This week sees the arrival of new vases and containers for flowers - flowers from your garden, your neighbour's garden, or maybe from your favourite flower shop!
Small and stylish, they look great in a grouping or simply elegant on their own.
Check back for the photos later this week...

Slavery, snakes, shamrocks and Van Morrison

Think about shamrocks and ivy for a little spring pick-me-up, or simply a nod to Saint Patrick.

Patrick was born to a British family in the early part of the 5th century. At the age of 16 he was kidnapped and sold into slavery. He spent six years as a slave in Ireland, before escaping and eventually returning to his home in England.
Some time later Patrick returned to Ireland with the intention of converting the Irish to Christianity (hmmm, getting back at them for that slavery-thing?) He was not the first missionary to preach there, but he was extraordinarily successful.
Now there was some notoriety regarding him ridding Ireland of snakes... but that was probably just to sex-up the story. There was no history or evidence of snakes on the island.

So this week - enjoy some shamrocks (or oxalis!), sip a bit of Guinness or Jamesons, put some Van Morrison on the turn-table, and celebrate this wonderful burst of spring and St.Patrick's Day.

Pssst - rumour also has it that St.Patrick was crazy for mini orchids. Who knew?



Mini orchids, ideal for little gifts, desktop or bookshelves,
$15 everyday



Hello March!

Well, the first of March is here and we have not had enough winter to grumble about.

i fiori is getting back to normal - fresh Ontario freesia, ranunculas, parrot tulips and spray roses fill the fridge. There is a rainbow of gerbera daisies in the shop, and I picked up a carload of orchids and primulas yesterday... which seem to be selling rather quickly(!)

I want to thank many of you for your kind words and random hugs this past week after the death of my mom. I look around the store as it is beginning to burst with plants that will do double-duty in your home or outside on your balconies, terrasses and decks, and I think that mom would have loved this shop.

And it is all about the plants this week.  I have lovely oxalis (commonly referred to as shamrock plants - a mis-identification, but let's not take ourselves so seriously) in green, burgundy and the bi-colour 'iron cross'. They are happy little houseplants who do very well on patios and balconies when the weather gets warmer. The plant blooms more or less continually - the delicate flowers are pretty and small. Oxalis will get bushy as opposed to trailing.


iron cross oxalis :: burgundy & green