Friends, Fans, & Followers:

Lucky for me, I have cute dimples.  How else can I
explain dear old Mum’s restraint when as a supercilious teenager (an uncomfortably
long time ago, I admit) I had the temerity to ask her why there was such a
thing as Mother’s Day when there was no corresponding holiday for Sons? 
At the time, she smiled sweetly at me (or at least as sweetly as one can when
spitting venom through clenched teeth while reaching for a rolling pin) and
reminded me that every other day is “Son’s Day”.  Narrowly escaping a
thrashing as I did, I’ve made it a point since to be as well prepared as I
possibly can be every second Sunday in May, and to be as helpful as possible to
all the sons, daughters, and  husbands out there in need of a bit of a
reminder on how best to be thoughtful.

Which is why, this year, in preparation for May 9^th
(that’s right, Mother’s Day is a week away!) I’ve introduced over thirty-two
unique floral creations that can be purchased and delivered anywhere in
Manhattan as a one-time-gift.    And for those that want to
remind the Mums in their life of their affection as often as possible, I’ve
created limited term subscriptions to all of my floral subscription
collections, ranging from the Classics to Exotic Varietals to timelessly
stylish Orchids.  Best yet, you can now purchase subscriptions for 1
month, 3 months, for the half-year and even for a full-year.  (You must
admit, these ideas are vastly better than gifting Mum a toaster oven!). 

So, there you have it… only a week to go, and H.BLOOM to
the rescue.  I’ve set aside the freshest of blooms, filled the inkpots to
commit your heartfelt thoughts to my exquisite linen greeting cards, and have
advised my own Mum that I might be a bit late to lunch given the deliveries
I’ve already committed to on Sunday morning.

Don’t forget from whence you came!

Friends, Fans, & Followers:

Back in my primary school days, I admit that I wasn’t
anything to boast about at the Parent Teacher Association.  Thankfully, my
dear old Mum, when acknowledging that I mightn’t be the swiftest of the
kinder-lot on the first go-around, was always quick to point out that I was
sure to grow into a professional at catching-up.  So, for all of you Type-A’s
that have been eagerly awaiting the day when I live up to my potential, I hope
I’ve met your expectations with my newest additions:  more subscription
lines and the ability to send one-time gifts. 

First, straight from the “Variety’s The Spice of Life”
Department, I’ve announced the addition of 4 new subscriptions in addition to
the Classic Collection that you’ve already enjoyed.

Submerged Orchid Collection:  On your first week,
you’ll receive a tall cylindrical vase with a lush cymbidium orchid stem (and
each stem will have between nine and twelve fantastically exuberant
blooms).  Start with the stem in the tall vase, and then add water until
you’ve expertly crafted a fascinating orchid aquarium, easily displayed and
easily maintained in your own home.  In subsequent deliveries, you’ll
receive a freshly cut stem in cushioned packaging, with your orchid colors
changing regularly from pink, to white, to green and beyond as the market will
allow.

Encapsulated Orchid Collection:  To start, you’ll
receive an elegant double-pane rectangular vase, into which I’ll regularly drop
four to five dendrobium orchid stems, creating a tableau to dress up any space
screaming for a bit of modernity.

Exotic Varietal Collection:  For those who love simple
hand-tied bundles, I’ve more in store for you.  With each delivery, you’ll
receive a cluster of exotic, rare or highly seasonal blooms sourced from
premier growers the world-over.  One week you may receive scarlet
anemones, thickly-layered ranunculus another, and bobble-headed cotton-bally
green tricks the next.  The Jones’ will never be able to keep up with you.

Orchid Plant Collection:  Every month, in whatever
quantity you desire, I’ll deliver a fresh orchid plant in a contemporary cubic
glass planter.  As you may already know, even without any fancy dressing,
orchids make an instant style statement.

Just as before, you can start these subscriptions for
yourself or as gifts for someone that ought to be thinking about you regularly.

Second, I readily admit that not all situations call for
weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly reminders of your affection, thanks, or
contrition.  On some occasions, you’ve just the one chance to make a
lasting impression.  Give it a bit of thought, eh?! Do you think Gatsby
served common bootleg swill at his bashes?  Do you think Whitman wrote
with a common drugstore ballpoint?  Do you think Churchill, while staring
down the Axis, rolled his own?  I think, most certainly not!  Quite
to the contrary – a special occasion calls for specialty – and I’m pleased to
say that in this regard, I’ve developed quite a reputation.

Now, on www.hbloom.com,
when that particular occasion arises, you can pick an exquisite floral gift
from either my Modern or Classic collections, with nary a teddy bear nor shiny
silver balloon in sight.  Once you’ve made your selection, my team of
floral designers will seek out vases of the finest materials and shall order
blooms basically just-born, to ensure that your gift recipient is positively
delighted.  On the day of your choosing, and with a message of your own
crafting, I’ll deliver your gift to your intended recipient’s door-step. 
And while I’ve initially limited my rounds to Manhattan, you’ll shortly be able
to send an exquisite floral gift to your friends, relatives, and associates in
any city worth visiting. 

Of course, they say it takes a village… so if you think I’ve
not yet lived up to my potential, please let me know what else you’d like to
see forthcoming from my workshop by emailing me at hbloom@hbloom.com.

In the meantime, even more flowers to the people!

Very best regards,

Friends, Fans, & Followers:

All things considered, I’m not much for ceremony, pomp, and circumstance.  But, today is a special day and this week has been quite an interesting week as well.  For starters, today is Earth Day (as if you hadn’t already realized it from your witty Dilbert Calendars and those MS Outlook reminders that you surely set weeks ago).  And to boot, while Mother Earth has had some indigestion of late (read:  Icelandic Sub-Glacial Volcano.  Spewing Gobs and Gobs of Filthy Ash.  Obscuring the Skies Over Northern Europe.  Causing General Mayhem and Much Wailing and Gnashing Of Teeth Amongst Stranded Travelers.  Etc., etc…) she’s been very kind to our global network of global flower growers and to us.  So, we’ve nothing to complain about – and that, my friends, is something to celebrate heartily. 

In this week’s bundle, you’ll find roses, lisianthus, and chrysanthemums.  Let’s start with a bit of a chat about the roses, shall we?  Today’s variety of pink rose has a rather odd name, “Sweet Akito”, which sounds a touch doggish, doesn’t it?  Makes me think of doggish themes:  scruffy, mangy, belligerent!  Quite to the contrary, Sweet Akitos feature soft and delicate pink petals, with a large head and relatively high petal count.  Given that they were picked from their patch just a day ago, you may find that they’ve arrived in bud form.  Over the next few days, with a modicum of care and feeding, your Sweet Akitos will open up to reveal fluffy cotton-candy-ish pink petals. 

To add a dash of contrast, I’ve added in lavender-purply lisianthus flowers from Israel.  Back in my cavorting days, they used to say that Beirut was the Paris of the Middle East, but with lisianthus like this, I’ve no trouble handing the title over to Tel Aviv.  Of course, to the untrained eye, lisianthus flowers can sometimes be taken for a rose, but the botanists will stuffily tell you that, scientifically speaking, they’re not even distant cousins.   And while these flowers look prim and proper, you’ll notice that they are both a bit stubborn and unruly, which I think gives them character.  Unruly because lisianthus buds grow laterally at different heights, adding a bit of hither and thither to the bundle.  And, stubborn, because some of the buds may choose to open while others will stay small and green.   

Finally, to round out my celebration trifecta, I’ve interspersed your bundle with dense lavender chrysanthemums.  Chrysanthemums of the general sort have been around for ages.  Literally ages; the first known cultivation was by an artistic Chinaman in the 15th Century BC.  They were such a hit that the ancient area from which they originated, initially called Xiaolan Town of Zhongsan City was named Ju-Zian to mean “Chrysanthemum City”.  For today’s bundle I selected the “cushion” variety which bloom into thick and fluffy bean-baggy blossoms.

If today is your first delivery, you’ll notice that your bundle has arrived in a cellophane water reservoir and with a cylindrical vase.  Unwrap your bundle over a sink so you don’t make a mess, then simply drop your bundle in your vase, add water, and enjoy.  If today is your second delivery, just give last week’s vase a proper rinse, pop in your bundle, and fill it with fresh water.  Done and done!

As always, if you have any questions, concerns or feedback, send me an email at hbloom@hbloom.com.

Right then, I’m off to celebrate.