Flower Delivery UK 

A - Z of Cut Flowers - G

Gentiana

Name: Common name is Gentian. It was thought to be named after Gentius,
King of Illyria (present-day Albania), who was the first to use this plant medicinally.
The tall gentians used for cut flowers are mostly the Gentiana makinoi cultivar.
Description: Flowers are trumpet-shaped blue or purple.
Origin: Most of the 400 species gentians are small, short plants including many alpines.
The tall varieties used for cutting are principally Gentiana makinoi from Japan especially
 "Royal Blue" or Gentiana triflora variety "Japonica".
Availability: June-October
Care Tips: They last for 3-4 weeks.
Trivia: The roots are used medicinally to treat weak or underactive digestive systems and also
as anti-flammatory medicine.

Gerbera

Name: Named after Traugott Gerber, a German doctor. Usually pronounced JUR-bra.
Infrequently called Transvaal Daisy or Barberton Daisy.
Origin: South Africa (Transvaal and Cape Province)
Colour: Gerberas offer an incredibly wide range of colours with every colour except
blue represented (including fashionable shades of buff and maroon).
Availability: All year round.
Family: Miniature gerbera (germinis) are available, as well as the standard size,
and large headed types (bigger than your palm).
Varieties: There are over 200 varieties of gerbera and breeders have developed many
variants from serrated or frilly petals to double flowers and extra wide petals.
A new development is the mini-gerbera or 'germini' which have the same wide choice of colours
 but are smaller and more appropriate for smaller flower arrangements.
Care Tips: Need warmth and bright light.
Trivia:
Zodiac: Associated with the star sign Leo
History: Little-known 20 years ago, but now extremely popular and fashionable.
Gerbera were first imported to Europe in the 19th century.

Gladiolus

Name: From the Latin "gladius", meaning "sword", relating to their leaf shape.
Origin: South African, like many other bulb flowers (see Freesia).
Colour: White and soft pastels, pinks, oranges, peach, yellow, red and purple.
Availability: May to October.
Family: The daintily-patterned smaller Nanus forms of gladioli are less well-known
but delightful cut-flowers.
Care Tips: Remove faded flowers to encourage others to open. Snipping off the top two
or three green buds straightens the stem and helps flowers open below.
Gladioli like a lot of water, and will suffer seriously if not given enough water.
Trivia:
Facts: Used extensively throughout Mediterranean countries in festivals and saints' days.
Dame Edna Everage hurls "gladdies" into the audience at the end of every performance.

Gloriosa

Name: Gloriosa Rothschildiana is more commonly known as the Gloriosa Lily or
 Glory Lily from the latin gloria meaning honour, fame. This splendid and exotic lily was
named after Baron Z.W. Rothschild, an authority on birds, who brought the flower from Africa
and entered it at an exhibition of the English Horticultural Society at the turn of the century.
Description: The flower bears six delicate reflexed petals with scalloped yellow edges each
measuring approximately 3-4" (8-10cm) across.
Origin: Originally from tropical Africa, Gloriosa is the national flower of Zimbabwe.
Since then it has mainly been grown in Holland. It was first cultivated in the UK in 1902.
Colour: Red through to cerise with yellow edges.
Availability: April to October
Family: Lilium
Care Tips: These flowers are extremely sensitive to being handled and are therefore
often sold in inflatable bags to avoid damage. Wilting flowers can be revived by immersing
in deep water for several hours.
Trivia Facts:
Gloriosa is in fact a vine and therefore can be bought as single stems (short variety)
or as a whole top vine with several clusters of flowers (long variety)

Gypsophila

Name: The botanical name means "lover of chalk" - as this is the sort of soil the plant
 likes to grow in. Its popular name, baby's breath, gives an indication of its delicate airy appearance.
Description: Gypsophila has many slender branching stems, each bearing many tiny
button-shaped flowers at the ends.
Origin: The plant is native to Eastern Europe, right across the continent from the Mediterranean
to Siberia. It was first grown in the UK in 1759 and is still grown commercially here,
 as well as in Israel and Holland
Colour: Gypsophila has a chalky white flower, although cream and pale pink varieties
are sometimes found.
Availability: All year round.
Family: A relative of the equally well known carnation. Newer varieties of gypsophila such as
"Million Stars" are much easier to arrange as they do not become entangled.
Care Tips: Keep the water clean and gypsophila will be very long lasting

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