Sympathy Flowers

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Sympathy Flowers
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Sympathy Flowers

• Important segment of retail business
• pieces sent to the funeral home
• permanent flowers and potted plants for cemetery

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Sympathy flowers

• bread and butter income for shops
• not a seasonal sale
• needed throughout the year

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Sympathy flowers

• provide steady income for the florist
• competition among shops is keen

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Sympathy flowers

• area customs and traditions are important
• must cooperate with customer and funeral home

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Sympathy flowers

• sent as a tribute to the deceased
• an expression of love and sympathy for the
  surviving family

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Sympathy flowers

• orders are taken, designed and delivered quickly
• can require extra hours on evenings and weekends

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Sympathy flowers

• family members will usually speak with the
  florist to order the main arrangements
• casket sprays

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Sympathy flowers

• family may need to rely on the florist for
  assistance in choosing flowers and style

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Basic designs

• size and style vary based upon customer request
• most common include
• casket sprays
• standing sprays

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Basic designs

• wreaths
• baskets
• arrangements
• green and blooming plants

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Each piece

• is tagged with a card giving the name of the
  deceased and the sender

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Each piece

• double cards are popular - half of the card is
  given to the family, the other half stays on the
  arrangement

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Card

• includes a description of the piece
• this helps family to remember the piece when
  sending acknowledgements

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Card

• address of sender may also be included

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Casket sprays

• also called covers
• sits on the lid of the casket
• most elaborate piece
• generally purchased by the closest family members

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Casket sprays

• three sizes
• full couch
• three quarters
• half couch

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Casket sprays

• 3/4 and 1/2 are the most popular
• full couch are the most expensive and difficult
  to handle if the casket is to be opened.

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Sprays

• most popular piece ordered
• may be single or double
• single spray has a bow at one end with flowers
  extending to the other end

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Sprays

• designed to be displayed on a special frame that
  holds up to one dozen sprays along the sides or
  end of the casket

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Sprays

• single are less expensive than double sprays and
  wreaths
• offers customer a broad price range
• price is determined by the type of flowers used

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Sprays

• a bow is added and filler flowers are placed
  around the bow and between the primary flowers

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Sprays

• double sprays are called standing sprays
• they are displayed on wire easels.
• Dixon picks attach the styrofoam to the easel

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Sprays

• two wooden picks attached on opposite ends of a
  flexible metal strip
• double sprays are often placed alongside the
  casket

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Sprays

• usually an oval, diamond, or triangular shape
• bow is placed in the center with flowers
  extending in both directions

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Sprays

• may be hand tied with the natural stems showing
• do not have a source of water and must be
  delivered the day of the funeral

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Sprays

• hand tied are not practical for this reason
• many use floral foam soaked in preservative and
  water
• flowers stay fresh longer

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Sprays

• a block of styrofoam may also be used
• this adds strength to the arrangement
• makes delivery easier

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Sprays

• flowers are placed in water picks and inserted
  into the styrofoam

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Wreaths

• constructed in a similar manner to sprays
• wreath forms are made of styrofoam, straw, or
  plastic casing filled with floral foam

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Wreaths

• may also use natural grapevine wreaths
• range in size from 12 - 30 inches in diameter

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Wreaths

• may add accessories to the center
• bibles are popular - taken home by the family as
  a memento

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Baskets

• plastic, metal, papier mache
• grapevine may also be used
• often a plastic liner is used inside the basket
  to hold water

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Baskets

• most common flowers
• gladioli
• carnations
• mums
• poppons

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Baskets

• roses and lillies may be added to increase the
  value of the basket
• arrangement is usually triangular or fan shaped

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Baskets

• bows are often added
• script is often added to the ribbon streamer
• Mother, Father
• Friend, Grandfather etc.

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Other designs

• many times florists are asked to incorporate an
  insignia or logo of a group or club which the
  deceased belonged to

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Other designs

• hearts and crosses are popular
• living plants
• blooming plants
• potted plants are decorated with bows