Happy 2017!

A look back on 2016

Just a few days into the New Year, and it is hard to believe that it has been over a year since the very first post here at Perennial Petals, when we opened the doors to Flower Design by Bridget here in Clearwater, FL!

So very much has happened in the last year, it is hard to imagine it all!  Over 1,800 amazing people have been following my shop on Twitter and Facebook, as the year has flown by!  

I met some wonderful people, and got to design some beautiful flowers for Baby Showers and got featured in Style Me Pretty for this beautiful Military Wedding I had the honor of designing the flowers for, along with all the special flowers I got to design all year long!  

My shop was featured as one of the cover stories for Creative Business Maven Magazine, and my daughter and I got to be cover girls! 

While every year has mountains and valleys, it is sometimes nice to look back and be happy about so many wonderful things that happened in just one year's time!

Here is to the future! Wishing you all a bright and happy New Year!

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Bridget is the proud Owner of Flower Designs by Bridget, bringing European Certification and 20 years experience to Pinellas County, Florida, where she lives with her husband (Air Force, Ret.) and two children.  When she is not in her shop, you will find her enjoying a cup of Roiboos tea with her family and several cats and dogs (including one named Daisy).  While the holiday greens and decorations of December are her favorite, she looks forward to bringing you sunshine and smiles through flowers all year round!

5 Reasons to Keep Fresh Flowers in Your Home & Office

flowers by Bridget

The holidays, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Birthdays - we all know that those time periods mean fresh flowers all around!

But did you know that there are actually health benefits to be had for keeping fresh flowers in your home?  This has even been the subject of research done by Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D. of Harvard and another study earlier done by Rutgers University.

1. Fresh Flowers Brighten Morning Moods

People who see fresh flowers in the morning tend to be in a better mood during the day.  All the more reason to plant that flower garden or keep some fresh flowers in your kitchen!  The kitchen is where families tend to be in the morning, but you can also have fresh flowers by your bed, or in your bathroom.  

2. Flowers are helpful as we age

Flowers have been shown to improve social interaction and memory in adults over 55 years of age.  So much so that in a study done on more than 100 seniors, 72% scored higher on memory tests.  While it might not be a holiday, sending Grandma and Grandpa fresh flowers helps more than just general disposition!

3. Flowers can help smooth interoffice relations

Another study concluded that having personal touches such as fresh flowers in your cubicle at work can contribute to a healthy work environment.  If you needed another reason, go ahead and get yourself that bouquet of flowers for your desk! 

4. Flowers chase away the blues

The Home Ecology of Flowers Study at Harvard found that people just simply felt less negative when being around flowers for extended periods of time.  People who live with flowers have less episodes of depression over-all as compared to people who do not.  All the more reason to keep a fresh cut bouquet on your dresser! 

5. Ordering fresh flowers means you can have all the benefits delivered to your door

If time is not something you have an abundance of, ordering from a local florist means you can have quality, artisan fresh designs brought right to you, fresh weekly if you so chose!  You will be supporting local business, and knowing that you are getting quality flowers that will last and help keep you happy and motivated during your busy week!

With that, send someone you love some fresh flowers to brighten their day!  You can even send them a blooming dish garden for long lasting flowers!

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Bridget is the proud Owner of Flower Designs by Bridget, bringing European Certification and 20 years experience to Pinellas County, Florida, where she lives with her husband (Air Force, Ret.) and two children.  When she is not in her shop, you will find her enjoying a cup of Roiboos tea with her family and several cats and dogs (including one named Daisy).  While the holiday greens and decorations of December are her favorite, she looks forward to bringing you sunshine and smiles through flowers all year round!