Make a mental bookmark for Nov. 1-9.
That’s when our annual “Bouquets for Books” book drive returns to collect new children’s books for area public libraries.
It’s really simple – and rewarding – for you to help out.
Just bring a new book to any of our stores during the event, and you will receive a free bouquet (up to three bouquets per family per visit, while supplies last).
In its seven-year history, Bouquets for Books has collected more than 10,000 books for the libraries.
Category: Uncategorized
In search of the best rose
“Where will I wander and wonder?
Nobody knows
But wherever I`m going I`ll go
In search of a Rose”
–From the song “In Search of a Rose” by The Waterboys
that are grown specifically for Royer’s Flowers.
Just after Labor Day, Tom Royer is going in search of a certain type of rose.
“We don’t want a rose,” said Tom, Royer’s senior vice president and chief operating officer. “We want a rose. We want the best rose and that’s what we need to do to be competitive in our business, is find the best of the best.
“We pride ourselves in doing that. Our flowers last longer, they’re bigger. We constantly have to be looking at all the things that are available to us to make what we do in the flower business better than what anybody else does.”
Tom, who visits flower farms in South America multiple times each year, will be returning to Quito, Ecuador, to meet with three or four rose growers (and a lily grower).
In some ways, this is nothing new. Tom is always in pursuit of better-looking, longer-lasting flowers.
“I’m constantly looking at farms,” Tom said. “It’s just now that the focus has been more on Ecuadoran roses.”
Specifically, he is looking for roses that have bigger head sizes, consistently. It costs more to ship fresh-cut roses from Quito than from Bogota, Colombia, the single-biggest source of Royer’s roses.
“So all things being equal, why would you buy from Quito?” Tom said.
“Well, Ecuadoran roses have always had a little bigger head size, and we’re focusing more and more on that.”
While its farms are capable of growing roses comparable to what is found in Quito, Bogota experiences more rain and clouds that can be detrimental to head size.
One of the growers that Royer’s buys from in Colombia also operates farms in Quito.
“And so we’re getting some of their Ecuadoran farm’s (roses)” and comparing with the ones from Bogota. “And the thing you see is the head size is bigger.”
Tom’s trip will help him determine which one or two farms in Quito he will work with.
“But we’re experimenting with them because you can’t just get a shipment and say, oh, OK, great, this is wonderful or it’s terrible. One shipment doesn’t tell the story. You have to do it over a number of months.”
And even then it’s a never-ending process.
“But wherever I`m going I`ll go
In search of a Rose”
Wherever he’s going, Tom is in search of a rose, too. The best rose he can find.
‘Royer’s Stems Hunger’ food drive collects nearly 2,500 pounds for area food banks
Our third-annual “Royer’s Stems Hunger” food drive collected 2,486 pounds of non-perishable items for the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank and the Greater Berks Food Bank.
From June 21 to 29, Royer’s asked customers to drop off donations at any of our 17 Royer’s in Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon and York counties. In return, customers received a free carnation for each food item, up to a maximum of six carnations per family per visit.
This year’s donations exceeded the amount of food collected in the food drive’s first two years combined.
The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank distributes more than 16 million pounds of food and grocery products every year to more than 600 soup kitchens, shelters and food pantries in 27 central Pennsylvania counties.
The Greater Berks Food Bank collects, stores and distributes food to more than 270 food pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, after-school programs, and senior housing facilities in Berks, Schuylkill and western Montgomery counties.
Kids club birthday card contest deadline extended until Aug. 7
We’ve extended the deadline for the Royer’s Kids Club birthday card design contest until Aug. 7.
Between now and then, download the entry form here, create your birthday card design, and drop it off at your nearest Royer’s.
If we pick your design, we will use it for the birthday card that every kids club member receives on his or her special day. And for winning, you will receive a free flower delivery on your birthday.
So get out your markers and crayons and get drawing!
Royer’s voted ‘Best of Harrisburg’ by Susquehanna Style readers
Royer’s Flowers & Gifts is the florist of choice for the readers of Susquehanna Style magazine.
The glossy monthly publication dubbed June its “Best of Harrisburg Edition,” featuring the best local businesses as voted by its readers.
Royer’s has two Harrisburg-area stores and one in Camp Hill among its 17 stores in Berks, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York counties.
Click here for the complete list of locations.