Todich Floral Design Blog

Watch the gig and their buttonholes from here!

Faith No More, the influential American band that broke up in 1998 are in Britain for their come back tour! The band that once featured the infamous Courtney Love as their star singer (until she was fired) have recruited Todich Floral Design’s services to accompany their gig tonight in the o2 Brixton Academy!

The platinum status band has asked us to create for them 5 special button holes to accompany their suits in tonight’s gig, which are being created by our head florist as we speak!

Their musical success in Faith No More stemmed their careers further into the musical business after their split in 1998- Mike Patton, lead singer, has been involved with the incredible vocals in one of my personal favourite bands, Lovage, as well as stepped in as lead vocalist for the Dillenger Escape Plan for recording of  ‘Irony is a Dead Scene’. His versatile singing voice has lead to critics calling him “one of the most talented singers in rock music.”

Billy Gould, bass player, has also been involved with many projects, including Fear and the Nervous System, which features Korn guitarist as well as the drummer from punk rock group Bad Religion.

Michael Bordin, the left handed drummer (who amazingly plays his ride cymbal on the left hand side with a right handed drum kit) has also been Ozzy Osbourne’s drummer, helping him re-record several albums. He also stepped in to substitute Korn’s beautiful David Silveria when he was injured.

Faith No More’s songs have lived on, despite their 11 year hiatus. Track “Midlife Crisis” is featured in both ‘Tony Hawk’s Underground’ and ‘Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas’. “From Out of Nowhere” was featured in sporting games ‘Madden NFL 2005′ and ‘NFL 2005′ and ‘Epic’ is featured in the trailer for ‘Street Fighter IV’ as well as being the background song.

Cut expenses, not flowers!

In a crisis it’s always important to stay calm, and keep things under control. Your clients and employees alike, all depend on your company to be the pillar of support during hard times. When expenses become your primary concern, steps are taken to cut down on spending in order to provide financial safety for the upcoming gray days. Where do we start first? We eliminate expenses associated with things we see around us. This approach, although practiced by a lot of companies, can actually bring about a negative effect, even though at first it seems like the right thing to do. For example, when you take a quick glance around you, you’ll probably notice the lovely violets on the table, or a sego plant occupying that dull corner. If you eliminate flowers and plants from your offices in order to cut back on costs, you may save a few quid, but you lose the relaxing atmosphere that comes with having flowers and plants around. Ask yourself if you’d like to spend 8 hours a day in a solid, static, dull, uninspiring space, and concentrate on working harder… We need flowers and plants around us, they are there for a good reason.

It’s the hidden, deeper expenses that need to be addressed. In fact, most companies discover flaws in their financial profile only when they dig deeper into their operations, forced to do so by an economic crisis. Eliminating the very things that help create a relaxed working atmosphere, therefore a more productive atmosphere, will not solve your problems in the long run, in fact, it will only make everyone work under even more pressure. Needless to say, productivity will go south as well.

Looking at things from a different angle, you are to a large extent marketing yourself both to your clients and your own employees. You want to pass on a positive message, even though job cuts are inevitable. Bringing on a gloomy dark atmosphere of dread will certainly not help anyone. Do you want your clients, those who choose to carry on and keep bringing you business, to come in and sense your lack of morale? Do you want your employees to spend hours in melancholy, instead of working hard to survive the hard times? Probably not.

You may think stopping the little visible things can significantly help the overall budget. It’s the easy option sure, but it’s those little things that help create that great atmosphere in your working place, that every one of your employees enjoys. Instead, there are far more effective ways to cut down on spending like phone bills, travel expenses, mailing, transportation – but they do require a little more work to optimise. Cutting down on spending in these areas is an internal change, invisible to people outside the company, therefore your hard earned reputation will stay intact. For example, cutting back on travel expenses will bring more employees back to the office, where they will get more things done in a relaxed working atmosphere created by a vase of bright confident flowers, cheering the world as you greet your next client at the reception desk.

Table arrangement used for the event

We’re very happy and honoured to have been given the chance to decorate a small royal event at end of July, a dinner at the Westbury Hotel, with Prince (and princess) Michael of Kent as guests of honour.

Our part of the job was to create a formal but private atmosphere, befitting the presence of such extinguished individuals. The event was decorated with table arrangements and standing arrangements in four niches.

This was a great experience, where our professional approach was shown in full light. We were very excited and nervous at the same time - expectations were high, but luckily our experience and expertise helped us hit the target dead center.

We`ve been very busy in the past weeks working on projects for clients, but having finally taken 5 minutes for a cup of coffee with a friend the other day at a shopping mall, I couldn`t help but notice the way the whole building was decorated with plants and trees inside.

If you operate a shopping mall you know the importance of having plants to liven up that space. Usually, the parts of the shopping mall that are reserved for restaurants and coffee shops need to be somehow separated from the rest of the surrounding space to give visitors a way to enjoy a relaxation break.

While the usual approach with smaller to medium size plants will do the trick for smaller spaces, sometimes the space requires a somewhat different approach. Open spaces require bigger plants to adequately respond to the size of the space around it. Depending on the theme desired you could place, for example, palm trees in a particular area and bring a little tropical heat to the atmosphere.

Naturally, other trees are a good choice as well, such as the example below:

Image credit: rubey_kay

Whatever the choice and needs, we are always happy to take on a challenge, and create a unique solution for your visitors. in fact we are in the middle of a project for a client who operates a hotel. Stay tuned, we`ll be posting photos and stuff soon.

It’s always interesting how plants find their way into ever more interesting ideas. This one, though, beats them all - it’s the Growing Business Card.

A very interesting solution for making sure your business card stays in someone’s focus for a while. Jamie Wieck’s Growing Business Card lives and grows over time. By adding a little water, your business card becomes alive, as it’s enriched with alfalfa or cress, which grows quickly and gives your prospective client a reason to keep on their desk rather than in their pocket.

One would think the decoration process is finished once the hotel lobby, or restaurant dining room or bar have been built according to the designer’s vision. In fact, many designers take into consideration plants and flowers and anticipate space for them while designing a venue. This is by no means a coincidence. Flowers and plants really do add that final touch to every space, and it’s only natural that they are considered an integral part of every day life. Just take a look at the space that surrounds you. Are there flowers and plants there? If yes, try to imagine how dull that space would look like without them, and if no, try to imagine how alive that space would look like with them.

Hotel lobby and rooms

It’s always a pleasure to see richly decorated hotel lobbies upon arrival. It really helps bring about an atmosphere of serenity and sophistication, not to mention, some very pleasant fragrances. Carefully placed plants and flowers will emphasize the overall look of the interior, and bring life to forgotten corners, that would otherwise look dull and simple. Plants (potted plants, plant walls) placed in strategic spots will help separate certain specific parts of the hotel lobby space from the others, creating an illusion of privacy.

Hotel rooms are a more delicate matter. Properly placed fresh flowers or plants will help create a welcome atmosphere, and add a touch of “home” decor to a room. Many guests request certain kinds of flowers to be placed in their room or suite. If your guests happen to be picky, you can rely on us to fulfill their wishes. We deal with special requests all the time, and it’s always a pleasure and a welcome challenge for us.

Restaurant flowers

Much like hotels, restaurants benefit a lot by introducing flowers and plants as part of their decoration efforts. When done properly and with style, your guests will notice. Whether it’s a business lunch or romantic dinner, the experience will only be half as strong without flowers and plants to give that special touch to the occasion. Depending on the occasion and season, and the overall theme at the restaurant, we can provide you with a custom tailored solution that your guests will appreciate.

A place for socialising over friendly conversation and a refreshing drink, bars are simply crying for flowers and plants. The relaxed, informal atmosphere of bars demands a special approach to floral decoration. Depending on the theme, flowers and plants can be tailored to add that last layer that will communicate a welcome atmosphere to your guests.

Note: all images above are pictures of actual designs made and installed by Todich Floral Design

Valentine’s Day is just ahead, and if you’re working in an office environment, we thought these tips may be helpful. Even though the modern office is a less formal place nowadays, there are certain “rules” that are best observed to prevent unwanted effects.

Let’s start with a couple of rules for office romance

Once, an office romance could have resulted in the “culprits” getting fired. Today, office romance rules are easing a bit, although a particular company may choose to sanction office romance a bit differently than the next. The rule is - there is no clear rule. Singles now make up the majority of the work force, so less rigid rules for office romance are welcome and help boost morale. If you’re already involved or are about to get involved in an intimate relationship with someone at the office, take it easy, get all the info first, and act accordingly. A moderate approach to office romance is probably best. And, oh yeah, forget the copy room :), unless you are both driven by the danger of getting caught.
Beware of the side-effects

An office romance attracts attention from your colleagues. Sure, the ones you’re friends with will understand and won’t make a lot of it, but don’t be surprised if you and your partner become the topic of coffee break talk. It’s probably best if you don’t emphasize your romance in front of colleagues too much. Avoid smooching at work, it may make others uncomfortable. It’s enough that they know and don’t object to your romance.

The next portion might interest you if you’re a woman at the office. With Valentine’s Day coming, signs of romantic thoughts will condense in form of flowers and gifts.

Don’t obsess over getting something

It’s Valentine’s Day, sure, and it would be nice to be on someone’s mind, but if you don’t get a bouquet, don’t make a lot of it, you’ll get one later. If you’re single, stay glamourous, do you job well, but be inspiring and free. Your colleagues will be envious of your freedom, and will enjoy your presence.

Make someone’s day

Not only will you experience the joy of giving, but you will probably make someone happy. Remember them on Valentine’s Day, send them flowers or a small gift, and take five minutes to chat with them.

Plan a fun day for yourself

The best part of the day is after work. Plan to do something self-indulgent. You’ll have something to look forward to, and your mood will reflect that. Go have Valentine’s drinks or something, have fun. Maybe you’ll meet someone who is interesting and inspiring, worthy of your time and attention.

Every woman at the office should get a flower

This may be proper for all the men at the office. Order single roses for every lady that works at the office. It would be a great surprise and will bring the Valentine’s Day atmosphere to the office. Every woman deserves a flower,  so c’mon guys, get a move on. Contact us and arrange for a surprise flower delivery on Valentine’s Day. You’ll be looking at smiling women all day!

If you want to order an individual delivery for your loved one on Valentine’s Day, visit our retail site and check out Valentine’s Day flowers and gifts made especially for this year’s celebration of love and romance.

Another study that examines and confirms the positive effect of having plants indoors, whether it’s at the office or at home. Scientists at NASA have finalised a study that has been going on for two years in which they have studied the effect of several common indoor plants and their effect on reducing indoor air pollution. It has been found that living plants are so efficient at absorbing contaminants in the air that some of these plants will actually be launched into space to be part of biological life support systems aboard orbiting space stations in the future. Dr. Bill Wolverton, a scientist working on the project, said he hopes future results will show even more reasons to use plants for cleaning indoor air in homes and offices, creating a much healthier living and working environment.

Several plants were tested in a variety of conditions. For example, gerbera daisies and chrysanthemums were very good at eliminating benzene vapors from the environment, while other plants, like Dracaena Massangeana and Spathiphyllum, did just as well. Read into more detail about this study and the results here.

Needless to say, but I will say anyway :), Todich Floral Design has long ago understood the significance of having plants at the office. We have, over the years, successfully introduced this great way of creating a clean, relaxed and stimulative working environment to many businesses. In fact, we are happy to say that more businesses contact us every day with a clear idea about using plants to create a better working place. We offer a wide variety of services especially created to suite every working environment there is. Over the years, we have developed a special approach to handling even the most demanding tasks of enriching office space with plants. If you need to bring a little green into the office machine, get in touch with us, and let us show you how we can help you create a cleaner office atmosphere.

The mainstay of Christmas wreaths and flower decorations is European Holly, or ilex aquifolium in Latin, with its evergreen spiky leaves, spreading branches and shiny red berries. Holly are flowering shrubs and trees from 2 to 25 meters tall, widespread in Europe, Asia and the Americas. There are 400 species of flowering plants in the Ilex family.

The seasonal practice of decorating with holly is not an idea developed in modern times. Going back to the ancient Celtic religion , the druids believed that the true meaning of holly was that the red berries stand for female vital powers, while the white berries of the mistletoe plant symbolise the male force. Both species played an important role at midwinter celebrations as the mystical parents who would bring new life at springtime. The druids worshipped holly, as a holy tree, thus the word “holly”.

Even the old Romans thought that holly brought health and joy. A popular belief was that holly could banish evil powers. This is the root of the custom of placing holly on the chimney breast during Christmas time - to prevent evil ghosts entering the house through the chimney. Door wreaths guarded the entrances.

What better way is there to keep a serene and happy family party than by protecting your house from evil influences with Christmas holly wreaths?

Have a Happy Christmas and a Joyful New Year!

So many offices have a dull uniform work space. Why not spread some sunshine around with office flowers? We can supply weekly ever changing displays and help to reignite your workers’ enthusiasm for office life.

And in Reception, too, a display of beautiful blooms can demonstrate the success of your company to potential clients before you even speak to them. Flowers can give a whole new aspect to your marketing.

Both workplace and reception can benefit from bright ever-changing floral displays.