Recent news reports indicate that Taiwan may become one of the world’s leading orchid producers in the near future.

Taiwan’s Vice President, Vincent Siew, expressed the sentiment at the 2010 Taiwan International Orchid Show (TIOS), going on to say that the country, with the full support of the government, may become an “island of flowers” as well.

He may be right, as the current and future outlook for the nation’s orchid industry looks bright. Sales of orchid exports for last year exceeded $113 million, an increase of 50% from 2008. Sales are expected to continue to rise this year despite the bleak economic climate. The orchid industry has survived for over 100 years in Taiwan, with over two decades of government support. Taiwan, located off the coast of China, is already the first choice for many countries around the world and provides the globe with over half of the total sources for Phalaenopsis seeds.

As for becoming an “island of flowers”, it sounds ambitious but could happen. The government has already established several areas in the country as national parks and scenic areas in an attempt to preserve horticultural diversity. With continuing support from the government, native species have been offered protection.

Orchids in Canada
In Canada, there are a number of orchid farmers who supply the local florist industry. However production is generally limited to smaller farms that specialize in certain genera, such as Cattleya, Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum and Oncidium. Orchids that are native to Canada tend to be wild and are unsuitable as cut flowers.

Many of the orchids that are sold at Toronto florists aren’t just from Taiwan – they also come from Thailand, China, and South America. Will Taiwan become the first choice for Canada’s orchid imports?We’ll see!

Saint Patrick’s Day is on March 17, which means you have under a week to choose which Toronto St Patrick’s Day flower arrangements will bring some Irish cheer to your recipient. Pictured above is the Shades of Green flower arrangement, featuring beautiful chrysanthemums, orchids and hypericum arranged in a vase, garnished with limes and artichokes – all in green, of course! It’s one of our most popular flower arrangements for the holiday, priced at $171.99.

Talk to us, your local Toronto Flower Shop, about other popular St. Patrick’s Day flowers, boasting the national flag’s colours of green, white and orange, available in a variety of flower types including daisies, chrysanthemums, roses and carnations. Just let us know what you prefer.

A Little About St. Patrick’s Day
A national holiday in Ireland, St. Patrick Day commemorates the missionary who helped convert the Irish to Christianity over a span of over two decades (circa late 4th century AD). March 17 was when he passed away. Although the day is most important for Catholics, it has become more of a patriotic holiday, recognized by those of Irish descent living not just in Ireland, but anywhere in the world.

Celebrations paint the town green, in honour of the traditional colour of Ireland and the life which spring brings. You’ll also see shamrocks, a type of clover that symbolized the Holy Trinity as explained by St. Patrick.

Here in Toronto, look out for the St. Patrick’s Day Parade, organized by the St. Patrick’s Parade Society of Toronto (SPPS). In its 23rd year, the parade starts at noon on Sunday, beginning at Bloor and St. George.

A funeral service is to celebrate the life that a loved one lived. Every aspect of the service is to commemorate them and how they enriched your life. So when it comes to the funeral flowers for the service, it is important that they embody your sentiments earnestly.

While a varied selection of funeral flowers are available at your local Toronto florist, the arrangements may not be suitable for the emotions you wish to express. They may lack the personalized touch that will adequately decorate the venue of the funeral service. That’s why you may want to consider personalizing your funeral flower arrangements.

Personalizing funeral flowers is a way to truly embody the character traits of the beloved, and express them to the attendees. This creates a more intimate atmosphere and a closeness that is better achieved than choosing generic arrangements. To personalize funeral flowers, you’ll have to think about the following:

outstanding achievements, whether they are personal or professional
hobbies
personality traits
memories that you’d like to share

For example, if they loved soccer, you may want to ask your local florist to create a funeral flower tribute that is soccer-themed. This may include photos, a soccer ball, a team jersey, or any other relevant memorabilia. You can even cooperate with your florist and give them articles that they can incorporate into the arrangement. If they served in the army, you may want to choose arrangements with a patriotic Canadian theme, featuring red and white, the colours of our flag – the Patriotic Tribute Wreath, as shown above, is an excellent example.

Allow your florist to assist you at this difficult time. Talk to one of our Sympathy Advisors to create unique sympathy flowers with a personal touch.