can include anything from Gourmet food, Fruit, Junk food snack to candy! Our Junk Food baskets are popular for Father’s Day, probably because they have everything you shouldn’t eat!

To get some other great ideas, check out our Father’s Day video!

Last year, I blogged about the 2011 ‘Glee’ Prom and had positive feedback so, here’s the scoop on what flowers our favorite characters wore to ‘Glee’ Prom 2012!  First and foremost, I noticed that there more characters on ‘Glee’ wearing Prom flowers this season compared to season. As a florist, that makes me very happy!

No Dino Flowers!

The theme for the 2012 ‘Glee’ Prom was Prom-asaurus.  Although there weren’t any flowers from the Jurassic era, there was plenty of variety in the types of flowers worn to the prom. Like last year, the characters wore carnations, roses and orchids. However, this year, daisies made an appearance and so did keepsake bracelets!

Most Memorable Corsage

The most memorable corsage in my opinion, was Rachel's because of the story behind it. Rachel, Blaine and Kurt decide to have an Anti-Prom party. Because Finn was nominated for Prom King, he felt obligated to attend prom. After a surprise from Quinn, Finn decided to ditch Prom to be with his girl! He gallantly showed up to Anti-Prom and talked everyone into going with him! Before leaving for Prom he gives Rachel a corsage. She wore orchids again this year but with a twist- light pink dendrobium (which was a great accent color for her dress). Her corsage looked similar to the one pictured here, including the keepsake bracelet.

Favorite Corsage

I absolutely loved Quinn’s corsage! In my opinion, her corsage way way too big last year (it engulfed her hand)! This year, her corsage was the perfect size and beautiful! Her corsage was placed on a keepsake bracelet that sparkled and shined.  The corsage had perfectly matching lavender ribbon, white accents and white roses(I think). It’s hard to tell what the exact flowers are when these girls are dancing all over the screen! Quinn’s corsage was similar to the one pictured here.

Boutonnieres

I did not care for Kurt’s Boutonniere. It was too simple for my taste-just a tiny pin-on mini-carnation. It’s not that Kurt has to have some humongous boutonniere but I certainly expected more style for him! Though I liked Blaine’s boutonniere, I was surprised by it, too. He had on a large white carnation with a metal boutonniere holder, which is very cool and the style you would expect to see this season.  However, if you look at episode from last year, he wore almost the exact same boutonniere. The only difference was that the carnation in the holder was pink instead of white. I was expecting a little more pizazz from them both! Blaine’s Boutonniere was similar to the one on the right.

Principal Figgins’ Boutonniere was a pleasant surprise! He wore a daisy boutonniere similar to the one pictured here. Daisies are becoming a more popular Prom flower choice. We design with daisies frequently in corsages and boutonnieres here at Gillespie’s. Principal Figgins pulled off his look with style and looked very comfortable in it!

In Indianapolis, our Prom season is coming to a close with only two weekends left.

 If you are a GleeK like me and want ‘Glee’ Prom flowers to accent your style, click below!

Mother’s Day is as much about the children as it is about Mom. Letting your kids be a part of the gift giving process will provide them a way to express their individual love for Mom. It really is the thought that counts! Here are 5 easy to make gifts that you and your family can do together for Mom.

1. Recycled Puzzle Piece Photo Frame
Don't throw out your puzzles with missing pieces. There are plenty of crafting opportunities waiting. This is an easy to do project and Mom will love the end result! A personalized photo frame! Let your children pick out their favorite picture of themselves and build a puzzle frame around it. Follow the link for a supply list and super easy instructions!

http://www.makingfriends.com/recycle/puzzle_piece_photo_frame.htm

2. Bouquet of Photo Flowers

Looking for a bouquet of flowers with a little personal touch? Make this precious keepsake for Mom or Grandma this Mother’s Day and they will cherish it always. You can bring these photo flowers to your local florist and have them add it to a fresh arrangement for you! Mom will love the smell of fresh flowers and always cherish the photos! Follow the link for a supply list and instructions.

http://crafts.kaboose.com/bouquet-of-photo-flowers.html

3. Create a home video for Mom.

My siblings and I made a Michael Jackson Music video for Mother’s Day one year and she still has that tape to this day! As you can imagine, it was pretty comical with 5 kids and 2 dogs running around the living room all dancing terribly to “Bad”. She says it is a gift she will never forget! She mentioned it the other day and it is what inspired me to write this blog! So, get out your camcorder and create mom a music video she will never forget!

4. Potpourri Sachets

Almost every woman loves air fresheners! This is an easy project for you and the kids that Mom will really use!  Potpourri Sachets is a versatile air freshener because you can put them anywhere! From your rearview mirror, your dresser drawer,  Fill pretty little organza bags with potpourri to give Mom! Follow the link for a supply list and instructions.

http://www.makingfriends.com/winter/valentine_potpourri.htm

5. Create A Fresh Bouquet for Mom

We have Dads come in with their kids to pick out flowers for Mom and it is the sweetest thing to see! They come back to our cooler and Dad helps them pick out flowers that they think Mom will like. A salesperson is always nearby to assist! Then Dad lets us know if he would like one of our designers to create a bouquet for Mom and have it delivered or if he would like us to wrap up the flowers to take home. If you decide to take the flowers home, it makes a fun project for the kids and it won’t hurt the wallet either! You can save 20% - 60% by taking the flowers home and vasing them yourself! Make it even more memorable by video taping you and the kids making this special bouquet! 

Is Mom out of town this year? Need us to deliver a beautiful custom made gift? Click below to go to our website!

My Top Five Prom Corsages

We have had two weekends of Proms and are coming up on three more! I get asked all the time what is my favorite prom corsage. I don’t have just one favorite because Gillespie’s has so many! But I think I can narrow it down to five.

5. Pink Ice

This corsage has a unique bracelet that has rhinestones cascading down the hand! To help hold the rhinestones in place is a small adjustable ring that goes on your middle finger. We added light pink sweetheart roses, sheer metallic silver ribbon, metallic silver leaves and rhinestone sprays.

4.  Couture

Couture is a breath-taker! This prom corsage has a rhinestone “belt” bracelet with white Mini Callas, sweetheart roses, sheer silver ribbon, strands of rhinestones, rhinestone sprays, diamond like pins, glass & rhinestone picks, black lazer leaves and black feathers! We could not have fit anything more into this wrist corsage is we tried!

2. Pandora

This was my absolute favorite corsage last year and for good reason! This corsage has the perfect combination of colors and offers diversity with its accents. I have tons of girls model their corsage after this one! Pandora is designed on a rhinestone and silver flash bracelet, has orange sweetheart roses, feathers, purple flash ribbon, green ribbon, lazer leaves and spiraled wire.

1. Sugar Skulls

Prom is about dressing up in your dream dress, getting your dream date and dancing the night away! Every girl wants their prom dress to match their style! Sugar Skulls is the embodiment of that! We want customers know we can tailor our corsages to them! Sugar Skulls is created on a black bracelet with a vintage feel and has lavender sweetheart roses, statice, lazer leaves, black feathers, rhinestones,  black beads, black flash ribbon and skull accents.

Create a Prom corsage that matches your personal style! Click below to start now!

Valentine’s Day is coming soon and many people will be celebrating however there is often criticism regarding the cost for this day of romance. While we agree Valentine’s Day can elicit some cost; we also believe any occasion is what you make of it. We're big fans of saying "I Love You" in any way, on any budget. Here are five cost effective ways to let your Valentine know they are special!

1. Wrapped Flowers
Go to your Local Florist and pick up wrapped flowers. Gillespie Florists offers a large selection of sunshine bouquets, deluxe sunshine and constantly run specials on flowers by the bunch! Want to select your own flowers? We also sell them by the stem!

When you purchase wrapped flowers at Gillespie Florists, the cost is less because we are not paying a designer to arrange them in a vase. You can save 20%-60% off your total cost. The only downside is that most florists will not deliver wrapped flowers.

More than likely your Valentine already has a vase at home. If not, containers can be easily purchased at the florist or you can get creative! Go to a local thrift store and find unique ways to vase your flowers with found containers such as mason jars, ceramic pitchers, cookie tins and more!

2. Personal Chef
We're not saying hire a personal chef (although you could). Surprise your sweetheart with the best recipe on earth! Anything made by you, because it's made with love. Sounds corny but picture a candlelit dinner for two complete with your finest display of cuisine artistry! Add extra flair to dîner chez vous with a bouquet or wrapped flowers from Gillespie Florists and creatively arranged by you!

3. Surprise Picnic
Surprise your valentine with a picnic at work! We love this idea because A. Homemade lunch prepared with love, B. A break from the ordinary work day and C. A lovely romantic gesture. and D. Also a great opportunity to pick up a beautiful flowering plant for office decoration!

4. Cupid's Treats
Treat your valentine with coupons and/or a homemade gift basket! Buy a Valentine’s Day card and on a separate piece of paper create a “Coupon” that gives her a body massage from you or a promise to spend a day doing what ever she wants and put that with the card. Make sure what you are offering something your valentine would really like even if you don’t, that is part of what makes it a great gift! Have a basket around the home? Upgrade the coupon idea to a homemade gift basket. Surround the envelope with coupon enclosed with a few of their favorite things including chocolates, bath bombs, candles, etc!

5. Think Outside the Box!
Does your valentine love movies, long walks in the park, window shopping at the mall, reading, ice cream, petting animals? Pick up the latest of your true love's favorite movie genre, treats, games, and put aside time to do some of their favorite things! Find more ideas for what to do around Indy here!

So, lets get down to the brass tax. Valentine’s Day is about letting your significant other know you love and appreciate them! It's not about the expense, it's another day to express yourself! Don’t the day of romance get you down; you can have a great holiday with out emptying you wallet!

Read about some of our Take Out specials below!

Click the button to view our Valentine's Day collection! 
 

We are getting ready for Valentine’s Day here at Gillespie Florists and we look forward to it year after year! We communicate your feelings with flowers every day but we specialize in love! Let us help express your love to your Valentine! So the question is, How deep is your love?

New Love

Is this a new love? Not even sure it’s love yet but know it’s someone special? Nuts for you! is the perfect bouquet! This bud vase comes with two red roses, babies’ breath and a cute little plush squirrel. Every time she looks at that cute little squirrel she will smile and think of you!

This is Love

This is love. You know are in love but you do not want to over do it. There will be many years to come and many years of out doing yourself from the previous year. The Love is... bouquet is the perfect arrangement for you! This bouquet includes tea roses, daisies, mini carnations, alstroemeria lilies, babies’ breath and a keepsake infinity heart ornament with the words inscribed, “Love is patient, Love is kind, Love never ends”. This heart is something she can cherish and remind her of your commitment to her!

Old Love

Is this an old love? The ultimate symbol of love for Valentine’s Day is a dozen roses! You have been together for years but your love for her grows with every passing day. Show her she always has been and always will be your true love with the Vin Rouge bouquet! This bouquet includes one dozen long stem red roses with babies’ breath, greenery, a bow and a clear glass vase! She will remember this stunning arrangement for years to come! 

No matter how deep your love is, we have a way to express it with flowers! Let this Valentine’s Day be the most spectacular by letting express your feelings in ways words cannot express!