+ What does ‘Semper Virens’ mean?

Semper Virens is a Latin term. ‘Semper’ means ‘always’ and ‘virens’ has two meanings: ‘evergreen’, and ‘vigorous’ or ‘flourishing.’ Our designs incorporate lots of unusual greenery and foliage for textural interest and to frame the lovely flowers. I hope my flowers will help you to flourish too!

+ Do you have a storefront?

I'm a home studio-based floral designer, so there’s no brick-and-mortar location. If you would like a consultation, we can talk on the phone or via Zoom, or meet at a yummy bakery, coffee shop or ice cream shop.

+ When are local flowers available? Where are they from?

Local flowers in eastern Massachusetts are available from May through frost (mid-October). I grow many of my own flowers and foliage, as well as source from New England flower farms. These farms provide specialty flowers that are simply unavailable elsewhere, are in better condition than "flown flowers," and usually have a longer vase life. This also supports small, local businesses, yay!

+ How long will my flowers last? What’s the best flower care?

Flowers have an ephemeral beauty, but if you give them proper care, your flowers should last from 5 to 7 days. Keep your flowers out of direct sun and away from heat sources or fans. Flowers will last longer in cool rooms, or even stored in a refrigerator overnight.

Replace the water in the vase every other day with cool water, and add floral preservative powder or a few drops of bleach to the water. When you replace the water, trim off 1/4 to 1/2 inch from the bottom of the stem, cutting at an angle.

Remove any flowers or greens that have withered, as they detract from the arrangement and can harbor bacteria. Bacteria in water can block the stems from taking up water, which causes your flowers to droop and wither.

If you take these measures, you’ll enjoy your cut flowers for much longer!

+ What is your favorite treat?

That's a tough one, there are so many! It's toss-up between Trader Joe's dark chocolate-covered almonds, Pepperidge Farm dark chocolate orange cookies, and coconut chip ice cream from Sully's Ice Cream in North Chelmsford. Actually any old dark chocolate will do!

+ What hapens to my flowers after a wedding or event?

One of the dirty little secrets of the wedding industry is how much waste is thrown into a dumpster after the wedding reception. It's disheartening! But with some forethought, the flowers can be taken home by you and your guests, even if the containers are rented. Another option is to donate the flowers to a non-profit organization such as "Power of Flowers, " that uses discarded flowers from events to make small flower bouquets for seniors and veterans in care communities. There may be a nominal fee for providing the used flowers to the organization.

+ What are your environmentally sustainable practices?

At Semper Virens Flowers, we implement a host of practices to reduce our environmental impact, including:

• Using organic practices in growing our own flowers (no herbicides or pesticides),
• Sourcing flowers from local flowers farmers,
• Composting spent flowers and foliage onsite and using that compost in our cutting garden beds,
• Re-using glass and ceramic vases and containers,
• Recycling metal, plastic containers, cardboard and Kraft paper,
• Minimizing the use of floral foam, and using alternatives including chicken wire and pin frogs for most floral applications. We re-use our chicken wire mechnics, they are not thrown away! Floral foam is occasionally used for "ground meadows" or tall vertical arrangements.
• As a best practice, our very small quantity of floral foam is air-dried prior to disposal. Solid waste in eastern Massachusetts is disposed of at a waste-to-energy incinerator, which is probably the "highest beneficial use" of this waste petroleum product.
• We do not use agrawool or rockwool blocks. The manufacture of this product is highly energy-intensive (think of a volcano or a steel smelter), which results in emissions of toxic air pollutants and greenhouse gases. Its overall environmental impact is arguably worse than floral foam. My background as an environmental remediation consultant for over 20 years informs this decision.
• We also do not use the "Oshun Pouch" at this time, which is made of coir (shredded coconut husk). IMO, it simply doesn't keep flowers fresh for a reasonable amount of time. The manufacture of this product also creates some hazardous water effluent, which may or may not be properly handled in the countries of origin. Finally, this product is shipped from countries in South East Asia to Europe and the United States, and that transport has a signifcant carbon footprint!

We are always on the lookout for more ways to reduce the generation of solid and hazardous wastes, and to protect and conserve our beautiful planet.

+ What is your favorite libation?

Besides water? That's another toss-up! I'm fond of a crisp gin-and-tonic, homemade sangria, or a Dark-and-Stormy drink made with Crabbie's Original Ginger Beer.

+ What payment do you accept? When is payment required?

We accept checks, cash or credit cards. Payment is required prior to delivery. For weddings and corporate events, a deposit is required upon booking the event, with the balance due four weeks prior to the event.