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Spooky plants to celebrate Halloween

Posted on by Amber

Plants are the perfect decor all year round. They brighten rooms and provide multiple mental and physical health benefits.

Although often overlooked for the fall season, there are many plants that give off “spooky” vibes that will compliment Halloween decorations. Consider including these plants in your Halloween decor this year:

Ficus Elastica Ghost Rider

This rare plant gets its name from the spectral-like coloring of its leaves. Green and “ghostly” white patches are dotted along the leaves of this plant. The red and orange petioles also compliment the season’s colors.

Ficus Belize

This plant screams dark academia. The pink splotches amongst the dark green create an eerie and dramatic effect. It’s a show stopper and would pair nicely with Halloween decor.

Philodendron White Wizard

The White Wizard looks like someone cast a spell on the plant causing parts of its leaves to turn white. Each plant is unique in its coloring and can range from white dots on the green leaves, half of the leaf being white or a full white leaf. Some of the leaves seem like they were dipped in white paint.

This would be a nice plant to pair with ghost decorations and white pumpkins.

Monstera Spotsylvania

This plant has unique holes in the leaves that give it a creepy and ghostly look. The white spots also add to the effect. It looks like something that could come from the Little Shop of Horrors.

This next list includes plants that aren’t spooky themselves, but with creative containers and effects, have been curated to seamlessly integrate into any Halloween scene.

Spooky potted plants

Arachnid Spell

Imagine if a witch cast a spell on a cactus to grow legs like a spider, but the cactus got stuck in the cauldron. That’s what this plant setup looks like. The cactus and cauldron act as the “body” of the spider and are held up by eight thin and long legs, giving the spider effect. 

Consider sitting this on top of a mirror to enhance the “creepy, crawly” image.

Na’maste Dead collection

These three zombies have swapped their brains for air plants! The trio features three green zombies meditating – one with his arms by their side, one with their hands in a prayer pose at their chest and one who is holding their head over their body. Find your inner zen this Halloween with these unexpectedly calm creatures.

Meddling Kids trio

Frankenstein, a witch and a pumpkin are featured in this group. They each have an air plant protruding from their head and mischievous looks on their faces. They would add a unique touch to any Halloween decor and their air plants can be removed and placed in other containers after the season.

The Boo Brothers

This scary cute ghost comes in a variety of expressions and includes a succulent. The succulent is simple to take care of and will last well beyond Halloween.

How to make a boo basket

Posted on by Amber

It’s spooky season, which also means it’s boo basket season.

If you’re not familiar with the popular trend, a boo basket is when people give loved ones a gift basket filled with goodies and treats that are typically halloween themed. It is most commonly gifted from a boyfriend/husband to a girlfriend/wife.

The name “boo basket” is a double entendre that refers to the “boo” spooky element of halloween and “boo” as in the term sometimes used to refer to a boyfriend or girlfriend.

Boo baskets have also traditionally been given as anonymous presents to neighbors and many close-knit neighborhoods have traditions of “booing” each other with a basket.

These baskets make great gifts for friends, family and coworkers too. It’s a fun and seasonal way to brighten someone’s day and show you care.

To give you some inspiration for your boo basket this year, we put together our own version. Watch the video below for boo basket ideas:

Shop the items in our boo basket:

Gift Ideas for Boss’s Day

Posted on by Amber

Boss’s Day, Oct. 16, is a time to show the leadership at your job your appreciation. 

One way to thank your boss for their dedication to helping you grow in your career is with a small gift. Shopping for your boss can be challenging, however, especially if you don’t know them too well outside of the workplace.

To help you find the right gift for your boss we’ve compiled a Boss’s Day Gift Guide for you. These are gifts perfect for anyone.

Boss’s Day Gift Guide:

Retro Succulents

Plants have been shown to contribute to the well-being of employees, making this a perfect gift for the boss who has to put in long hours at the office. It will give them a connection to nature. 

The Retro Succulent dish garden is a good desk plant option. Succulents are easy to care for and the stylish, minimalist container adds a zen feeling to whatever space it is placed in.

Kork Succulent

Our Kork Succulent is another modern option to brighten up an office space. The neutral colors will blend in with any style and are a nice option for those with smaller work spaces.

Happy Face Succulent Garden

Add a pop of color with this mini succulent garden. The happy container will quickly brighten up an office.

Chocolate & Mug Gift Set

Help fuel your boss’s day with a new mug for their coffee and sweet treats from Hershey’s Chocolate.

Presentation Box of Tea – Wellbeing

Gift your boss a moment of relaxation with a collection of teas focused on wellness. There are three specifically curated herbal teas in this collection and two green teas.

Asher Milk Chocolate Pretzels

Keep it simple, but thoughtful with a bag of milk chocolate covered pretzels from Asher’s Chocolates, a family-owned business based in Souderton, Pennsylvania. Perfect for a boss who keeps a stocked snack drawer.

Flowers

You can’t go wrong with flowers. For Boss’s Day, we recommend our Tuscan, Small arrangement. It features a bold vase with cheery carnations and daisy poms. 

However you choose to honor your, they will appreciate the recognition for their hard work and dedication.

Catalogs usher in new season for our brand

Posted on by Neal
Royer's Flowers & Gifts Fall 2024 Catalog
Royer's Flowers & Gifts Year-Round Catalog, issued in Fall 2024

When you’re a fourth-generation family-owned business nearing its 90th year in operation, you cherish your company history.

But a hallmark of Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ enduring legacy is honoring its past while still being willing and able to change course when circumstances dictate.

That agility has made Royer’s one of the most successful florists in the United States.

Sometimes change is thrust upon you suddenly, as it was during the coronavirus pandemic, an existential threat that forced Royer’s to rethink many of the ways it functioned. At other times, Royer’s has had to respond to structural developments in society, which brings us to our latest rebranding effort.

The first glimpse of that new look and feel began arriving in customers’ mailboxes this fall in the form of our year-round and fall catalogs.

Increasingly digital world

Go Welsh, our long-time design agency in Lancaster, is leading the rebranding.

“Whatever we do and propose,” said agency owner Craig Welsh, “it has to live in digital, but it can’t feel digital.”

At its heart, the rebranding addresses the challenge of promoting the organic feeling of flowers in an increasingly digital world.

More than half of our sales now occur online. All those swipes, clicks and taps come at a faster pace than the turning of a printed page, making it harder to capture the public’s attention.

The new catalogs feature a reworking of our logo, distilled from the long-stemmed flower it has been for decades into a clean, contained round icon that’s more recognizable across media.

On social media, Craig noted, an “icon becomes much more prominent in the expectation” among users. And with increased awareness, that icon can become the brand’s primary mark, lending itself to many more uses.

Mid-century modern

The icon makes for a “much cleaner brand presence visually,” Craig said, but the flip side is that the mathematical representation of shapes, lines and curves in the digital realm can overpower the organic world.

That’s why Go Welsh seized on the idea of bringing organic into the mix through inks made from flower petals and stems. Jenna Flickinger, a Go Welsh designer, keeps vials of ink at her desk, with labels such as lily, lavender and pansy, and clematis.

She boils the petals herself, adding salt (to release color) and gum arabic (a stabilizer) to create ink. She brushes the ink onto watercolor paper and then scans the washes into her computer.

Some of the colors and textures have been incorporated into the new catalogs, but the learning process continues. From vial to dried paper, the ink colors aren’t always predictable.

“Even though this was a pink carnation,” Jenna said of one example, “it still [dried as] this yellow color.”

Craig described the rebranding as a “mid-century modern aesthetic,” invoking a design style known for sleek lines connected to nature and a timeless essence.

“We’re trying to find a place where we can combine this organic sensibility with the vector, screen-based digital stuff, so we started looking at mid-century modern sensibilities,” Craig said.

It starts with the new catalogs, but you can expect to see many more representations in the year ahead.

‘Holidays for Heroes’ cards for service members and veterans being accepted Oct. 14-Nov. 16

Posted on by Neal
The image shows a sample of holiday cards and coloring pages that Royer's has received from the public in support of the American Red Cross program "Holidays for Heroes." The cards and coloring pages are given to service members and veterans.

One of our favorite annual traditions is returning Oct. 14 through Nov. 16.

During that period, all Royer’s stores will collect holiday cards and coloring pages for service members and veterans.

Royer’s has partnered with the American Red Cross “Holidays for Heroes” program for more than a decade.

Cards and coloring pages may be dropped off at any Royer’s store during normal business hours. Free coloring pages can be downloaded at royers.com/heroes.

The Red Cross offers these guidelines for preparing cards:

  • Use generic salutations: “Dear Service Member” or “Dear Veteran”
  • Be thoughtful with messages, expressing reasons why you are thankful for the service members/veterans; if you have a personal connection, such as a family member who served, consider adding that
  • Try not to be overtly religious, but messages such as “Merry Christmas” or “God Bless You” are acceptable
  • Do not include inserts such as glitter, photos, business cards
  • Do not include personal information such as telephone number, address or email
  • Sign your name

The American Red Cross prevents and alleviates human suffering in the face of emergencies by mobilizing the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors.

‘Mom’ Royer honored as part of new ‘Women’s History of Lebanon County’ exhibit

Posted on by Neal
This is the Hannah "Mom" Royer portion of the "Women's History of Lebanon County" exhibit running from October 2024 through March 2025 at the Lebanon County Historical Society.
After growing African violets on the windowsill of her Lebanon home,
Hannah “Mom” Royer founded Royer’s Flowers in 1937 with her husband, Lester.

“Mom” Royer and “Granny” Forney lived in different centuries, but their inspiring stories of business success have converged in the new “Women’s History of Lebanon County” exhibit at the Lebanon County Historical Society.

They are among 41 women honored individually in the exhibit, which runs from October through March.

Hannah “Mom” Royer, a native of Myerstown, founded our company with her husband, Lester, in 1937. The exhibit notes that Mom started selling African violets grown on the windowsill of her Lebanon home during the Depression.

The plants helped turn the Royers’ summer produce business into a year-round enterprise and, ultimately, one of the most successful flower retailers in the United States.

Royer’s contributed a silk floral arrangement and a yard stick bearing the name South Side Flower Shop, as the original store was known, to Mom’s part of the exhibit.

Hannah Royer’s tribute shares a shelf in a glass case with that of Forney, who as a divorced mother in the 1800s supported her family working for her neighbors by day and, at night, making cake and beer to sell. Her Annville shop, according to the exhibit, “became a community center where people met to talk and young couples courted.”

The idea for the exhibit – comprising two rooms of a converted house dating to 1786 – originated with the Lebanon County Commission for Women. The commission presented the historical society with a long list of names for consideration.

‘In the discussion early on’

Shane Keenan, the historical society’s archivist, worked with board of trustees members Sherie Strohman and Barbara Gaffney to compile the final list.

Mom Royer, Keenan said, “was definitely in the discussion early on. I think as soon as we determined that we were going to have a section on business and workplace, her name came up, I think right away.”

Other women featured in the exhibit come from the areas of sports, arts, medicine, politics, education, military, philanthropy.

One of the intents of the exhibit is to offer a glimpse into how local women participated in national events, including the battle over women’s suffrage, or the right for women to vote.

Doris Long came to the county from New York, to teach English at Lebanon Valley College. As president of the local chapter of the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association, Long spoke at an event in 1915 when a statewide tour of the Women’s Liberty Bell stopped in Lebanon.

A replica of the Liberty Bell minus the crack, the Women’s Liberty Bell didn’t ring (a chain kept its clapper from moving) until ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920.

Long is featured in the exhibit along with one of her local foes, Deborah Norris Coleman Brock, who was president of the Pennsylvania Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage. Brock was born into the Coleman family iron dynasty and used her wealth for philanthropic endeavors, including helping to start Good Samaritan Hospital.

The historical society recognizes that the exhibit reflects only a portion of the contributions made by women to the county’s development. Cards will be provided for visitors to suggest other women who should be recognized.

Meanwhile, you can learn more about Mom Royer on our blog.

IF YOU GO

This is a photo of the exterior of the Lebanon County Historical Society, 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon, Pa.

The “Women’s History of Lebanon County” exhibit runs through March, which is Women’s History Month, at the Lebanon County Historical Society, 924 Cumberland St., Lebanon.

Admission to the women’s exhibit is free. The historical society is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

Behind the scenes of our new everyday selections brochure

Posted on by Amber

The everyday selection brochure, which highlights many new products, is finally here!

The 41-page booklet features photographs of our current selection of flower bouquets, arrangements, plants, gifts and more. It’s designed to help flower lovers find the perfect arrangement for every occasion and mood.

There’s many different collections featured including the nautical-inspired “Nantucket” and “Cape May” collections, the thoughtful “Memories” rose collection, the loving and cheery “Tranquility” collection and more.

The Nantucket Deluxe featuring hydrangea, two roses, delphinium, Bells of Ireland, football mums, carnations, daisy poms, viking poms, and solidago graces the cover, evoking memories of beach days from this past Summer.

Our direct ship options, which ship anywhere in the Continental United States and include the arrangement, vase and flower food, are highlighted within the book as well as our direct ship succulent container.

Some of our snack and tea offerings are featured, including the Chocolate & Mug Gift Set and the limited edition “Jubilee” tea collection from Tea Forte featuring 20 tea infusers comprised of 10 different blends. Some of the flavors include Strawberry Hibiscus (Oolong tea), Cherry Blossom (Green tea) and Mango Citron (Herbal tea). 

Our funeral offerings and sympathy gifts are also included. There is a double urn arrangement showcased along with a red rose open heart standing wreath for funeral and celebration of life services. The double urn arrangement is in all whites including hydrangea, roses, stock, alstroemeria, carnations, and daisy poms.

There are also flowers specifically curated to be given as gifts to grieving families.

Gift arrangements for all of life’s occasions are also highlighted. The “Baby Girl” bouquet made of mini green hydrangea, charmelia alstroemeria, a football mum, carnations, daisy poms, baby’s breath is shown. The arrangement comes with a pink stuffed unicorn to help welcome the new baby girl. A “Baby Boy” version featuring a blue and white stuffed cow and a blue and white arrangement is also available.

The “Beary Happy Birthday Vase” arrangement is shown, which includes a “Happy Birthday” stick-in and a tan bear with a party hat. A general celebration arrangement is also pictured, which includes a party horn and noise maker, and is perfect for all of the happy moments.

Plant mom and dads can peruse our new plant offerings, including our vibrant Triple Orchard Planter and tropical-style Bromeliad Planter.

We hope the new look book helps you find exactly what you are looking for. These books can be picked up at your local Royer’s Flowers & Gifts and are complementary.

Homecoming flower guide – learn how to attach boutonnieres and properly wear corsages

Posted on by Amber

Homecoming is approaching fast and to help you get ready, we’ve put together a how-to guide for placing and wearing your boutonnieres and corsages and posing with flowers.

Whatever look you are going for, Royer’s has you covered.

How to place wearable flowers

Boutonnieres

Guys, here’s a step-by-step guide to attaching your boutonniere to your suit or tuxedo. The first step is to decide whether you want the boutonniere on your jacket or your shirt.

Guide for lapel placement:

  1. First, a boutonniere is typically worn on your left lapel. It should be placed in the middle at the widest section of the lapel.
  2. To keep from damaging the flowers, angle the boutonniere so that the flowers are leaning slightly away from you. The flowers should also face you while the greenery should face away from you.
  3. Once the boutonniere is in place, lift the lapel up and push the pin through the thickest part of the arrangement, slightly diagonally and upwards toward your face.
  4. Then push the pin back into your jacket, like it’s a sewing needle. When completed properly, the beginning and end of the pin should be hidden under your lapel.
  5. To check if it’s secure, wiggle the boutonniere gently from side to side. If needed, use a second pin.

Watch our how-to video on how to place a boutonniere on a lapel below:

Guide for shirt placement:

  1. The boutonniere is traditionally placed in the top left area of a shirt (the wearer’s left). 
  2. Pinch the shirt slightly to the right of where you want the boutonniere and stick the pin through both layers.
  3. Repeat the pinching process slightly to the left of where you want the boutonniere.
  4. Slide the boutonniere behind the pin. Do not puncture the boutonniere with the pin for this method.
  5. Check that the boutonniere is secured.

Corsages

The ladies have it a bit easier. Corsages should be secured to a wrist and worn in the same fashion as a bracelet. It should be worn on the non-dominant hand as to minimize the damage it can incur during homecoming.

Opting for a bouquet?

Some homecoming attendees are opting for a bouquet instead. However you choose to incorporate flowers into your special evening, we know it will look beautiful. A bouquet will stand out and can make your photos pop. 

Here are some tips if you’re using a bouquet:

  • The flower colors do not have to match your dress and can instead compliment it. At Royer’s if you show us a picture of your look, we can help direct you to which flowers will give you your dream homecoming image.
  • Stay on the small side. The night will be busy and having a smaller bouquet to carry with you, even if you’re just using them for photos, will make your life easier.
  • If you are bringing a bouquet to the actual dance, have a game plan of where you will store it while you’re burning up the dance floor.

Posing with flowers tips

If you are wearing a boutonniere, make sure it is securely in place before the cameras start flashing. The last thing you want is to look back at the photo and see it was lopsided.

For those with corsages, consider photos that specifically highlight the details. If you had your nails done, this is a great way to show those off too. If you have a date, snap a photo of your hand with the corsage on their chest to freeze the arrangement in time.

If you have a bouquet, the most important thing to remember is how your hands look. Do not grip the bouquet with balled up fists; instead lace your fingers around the front of the bouquet for a more casual look.

The trend for bouquet images right now is to hold it out with one hand in front of a blank background, like a white or gray wall, to capture the details.

We hope these tips help you to have the most magical homecoming. Please share your homecoming pictures featuring your Royer’s flower arrangements with us on Instagram by tagging us on Instagram @royersflowers and using the hashtags #HOCOwithRoyers & #RoyersFlowers. We can’t wait to see them!

The history of Grandparents Day

Posted on by Amber

Grandparents Day is a time to celebrate our mom and dad’s parents and the significant impact many of them have had on us. 

On Grandparents day people often visit their loved ones, give them a phone call or send them a card. Others use the time to reminiscence about their late grandparents, possibly remembering the days cuddled in their laps listening to their stories.

According to Reader’s Digest, Marian McQuade of West Virginia created the holiday in 1956 after realizing a lot of senior citizens in her local nursing home were not visited by family while she was trying to plan a community celebration of the elderly.

McQuade then made it her mission to ensure they were not forgotten by creating Grandparents Day. It became an official holiday in 1978 when it was signed into law by former President Jimmy Carter.

However, the purpose of the holiday is not meant just for grandchildren to celebrate grandparents, but also the reverse. The National Grandparents Day Council says that the holiday is also meant for grandparents to celebrate their grandchildren.

The holiday is always celebrated on the Sunday after Labor Day in the United States. This year the special day is on September 8. 

This year the official theme is “Grand Minds: Learn, Love, Legacy”. Generations United is encouraging people to #DoSomethingGrand this year with their grandparents and have a list of activity ideas on their website.

Grandparents Day Gift Ideas

We put together a Grandparents Day gift basket for those looking for ideas for Grandparents Day. Check out our basket below!

Here’s the items we included in our basket:

Name-the-arrangement contest sparkles with ‘Merriment,’ chosen for new holiday design

Posted on by Neal
Participants in Royer's Flowers name-the-arrangement contest in 2024 are asked to give a name to this holiday design. It features carnations, poms and a rose with noble fir and boxwood, ribbon and berries, all in a silver and red tin.

By day, Jennifer Davis of Lebanon is an engineer, writing test plans for satellites.

At night she comes back to earth with what she called her “email wind-down routine,” which is how Royer’s Flowers & Gifts’ name-the-arrangement contest came into her orbit.

She submitted a couple entries, winning with “Merriment,” which put a figurative bow on a new holiday design. The arrangement features carnations, poms and a rose with noble fir and boxwood, ribbon and berries, all in a silver and red tin.

The contest runner-up was Joanne Beasy with “Berries & Boughs.” Beasy, of Grove City, Ohio, entered the contest through Royer’s sister company Connells Maple Lee Flowers & Gifts, which has three stores in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

Davis and Beasy each will receive a Merriment arrangement as their prize.