Lilium has carried Jellycat plush toys in the shop for several years. We love their unique designs and high quality craftsmanship, and they make perfect gifts for baby showers, birthdays and holidays. While we knew kids loved receiving Jellycats, we didn’t anticipate the increased interest from the teen and young adult (Generation Z) crowd. Thanks to social media platforms like TikTok, Jellycats are all the rage, and have become quite collectable.

what’s the big deal?

Jellycats are not your average plush toy. They are so very cuddly, made with luxury fabrics and stuffed just enough to be floppy and squeezable. Their designs range from classic teddy bears and long-eared bunnies to sea creatures, insects and dragons. The company’s Amuseable line brings everyday objects like food, plants, sports equipment, and holiday icons to life with cheerful smiles and adorable dangling legs and feet.

We started getting phone calls before Christmas this year from parents looking for specific Jellycats, not for their young children, but for their teens and young adults. TikTok, in particular, is filled with video content of Gen Zs showing off their latest Jellycat acquisition. Jellycat introduces two new collections per year, but they also retire about 75-100 plush designs per year. This creates even greater demand for the rare and hard to find Jellycat.

Jellycats have become quite collectable. There are websites for collectors that feature databases to help fans manage their collections. The company has experienced a 59% increase in online searches over the past year, with 639,000 searches per month.

HOLIDAY favorites

Jellycat releases new holiday styles each year, and most are sold out well before the holiday. Lilium will offer the Bashful Red Love Heart Bunny and Amuseable Pink and White Marshmallows for Valentine’s Day 2024. Quantities are limited, so don’t wait to place your order, or stop by in person to claim them for your own.

New to our collection

Lilium is pleased to offer a large selection of Jellycats, including bunnies, bears, kangaroos, koalas, cows and hippos. 2024 is the Year of the Dragon, so don’t miss out on Drake the Dragon (retired in 2021) and Snow Dragon. We are adding several NEW Jellycats to our inventory, including Finnegan Frog, Bashful Lamb, Fuddlewuddle Lion and Bashful Wolf.

Stop by Lilium and meet our menagerie of wonderful Jellycat creatures. Take one or two home to add to your own collection!


The world’s leading prognosticator of color trends, the Pantone Color Institute, has announced the 2024 Color of the Year: Peach Fuzz. Following last year’s vibrant pick, Viva Magenta, this year the Pantone Institute has opted for a softer, warmer, velvety hue.

This isn’t the peach of the ’80s (often paired with Seafoam Green). Peach Fuzz (Pantone #13-1023) evokes not only a color, but a texture. According to the Pantone website, “Visually arresting and inviting, Peach Fuzz is a nurturing peach tone that inspires us to instinctively want to reach out and touch. Conveying a message of tactility that comes through in sueded, velvety, quilted, and furry textures, luxuriously soothing and soft to the touch, Peach Fuzz is an enveloping peach hue that awakens our senses to the comforting presence of tactility and cocooned warmth.”

25 YEARS OF COLOR INFLUENCE

In 2024, Pantone’s Color of the Year program celebrates 25 years of highlighting the role color plays in our lives. The Color of the Year impacts fashion, cosmetics, home furnishings, product design and packaging, multimedia design and commercial interiors, to name a few. Today, the program is a globally-recognized barometer of color trends.

The Color of the Year selection is the result of ongoing discussions among Pantone Color Institute team members. They represent a wide range of design, cultural and geographical backgrounds. The common thread is expertise in color and design, and the ability to see the world through the “lens of color.”

That’s why I liken them to being color anthropologists. They have this intuitive ability to connect all that is taking place in the world and translate it into the language of color. What especially impresses me about the Pantone Color of the Year selection process is that although our Pantone Color Institute members reside in disparate locations and are involved in differing areas of design, we are always able to come to a consensus.

Laurie pressman, vice president

PEACHES ARE ALWAYS IN SEASON

You might think of peach as a spring or summer color, but it is actually versatile year-round. Some of our favorite fall arrangements include peach blooms.


brides pick PEACHes year-round

Peach is a very versatile color in the floral realm. Whether it’s peaches and creams, peaches with bright summer blooms, or peaches mixed with fall dahlias and grassy textures, brides are favoring peach hues for their ceremony and reception florals.


peachy blooms

Peach is plentiful in the floral world. Roses, dahlias, ranunculus, tulips and many other varieties are available in peach hues. It is an easy color to incorporate into a number of color palettes. As you can see below, peach can complement brights or muted tones just as easily as it works with rich jewel tones.

Contact Lilium at 817-481-1565,or visit our web site at www.liliumflorals.com to explore the use of this year’s color trends.

It is said that art imitates life. In reality, however, art isn’t the imitator, but rather the influencer. Art impacts our culture in many ways, through literature, music, architecture, and design (including floral design). At Lilium, our tagline is “The Art of Flowers.” We truly feel that floral design is an art form, and we are often inspired by the art world. Five of the most influential art movements include: Baroque (Dutch Still Life), Abstract Expressionism, Cubism, Pop Art and Impressionism. Each of these genres provides unique inspiration for our floral designers.

Baroque (dutch still life)

Baroque art flourished in the 17th and 18th Century throughout Europe. It is most often associated with excessive ornamentation and emotion, usually depicting great drama, with rich, deep color, intense light and dark shadows. The Baroque genre, however, encompasses many sub-categories of art, including Dutch Still Life. Dutch artists like Rembrandt van Rijn (known simply as Rembrandt), Johannes Vermeer and Vincent Van Gough are the most widely known artists of the Dutch Golden Age.

Also part of the Dutch movement was Rachel Ruysch, known for her floral still life paintings. In the 17th Century, the Netherlands became a prominent importer of exotic plants from around the world. Wealthy merchants collected species and passed them from grower to grower, giving birth to the cut flower market. Flowers became appreciated for their fragrance and beauty, not simply for their medicinal properties. Flower paintings became an expression of wealth. They generally featured dark backgrounds, with a variety of rich, vibrant stems arranged in an organic, flowing design.

We are inspired by the variety of flowers seen in the paintings. The flowers often seen in the paintings showcased the full blooms and long drapey stems—which really creates an appreciation for each flower. Using the full length of the stem of a tulip is a great way to showcase its natural beauty. Lilium’s designers’ interpretation of this style features more than a dozen varieties of flowers and foliage, including parrot tulips from Holland.

Cubism

Made popular in the early 20th Century by Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, Cubism art is marked by geometric shapes painted to represent reality in a fragmented and abstract way. Most often, these works feature a flat, two-dimensional surface. Featured objects are broken up and reassembled in an abstract form. It aims to show the observer all of the possible viewpoints of an object all at once, resulting in an altered reality. This revolutionary style of painting ignored traditional shading, dimension and perspective in order to depict a multi-faceted view.

Pablo Picasso’s Harlequin Playing Guitar (1918)

“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”

Pablo Picasso

In floral design terms, Cubism art can be interpreted with simple, geometric shapes and interlocking planes. We like using reeds, branches and varieties of greenery to capture this style.

Abstract Expressionism

This post-World War II art movement is rooted in America (specifically, New York). Abstract Expressionism is marked by “spontaneous” creation, in that art comes from the unconscious mind. Artists like Jackson Pollock and Morris Louis used large gestures to spontaneously create large abstract paintings, reflecting whatever the artist was feeling in that moment.

Interpreting Abstract Expressionism in floral design gives us a great deal of freedom to be creative. We can have fun with texture, color and shape. Flowers like Birds of Paradise, Anthurium and Ginger provide pops of color and unique shapes.

Pop Art

The Pop Art movement came about in the United Kingdom and United States in the mid- to late-1950s. In a departure from traditional subjects, pop artists chose objects from popular culture: advertising, comic books, logos, or common everyday objects. Artists most recognized in the Pop Art movement include Eduardo Paolozzi, Roy Lichtenstein, Jasper Johns, David Hockney and Andy Warhol.

Translating pop art vibes into floral design can be a lot of fun. We can use unconventional vessels, like product cans, tins or jars. However, inspiration doesn’t have to be literal. Our version of Pop Art shown here feature florals in bold, contrasting colors arranged in a playful way that catches the eye.

iMPRESSIONISM

Impressionism was a revolutionary movement that emerged in France in the late 19th Century. Inspired by photography, impressionist painters such as Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, and Camille Pissarro sought to capture light, color and movement in natural and urban settings. Impressionist works were often painted outdoors rather than in a studio.

Impressionism is characterized by short, but visible, brush strokes that capture the essence of a subject, not the details. Color is applied side by side, with as little mixing as possible, making the colors appear even more vibrant.

Floral interpretation of Impressionism might include soft, garden-style arrangements. Designs may be linear to mimic landscapes. Analogous colors represent a blend of color and form.

The Masters, painters who were ground breakers in their medium more than a century ago, and those who have left their mark on the art world since, continue to influence what we do at Lilium. While they worked in oils, watercolors, and acrylics, our medium is flowers, greenery and texture. Nature provides the most stunning color palette. The result is what we consider “the art of flowers.”

The protea is one of the oldest species of flower, believed to date back 300 million years. Botanist Carl Linnaeus named the protea for the Greek god Proteus, known for his ability to change shape at will. Like its namesake, the protea comes in many different shapes and varieties. To date, horticulturists have identified around 1400 species.

The protea has many uniquely adapted qualities. It has a hearty stalk that extends deep underground, which is the plant’s defense mechanism against wildfires. The underground stems have dormant buds that will produce new growth after a fire. Since bush fires are a common occurrence in the plant’s native environment, it is well designed to survive and reproduce. Further, protea actually need fire, as it causes the flowers to release their seeds.

Protea are also known as sugarbushes, due to the large amount of nectar they produce. The nectar can be directly consumed or made into a syrup. The syrup is said to taste similar to maple syrup, with a fruity after-taste.

King Protea

The king protea, or giant protea, makes a stunning focal point in any floral arrangement. Resembling a crown, the king protea reigns as the largest of the protea species. It is the national flower of South Africa, where it grows naturally along the Cape of Good Hope. The bloom maintains its importance in the country, even appearing on official documents like passports and birth certificates, as well as their coins.

Growers in the southern United States have successfully cultivated the plant, which is great news for U.S. florists. Our friends at Maui Floral say cut king protea can last up to 16 days with proper care. They need a good-sized vase and plenty of water. Their life span can be extended by trimming the stems once a day and placing back into the water.

mink protea

Mink protea have a cup shaped flower head. Its bracts (colorful leaves that are often mistaken for petals), characteristically have a black fringe on the tips. It ranges in color from dark pink to creamy green or white.

pincushion protea

When you hear the word, “pincushion,” you might picture a bright red cloth tomato filled with some abrasive material to store pins and keep them sharp. While the Pincushion Protea may resemble this common sewing tool, its “pins” are actually individual petals. Upon first glance, it appears to be a single flower, but in fact, it is a composite bloom, made up of many small flowers and colourful bracts. 

Lilium sources these blooms from Hawaii, and sometimes California, They are generally available in yellow, orange and red hues. Pincushion protea pair well with other tropical stems in floral arrangements. They make a striking addition to traditional arrangements as well.

Banksia

Another protea variety you’ll find in a Lilium arrangement is banksia. These tropical beauties are easily identified by their leaves, which feature a serrated edge. Banksia are commonly found in shades of yellow or green, but they may also produce striking red, pink and orange blooms.

The plant is named for Sir Joseph Banks, who in 1770 first collected specimens in Botany Bay on the Australian coast. Like its fellow protea species, banksia relies on fire to prompt a release of seeds. It is now cultivated in the U.S. in California and Hawaii.

At Lilium, our tagline is “The Art of Flowers.” We source our fresh product from all over the world to offer our clients something unique, something they won’t find from other floral retailers. We are a custom shop, with an ever-changing inventory of fresh blooms and foliage. We love the unique qualities protea offer, and how they can be incorporated into beautiful artistic arrangements. Let us create living art for you today by calling 817-481-1565 or visiting us online at www.liliumflorals.com

When we take orders for floral arrangements, we usually start with the basics… recipient’s name, phone number, delivery date, delivery address. The conversation is rolling along nicely until we get to a certain point: the card message. Nothing brings the process to a halt like a customer trying to decide what to say to the recipient. Often, the sender will ask us for suggestions. While messages are personal and there is no “template” for what to say, generally, the card message should come from the heart and be appropriate for the occasion. We have compiled a few ideas to consider on your next floral order.

short and sweet

Floral enclosure cards are small, roughly two inches by four inches. Lilium enclosure cards feature our logo on front, with our contact information and floral care recommendations on the back. That allows for a short message and signature. Perhaps you can say, “how do I love thee,” but there will not be enough space to “let me count the ways.” Concise messages can still effectively express your thoughts, feelings and well wishes.

what’s the occasion?

Because we are frequently asked to assist in composing a card message, we have a little experience in this area. Some occasions lend themselves to creativity, while others are best simply stated. Following are a few suggestions, arranged by occasion:

Birthdays
  • Celebrating you
  • May all of your birthday wishes come true
  • Cheers to you on your birthday
  • The day you were born is cause for celebration
  • You’re not getting older, you’re getting better
  • Love on your birthday and every day
  • Don’t count the years, count the blessings
  • Wishing you a very happy birthday… and many more
  • Hugs, kisses and birthday wishes
ANNIVERSARY
  • Thank you for loving me like no one else
  • Every year with you is sweeter than the last
  • Celebrating us
  • Happiness isn’t perfect until it is shared
  • I love you for who you are and who I am when I’m with you
  • Your love is all I need. Happy anniversary
  • You take my breath away today and every day
  • Looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you
  • Every day is an adventure, every year better than the last
  • May this anniversary reflect all the special moments you’ve shared, and all the wonderful moments to come
sympathy
  • With love and sympathy
  • Thinking of you in these difficult times
  • Sharing in your sorrow
  • With loving memories
  • May happy memories fill the sadness in your heart
  • You are in our thoughts and prayers
  • With heartfelt condolences
  • Thinking of you as you celebrate _____’s incredible life
  • _______ will be greatly missed
cheer up/just because
  • I hope these flowers brighten your day
  • Sending joy your way today
  • I hope these ruin a perfectly bad day
  • For the best reason of all – none
  • May your day be as wonderful as you are
get well
  • Wishing you a speedy recovery
  • Hang in there, and get well soon
  • Sending hugs and get well wishes
  • All this for a few days off work? Get well soon
  • We are here for you every step of the way
new baby
  • Congratulations on your newest blessing. Can’t wait to meet him/her
  • A beautiful miracle for your family. Congratulations
  • Congratulations on your new little one
  • Welcome to the world, ________. Congratulations to Mom & Dad
  • Congratulations on your bundle of joy
  • Sleep is overrated, babies are not. Congratulations

There are, of course, many reasons to send flowers that are not represented here, but we’ve tried to highlight the most frequent requests. Feel free to inject your own personality, a privately-shared joke, pet nickname, etc. While card messages should be personal, be discriminating about how much personal information to include in your message. Keep in mind that the shop sales staff, floral designers and delivery drivers can all see your message on the work order/delivery ticket. We’ve just about heard it all… sometimes more than we wanted to know. Lilium’s policy is to be discreet and protect our clients’ privacy. However, some messages are best delivered by you, in person.

At Lilium, we think our beautiful custom arrangements send a message all on their own, but we understand that the recipient will want to know who sent them. So, the next time you have a reason to send flowers, Lilium staff will be standing by to help you select the perfect arrangement, paired with the perfect card message. 817-481-1565. www.liliumflorals.com

In these challenging times, every retailer has a story… it may be one of struggle, confusion, anxiety, compromise, resolve, triumph, defeat, or if we are being honest, a combination of these experiences. For Lilium, the past few months have brought unprecedented challenges, highs and lows. We are still navigating this ever-changing business climate, but if there is one thing we can be sure of, it is that we would not still be standing without the support of our loyal customer base.

After surviving four years of highway construction in front of Lilium, where our entrances were often completely blocked, we were well-positioned for a banner year in 2020. Our recent building expansion was complete, and we were enjoying brisk sales in January and February. On March 9, we received a phone call from a standing account saying that they needed to cancel their weekly services. Losses mounted as those calls continued over the following four days.

There was tremendous confusion from federal, state and local governments as to proper protocol. Disinfect surfaces? Wear masks? What was essential business? Ultimately, florists were deemed “critical infrastructure” by the state of Texas, and florists were allowed to operate. Not only was this important in preserving jobs for our staff, we recognized the opportunity to make a positive impact on our community during discouraging times.

supply chain break

Our supply chain literally broke overnight. Every single local wholesaler closed. Farmers from all over the world were desperately trying to find a way to get their product to market. Trucking capacity dropped, flights were cancelled. We had to completely change our purchasing model, but in the end, we were able to obtain the same high quality product that our customers expect and enjoy.

when life gives you lemons…

As you might imagine, the loss of standing accounts, cancelled events, postponed weddings, no proms or graduation celebrations hit us hard. However, occasions that would typically be reasons to gather became occasions to send flowers. When families couldn’t be together for Easter, they sent flowers. With many working from home, business executives couldn’t take their administrative staff to lunch for Administrative Professionals Day. They sent flowers.

For the same reason, we anticipated that Mother’s Day was going to be busier than normal. So many were not able to honor their moms in person, but wanted to make her day special. Because of the disrupted supply chain, we were not able to create a Mother’s Day menu as we have in the past. We were receiving beautiful product, but couldn’t select specific stems as we normally would. Without missing a beat, we were able to deliver double the number of Mother’s Day arrangements over last year.

Community support

Again, we would not have survived the past few months without the tremendous support of our customers and community. The local community really rallied behind local businesses. The City of Colleyville twice issued postcards with a $35 value to be used at local businesses. Many of our loyal customers called to ask how they could help. They increased their purchase frequency, which boosted our day-to-day sales and kept us going.

The challenges of this pandemic have forced us out of our comfort zone in many ways. We had to get creative and find new opportunities as former ones disappeared. We have risen to the challenge, and our customer base has actually grown out of this adversity. Lilium is proud to have kept our full-time staff working, and to have served our customers and community well. Our commitment remains to serve you with high quality, beautiful floral designs and top-notch customer service. Most importantly, we THANK YOU for your continuing loyal support.

The Pantone Color Institute has declared the color of the year for 2019: Living Coral. The vibrant, yet soothing shade is thought to represent our ever-changing environment. Look for the warm, salmon pink shade to pop up in home decor, apparel and accessories, cosmetics, housewares and paint colors.

The Pantone Color Institute has been selecting a single color of the year (with the exception of 2016 when two colors shared the honor) for the past 20 years. Their selection is based on careful trend analysis. They explore the entertainment industry, world-wide art collections, fashion, design, and trending travel destinations. They also consider modern lifestyles, recreation trends, and socio-economic conditions. This year, they clearly give a nod to the environment, calling attention to the preservation of our coral reefs.

Color is an equalizing lens through which we experience our natural and digital realities and this is particularly true for Living Coral. With consumers craving human interaction and social connection, the humanizing and heartening qualities displayed by the convivial Pantone Living Coral hit a responsive chord.Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute       

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute       

Influences of Technology and Advertising

The Institute’s color choice also takes into account new technologies, materials, textures, and relevant social media platforms. They carefully monitor heavy hitters in the advertising world, like Apple and Airbnb, to provide hints as to trends on the rise.

Airbnb’s recent advertising campaign, shown here in a subway car, features a background very similar to Living Coral.

Floral Implications

2018’s designated color of the year, Ultra Violet, influenced wedding florals throughout the year. Greenery, the 2017 winner, impacted wedding trends in both color and use of natural materials. We expect Living Coral will do the same. In the floral world, the shade can be found in a variety of blooms: roses, dahlias, tulips, gerbera daisies, and peonies to name a few.

Dahlias
David Austin roses
gerbera daisies
Bridal bouquet of coral tulips
Coral peonies

Living Coral pairs well with both light and dark colors. In floral arrangements, it is complemented beautifully by green foliage. It is equally at home with pinks and whites, or with fellow warm colors like yellow or orange. Living Coral pops against almost any shade of blue, particularly turquoise.

Coral anthurium sits front and center in this vibrant arrangement.

According to Pantone’s website, “Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression.” Lilium agrees with their joyous assessment.  We receive a variety of fresh flowers weekly, including blooms in the coral palette. We look forward to finding creative ways to incorporate this year’s Pantone Color of the Year into our fresh arrangements.

There is everlasting love and everlasting life, but sadly, there is no such thing as an everlasting flower.  If there is any downside to purchasing fresh cut flowers, it is the fact that they are perishable. Fresh flowers are so beautiful, we want them to stay that way as long as possible. While there is no method that will make your flowers everlasting, there are some tips that will make them longer lasting.

Location, Location, Location

When a flower is growing in the ground or container, the sun is its friend. But the moment a flower is cut, the sun and flower are no longer on speaking terms. Sunlight speeds the deterioration of cut flowers.  Place your fresh arrangement in a cool location, out of direct sunlight. In addition, make sure your flowers are not sitting directly under an air vent.

If you have a boutonniere or corsage,  store it in the refrigerator away from fruits and vegetables. An apple a day may keep the doctor away, but it makes fresh flowers sickly. Fresh fruits and veggies emit ethylene gas, which speeds up the aging process for flowers.

Water

If you are putting cut flowers into a vase, start with a fresh cut on all stems. Trim stems at an angle using sharp scissors or a sharp knife. This will help them draw water up the stem more easily. Floral stems have capillaries  that are used to draw in water. If you use a dull blade to trim stems, you are squeezing the capillaries closed, preventing the flow of water to the flower.

Start with clean water and a clean vase. Many internet sites will advise adding various elements to the water, including aspirin, sugar, bleach, vinegar, or even a penny. If you purchased your flowers locally, however, the chances are your flowers have already been treated with a natural flower food and do not benefit from any of these additives.

If you receive an arrangement already in a vase, be sure to top off the water daily, making sure all stems are submerged in the water.  For best results, pour out the water and completely replace it with clean water every two-three days.

Purchase Long-Lasting Varieties

At Lilium, we are often asked how long a customer can expect their flower arrangement to last. In general, five-seven days is what you can expect. Anything beyond that is a bonus. There are certain varieties, however, that are longer lasting than others. Lilies and orchids are among the varieties that stick around for a while. Tropical flowers, like ginger, heliconia, pincushions, and birds of paradise can last up to two weeks.

tropical arrangement
This arrangement is created using long-lasting tropicals, including cymbidium orchids, mink protea and monstera leaves
Ginger, heliconia. anthurium and mokara orchids fresh from Maui make a striking and long-lasting arrangement

Hydrangea is one of the most popular blooms used in fresh arrangements, but tends to be high maintenance. One of its unique characteristics is that it drinks from its petals as well as its stem. If you have a hydrangea that looks sickly, try submerging it (head and all) under water for a few minutes and it will perk back up.

Reliable Roses

There is a misconception that roses do not last very long. If you purchase premium roses that are cut at maturity, they will last longer. Roses cut too early will not open consistently, and their heads will droop. Lilium uses Corazon roses from Rio Roses. The Corazon is an award-winning Blue Ribbon rose with a proven track record. The blooms open 4″-5″ inches across, but in spite of the impressive show, the heads will not droop.

Reliable Roses
Corazon roses are the star of this classic rose arrangement

Lilium believes that educating consumers about properly caring for their arrangement or plant is an important step. We want customers to be satisfied with their purchases, while being realistic in their expectations of a perishable product. On every Lilium arrangement, potted orchid or plant, a care card is attached. In addition, care instructions are printed on the back of our message cards. We can’t prevent the demise of a cut flower, but we can work together to prolong its life.

The holidays are barely behind us, but we are headed full-steam toward Valentine’s Day. In the world of sports, all eyes turn to the Super Bowl February 4 and the Olympic Games on February 9. In the flower game, however, the biggest event of the year happens a few days later on February 14. Whether you mark the day with cards, flowers or candy, Valentine’s Day is one of the most anticipated (and sometimes dreaded) days of the year.  In honor of the big day, we thought we’d share a few fun facts about Valentine’s Day.

There was more than one Saint Valentine, but the one most associated with Valentine’s Day is the one who defied Emperor Claudius II by helping couples to marry in secret. The emperor felt single men made better soldiers, and forbade them to marry, but Valentine was sympathetic to their plight. Valentine’s actions cost him his head, but he is immortalized centuries later as we celebrate love. Isn’t that romantic?

Nothing takes you back to those classroom Valentine’s Day parties like a box of conversation hearts. Invented in 1866, Necco (New England Confectionery Company) now produces 8 billion conversation hearts each year. Production continues year-round to meet the February demand. Each box contains assorted messages (50-60 different ones are produced each year), including current references like, “IM Me.” If you have a few boxes left once Valentine’s Day has passed, don’t worry. They have a shelf life of five years!

Vernona, Italy, home of William Shakespeare’s fictional lovers Romeo and Juliet, receives approximately 1000 letters addressed to Juliet each year. Letters to Juliet are answered by members of the Club di Guilietta, who take their task very seriously.

Casa di Guiletta in Verona
Visitors to Casa di Guilietta leave behind love notes

Overall, $18.2 billion is spent on Valentine’s Day each year. The average man spends $150; the average woman spends $74. Approximately 9 million people will purchase a Valentine gift for a pet.

Hallmark began mass-producing Valentine’s Day greeting cards in 1913. Today, approximately $1 billion is spent on Valentines, making it the second largest card-giving occasion, behind Christmas. According to Hallmark, 50% of the US population purchases Valentine’s Day greeting cards. Of that number, half are purchased in the six days prior to February 14. Procrastinate much?

Hallmark's popup flower bouquet
Hallmark Valentine

Chocolates are a favorite gift choice for Valentine’s Day. We often see those heart-shaped boxes on retail shelves before the Christmas clearance signs even go up. Why chocolates? Historians tell us that physicians in the 1800s advised their patients to eat chocolate to calm their pinings for lost love. Chocolate increases the brain’s level of serotonin,  the feel-good chemical. In the mid-1800s, Richard Cadbury produced the first box of chocolates specifically for Valentine’s Day. He designed the heart-shaped boxes himself, adorned with roses and Cupids. Whether we purchase the chocolate to celebrate love, or mourn the lack of it, Americans spend $1 billion on Valentine’s Day chocolates each year.

Flowers remain the most popular expression of Valentine’s Day affection, with red roses topping the list of romantic blooms. Americans will purchase 220 million stems of roses for their Valentines this year.

The tradition of sending flowers comes from a custom of using non-verbal methods of communication. Looking back to the 1800s once again, specific flowers were assigned meanings to convey certain sentiments. Years later, we still honor many of the sentiments attached to our favorite blooms. The classic red rose symbolizes love, beauty, romance and perfection. Tulips stand for perfect love. Peonies are most often associated with romance and bashfulness, with some believing they bring good luck.

Corazon roses from Rio Roses, premium blue-ribbon roses, are known for their large, long-lasting blooms.
Tulips from Holland represent perfect love.
Fan-favorite peonies are not officially in season, but a few lucky florists will have them in stock.

Weekday Valentine’s Days are the busiest for florists, as people take advantage of sending flowers to their loved ones at work. With Valentine’s Day falling on Wednesday this year, consider sending an arrangement early in the week. You will get the best selection of flowers before the rush, and the recipient will be the first in the office to receive flowers (making them the envy of their co-workers, and making you the hero).

When it comes to sending flowers, anything goes! According to the Society of American Florists (SAF), about one third of women send flowers to their husbands or boyfriends. No significant other in your life this year? SAF says that about 20% of women will send flowers to themselves for Valentine’s Day. #wewontjudgeyou

Whether you are celebrating with your sweetheart, or celebrating single-hood, have a  Happy Valentine’s Day!

The color experts at the Pantone Color Institute have named their Color of the Year for 2018: Ultra Violet. The annual announcement is much-anticipated by designers, manufacturers and trend watchers throughout the country. The chosen color influences fashion, cosmetics, and all things for the home, from paint to textiles, furnishings to florals. Ultra Violet (Pantone 18-3838) is a celestial shade of purple, that falls on the cooler end of the spectrum. It calls to mind  the vastness of the galaxy and all its mysteries.

Ultra Violet influences across multiple categories

Pantone’s Power

Pantone is synonymous with color for a vast array of industries, but it started in the printing industry. They developed an innovative color matching system in 1962, including a swatch book, that ensures colors chosen would match from one print job to the next. The idea spread to include other industries, including plastics, digital technology, fashion and home. As the existing standard for accurate color communication, their color of the year selection becomes more influential with each passing year.

Ultra Violet dominates graphic design and packaging.
Ultra Violet influences beauty products

When choosing the annual color of the year, Pantone experts consider influences from fashion, film, technology, art and travel. They visit venues and events all over the world, including art shows, auto shows, and world events like the Olympic Games, making note of how color is being used.

Pop culture also influences the choice. For example, musical icons Prince, David Bowie and Jimi Hendrix have often been associated with shades of purple. The color evokes creativity and originality. It is also associated with royalty, wealth and complexity.

We are living in a time that requires inventiveness and imagination. It is the kind of creative inspiration that is indigenous to PANTONE 18-3838 Ultra Violet, a blue-based purple that takes our awareness and potential to a higher level. From exploring new technologies and the greater galaxy, to artistic expression and spiritual reflection, intuitive Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come.Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

Leatrice Eiseman, Executive Director of the Pantone Color Institute

Purple Pairings

The shade has both warm and cool tones in it, which makes it versatile. Ultra Violet blends well with other shades of purple, and also serves as a strong complementary color. Suggested palettes include:

Purple Reigns

In the floral industry, purples are popular for all occasions, but there is definitely a trend toward purple for weddings. Flowers in shades of purple are available in abundance, and, as you can see from the suggested palettes above, they pair well with many other hues a bride might want to include.

Ultra Violet can be incorporated into floral arrangements for any occasion. It can be either masculine or feminine, so it is a very versatile color. Flowers that capture the spirit of the 2018 Pantone color of the year include calla lilies, hydrangea, dahlias, lisianthus, zinnias, asters, roses, scabiosa, lilacs, chrysanthemums, delphinium, hyacinth, orchids, stock, violets and tulips.

Stop by Lilium or visit our website at www.liliumflorals.com to explore your passion for purple, and visit the Pantone Color Institute website at www.pantone.com to read more about this year’s pick.