Visser's Florist in Orange County

California Balloon Law

2008-07-18T17:29:00.000-07:00

Yippee! As unbelievable as it is, the California legislature has acted in a logical and sane manner and gutted the proposed draconian Mylar Balloon Law. Read about the changes here.

The proposal's sponsor, Sen. Jack Scott (D-Altadena) has changed his proposed outright ban on Mylar balloons in favor of tougher enforcement of the existing law and increased penalties for violating that law. If the bill passes, which it probably will, a florist (like Visser's Florist--world's best florist) would be fined $250 for selling a mylar balloon without a weight to keep it from causing a power outage.

Let me say this. At Visser's, we are concerned about the impact of what we sell on the environment. That's why we include a free balloon weight with every Mylar sold. We congratulate the California state legislature for making the changes that will protect the environment without penalizing the small businesses in California.

Sunflowers

2008-07-10T08:48:00.000-07:00

Summer is here and it's Sunflower time. These beauties can really brighten up someone's day. Come on in to Visser's Florist and pick some up today. You won't be sorry.

And by the way, the vase arrangement pictured above just happens to be our secret email special of the week. By calling our store at (714) 772-9900 you have get this happy bouquet for only $22.95 (Good only today and tomorrow). If you like, we can deliver it for our normal delivery charge, but unfortunately we cannot send this order out of our normal Orange County delivery area. Our partner florists just cannot match our unbelievable price for this one. Don't delay, because when they're gone--they're gone.

Independence Day Flowers

2008-07-02T11:21:00.001-07:00

It occurs to me that despite all of the fun on the 4th of July with the BBQs, parades and fireworks, the real meaning tends to get lost (like a lot of other holidays). We really need to honor and celebrate the true concept of independence day.

Let's face it. The freedoms that we often take for granted didn't just happen by accident. The reason that we are able to live in an independent and free nation is because of the sacrifice of so many people in the military over the years.

Here's my idea. Friday morning, before the day's festivities begin, take a few flowers, go to a local cemetary and find the grave of a soldier. It doesn't matter if you don't know him or her, just find one that doesn't have any flowers on it and leave yours. Maybe say a quiet word of thanks.

Now, before you say this is a commercial for our flower shop, let me say that Visser's Florist, and most other flower shops will be closed the 4th. That's not the point. Go out in the back yard, pick a few flowers from your garden, tie them together with some ribbon and use those. It's the thought that counts. And, I absolutely guarantee that if you do this you will feel better on this 4th of July than you have in a long time.

Happy Holiday.

Money CAN buy happiness

2008-06-21T09:52:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, the economy is not doing very well. The real estate market is in trouble, the job market isn’t that strong and the price of gas is ridiculous. It can easily cost $100 to fill up your tank. Plus, it doesn’t help that the news media loves to remind you how bad things are on a daily basis.

One common response to all this negative input is to cut back your spending everywhere you can. Even here at Visser’s Florist, one of the top florists in the nation, we see people cutting back every day.

My message to you is simple. When you come to Visser’s, or any reputable flower shop and make just a small purchase of flowers you are not buying a commodity-- You are buying happiness.

Think about it. Pick up a few flowers on the way home, for no reason at all, and surprise your spouse. Or, on the way to lunch with a friend, buy a small bouquet. Maybe one of your co-workers or employees has been working extra hard and you want to show your appreciation, but can’t spend much money. Flowers are perfect for these types of occasions. The happiness you create with these small acts of kindness is worth many times more that the small amount you paid.

And remember, it isn’t just the person receiving the flowers that will be happy. Think about how good you will feel for the rest of the day! There really is nowhere else that you can spend so little money to buy so much happiness. Do yourself a favor, try it today.

Rainbow Roses & Same Sex Marriages

2008-06-16T12:49:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow California starts allowing same sex marriages. At Visser's Florist & Greenhouses we have discovered the perfect flower to celebrate the occasion: Rainbow Roses.

These exquisite roses are stem-dyed using a special process to highlight their beautiful vibrant colors. They provide a perfect backdrop for your special occasion. And, when arranged by our award-winning wedding designers, they would be perfect for the main wedding bouquet, as alter pieces or centerpieces. Stop by Visser's today and take a look.

Tough days for florists

2008-06-14T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is sad. In the news today are two stories of flower shops closing. In the first, the Tommy Tucker Flower Shop in Belmont, Ohio will close later this month. The flowershop has been faithfully serving the community for fifty years. Here’s the story.

In the second story, a flowershop has been in business for 100 years, owned by four generations of the same family. It is closing today.

I have never been to either of these shops, but it's still very sad. This is a tough time for small business. Please do what you can to support them. When you’re driving home today stop by your local flower shop and pick up a few flowers—just for the heck of it. The flowers will make you feel happier and you will be doing you part to keep small business America going.

Finally, just a reminder, Visser’s Florist and Greenhouses has been here for over 50 years. Next time you’re driving down Lincoln Ave. in Anaheim, stop by and say hi.

DIY Wedding Flowers

2008-06-12T08:47:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it, everybody’s trying to save a buck. Brides are no exception. The cost of a wedding keeps going up year after year. Now, there are business springing up to provide brides with “wedding quality” flowers that they can design themselves.

Bad idea. Designing your own wedding flowers makes about as much sense as buying a couple of bolts of material and designing your wedding dress. Yes, I know, some people can actually pull it off. Most brides, however, cannot.

In the total cost of a wedding, flowers are usually a smaller item. Reception site, caterer, photographer, dresses, etc. will all cost more than the flowers. But think about this. When you look back at your wedding pictures, flowers will make or break the memory. Beautiful flowers, professionally designed, don’t have to be excessively expensive. Go to a trusted florist (hopefully Visser’s Florist), give them a realistic budget, and leave the hassle and worry to them.

Don’t ask your aunt, or your cousin to take on the responsibility. It isn’t fair to them and the final product will not be what you are hoping for. This is the best day of your life. Shouldn’t your flowers reflect that?

Teleflora Advisory Board

2008-06-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Good news! I have been appointed to Teleflora’s Florist Advisory Board. This is a rotating panel where some of the country’s top florists get together to advise Teleflora on future products, marketing strategies and other priorities. It will be a good opportunity for me to relay the preferences, desires and concerns of Visser’s customers to an organization representing thousands of florists throughout North America. I will report back on our progress as it happens. In the meantime if you want to send me any suggestions to pass along, feel free to email me at Ted@vissersflowers.com.

Santa Ana Orange Grove

2008-05-29T14:02:00.000-07:00

It's a sad day for Santa Ana, CA. One of the last Orange Groves in the city has been sold and is going to be turned into houses. According to the OC Register, the 4.5 acre property is the last remaining grove of any size in Santa Ana.

For those of you that don't know, Santa Ana was started almost 100 years ago with a few cottages built among the acres and acres of oranges, apricots and walnuts. Boy how things have changed.

Don't get me wrong. I understand that with more and more people pouring into the region, something has to give--and in this case it's the trees.

Still, it seems a little sad. At some point all of Orange County will be wall to wall development. The kids being born today will know a completely different OC than the one that I knew.

I guess the only thing to do is to stop by Visser's and buy your grandkid a nice plant. (It couldn't hurt)

FTD quality program

2008-05-24T08:13:00.000-07:00

We are please to announce that Visser's Florist will be part of a new quality program being implemented by FTD. As you know, Visser's is one of the top 100 FTD florists in North America (out of 20,000) The program puts in place several technical changes regarding the use of the FTD system for sending out your flower orders to different parts of the country.

The changes will result in much better coordination among the FTD florists throughout the world, so when you call Visser's to send flowers to your Aunt in New Jersey, you can relax knowing that your order is being well taken care of.

Graduation Leis

2008-05-15T09:21:00.000-07:00

Well, Mother's Day is over. All of us at Visser's worked really hard to make everyone happy--and I think we succeeded.

Now, let's turn our attention to Graduation. It's a very special time if you have a graduate in your family. What better way to celebrate than with Dendrobium Orchid Leis from Vissers?

In Hawaii, giving leis for Graduation is a time-honored tradition. Often times, a graduate gets so many leis that they can't wear them all and must share them with others.

Long ago, leis were made of a variety of natural things, like shells, ivory, teeth, seeds, nuts and flowers. Today, the traditional graduation lei is made of Dendrobium Orchids. Visser's special prices for these beautiful graduation leis are $19.99 for a single and $29.99 for a double. We usually have them is stock, but it is better to call us a little in advance to reserve them.

Also, if your school or organization would like to sell leis as a fundraiser, give us a call.

Mother's Day Flowers

2008-05-06T08:16:00.000-07:00

Sunday is Mother's Day. Start planning what to do for mom right now. Obviously, here at Visser's Florist we hope that you will order flowers to show your gratitude and love for the person that has done so much for you. It doesn't take much effort. Either click here, or call us at 714 772-9900. We have flowers and plants to fit all budgets.

We will deliver your flowers to mom on Friday or Saturday, so when you go over to her house Sunday morning they will be there. In fact, mom will be so happy that she will probably have some freshly baked cookies waiting for you. So come on, pick up the phone and make your mom happy.

FTD Acquisition

2008-05-03T08:38:00.000-07:00

(from Suntimes.com) "FTD, the Downers Grove-based floral company, will be acquired by United Online Inc. for about $456 million in cash, notes and stock, the companies announced Wednesday.

United Online, the operator of NetZero and Juno Internet service providers, intends to expand FTD's online revenue-making opportunities, particularly because less than 5 percent of the floral industry's revenue comes from Internet sales, and the two companies have more than 50 million overlapping customers.

United Online intends to help florists increase their revenues, too, by improving "how they present themselves; how they are integrated with the FTD story so they appear much more a part of the family; and how they use the Internet as a leverage tool to drive their business rather than looking at the Internet as a competitor."

I just want to comment on this acquisition. United Online clearly wants to grow the internet part of this business. That's fine with me. Internet shopping is growing everyday, with no letup in sight. The flower industry will probably benefit from having these experts on the team.

Visser's Florist is proud to have partnered with FTD for so many years. However, let me make one thing perfectly clear. We have grown and prospered for over 50 years because we provide outstanding customer service--every single day. THAT IS NOT GOING TO CHANGE.

Our commitment is to make every customer glad that they shopped at Visser's. If we do that we will be here another 50 years.

I'd appreciate your comments.

Wedding show for Visser's

2008-04-25T15:18:00.001-07:00

It's a big weekend here at Visser's Florist. We are taking our wedding crew and hundreds of spectacular flowers to The Great Bridal Expo. It will be Saturday 4/26 at 12:00 in the Anaheim Convention Center.

Debbie, our head wedding designer, has also been asked to create the bridal bouquets for the fashion show. I guess word about Debbie's talent travels fast!

The tickets are $9.00 at the door. If you are planning to get married in the near future (and you are in the Anaheim area) I highly encourage you to attend.

And if you do, stop by the Visser's booth and say hi to Debbie--and to me! By the way, I tried to get a picture of Debbie but she is too busy. Here is just one of the bouquets she is making--black magic roses and black calla lilies.

Columbian Free Trade Agreement

2008-04-21T09:06:00.000-07:00

The Colombian Free trade agreement is effectively dead—for now. Congress decided not to vote on an agreement that would eliminate trade barriers between the U.S. and Columbia. Congress is concerned about how workers are treated in Columbia, so they decided to put them out of work by reducing the amount of flowers shipped to the U.S. from their country.

Now, I know what you’re saying—“why should I care about that, we have enough problems here to worry about”. The answer is that it makes our flowers more expensive.

A very large percentage of our flowers, especially roses and carnations, comes from South America. The cost of these flowers is already going up because of the decline in the value of the dollar and because of skyrocketing fuel costs. Do we really want to make them even more expensive?

In addition to making flowers cost more and putting agricultural workers in Columbia out of work, there is another issue. Columbia buys our products—beef, vegetables, cotton and other agricultural products. The agreement would have made those products more attractive to Columbians and helped our farmers.

I do realize that more and more flower production is shifting away from my native California and moving to foreign soil. This reality reflects our high cost of labor, and the recent housing boom that took farmlands out of production to build houses. However, putting tariffs (or taxes) on products will not change the economics of flower production in California. It’s just too expensive to grow flowers here.

Congress needs to “wake up and smell the roses” and stop playing politics with this issue.

Administrative Professional’s Day

2008-04-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

It’s next Wednesday so you better start planning. For some reason, maybe because the “bosses” have faulty memories, the holiday has been expanded into an entire Week. (I tried the same thing with my birthday but it didn’t work).

Anyway, the “real” days to send flowers, plants or go out to lunch are Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. If you wait until Thursday or Friday, your assistant is going to be embarrassed, and frankly, you will end up spending more just to make up for your little lapse.

The best thing to do is to call Visser’s Florist today and schedule something to be delivered. We have flowers, plants and balloons in all price ranges. Have it sent early in the week and make all the “other” bosses in the office look bad. Or, if you’re really a nice person, get together with all of the other bosses in the office and place one order. Talk about a win-win situation!

Our Flower shop’s Subprime Mortgages

2008-04-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

It seems that you can’t pick up a newspaper or turn on the news these days without seeing something about subprime mortgages. It’s especially interesting to listen to the politicians talk about the subject.
Politicians on one side of the aisle say that this is some big conspiracy by evil mortgage companies and they must be punished. The politicians on the other side say that the borrowers were just too dumb, or were financial speculators and nothing should be done.

I’m not advocating either point of view. I just want to share the story of two of Visser’s employees that were caught in this mess to show that it’s not as simple as the politicians make it out to be.

The first employee is a middle-aged, married woman. She has owned her house for a number of years. Her and her husband raised their kids there and everything was going along fine. Then, serious medical problems hit, and even though they had insurance, the out of pocket costs were big. They were stuck—couldn’t pay. The only way they could make it was to refinance the house. Needless to say, they got an adjustable rate mortgage and now the interest rate has reset. The medical bills are mostly gone, but sadly, they are going to lose their house in the process.

The other employee is a single mother, working hard to support her kids. After years of saving, she was finally able to get her piece of the American Dream. It was a modest house, but I have never seen anyone that was more proud. Unfortunately, her mortgage rates have also risen substantially, and she may also lose her house—along with her life savings.

As I said before, I’m not pushing any particular solution, or trying to place blame. My point is that when you see these stories, remember that they are really about real people going through the worst time of their lives.

Flowers in Hot Weather

2008-04-12T16:50:00.000-07:00

It's 96 degrees here in Southern California. While we can sit back in our easy chair and drink beer to stay cool (ok, that may not work but it makes me feel better), flowers aren't so lucky. Visser's Florist & Greenhouses has two, 6,000 sq. ft greenhouses full of plants. We also have 100,000 CFM (cubic feet per minute) of cooling power to keep the plants cool and the humidity up.

Your plants and flowers may not be so lucky. If you are blessed enough to have some beautiful flowers in your house, you need to do a couple of things. First, try and keep them cool. I'm not saying run the air conditioner just for your beautiful Visser's roses, but keep them in a cooler part of the house, and not by a window where they can get direct sunlight.

Next, if you do have air conditioning, don't put your flowers or plants right by the vent. Air circulation is important, but if they are by the vent the air will dry them out. Next, make sure they have water. You drink more when it's hot and so do flowers and plants. In fact, occasionally misting them with a little cool water is a good thing also.

Finally, if you have any questions about your plant or flower care, please call us at Visser's at (714) 772-9900.

Secretary's Day Flowers

2008-04-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

I guess I just don't get it. When I was younger, things seemed a lot simpler. Secretary's Day was one day a year, and business people all over the country sent flowers to the person that helped them out throughout the year. That person was called a secretary. Frankly, secretary was a pretty darned good office job.

Somewhere along the road, "secretary" became a menial job title. It seemed to happen about the time that businesses switched from typewriters to computers. Maybe the first secretaries to learn a word processing program wanted to distinguish themselves from the mere mortal typewriter users.

Anyway, things have gotten so out of control, that now, nobody even knows what to call the holiday. Secretary's Day, Administrative Assistant Day, Administrative Professional Day, etc. Plus, it isn't a day anymore. Apparently business execs are too dumb to remember one particular day, so now it is a whole week.

Isn't the whole thing a little silly? Most admin assistants I know work pretty hard doing the legwork for their boss. They deserve to be recognized for what they do, but for goodness sake, let's get rid of the political correctness.

On Wednesday, March 23, call Visser's Florist in Anaheim and order something special for the person that makes your life easier. Don't call the holiday anything--just say thank you.

Visser's on TV

2008-04-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Monday morning--let's say you're not doing anything around 6:00. Turn on local TV channel KDOC (for me at Time Warner cable it's channel 6). Ron Caro, one of Visser's Florist's top notch drivers will be featured on the morning show called Daybreak OC.

They have a segment called I love my job and Ron will be the star of the day. The picture at the top plays a special role in the show also--so watch for it.

By the way, for those of you who may not get up at 6:00, it's also on at 7:00 a.m.

Lilacs in the OC

2008-04-03T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's here, it's here. Lilac, that hard-to-get (in Southern California) fragrant flower has come to Visser's. It is only to available to us for about three weeks out of the year.

They tend to be most popular with transplanted "East Coasters" but almost everyone loves their fragrant beauty. Order now and you can reserve your vase of fresh lilac.

This item is for local Orange County delivery only, as most flower shops do not stock this hard to get flower. Prices start at $14.99 for a bunch of these beauties and $49.99 for Lilac arranged in a vase. The vase pictured above is our $69.99 price point. Don't wait--time and lilacs wait for no one!

Newest Flower Designer

2008-03-31T11:47:00.000-07:00

We would like to welcome our newest designer to the Visser's Florist design team, Celi Barbosa. Celi has been a floral designer for over 12 years and we are so happy that she decided to join Visser's. Celi brings an interesting and unique style to our talented design team. Her specialty is wedding design, but all of her designs are just amazing. Next time you're in Anaheim, stop by the shop and say hello to Celi.

San Diego Flower Fields

2008-03-30T16:19:00.000-07:00

It's almost April, and Spring is here. I thought I would share one of our favorite Spring daytrips with you: The Flower Fields in Carlsbad California. The Flower Fields are south of Orange County in Carlsbad California--off the 5 freeway going to San Diego. From March to May every year it is simply one of the most spectacular displays of flowers in Southern California (well, maybe not better than Visser's Florist and Greenhouses), and well worth the drive.

For eight weeks every spring, the giant renunculus are in bloom and the land is changed into a sea of vibrant colors. There are currently 50 acres of planted renunculus and also 10 acres of gladioli, watsonia and other flowers that make the area even more beautiful. The impact of so much color and beauty is difficult to describe. Once you go, you will never forget it. Also, be sure and visit the All-American Rose Selection test garden. The Flower Fields conducts group tours and wagon rides—especially popular with the kids. If you love flowers, this is truly a worthwhile drive—and fun for the entire family.

Directions: Take Interstate 5 to the Palomar Airport Road exit and go east to 5704 Paseo Del Norte. The Carlsbad Flower Fields are about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego (760) 431-0352.

Be sure and take your camera.

Visser's Flowers on TV

2008-03-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

What an interesting morning. No, I'm not talking about the 1 1/2 hours I spent unclogging the drain in the walk-in flower cooler. Visser's Florist is going to be on TV.

Local TV station KDOC has a morning program called Daybreak OC on in the morning. Every Monday morning they have a segment called "I love my job". One of our delivery people, Ron Caro, is going to be featured on the segment in three weeks. Ron, who really does love his job, will be shown working around the flowershop and actually delivering flowers.

The great thing about delivering flowers is how happy people are when they get them. And, with all that positive energy how could you not love your job!
Anyway, the tentative date of the airing is April 14. We will keep you posted.

Super Plant Sale

2008-03-25T12:34:00.000-07:00

Next week March 31 - April 5 will be Visser's annual plant supersale.

Hundreds of plants on sale for 50% - 75% off our regular low prices. These plants are mostly overstocks and excess inventory. A few are orphans that need a little TLC. Come on by and check out this sale--it only happens once a year.