Common name: herbs
Availability: all year round
Cost: $10
Buying tips:
Look for a uniform colour, strong leaves
Avoid spotted, yellow foliages
Care and conditioning:
When it comes to watering, container gardens dry out faster and require more attention. How much you water will depend on several factors, including:
• Type of soil or potting mix used
• Amount of exposure to sun, rainfall and wind
• Average temperature
• Size of your plant(s)
The essential oils, that give herbs their flavour and aroma, are produced in the largest quantity when they receive plenty of light. For best results, most herb varieties require at least 6 hours of sun per day. If growing indoors, many plants will do fine on a south facing windowsill. If the amount of light is not enough, you can supplement light with fluorescent lamps or a grow light, especially during the winter months.
Availability: all year round
Cost: $10
Buying tips:
Look for a uniform colour, strong leaves
Avoid spotted, yellow foliages
Care and conditioning:
When it comes to watering, container gardens dry out faster and require more attention. How much you water will depend on several factors, including:
• Type of soil or potting mix used
• Amount of exposure to sun, rainfall and wind
• Average temperature
• Size of your plant(s)
The essential oils, that give herbs their flavour and aroma, are produced in the largest quantity when they receive plenty of light. For best results, most herb varieties require at least 6 hours of sun per day. If growing indoors, many plants will do fine on a south facing windowsill. If the amount of light is not enough, you can supplement light with fluorescent lamps or a grow light, especially during the winter months.
Common name: dooder vine, golden dodder, beggar vine, love vine, strangleweed
Botanical name: Cuscuta spp, Cuscuta campestris Yunck
Cost: $10 a bundle
Recommended uses: they are usually used in arrangements and create more movement, rhytme in the design
Flower form: Herbaceous plant
Origin / Environment: Australian or overseas, depending on species.
Availability / Natural season: Golden dodder is an annual, parasitic vine
Buying tips: look for thin, leafless, twining, brown to yellow stems
Other information:
Stems are bright yellow (golden) to green, often completely without chlorophyll. They are smooth, hairless, thread-like about 1 mm thick and branched, twining tightly on host plants. They attach by small suckers which penetrate the stems and leaves of the host plant.
Noxious weed of NSW, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.
Botanical name: Cuscuta spp, Cuscuta campestris Yunck
Cost: $10 a bundle
Recommended uses: they are usually used in arrangements and create more movement, rhytme in the design
Flower form: Herbaceous plant
Origin / Environment: Australian or overseas, depending on species.
Availability / Natural season: Golden dodder is an annual, parasitic vine
Buying tips: look for thin, leafless, twining, brown to yellow stems
Other information:
Stems are bright yellow (golden) to green, often completely without chlorophyll. They are smooth, hairless, thread-like about 1 mm thick and branched, twining tightly on host plants. They attach by small suckers which penetrate the stems and leaves of the host plant.
Noxious weed of NSW, SA, TAS, VIC, WA.
Common name: common holly, English holly, European holly, holme, hollin
Botanical name: llex aquifolium
Cost: $15
Recommended uses: ornamental, they are used for festive decorations, hedging, firewood, woodwork and as a winter feed for sheep.
Flower form: hardy tree or shrub
Origin / Environment: West Asia, North Africa, and South and West Europe, Britain. It is commonly found as an understorey tree or shrub in oak and beech woods.
Buying tips: select glossy, dark green leaves with a strong stems. Avoid leaves with spots, brown.
Care and conditioning: cut the stems and put them in fresh water
Other information:
The berries are mildly toxic to humans and will cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. It is recommended to wear gloves when pruning holly to protect against the prickly leaves.
The tradition of holly decoration began with the early pagans of Europe, who brought holly inside in the winter to keep evil spirits away.
Botanical name: llex aquifolium
Cost: $15
Recommended uses: ornamental, they are used for festive decorations, hedging, firewood, woodwork and as a winter feed for sheep.
Flower form: hardy tree or shrub
Origin / Environment: West Asia, North Africa, and South and West Europe, Britain. It is commonly found as an understorey tree or shrub in oak and beech woods.
Buying tips: select glossy, dark green leaves with a strong stems. Avoid leaves with spots, brown.
Care and conditioning: cut the stems and put them in fresh water
Other information:
The berries are mildly toxic to humans and will cause vomiting and diarrhoea if eaten. It is recommended to wear gloves when pruning holly to protect against the prickly leaves.
The tradition of holly decoration began with the early pagans of Europe, who brought holly inside in the winter to keep evil spirits away.
Common name: leather fern, leatherleaf,
Botanical name: Rumohra adiantiformis
Cost: $5
Recommended uses: Excellent base for most arrangements. Slant cut the stem for an easy insertion into the floral foam
Flower form: foliages
Origin / Environment: Central & South America, South Africa, Australia
Availability / Natural season:
Buying tips: all year long
Select fresh, undamaged leaves and avoid drooping leaves or those with brown marks or edges
Care and conditioning:
Does not need to be refrigerated
Recut at least 1 cm off each stem and place in water immediately
Mist them every now and then
Replace vase water with fresh water every second day
Other information:
Vase life varies from 12 to 14 days
Botanical name: Rumohra adiantiformis
Cost: $5
Recommended uses: Excellent base for most arrangements. Slant cut the stem for an easy insertion into the floral foam
Flower form: foliages
Origin / Environment: Central & South America, South Africa, Australia
Availability / Natural season:
Buying tips: all year long
Select fresh, undamaged leaves and avoid drooping leaves or those with brown marks or edges
Care and conditioning:
Does not need to be refrigerated
Recut at least 1 cm off each stem and place in water immediately
Mist them every now and then
Replace vase water with fresh water every second day
Other information:
Vase life varies from 12 to 14 days
Common name: Oak
Botanical name: Quercus
Cost: $10
Recommended uses: Suits formal, mediterranean & oriental designs
Flower form: Foliages
Origin / Environment: America, Asia, Europe, North Africa
Buying tips: Look for green, uniform leaves with no marks or spot on them
Care and conditioning: cut the stems on arrival and place them in fresh water
Other information:
Oak is national plant of many countries including USA, England, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Serbia. It symbolises strength and endurance.
Botanical name: Quercus
Cost: $10
Recommended uses: Suits formal, mediterranean & oriental designs
Flower form: Foliages
Origin / Environment: America, Asia, Europe, North Africa
Buying tips: Look for green, uniform leaves with no marks or spot on them
Care and conditioning: cut the stems on arrival and place them in fresh water
Other information:
Oak is national plant of many countries including USA, England, France, Germany, Latvia, Poland and Serbia. It symbolises strength and endurance.
Common name: Pine
Botanical name: pinus
Cost: $5 a bunch
Recommended uses: They are used in wreath or arrangements during the christmas festive season
Origin / Environment: throughout the world
Buying tips: Look for green, uniform colour leaves devoid of brown or dropping leaves. The stems should be strong
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems and put them in a bucket of fresh water.
Other information:
There exist around 115 species of pines that are divided in 3 categories based on the type of leaves, cones and seeds.
They can be quite difficult to handle bare hands because of their "needles" shape
Botanical name: pinus
Cost: $5 a bunch
Recommended uses: They are used in wreath or arrangements during the christmas festive season
Origin / Environment: throughout the world
Buying tips: Look for green, uniform colour leaves devoid of brown or dropping leaves. The stems should be strong
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems and put them in a bucket of fresh water.
Other information:
There exist around 115 species of pines that are divided in 3 categories based on the type of leaves, cones and seeds.
They can be quite difficult to handle bare hands because of their "needles" shape
Common name: 'Marjorie Channon', Variegated Kohuhu
Botanical name: Pittosporum tenuifolium
Recommended uses: foliages
Cost: $5 a bunch
Origin / Environment: New Zealand (Australasia)
Availability / Natural season: Spring/Summer
Buying tips: Look for strong leaves that are devoid of brown, yellow or dropping leaves.
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems on arrival and put them in fresh water
Other information: The name Pittosporum comes from the Greek words 'pitta' meaning "pitch" and 'spora' meaning "seed" in reference to the sticky seeds of many members of the genus.
Their flower color is red/brown.
Botanical name: Pittosporum tenuifolium
Recommended uses: foliages
Cost: $5 a bunch
Origin / Environment: New Zealand (Australasia)
Availability / Natural season: Spring/Summer
Buying tips: Look for strong leaves that are devoid of brown, yellow or dropping leaves.
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems on arrival and put them in fresh water
Other information: The name Pittosporum comes from the Greek words 'pitta' meaning "pitch" and 'spora' meaning "seed" in reference to the sticky seeds of many members of the genus.
Their flower color is red/brown.
Common name: rosemary
Botanical name: rosmarinus officinalis
Flower form: foliages
Cost: $10 a bunch
Origin / Environment: meditarranean
Availability: all year long
Buying tips: Look for stong, green leaves that are not dropping.
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems and place them in fresh, clean water
Other information:
The herb was the subject of numerous poems and was cited in five Shakespeare' s plays.
Napoleon Bonaparte' s eau de cologne was made with rosemary.
A sprig of rosemary was often places in the hands of the deceased at the funeral as it symbolised remembrance.
Botanical name: rosmarinus officinalis
Flower form: foliages
Cost: $10 a bunch
Origin / Environment: meditarranean
Availability: all year long
Buying tips: Look for stong, green leaves that are not dropping.
Care and conditioning: Cut the stems and place them in fresh, clean water
Other information:
The herb was the subject of numerous poems and was cited in five Shakespeare' s plays.
Napoleon Bonaparte' s eau de cologne was made with rosemary.
A sprig of rosemary was often places in the hands of the deceased at the funeral as it symbolised remembrance.
Common name: Wood
Botanical name: Too many to cite, depends on the species
Cost: $15
Recommended uses: as a display feature, as a stand to display the flowers
Flower form: others
Origin / Environment: worlwide
Availability / Natural season: all year long
Buying tips: look for strong pieces devoid of insects infestation or disease. Look for nice, interesting features, colours, texture
References:
-Jones, R. (2001). Caring for Cut Flowers. Collingwood, Australia: Landlinks press
-Maree, J. & Van Wyk, B-E. (2010). Cut Flowers of the World. Queenswood, South Africa: Briza Publications
-Sydney markets: http://www.sydneymarkets.com.au/markets/flowers-market/seasonal-availability.html
-Teleflora: http://www.teleflora.com/
Botanical name: Too many to cite, depends on the species
Cost: $15
Recommended uses: as a display feature, as a stand to display the flowers
Flower form: others
Origin / Environment: worlwide
Availability / Natural season: all year long
Buying tips: look for strong pieces devoid of insects infestation or disease. Look for nice, interesting features, colours, texture
References:
-Jones, R. (2001). Caring for Cut Flowers. Collingwood, Australia: Landlinks press
-Maree, J. & Van Wyk, B-E. (2010). Cut Flowers of the World. Queenswood, South Africa: Briza Publications
-Sydney markets: http://www.sydneymarkets.com.au/markets/flowers-market/seasonal-availability.html
-Teleflora: http://www.teleflora.com/