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The Gardeners Who Planted for US Presidents - Prescott eNews

Known for his hothouse grapes, he also raised off-season Caledonian cucumbers for President Grant. Like the gardeners before him, he resigned from the White House to open a garden center in Alexandria, Virginia.George Field (Served 1875–1877, under Ulysses Grant.) The first English gardener at the White House, Field's floral fame came after he left the White House. He opened a garden center on Georgia Avenue NW with his brother Thomas. Field was responsible for naming and promoting the 'American Beauty' rose, originally selected on historian George Bancroft's estate as 'La Madame Ferdinande Jamin.' Field supplied the cattleya orchids for Alice Roosevelt Longworth's bridal bouquet in 1906. The Washington Post described him as an orchid specialist. He was an active member of the Florist Club of Washington. In 1916, he sold his stock of orchid plants for $15,000.Henry Pfister (Served 1877–1902, under Rutherford B. Hayes, James Garfield, Chester Arthur, Grover Cleveland, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Theodore Roosevelt.) A native of Zurich, Switzerland, Pfister trained in the conservatories of a Swiss banker and at the Luxembourg Gardens in Paris. He made his way to Cincinnati and then to Washington, where he was hired under Hayes. Pfister managed the greenhouses, designed and planted the ornamental beds around the White House lawns, and provided all indoor floral and plant decorations, including the wedding of Grover Cleveland and Frances Folsom. He later opened his own florist and landscape design business on Connecticut Avenue.George Hay Brown (Served 1902–1909, under Theodore Roosevelt.) The son of a landscape gardener in Perthshire, Scotland, where he learned the family trade. In 1850, the family immigrated to the United States. In 1858, Brown took a job in Washington D.C. at the government experimental gardens. During the Civil War, he served with the Army Corps of Engineers in New Orleans. By 1890 he was back in Washington D.C. as a public gardener with the War Department. Brown worked on the Capitol grounds, city parks, and the government propagating gardens and greenhouses near the Washington Monument, as well as the White House. He taught Theodore Roosevelt's children how to propagate plants in his greenhouses.Charles Henlock (Served 1909–1931, under William Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding, Calvin Coolidge, and Herbert Hoover.) A Yorkshireman, and proud of his horticultural training, having worked for Lord Mowbray in Yorkshire, Lord Denbigh in Warwickshire, and Lord Harrington in Derbyshire before spending five years with the Royal Horticultural Society. Henlock arrived in Washington D.C. just before President Cleveland's wedding in 1886 and was hired as a foreman gardener at the White House, and grew to the propagating gardens and city parks. Henlock was the White House head gardener in 1909, where he was responsible for the first shipment of cherry trees sent from Japan as well as the successful plantings around the Tidal Basin.William Saunders Reeves (Served 1931–1945, under Herbert Hoover and Franklin Roosevelt. William Saunders Reeves was the first American-born White House head gardener.) His grandfather, William Saunders, was the chief of experimental gardens for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and founder of the National Grange but is perhaps best remembered for introducing the navel orange. Reeves worked under both Roosevelt's, starting as a groundskeeper at the White House during the Theodore Roosevelt administration in 1903. Through World War I, he was gardener-shepherd to Wilson's flock of sheep. Reeves became the head gardener and chief floral designer while Hoover was in office.Robert M. Redmond (Served 1945–1962, under Harry Truman, Dw... https://www.prescottenews.com/index.php/features/columnists/mountain-gardener/item/34856-the-gardeners-who-planted-for-u-s-presidents

Perfect storm for florists: Valentine's Day amid big snowfall lead to bouquet bust - Washington Post

National Retail Federation survey. It’s one of the industry’s three biggest sales periods, along with Mother’s Day and the December holidays, according to the Society of American Florists in Alexandria.Flower shops are always humming around Valentine’s Day — except when they aren’t: On Thursday, two-thirds of Bethesda Florist’s employees were at home. The delivery fleet was grounded. The phones were ringing only sporadically.“The snow is probably gonna lop off about 15 percent of our sales,” said Callahan, whose dad opened the shop on St. Elmo Avenue in 1959. “Commerce is just dead. People are digging out or watching the news. They’re not thinking about calling us. They don’t even think we can make a delivery.”Boxes of flowers were stored in a makeshift cold room — an enclosed space with minimal insulation. There were dozens of dozens, with many more en route. Eventually.A local distributor had called to say that a big order of flowers, vases and other supplies might not make it on Thursday, as originally scheduled.Callahan shrugged. The snow had muddled his own delivery network, which was shut down Thursday because of road conditions. “We may only get half of our deliveries made tomorrow,” he said. About 300 orders went out Wednesday, many of them moved up a day by the store’s staff, which predicted Thursday would be a bust for deliveries. An additional 800 or so bouquets and orchids and other orders are still on deck, Callahan said. Deliveries probably won’t be done until Sunday. “We’re now calling it Valentine’s Day Weekend.”The phone rang. Callahan answered before it could ring again. “Experience the beauty of Bethesda Florist, this is Tracy,” he said, in suddenly dulcet tones.The man on the line wanted to know if he could get some flowers delivered on Valentine’s Day.“I can’t guarantee it,” Callahan said. “It may go Saturday, and it may even go Sunday. It all depends on the remoteness of the address, and the roads.”“Is it better if I just come in?” the man asked.“You can definitely come in,” Callahan said. It was a familiar refrain and scene at flower shops all over the Washington area. ... https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/perfect-storm-for-florists-valentines-day-amid-big-snowfall-lead-to-bouquet-bust/2014/02/13/ac70a220-94f1-11e3-83b9-1f024193bb84_story.html

Local flower shop continues to bloom | News - Fauquier Times

New owner, same name.Designs by Teresa, the florist shop that’s been a fixture at the corner of Main Street and Alexandria Pike in Old Town Warrenton for years, will continue its place as a Warrenton fixture. Virginia Gerrish and her husband David purchased Designs by Teresa because they didn’t want Warrenton to lose another long-standing business. TIMES STAFF PHOTOS/JAMES IVANCIC David and Virginia Gerrish purchased the florist business on Oct. 31 and decided to keep the business’s well-known... https://www.fauquier.com/news/local-flower-shop-continues-to-bloom/article_e53e79a0-37b2-11ea-b96f-4b4e08567584.html

Flowers are a great last-minute gift — but be sure to send the right message - Seattle Times

Amy Merrick says in her new book, “On Flowers: Lessons From an Accidental Florist.” (Tif Hunter) Ashley Greer, owner of Atelier Ashley Flowers in Alexandria, Virginia, said clients tend to get stressed about their flower choices. “Some people are very self-conscious when it comes to flowers and their impressions,” Greer says. “People think that the flowers they use at an event or that they send are a direct reflection on them. And they want to be careful that their arrangement reflects their taste, their style and the occasion.”AdvertisingCondolence flowers may be what people most obsess about. “When you are sending something for a funeral you want to be sensitive,” Greer says. “Sometimes people say they don’t want to send anything that looks fun. They prefer something white and green.”Dowling, whose studio is in Alexandria, says condolence flowers “don’t have to be all white. Having flowers that are soft and comforting and focus on texture is a good way to go. Make them personal, and possibly reflecting a certain flower the person loved. Then they can really evoke the sense of a warm hug.”New York flower designer and illustrator Cathy Graham says her go-to sympathy flowers include a paperwhite plant and a white or blue hydrangea plant that could bloom for a few weeks. “You don’t have to do all white, but I would not use bright, festive colors.”Don’t overlook household pets when you are creating a bouquet or arrangement to send to someone, says Graham. “Lilies and other flowers are bad for cats,” says Graham, who worries about that with her own two ginger cats, Reggie and Cheddar. The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals publishes a list of plants that are poisonous to pets. img data-ratio="1.50037" data-caption="Included in this Atelier Ashley Flowers design for a baby shower are ranunculus, which mean radiant charm. It never hurts to let a woman who is about to give birth know that she is radiant, owner Ashley Greer says. (SKC Photography)" class alt="Included in this Atelier Ashley Flowers design for a baby shower are ranunculus, which mean radiant charm. It never hurts to let a woman who is about to give birth know that she is radiant, owner Ashley Greer says. (SKC Photography)" src="https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-780x520.jpg" srcset="https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-300x200.jpg 300w, https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-768x512.jpg 768w, https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-780x520.jpg 780w, https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://static.seattletimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/design-flowers-ba15b5bc-00a9-11ea-8501-2a7123a38c58-1560x1040.jpg 1... https://www.seattletimes.com/explore/shop-northwest/flowers-are-a-great-last-minute-gift-but-be-sure-to-send-the-right-message/

Del Ray couple opens floral design business - Alexandria Times

Oh, wow, it would be really fun to do flowers.’”(Council approves Del Ray Gardens restaurant)FLORA Roots & Stems offers free delivery of bouquets and arrangements to their Alexandria customers. (Courtesy Photo)Since starting up their two-person custom floral design company last spring as GIVE Del Ray, the Eggers have expanded their business to include houseplant sales and consultations. They recently rebranded to FLORA Roots & Stems.Amy has been designing floral arrangements since 1995, but her passion for plants dates back even further, to her grandparents’ rose garden in Del Ray.“My dad and his parents and siblings grew up on Randolph Avenue,” Amy said. “My grandmother was super creative. … She was in an article in ‘The Evening Star’ back in 1958 but for cake decorating. She was always very creative, and I was with her growing up quite a bit.”Amy said it was her grandmother who first taught her about floral arrangements. In addition, her grandfather did business in commercial real estate in Del Ray dating back to the 1940s.“For us to not only live in the same neighborhood as they did, but to have the chance of being business people in this neighborhood and contributing to the local economy, I think that [is] super cool,” Amy said.In addition to what she learned from her grandmother, Amy has honed her botanical expertise over the years through books and online courses. Initially, Amy and Mark’s vision for their business was to create a flower subscription and delivery service.img class="wp-image-53270 size-medium" src="https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/46661006_10156076175402549_3070800607599132672_o-300x225.jpg" alt width="300" height="225" srcset="https://alextimes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/46661006_10156076175402549_3070800607599132672_o... https://alextimes.com/2019/04/flora-roots-and-stems/

Feed the soul: In chaotic times, gardening becomes therapy - Sentinel & Enterprise

The virus scare could even usher in a new crop of gardeners who start from seed rather than risk the crowds buying starter plants.Kendra Schilling of Scott Depot, West Virginia, doesn’t have space for a sprawling garden, so she’s planting potatoes in a bucket and trying to figure out with her teenage daughter what to do with other vegetable seeds.“I usually go buy the plants and stick them in the dirt. But this year we’re going to try to do the seeds,” she says. “Thank God for YouTube.”___Associated Press writer Frank Jordans in Berlin contributed to this report. https://www.sentinelandenterprise.com/2020/03/31/feed-the-soul-in-chaotic-times-gardening-becomes-therapy/

Stuck inside? Tips for indoor gardening to bring green to your space while quarantined - USA TODAY

Gardening is... good for the soul," says Kevin Warhurst, vice president of the Merrifield Garden Center in Fairfax County, Virginia, one of the leading garden centers in the Washington metro area. Scientists say it's also good for body and mind."According to the Journal of Health Psychology, gardening is a great stress reliever, which most of us can use now more than ever," Warhurst says. "Just 30 minutes of gardening lowers cortisol hormones, the fight-or-flight response."Plants can remove allergens and produce oxygen in a room. And take it from NASA: Some indoor plants can clean the air inside, says Randy Schultz, gardening expert and content editor for HomeGardenandHomestead.com."A NASA study in 1989 proved that plants can remove (cancer-causing) toxins such as benzene and formaldehyde from indoor air," Schultz says. "Common houseplants such as pothos, gerbera daisy and peace lily are great air filters." Aloe vera plants are not only pleasing to look at, they're easy to grow and easy to transplant, and it's probably the most widely used medicinal plant in the world: Desert-dwellers have known for millennia it's a soothing treatment for minor burns. In the coronavirus crisis, it's a main ingredient of homemade hand sanitizer.Depending on where you live, you can probably visit your local garden center (and certainly its website) because it is considered an "essential" business still open during government-ordered shutdowns. As in the case of Merrifield, most gardening centers' products are outdoors on sprawling properties, so social distancing is possible.Here are some tips for indoor or urban gardeners provided by these experts:1. Get a seed-starter kitTender plants, including tomatoes, basil and peppers, or flowers such as marigolds, moon vine and salvia, can be started indoors and planted outdoors in pots or window boxes later in the spring, says Warhurst. "You can use a seed starting mix, plant the seeds in trays or small pots, and place the... https://www.usatoday.com/story/life/2020/03/31/coronavirus-quarantine-tips-garden-indoors-while-stuck-inside/2928016001/

Cosentino: On the phrase 'in lieu of flowers' - Auburn Citizen

The common motivation among people was the simple desire to say, "I hurt. This is wrong, this must stop."In fact, with virtually all tragic events, the same script plays out. Think Virginia Tech, Sandy Hook Elementary School, Las Vegas, Parkland and the Pittsburgh Synagogue ... and the list of mass tragedies goes on. In all these cases, flowers served as the salve to soothe the collective souls of a grieving public.And it is not just tragedies on this scale, either. When dignitaries’ lives end, tragically or not, impromptu floral memorials appear as if from ether. John Lennon, Princess Diana and John McCain comprise a small part of the list that illustrates the point.Even in our local communities across the nation, unexpected deaths inspire floral tributes. Bouquets dot our highways where accidents claimed the lives of motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians. Just watch the news and see the piles of flowers laid in memoriam when, in this world of ours, a child or young person’s life is cut tragically short in the violence we see all too often.So, why is it that with the deaths of those we love the most — our wives, husbands, children and grandparents — today’s social norms insist on the phrase “in lieu of flowers.”.modal-backdrop.in { filter: alpha(opacity=90); opacity: .9; background-color: #fff; } #lee-services-modal .dismiss-paywall { font-size: 50px; margin-top: -10px; z-index: 1; color: #000; opacity: .3; float: right; font-weight: 300; text-decoration: none; display: inline-block; line-height: 1; } #lee-services-modal .dismiss-paywall:hover { opacity: .6; } #lee-services-modal .dismiss-paywall:hover { opacity: .6; } #lee-services-modal .modal-content { box-shadow: 0 5px 15px rgba(0,0,0,.1); border: 1px solid rgba(0,0,0,.1); border-radius: 3px; } #lee-services-modal { font-family: 'Lato', sans-serif; } #lee-services-modal .modal-body { min-height: 300px; } #lee-services-modal .close { font-size: 30px; margin-top: -8px; z-index:1; } #lee-services-modal .modal-top { margin: 0 -15px 20px -15px; padding: 15px; z-index:0; border-bottom: 3px double rgba(0,0,0,.1); } #lee-services-modal .title { font-size: 24px; line-height: 24px; margin-bottom: 10px; ... https://auburnpub.com/lifestyles/cosentino-on-the-phrase-in-lieu-of-flowers/article_f5c28053-9411-52e0-b6d4-480c6c690868.html

The Gardeners Who Planted for US Presidents - Prescott eNews

Here are the highlights.Charles Bizet (1817–1825, under James Monroe) was a gardener who knew three presidents. Born in France, Bizet was working in Virginia by 1810. For the Madisons at Montpelier, Bizet designed a terraced, horseshoe-shaped garden near the house. In 1817, Thomas Jefferson noted in a letter to Madison that "Besey" had stopped at Monticello for seeds. From 1817 until 1825, Bizet worked on the White House grounds. Bizet went back to Montpelier at the end of Monroe's term.John Ousley (Served 1825–1852, under John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, Martin Van Buren, William Henry Harrison, John Tyler, James Polk, Zachary Taylor, Millard Fillmore, and Franklin Pierce) An Irish immigrant who arrived in 1818 at Perth Amboy, New Jersey, he started at the executive mansion in 1825. John Quincy Adams mentioned Ousley several times in his diary during his presidential term. A lifelong scholar, Ousley often taught our presidents the botanical names of the plants used.John Watt (Served 1852–1862, under Franklin Pierce, James Buchanan, and Abraham Lincoln) hailing from Scotland, Watt and his wife, Jane Masterson Watt, were both employed at the White House, he as head gardener, she as its first female usher. In 1857 he was the chairman of the Washington Horticultural Society. He bought palms from greenhouses in New Jersey. He ordered a giant water lily for the White House conservatory from Philadelphia in 1858.George R. McLeod (Served 1862–1865, under Abraham Lincoln) The second of three in a series of Scottish head ... https://www.prescottenews.com/index.php/features/columnists/mountain-gardener/item/34856-the-gardeners-who-planted-for-u-s-presidents