As reported in San Francisco magazine, July 2010.

When Torryne Choate of Birch in San Francisco opened a second store last summer, people thought she was crazy!! But, Torryne is defying all odds with her chic outpost in Hayes Valley. The new shop offers the city’s finest collection of fashion, music and design magazines, as well as out of the world high style floral design! Visit www.birchsf.com to see more.

Three bbrooks members are “bringin’ it” to LogoTV’s  reality show The Arrangement airing Oct 4th.

Featured are Southern California floral designers Jenny Barker of Magical Blooms, magicalblooms.com, Tara Cottrell of Hidden Garden (WestlakeVillage), hiddengardenflowers.com and Eddie Zaratsian of Tic-Tock, tictock.com.  Should be catty good fun!!

According to behavioral research conducted at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, nature provides us with a simple way to improve emotional health – flowers. The presence of flowers triggers happy emotions, heightens feelings of life satisfaction and affects social behavior in a positive manner far beyond what is normally believed.

A team of researchers explored the link between flowers and life satisfaction in a 10-month study of participants’ behavioral and emotional responses to receiving flowers. The results show that flowers are a natural and healthful moderator of moods.

1. Flowers have an immediate impact on happiness. All study participants expressed “true” or “excited” smiles upon receiving flowers, demonstrating extraordinary delight and gratitude. This reaction was universal, occurring in all age groups.

2. Flowers have a long-term positive effect on moods. Specifically, study participants reported feeling less depressed, anxious and agitated after receiving flowers, and demonstrated a higher sense of enjoyment and life satisfaction.

3. Flowers make intimate connections. The presence of flowers led to increased contact with family and friends.

“Flowers bring about positive emotional feelings in those who enter a room,” said Dr. Jeannette Haviland-Jones, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology at Rutgers and lead researcher on the study. “They make the space more welcoming and create a sharing atmosphere.”

The full report and article can be found online at Society of American Florists.

Here’s a great story of a group of six women who have bonded through gardening.  One day a week, they set aside their own jobs to garden as a team at one of their homes, rotating every week so that each woman’s property gets the full benefit of their collective burst of labor and artistic vision. Each woman brings her individual skills to bear and the group is delighted to learn of other gardening co-ops, inspired by theirs, which have sprung up in their area – the idea taking hold like a felicitous invasive species.

The entire story written by by Susan Dominus can be found at www.realsimple.com.

Member Geranium Lakes own Kim Foren, www.geraniumlake.com, was featured in a casual, informative editorial clip.

Kim coordinates with host David Musial from Fusion NW – “Backyard Bouquets” Channel 6 to demonstrate the use of flowers from your own garden to create one-of-a kind arrangements for your dinner table!

Many of our clients are avid gardeners or have extended knowledge of flowers and plant.

For those of you cultivating an interest in home gardening, here are some tips from Real Simple magazine online to help make your garden grow!

According to a report released last year by the Center of Small Business at California Star University-Sacramento, California’s cut-flower industry has an annual impact of nearly 10.3 billion on the state, returning 92 cents of every dollar earned back into the California economy!

According to the study, cut flower growers in CA employ about 7500 people.  Overall, the state’s floral industry employs almost 15,000 people while generating billions in economic activity.

The research indicates that the expenditures of growers, wholesalers retailer and others affiliated with the industry create a ripple economy effect generating the equivalent of 121,950 full time jobs in CA , with a total of 3.3 billion in gross wages.  The report states, that without these jobs, number of unemployed in CA could rise as much as 12.5 percent.

The report points out the California’s cut flower industry’s achievements are particularly impressive due to the aggressive pricing of imports from other countries and wholesaler/retailer consolidation.

The full economic impact report and related facts can be found at www.ccfc.org.

In keeping with their Minnesota State Motta, “L’Etoile du nord” – Member Floral Logic, located in the historic Semple Mansion of  Minneapolis,  www.FloralLogic.com was crowned “Best Florist 2010″ in early July at the invitation only party hosted by Minnesota Bride Magazine at Carlson Rotunda.  It was their second win in so many consecutive years!

Hats off to our own “Star of the North”!

BBrooks member Geranium Lake in Portland, Oregon www.geraniumlake.com shares a lovely idea for boutonnieres with us from their May 2010 newsletter:  http://www.projectwedding.com/wedding-ideas/beyond-flowers.

Succulents are all the rage among eco-chic trendsetters. For your home, garden, or wedding, these hearty plants are beautifully shaped and come in a dazzling array of colors. Many succulent plants even grow flowers! Combined with stones, moss, and local blossoms, succulents make modern and elegant centerpieces.

Because they’re hearty and easy to care for, succulents make great wedding favors and souvenirs for you and your guests. Any succulent can be taken home and replanted, and will live for years with minimal care.

Member Twig, www.twigboston.com has invited noted Santa Fe impressionist Joseph Breza to exhibit his remarkable work at their Charles St Location during the latter half of June 2010.

Joseph Breza is extremely accomplished, being exhibited and collected internationally.   Breza is known for his use of color and bold brushstroke in brillant Impressionistic landscapes, garden still lifes and scenes from France, Italy, and New Mexico.   Between 1984-1985, Joseph Breza studied under renowned artist Richard Goetz at the Art Students League, N.Y.

In His Own Words: “Each artist creates his own language in color. I consider color to be the foremost component of my painting. By laying down large fields and flattening them out in some areas, I can draw out strong planes of color from the image. I am always experimenting. Sometimes I lay down thin washes to catch the power of the idea more quickly. I like to observe the reflections on a pond in the Spring and Fall. Winter interests me because  the snow creates big, abstract areas. The more I get into the art, the more depth I find. The simplest idea, like Cezanne’s apples, is sometimes the most incredible.”

Also on display will be beautiful flowers, unique gift products.