Late Winter/Early Spring Flowers

If it weren't for the snow flurries in Portland, we might forget it's not quite spring yet. Our stores are bursting with ranunculus, anemones, hyacinth, tulips, flowering branches, and other early spring lovelies. Tired of the weather? Try adding a little springtime to your home or office. And forget that spring is still a few weeks more away...

Late Winter inspiration

Oh the whims of our weather. While so chilly in late winter, we start to see the earliest signs of spring. Hyacinths, ranunculus and sweet peas inspire us to dream of the next season's offerings. With of course, a little dose of moody winter color added in the mix. 

This mild season has also given us early blooming branches: favorites including prunus, forsythia, and cherry have already arrived in our stores. These beauties always brighten any room they embrace. And make you forget it is still winter in Portland.

Winter Wedding style

Vintage blush and deep burgundy has been a popular color combination this wedding season. And it’s absolutely perfect for a winter themed wedding. This bridal bouquet contains peonies, amaranthus, roses, astrantia, nandina, seeded eucalyptus and brunnia. Recently engaged? Setup a personal wedding consultation with a Sammy’s consultant. They will guide you through the process, develop your personal wedding story and work with you on your budget. To reach a consultant, just email us at weddings@sammysflowers.com.

Showy Ranunculus

Local and in-season ranunculus are a late winter/early spring favorite. A terrific cut flower, ranunculus have a high petal count, and offer a long vase life. Shown here are both solid and variegated varieties. Ranunculus are available in many tints and shades of white, pink, yellow, orange, and reds. Imported varieties extend availability, coming from Japan, Italy, Holland, and Chile.

Planning your holiday table

Planning a holiday celebration? Whether an intimate dinner for two, or a big family or work gathering, now is the time to consider your flowers. Here's some info to get your planning started.

For arrangements you want to consider your desired size, shape, color and style.

Size and Shape: Where will your flowers be placed? Will it be seen from the front only, such as when used on a buffet or mantle? Or will it be seen from all sides such as a dinner table or entryway?

A small arrangement is perfect for a bistro or cafe sized table. A standard centerpiece works well for a round table seating 6-10 people. If your table is rectangular, a standard centerpiece works well along with other accents such as candles or if serving a family style dinner. Or if you have less table decor or prefer an elongated shape, a long and low design is a good alternative.

Color and Style: Next consider your color palette. Do you want a traditional fall or winter palette? Or will you match a theme or your decor? Determining a palette will help you with your flower choices.

Finally, what is your preferred style and how would you describe the look you want? (Is your style elegant, rustic, natural, fun, modern, vintage, etc) Do you have any specific flowers you would like used? Or perhaps you might prefer a "designer's choice" custom design created for you

Ready to order or need further help? You can stop by either location to speak to a designer and place your order. For events requiring specific needs or larger quantities, we recommend placing your order in advance, if possible, one to two weeks prior to event.

Winter holiday style

Interested in adding a seasonal touch for your winter wedding or event? Use of greenery, textures and the choice of color palette are all a great way to bring the winter season to your bouquets and floral arrangements.

To create a winter holiday look, begin with winter seasonal foliages. Cedar, pine, spruce and other winter greenery make a great arrangement base this time of year. Next, add winter textures such as berries, twigs, pods and other accents for depth and detail. Additionally, consider your floral color palette when connecting to the season. Beyond the traditional red, white and green, consider palettes such as: burgundy and cream, white and icy silver, deep reds, whites and greens, and rich jewel tones. Need some ideas? Check out our website to see our seasonal creations.

Whether you are ready to create your own combinations or prefer to have us create something unique for you, contact us at either location or online. We’re ready to bring a little winter to you!

About Flowers: protea

Looking for an interesting and unusual flower to add to your winter mixes?  In a large variety of shapes, sizes and colors, exotic proteas are a terrific, long lasting bloom. Click below to see pictures of some of the most popular protea varieties that are available this time of year. Shown below: yellow pincushions, pink protea and orange banksia.

Holiday Cheer

The Della Robia wreaths are back signaling the holidays at Sammy’s Flowers! Our beautiful custom designed Della Robia wreaths are available in 12" candle ring, 22/24" standard door and 28/30" large wreath. The Sammy’s team has been busy making these beauties and both our locations have Della Robia wreaths ready to go home with you. Come by and check them out, or if you prefer, order yours online.

Fall table centerpieces

Perfect for Thanksgiving, the long and low centerpiece graces your table with beautiful blooms and draping foliages. Designed in a floral tray, the long and low creates a natural, dramatic focal point. At Sammy’s, we will create a custom design that coordinates with your personal style and color palette. Available in both single and double lengths, the long and low centerpiece can be ordered at either of our locations. Give us a call and we will create your custom designed table centerpiece for the holidays.

Cascading bridal bouquet

Wedding season is still going strong at Sammy’s Flowers. We recently created this gorgeous cascading style bridal bouquet in elegant whites and creams. The cascading style bouquet, with its elongated front drape, was once considered a vintage look. Thankfully, cascading florals have gained popularity again and is a frequent choice among brides seeking a more dramatic style bouquet. This one includes oriental lilies, calla lilies, lisianthus, roses and orchids.

Fun with veggies!

A recent event called for a bountiful harvest theme. These clever arrangements were mixes of vegetables, herbs and seasonal accents. Turnips, artichokes, salad greens, beets and carrots added a whimsical touch and were a fun diversion from your typical winter product selection. 

Cheating winter, a bit...

Somehow it already feels like springtime in Portland. Our winter has been mild, and we are already starting to see early signs of spring. The flowering branches have arrived. We currently have quince and forsythia, and expect to see plum soon. Winter/spring bulbs are in our mixes, look for lots of tulips and hyacinth. Want a little early springtime, too? Choose a spring palette of peach, soft pinks, pale yellows, or even a pop of bright pink or orange to liven your mood. Because it is really still winter...

In Season: winter foliages

As winter approaches, foliages are a great way to add seasonal interest to arrangements. We like to add many varieties with different shapes, textures and colors to our designs. They can be used alone, combined with other greenery, or mixed with flowers as shown in our winter arrangements on our website. Pictured above are princess pine and blue ice. Click on the link below to see pictures of classic noble fir, juniper, and cedar.

It’s Della Robbia time

It must be the holidays, because it is Della Robbia wreath time! Handcrafted by Sammy’s Flowers, Della Robbia wreaths have a been a customer favorite year over year. Sammy’s classic Della Robbia wreaths are available in three sizes: candle ring, 24" door size and the larger 30" version.  Stop by either location, order online, or give us a call to reserve your own unique Della Robbia wreath.

Caring for cut flowers

Did you receive a gorgeous bouquet for Valentine’s Day? Wondering how to care for it?
With a few simple steps, you can keep it looking its best.

The three steps to follow: keep flowers cool, hydrated and clean.

1) Cool - keep flowers away from direct sunlight, heating / cooling vents and heat generating appliances

2) Hydrated - check water level in your vase frequently

3) Clean - replace water and when possible re-cut the flower stems

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Yay, Valentines Day 2014 is finally here! Last week was such a surprise, with all the snow we received in Portland. But that didn’t stop us from getting ready for the big day, and we’re so excited to see what this year brings. Valentine’s Day at Sammy’s is quite the production, and we always manage to make it fun. Stop by, we would love to see you this Valentine’s Day.

And yes, this is a naturally heart shaped hydrangea. Don’t you love it!

Pre-order for Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s day is Friday 2/14 and it's the perfect time to pre-order your custom gorgeous floral arrangement. We’ve posted our favorite designs to our website , click here to take a look. Pre-order today via our website or by calling our locations in Northwest (503) 222-9759 or the Pearl district (503) 281-0310.

Our stores are filled with special gift items in addition to our expanded floral selection. We have stylish home decor, creative cards, scented candles, succulent terrariums, unique plants and potted floral. So if you are in need of a special gift for your special someone, please call or give us a visit.

In season: anemones

Are you crazy for anemones? At Sammy’s, we are. Part of the ranunculus family, anemones are a fascinating flower. They have long, sinewy necks and beautiful green collars. Sometimes they are shy, but with a little coaxing, you can get them to smile. Place closed anemones in lukewarm water and watch them open up before your eyes. Once open, you will see their lovely center of blue, black or green. Want to bring some home? We currently have them in stock in vibrant red, magenta and violet blue. 

Winter wedding in red

Bold reds are popular in for winter weddings. Shown here are a bridal bouquet and groom’s boutonniere. Red Freedom roses and spray roses are combined with silver dusty miller and blue ice foliage. Other popular winer season red flowers include: anemones, ranunculus, tulips, lilies and freesia.

Bold holiday reds

Tis the season for beautiful, bold reds. With the Christmas holiday quickly approaching, gone are the fall color palettes. Lately, we’ve been working on lots of holiday centerpieces utilizing traditional holiday greens, mixed with interesting accents and big bold pops of the color red. Ilex berries, red hypericum, red Piano garden roses, Freedom roses, and red huck are used in these mixes. Show below are different size holiday arrangements. From top to bottom: long and low centerpiece,  large table centerpiece, small wood box centerpiece, and a large, tall buffet arrangement. Call or drop by either Sammy’s location and we can help you create your very own special holiday arrangement.