A popular and well-known indoor houseplant, the Peace Lily (or Spathiphyllum wallisii to give it its botanical name) is fairly easy to look after and will reward the dedicated plant parent with not just glossy green year round foliage, but elegant white flowers too. And that’s not all , it will earn its position by absorbing pollutants in the air, breaking them down to use as microbes in its compost. Its air cleaning abilities have put it into NASA’s top ten houseplants, as i

Timeless roses and a soft pastel colour palette. Su Whale describes the detail.

They are fabulous as cut flowers, everyone knows that, but as an indoor plant, Zantedeschia or Arum/Calla lily, are equally spectacular. Tall and impressive, their stylish arrow shaped leaves and elegant trumpet blooms mark them out as an exclusive, luxury buy. Native to South America, Zantedeschia are a tropical flower in the Araceae plant group, the same as Anthurium. Getting to know the origin of your plants is always useful, as it gives you and your customer a better und

Su Whale shows how spring flowering bulbs can make profitable impulse purchases for Easter gifting.

Flowering, potted Kalanchoe is one of our most recognisable houseplants, inexpensive and cheerful, it can flower for months. The Kalanchoe as a cut flower however does not have such universal recognition, even though it shares the same long-lasting qualities and is able to retain its beauty for up to four weeks. Did you know? Kalanchoe (pronounced Kal-an-co-e) is a succulent which can survive for several days without water, so can be transported dry, which cuts down its en

Is there a true blue flower? Fewer than it would appear actually, as many blue flowers are often, on closer inspection, a combination of shades and hues of lilac, violet, purple or even turquoise (a combination of blue and green). Spring is an abundant season for blue, or nearly blue flowers however; Anemone, Muscari, Myosotis and Hyacinth bloom in every shade of this popular, enduring colour. A little bit about blue Blue is a primary colour, alongside red and yellow, but

Su Whale encourages us all to create more sales opportunities with houseplants.

Su Whale explores spring flowers typically associated with Easter.

Looking for something interesting and unusual to stock? Air plants are perfect for children who want to spend their pocket money on something small and if it’s something that they themselves find fascinating, then even better. What is an air plant? Air plants are in the Bromeliad family, native to the tropical Americas, where they live on trees, rocks or any hard surface. They absorb nutrients and water from the air, not through soil so they have little or no root systems

Cymbidium orchids are prized for their colour range, elegance and long vase life. Su Whale shares her tips on caring for and using them.

There is nothing that lifts the spirit more than the sight of the sun shining through cherry blossom on a warm spring day. This spring ‘pick-me-up’ is a universal feeling, celebrated all over the world, most famously in Japan, when every year the Japan Meteorological Company release its predictions for peak bloom season. This usually falls around the end of March and the beginning of April, when the nation comes together in a centuries old tradition to view the blossom and p

Who doesn’t love spring flowers? A welcome sight at the gloomiest time of year, it is currently peak time for these seasonal beauties, so here is an ‘At a Glance Guide’ of caring and conditioning our most popular spring flowers. Anemone Temperature: Cool, approximately 2°C. Susceptible to bacteria so ensure all vases and containers are clean before use. Place in shallow water which should be topped up daily. Display in a cool spot with good air circulation. Soft Anem

Su Whale praises the shamrock and suggests some suitably green foliage alternatives for floristry work.

Su Whale encourages us to embrace scented shrubs to add style and colour to spring arrangements.

While spray roses are sometimes viewed as the little sister of single headed roses, they are anything but. In every shade and variation of colour that you could wish for, they are good value for money with anything between five to a dozen heads on a stem, depending on variety. How to buy spray roses Stem Length: 40-70cm, sold in batches of 10 stems. Cost per stem can vary, based on the length of the stem and the size of the flower heads. The taller varieties with large bloom