SUMMER POTPOURRI RECIPE

Awww!! the sweetness of Summer. How we all love to relax in the sun. Why not add some sweet smells to help relieve stress.

Try this summer potpourri recipe:

  

1. Six cups of mixed dried flowers you have dried

2. Enough mint, scented geranium, rose leaves, lemon verbena or lemon balm leaves to make 2 cups

3. Place 4 heaping tablespoons of chopped orris root or chopped calamus root in a large glass container.

4. Add 8 drops rose geranium oil, 8 drops bergamot oil, 5 drops honeysuckle oil. Stir, close top and let mellow for a week.

5. Add the other ingredients, stir to blend, close container and let simmer for 4-6 more weeks, stirring occasionally.

6. When you are done, place potpourri in cut cloth and tie with ribbon or lace. It can be placed in your drawer, under your pillow or in a bowl for display. 

GREAT TIP: If you would like a sweeter fragrance use a few drops of jasmine, rose or ylang ylang oil. Too bland for your taste? Add some crushed cinnamon sticks, crushed allspice or cloves, patchouli leaves or lavender flowers. To simmer, use dried sweet woodruff, cut vanilla bean, crushed tonka bean or cut vanilla grass.

Email us info@hibiscusflowershop.com and let us know what sweet smelling potpourri you came up with or post in comment section.

HAPPY SUMMER!!

Easter Sunday Bouquets

Easter Sunday March 27, 2016

Order your Easter bouquets early

hibiscusflowershop.com

  Pretty in Pinks Bouquet

 Spring Mix      Color Mix

Sweet Smells of Eucalyptus

Lemon-Scented Eucalyptus

The lemon-scented eucalyptus tree is native to Queensland, Australia and the surrounding area. The leaves are pale green and begin in an oval shape, but mature to be narrow and tapered. When mature, the leaves can be as long as 8 inches and between 1/2 and 3/4 of an inch across. Lemon eucalyptus leaves are used most commonly as an insect repellent, as citronella can be extracted from them. They are also used in aromatherapy.



Peppermint Eucalyptus

The leaves of the peppermint eucalyptus tree are blue and heart-shaped, and mature to be thick and tapered. They can grow to be anywhere from 3 to 6 inches long and about 1 inch wide. The leaves give off a strong aroma reminiscent of peppermint. Because of the smell and flavor, the leaves are often used in mouthwash and deodorants and in the manufacturing of menthol. They also are used in aromatherapy. Aborigines used peppermint eucalyptus leaves in medicine, but their use has been abandoned in that field.






Tasmanian Blue Gum Eucalyptus

Young blue gum eucalyptus trees have blue oval-shaped leaves which mature into long yellow leaves with off-white flowers. This species of eucalyptus is the most widely grown and has the most applications, including being used in cough drops and other medicines. Essential oils can be extracted from the leaves and used in aromatherapy. The leaves can grow up to 10 inches in length, which is longer than most other species, and up to 2 inches wide. It's no surprise, then, that blue gum trees often grow to be taller than 200 feet, and some specimens have been reported to grow to 500 feet.




Gully Gum Eucalyptus

The leaves of the gully gum eucalyptus tend to be pale green with white flowers. An essential oil extracted from the leaves is used in aromatherapy and is known to be less intense than other varieties of eucalyptus. The leaves also are used as a pain reliever to treat burns and as an antiseptic on open wounds. The oil from gully gum leaves is high in eucalyptol, also known as cineole, which is the compound that lends eucalyptus leaves their medicinal value and potent fragrance.

March Flower

HAPPY SPRING!!

March Flower meaning is:

Rebirth, Domestic Happiness, Respect, Regard and Friendship. The Daffodil is synonymous with Spring as it is the epitome of rebirth and new beginnings.

VALENTINE'S DAY color mix $42.99

Casket Spray

Casket spray designed in white with touches of red. Lilies, roses, snapdragons and seasonal greens.

Air Plant terrarium

Air plants aka Tilandsia

Valentine's Day!!

GARDEN TIP

Yummy HIBISCUS Cheesecake

HIBISCUS CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:

For Oatmeal Cocoa Crust:

• 1 cup quick cooking rolled oats
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened ground chocolate
• 2 tbs sugar (can sub with sugar substitute or any other sweetener)

For Cheesecake Filling:

• 3 boxes (8 oz each) fat free cream cheese, (can sub with dairy free as well) softened
• 3 egg whites
• 1 can (14 oz)sweetened condensed milk (You can use homemade sugarless condensed  milk)
• 1/2 cup hibiscus jam
• 2 tsp orange extract

Directions:

1. To make the crust, mix all ingredients in a bowl.  Pour into 8 inch cheesecake pan and press onto the bottom. Bake in a preheated 400F for 10 minutes.  Set aside.
2. To make filling, blend  cheese, milk, orange extract and eggs in an electric mixer until smooth. Add hibiscus jam and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon, incorporating the hibiscus carefully.
3. Pour cheesecake batter into the prepared pan.  Place in a water bath and bake for 55 minutes at 350F. Remove from oven when center is almost set (still jiggly and not firm). Run a thin knife between cake and rim of pan. Refrigerate uncovered  for at least 2 1/2  hours before serving. If making ahead, wrap airtight when cool and chill up to 2 days. Spread hibiscus jam with syrup on top just before serving.

FOR MY LOVE

Easy way to Grow fresh Garlic

Hello all,

Well winter has almost set in so why not prepare ourselves for some delicious everyday seasonings while we still have time. 

Let's talk garlic. Yes, garlic. That yummy seasoning that adds the perfect zing and taste to just about every dish we cook--from sauce to eggs to chicken and fish. 

This is an easy one. 

Plant cloves of garlic about 6 weeks before heavy frost. Take large cloves of garlic, tip up in prepared soil. Burying about an inch or 2 above soil; below ground level in zones that are mild. In zones that have harsher colder weather; plant twice as deep. So about 4-6".

Keep the area free of weeds and watered. If possible, use organic, rich well drained soil. 

If all goes well, the garlic should should be ready in 9-10 months from the Fall

 

planting. So in about July. 

Let us know how it goes, we would love to see pictures and comments on how your fresh garlic cloves came out. 

Find your planting ZONE

For those of you that want to start planning Spring planting. Here is a zone chart. Click on the link and just type your zip in and it will tell you what zone you live in. So, when choosing plants, shrubs, etc. you will know how to choose based on your location.

http://planthardiness.ars.usda.gov/

HAPPY NEW YEAR

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

HIBISCUS WILL BE ON 
HOLIDAY BREAK FROM
JAN 3-12TH