Namaqualand: The Floral Kingdom of Africa

Foreigners and locals return time and again to this wonderland of colour. The miracle of a parched landscape slowly evolving through the seasons into a huge carpet of wild flowers is breathtaking. The best time to view this unique floral display is from mid-August to October.

To do Namaqualand properly, one would take a leisurely drive through the fields of flowers, stopping off at the nature reserves and charming towns along the way. Bear in mind that accommodation in the region is often booked out a year in advance as more foreigners hear of these wildflowers, which are unparalleled anywhere.

To view all the different species of flowers in the region, get The Botanical Society of South Africa guides to Nieuwoudtville SA Wild Flower Guide and Namaqualand SA Wild Flower Guide 1. There's also Freeman Patterson's Garden of the Gods and Fynbos by Richard Cowling.

Towns Along The Way

Kamieskroon
The locals in this area are as impressive as their colourful surroundings. They are helpful and offer advice on where the best flowers are. The reasonably priced Kamieskroon Hotel, the town B&B's and the neighbouring farms all offer splendid accommodation. Contact the Namaqualand Tourism Centre for your pick of places to stay. Roads leading out from Kamieskroon go up into the hills to the town of Leliefontein where you will find an enchanting old mission. It's worth travelling further afield to the rugged west coast of stormy seas and rocky outcrops at Hondeklip Bay and Groenriviermond.

The 50 000 hectare Namaqua National Park is a botanical and ecological conservancy whose friendly conservationists will gladly answer questions on the flora and fauna of the area. The reserve stretches roughly from the town of Garies northwards to the towns of Springbok and Steinkopf. The areas most visited are round the towns of Springbok and Nababeep. The Spektakel (spectacle) ridge is a must see with its profusion of flowers. The further north you travel from Kamieskroon to Springbok, the more spectacular the display of species in a good season.

Nieuwoudtville
The town of Nieuwoudtville is a geological treasure situated on the Bokkeveld escarpment. Within the surrounds of just 20 kilometres the plant life changes from fynbos, to Renosterveld, to Karoo. It has the richest bulb (geophyte) variety in the world. Species include the famous spring daisies, the forget-me-not family, Pelargonium (with its bizarre shapes), Heliophila (Sun lover), Vygies (little figs), and the Iris and Rose family.

The town has its own wild flower reserve; there is also nearby Oorlogskloof Nature Reserve, a giant plain of wilderness rock formation and rock art. You can view a 90-metre high waterfall in an ancient Gondwanaland geological fault. Visiting the nearby 'secret' forest with its kokerbome - strangely shaped trees with weird arms coming out of their trunk - makes you feel like you're inside 'Lord of the Rings' territory. The private farms in the area are open to the public and often have the most spectacular array of flowers. There are a couple of farms that manage to combine commercial farming with the cultivation of floral wealth.

Tips on planning your Flower Escapade
Flowers are best viewed from 11:00 to 15:00 on a sunny day

A cool box is essential for informal, off-road picnics

Don't forget comfortable walking shoes, a hat, sunscreen, binoculars and insect repellent

Most of the flowers are so tiny that you won't be able to see and appreciate them from a moving vehicle. It's perfectly safe to get out the car and view close-up

Take your flower guides, so you are up-to-date with the names of flowers you are viewing

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Why Choose An Online Florist?

It?s a question that many people would ask them selves, why choose an online florist rather than just go into a store? Because the chances are there is already a flower shop in your neighborhood already, right? Well here are a few good reasons why you may choose an online florist. To begin with ordering of flowers online can be done from the comfort of your very own home or work and unlike stores shopping can be done any day at any time because the internet does not close, especially during the holiday season when almost every store is crowded and packed you can avoid all of that hustle and bustle because there is never a crowd at an online shop.

An online florist would also be a big time saver, you no long have to drive over to a store you can now have the convenience of shopping from your home, work, library or any where that has a computer with internet access. And finding what you want can?t possibly be any simpler, all you do is just type in the name of the flower you want and there it is right on your screen not like in a store where you would have to wait on one of the clerks for assistance.

Especially when there is an occasion like say ?Mother?s Day? for example and lots of people want to get flowers for their mother, but as usual most of them wait for the last minute, so when you do get to the florist you find that you and about two dozen other later shoppers are trying to buy flowers. The clerks are busy because of the overwhelming amount of customers at one given time, and so tempers become a little flared, but when you finally get someone to attend to you, ?lo and behold? there are no more of the Red Roses that you wanted to order. You are getting more frustrated by the minute, now what should you do!, should you go to another florist and hope that they have the Roses you want in stock. No you should do what you should have done in the first place, get online and order your flowers, saving yourself all the hassle and frustration.

Online shopping has become the norm, so why bother getting dressed, and driving your car in all that traffic, to get to the florist, just do the sensible thing and go to your internet browser and decided which florist you would like to order your flowers from and this will make your life much simpler and less stressful. Take the time you would have spent getting to the florist doing something that you would like, like playing a game with your kids, or reading a good book, or just put your feet up and relax in front of your television set, and enjoy the movie.

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Cheap Flowers From the Florist Can Save the Day!

We all have budget problems sometimes and it helps to know that there are cheap flowers to help bridge the gap between thoughtfulness and bankruptcy. There are lots of reasons why flowers can be purchased at differing price points.

Seasons are part of the floral industry just as they are part of any type of agriculture. Whatever is available locally in season will just naturally be less expensive. That can mean that long stem red roses are very affordable for one occasion but an incredible expense for another. That's a really huge difference when planning some occasions like weddings which require many flowers. The flower of choice will probably be available anytime but when it needs to be flown from Hawaii it will be a much greater expense, accept when in large enough quantities to reduce shipping costs.

Another factor in pricing is the fact that, like produce, flowers are perishable. Wholesalers can offer left over cheap flowers from larger orders that they have filled. These will typically be found at retailers and groceries that offer other discounted items. This is a good thing since the degree of thoughtfulness increases as the price point decreases.

Some floral varieties grow more readily than others and are simply more available. Cheap flowers are no exception. As a rule, if it grows in local yards then it will be a source of cheap flowers in season. That sounds like an oversimplification but it's important to remember when planning a floral decorating scheme.

Cone flowers, also known as Echinacea, grow wild but may not keep well. So if they are to be used in a floral arrangement in winter they still have to be imported. This makes them cheap flowers when the florist picks them before a summer wedding but ridiculously expensive in winter.

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Best Personal Loans In UK: A Bouquet Of The Best Opportunities

Personal loans can be defined as a key to open the door of personal desires. Personal desires can be different according to the individual’s choice, but money is mandatory to transform all desires into reality. And for that personal loans are the best alternative. Now, being a UK borrower, you can get the benediction of the best personal loans.

Yes, now personal loans are facilitated with the best opportunities. These are as follows:

Avail loans in accordance with your choice:

Generally, choice of loans varies according to borrowers’ needs. Some may prefer those loans that will help them to borrow high amount at low interest rate, some may want to avail a loan that is risk free. With best personal loans, borrowers will get an option to choose loan according to their choice, as these loans are available in secured and unsecured forms.

Obviously, for applying a best secured personal loan, borrowers will have to pledge security against the loan amount. As security covers the risk of lending money, thus a borrower can borrow relatively high amount ranging from £5000 to£75, 000 along with a repayment period of 5-25years. Thus, the interest rate of these loans is usually lower.

On the other hand, unsecured loans are perfect for those who have no property to place against loan. Even those who do not want to take any risk with their property can also avail these loans. These loans are mainly short term basis loans, given for 5-10years. A borrower can borrow anything from £5000 to £25, 000 as an unsecured personal loan. But, the rate of interest of these loans is comparatively high as these loans are available against no collateral.

Loans for all:

Best Personal Loans are made for all sorts of UK borrowers. Therefore, these loans are also obtainable for those borrowers who have bad credit score like, CCJs , bankruptcy, IVAs, Defaults, Arrears etc. These loans are offering them a chance to improve their credit score and eradicate their bad credit history.

Swift availability

Besides traditional lenders, UK borrowers can find out the best personal loans over the Internet. It’s rather easy to look for a best deal through online as it is less time consuming. Borrowers just need to click the mouse and within few seconds, they can get different web sites, providing best personal loans. Hence, by browsing different loans sites a borrower can easily get the best deal in a minimum time.

The best personal loans can be used to fulfill various purposes. Some common purposes are as follow

• Wedding Purposes

• Holiday purposes

• Business Purposes

• Home improvement and many more

Now, it is easy for a UK borrower to fulfill his personal desires, as personal loans are customized with the best opportunities. These loans are made for all. Thus, all UK borrowers -homeowner, tenants, and borrowers with poor credit history can avail these loans to turn their desires into reality.

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The Tossing Of The Bridal Bouquet: A Tradition That Still Lives Today

Even though it is a well-liked tradition recognized at lots of weddings, tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is a tradition that you, the bride can choose to either have or leave out of your ceremony. Its representative custom says that the single woman who catches the cascading bridal bouquet will be the next to get married. Even if there are no guarantees, tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is an amusing way for one lucky guest to take home a one-of-a-kind cascading bridal bouquet memento.

The tradition of tossing the cascading bridal bouquet began with the early belief that good luck herbs were inside the cascading bridal bouquet. In an effort to pass her good fortune on to her wedding guests, the bride would throw her bouquet to one lucky female guest at the end of the wedding. Nowadays, that belief remains intact and so it is recommended that brides who plan to toss the bouquet should have a small, matching cascading bridal bouquet created especially for this tradition so that they can keep the original. I did it at my wedding.

There are more than a few options to consider when tossing the cascading bridal bouquet. If there is a special person that you wish to present the cascading bridal bouquet to, you can get her in private with you and offer her the cascading bridal bouquet memento. Another fun alternative to tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is the fake-out. You, the bride, would select a woman who you wish to catch the cascading bridal bouquet and aim your cascading bridal bouquet directly to her. Of course, the other choice is the fair toss.

Tossing the cascading bridal bouquet is a tradition that can be included in your wedding, but never feel as though you have to follow any rules. The loveliness of your wedding is that it is your special day and you can decide which customs to use and which others you would prefer to leave out. If you are planning to have a cascading bridal bouquet designed in particular for tossing, you may want to think about using silk flowers so that the woman who catches it will be able to preserve this precious memento. Of course, fresh flowers are beautiful, but they will not last. Superior silk flowers, however, will last forever if taken care of accurately. Also, silk cascading bridal bouquets can be arranged to look just as gorgeous as the real thing.

Bonnie Ray is an experienced wedding floral designer with more than seventeen years experience in the wedding industry. To learn more about the traditional cascading wedding bouquet visit her site at http://www.mysilkweddingflowers.com/cascading-bridal-bouquets.htm

Catch that Bouquet!

Throwing the bride’s bouquet, as well as catching the bride’s bouquet, has its moments.

Erratic brides have been known to underestimate their throwing capabilities and throwing the bouquet so far that no self-respecting person would bother to run for it. Or, as in playing squash, in the nervousness of the moment, bouquets have been known to be thrown at walls, windows, ceilings, and most disastrously, into overhead ceiling fans.

On the side of the catchers, there have been moments where catching the bouquet became so violent, that a referee had to be called in to separate the combatants. As embarrassing as that might have been, there have also been those weddings where self-assertive women refused to play this silly old-fashioned game where women were thought to be dying to catch the bouquet so that they would be the next in line to get married.

Ha! They weren’t that desperate!

So, perhaps, before the bride decides to enliven the wedding by tossing the bouquet among the unwed females, she should count up just how many unwed single females she’s inviting, and just how many are actively looking for life-long partners. And, of course, and most importantly, she should get in some throwing practice to ensure the accuracy of the landing.

Having said that, why do brides bother with this bit of tom foolery? And is there any truth that whoever catches the bouquet will be the next to wed?

As far as throwing the bouquet is concerned it’s all about the lucky wedding couple sharing their good fortune, the flowers being yet one more symbol of it. In this spirit, some brides compose a bouquet which consists of dozens of minuscule bouquets. When she is about to throw it, the bride unties the ribbon which holds it in place, and literally showers guests with minute bouquets and good fortune.

As for weddings, have you noticed how when one of your friends gets married, not long after another follows suit?

Could it be that by catching a bouquet you will become the next bride? Actually, that’s a bit psychology in the making. In this part of the wedding, the female who is actively searching for a partner, has the opportunity to make herself visible to a prospective husband. If she is truly serious, she should make that opportunity count. Like the thrower, she should practice graceful and nimble leaps to make herself memorable to all those young bucks watching. If she can continue to hold their interest after the catch, so much the better.

Never forget, would be brides, weddings are catching!

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Wedding Flowers - The Cost of the Florist May Not be Too Rosy

According to Conde Nast Bridal Infobank, wedding flowers cost, on average, $1,100. Is this cost not sounding too rosy? Try these money saving tips when selecting your wedding flowers:

• Some brides purchase two identical bouquets – one to toss and one to preserve as a keepsake. Unless you plan on preserving the bouquet, purchase one. Or, consider purchasing one, removing one flower from it to toss then preserving the rest of it.
   
• Be sure to choose flowers that are in season and grown locally. It will be cheaper if the flowers are easily available to the florist (and find a flower wholesaler!).
   
• An even less expensive option is silk flowers which could be used for centerpieces, decorations or large altar arrangements. Some florists and garden centers even rent plants.
   
• Decorate with greenery. Use greenery such as trees and garlands of ivy to fill large areas. It can give a dramatic impact for relatively little more money. Small trees can usually be rented.
   
• Have a garden wedding. Consider having the ceremony and/or the reception in a beautiful garden, surrounded by natural flowers.
   
• Share floral costs with another bride. Find out if there will be another wedding at your church or synagogue on the same day. Possibly you can arrange to share the cost of floral decorations.
   
• Don't plan your wedding to be held near a holiday. Flower prices escalate dramatically around Valentine's Day and Mother's Day. Planning your wedding around Christmas, on the other hand, might save you some money because many receptions will already be decorated for the holiday season.
   
• Consider a smaller bridal party. Smaller wedding parties require fewer bouquets. Or, make smaller bouquets.
   
• Balloons can be an inexpensive way of adding color to a reception site.
   
• Ask your florist ahead of time how the wedding flowers can be used for both ceremony and reception sites. This way, they're not just used for one hour.
   
• Ask your florist if he/she would be willing to transport the wedding flowers from the reception site to the ceremony. If they are not willing to include this in the price, ask a friend to transport them and place them appropriately at the reception site.
   
• Don't over-decorate. Put your most expensive floral arrangements where you want to make the biggest impression or where they will be seen the most.
   
• Do it yourself! There are many online resources for learning how to make topiary centerpieces.

Use these tips to save money on your wedding flowers. Perhaps you could allocate savings towards another lifelong memory – your honeymoon!
 

Hilary Basile is a writer for http://www.myguidesusa.com. At MyGuidesUSA.com, you will find valuable tips and resources for handling life’s major events. Whether you’re planning a wedding, buying your first home, anxiously awaiting the birth of a child, contending with a divorce, searching for a new job, or planning for your retirement, you’ll find answers to your questions at MyGuidesUSA.com. Find wedding planning tips and resources at http://www.myguidesusa.com/weddings

Get Your Fresh Cut Flowers From Your Local Florist

Many people by the fresh cut flowers at florists, but there others that cut them from their own garden. Flowers come in many shapes and colors, this way you have many choices to choose from to make the arrangement you want. Once the flower is cut the life expectancy is not very long, you can use tricks like aspirin in the water to keep them living as long as possible. A cut flower is one that has been cut at the stem and placed in a vase of water. Cut flowers are grown from both annual and perennial plants. Do not place your fresh cut flowers in front of heaters, electrical devices such as TVs or computers. Cut flowers will stay fresher and look vibrant if you keep them out of drafts and direct sunlight.

Dropping a penny in a vase will increase the lifespan of flowers. Cut flowers in a vase are the perfect decoration for your home; they bring a waft of fresh air in the room and make people happier. Bacteria are the main cause of deterioration of flowers. Make sure that your water and vase are clean before use. Adding the proper plant food to your arrangement will keep your bouquet healthy. If you add warm water to your bouquet the flowers will open faster.

An air bubble in the stem would prevent the flower from getting water and nutrients. Also make sure that only the flowers stem is under water. Always replace your water after 2-3 days. When you place the flowers in water and the leaves are submerged in the water, bacteria might form on the leaves that are under the water so cut them off. You want to cut them at an angle to give them more surface area to absorb nutrients through. Cutting them under water is important because it prevents air from getting into the veins in the stem of your flower.

Certain flowers need special care. Flowers last longer when you trim the stem on an angle; this allows the water to flow up thru the stem. Flowers that have a woody stems will last longer if you crush the stem and split it to all the water to flow easily thru the stem. If you are making an arrangement and you do not want the stems to show, place them in a criss cross pattern so the end of the stems are in the middle. Placing flowers that are fresh around the house will help perspective buyers look at your home as well kept. A few extra stems will allow you to add special touches.

The colors of tulips typically follow the color trends that are generally popular. Decide what kinds of flower go with the kind of party you're going to throw. Roses are one of the romantic flowers, tulips are known as elegant flowers, sunflowers and daisies are known as free and whimsical while carnations are especially known as being the casual flower. One of the more popular flowers are tulips, they are easy to grow and they don't need much care, and when you cut them and put them in water they look great, this is what makes them so popular.

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Wedding Flowers - 3 Steps to Hiring Your Florist

Even if you plan to create and arrange your own wedding flowers, consulting with a florist first is still a good idea. A florist's first-hand knowledge and years of experience can prove extremely useful, ensuring that you don't overlook small but important details. Hiring a florist ensures your wedding flowers and floral scheme match your vision. Not sure how to even begin hiring a florist? Follow these steps, and you will be sure to find the florist that suits you.

Do Your Research

It is never too soon to begin exploring your options. If you don't already have a favorite florist, research and find local florists. Your wedding facility coordinator or recently married friends are a great place to start. Browse Elegala.com's directory of local florists for a complete list of preferred florists in your area. Once you have a list of local florists, make appointments to review their work and discuss your floral vision.

Meet with Potential Florists

Plan to review portfolios and discuss your overall vision during your first appointments with potential florists. Your florist's previous work should match that vision. Remember that these portfolios showcase their best work, so if you don't like what you see, continue shopping. When they follow-up with proposals for your wedding based on your discussion, you should be able to make a decision on which best suits both your vision and wedding budget.

Determine the Details - Pick your Wedding Flowers

Now that you have selected your florist, schedule planning meetings at the ceremony and reception locations to determine the wedding flowers you'll use and their placement (or provide photos so that the florist will have an idea of what the locations look like) Consider your wedding facility as a blank canvas upon which your florist will create his/her work of art. The look and feel of the setting will lead your discussions, determining both the wedding flowers you choose and where they will be placed.

For ideas and inspiration to help you plan your floral scheme, visit Elegala.com's complete Wedding Flowers guide.

Cori Locklin is editor-in-chief for Elegala.com and Elegala Magazine (and a recent bride!). Elegala is a new wedding planning resource offering the most comprehensive portfolio of superior wedding reception sites and wedding services, along with planning tips, photo galleries and checklists to keep brides in-the-know on today's wedding trends and styles.

For a complete guide to creating an elegant and memorable wedding celebration, visit Elegala.com, your ultimate wedding planning resource.