Wednesday 22 July 2015

Low Maintenance Plants That Your Space Would Love To Embrace


Love plants, but not when they require your attention every now and then? Well, that’s what our busy schedules have done to us all. Don’t be sad! It doesn’t mean you can’t wish to have a lush green garden/indoors full of blooming plants. Here are some of the plants that survive for a longer period even with low maintenance. 

Now, if that’s what you’ve been looking for, read on:

Iris Sibirica

Siberian Iris buds during late spring and early summer. Its flowers bloom in many colors like pink, purple, white and yellow. Once it is planted, it doesn’t need dividing for 5 to 10 years and that’s why it is loved by everyone.


Snake Plant –
Screaming of drama, this plant has vertical & architectural leaves that add a modern vibe to the space. It doesn’t necessarily require full sunlight, but bright light makes it happy.


Dicentra Spectabilis –
Featuring pretty pink flowers in mid – late spring, Spectabilis (also know as Bleeding Heart) rarely needs dividing. While planting it, remember to plant it in part to full shade in humusy or moist soil.


Fern –
Bringing a burst of joyful green color in your indoors, this plant doesn’t really need a lot of fuss. It grows well in low light and hardly needs basic maintenance.


Brunnera Macrophylla –
Brunnera features heart-shaped leaves in silver color and green veins and beautiful light blooms appearing above the leaves in spring. You can choose this plant for low-maintenance ground that is deer, slug & rabbit resistant and for moist soil with part shade.


Peace Lily –
If you’re looking for a plant that appeals to your eyes and at the same time improves the quality of surrounded air, then you must go for Peace Lily. It needs no fertilization and is also adaptable to under-watering too.


Lavender –
Being an insect repellent, aromatic and a flowering herb, Lavender is much more than a plant. It’s perfect for living areas, study room, or all those places where it can get good quality sunlight. 




Thursday 14 May 2015

How To Take Care Of Your Cut Roses?


There’s no doubt that roses are one of the most loved flowers. From confessing your love for the first time to silently saying ‘get well soon’, roses do it all for you. But, what do you do when someone gift you roses? You don’t even care to care about them and let them die when they can actually live for few more days than what you assume.

Yes, your cut roses can bloom throughout a week, if you pay a little attention to them and follow these steps religiously:

1. The Hydration Power
Yes, water works as a magical wand for flowers. Put your roses in a vessel full of water, as soon as you receive them without caring about the beautiful vase. That can be taken care of later!


2. Hot Water- The Right Medicine!
When you find that right vase for your lovely blooms, just wash it thoroughly and fill it with lukewarm water from 100°F to 110°F (only ¾ full). This is because flowers easily absorb warm water than the cold one.


3. Food Food Food!
Like humans, flowers also need adequate amount of nutrition in the form of food. Do remember to add flower-food regularly, as per the package directions. This contains a food source, an acidifier and a biocide, which will ensure longer life of your cut roses.


4. Bacteria, The Flower Villain
Watch out bacteria sources, if you really want your beautiful roses to live longer. For this, you just need to remove any foliage, found below the water line, as it makes the bacteria grow faster, resulting in the shorter life of your flowers.


5. Cut The Stems!
No! Not the entire stem, just about an inch, at an angle. It would be great if you practice this while holding that part of the stem under water, so that it immediately starts absorbing water. Once the cutting is done, place it straightaway in the vase.



6. The Final Mantra – Repeat
Repeat the above five steps in every three days and it’s all done!



Isn't that simple? So, try out these 6 tips and make your roses live longer.

Wednesday 29 April 2015

All Moms Wake Up Early, What’s The Big Deal?

Yes, my mom wakes up early too, but what’s so super in that? There are so many people in this world who wake up early to start their day, for exercising, studying, praying, gyming, and for so many other reasons. Then, why do we overrate only moms doing that?


It’s like unnecessarily putting our moms under pressure of being a super mom. I don’t want to give my mom a ‘super mom’ tag at all. For me, ‘Maa’ surpasses any other word ever invented. My mom wakes up early, cooks food for entire family, helps us to get ready fast, packs our lunch boxes, put them in our bags and do remind us ‘have your lunch on time’ every single day.

My mother does it all, every minute and every day, but still for me she is my Maa.


My mom is neither super nor angel, she is just a mother. At times, she is too sleepy to wake up early and things get delayed a bit. Sometimes, she’s down with 101°C fever and we have to manage with the canteen food (though, it’s not bad either). Still, she is my Maa.

Now coming back to my point, there’s no big deal in my mom waking up early. There’s no big deal when she works 24×7 for her family either. There’s no big deal at all!



Moms are not big deals, moms are just mothers and it takes lifetime to appreciate them.


Saturday 18 April 2015

Gifts For Different Types Of Moms

Attention sons and daughters! Mother’s Day is just a couple of weeks away… and our moms deserve something more thoughtful than just a last-minute preparation. Before you start scrambling to find that one gift that she remembers until next year, take out a minute and find out what type is your mom. And gifts? Well, you’ll get to know, as you read on:

1. Homebody Moms
If your mom loves to stay at home more than going out to shop and eat, she definitely falls under this category. Some perfect Mother’s Day gifts for homebody moms are a coffee mug that says ‘I love you mom’, a personalized cushion, table lamps, a book of her favorite author, a cake, and a spa hamper.


2. Sentimental Moms
These are those moms who get emotional, even if you leave home for one day. In short, they start missing you the moment you step out. The best presents for them are a hand-made photo book, digital photo frame, and personalized photo mugs and cushions.



3. Faraway Moms
Either they’re living faraway or you, finding a gift for such moms is easy as they care more about your love and care. You can surprise your faraway mom by getting a lovely bunch of flowers delivered at her home or office, along with a photo cake and chocolates.


4. Chatty Moms
As evident by the name itself, these moms love to chit-chat about anything and everything in this world. The best present for them would be a smart phone, if she hasn't switched to it yet. And, even if she has, you can get her an upgraded version.


5. Old-Fashioned Moms
Well, such moms don’t expect much from their children except their love. Hence, choosing a gift for them is relatively easier. You can plan a day-out with her to all those places which she hasn't visited before. Other than this, a nice candle-light dinner, a traditional dress or a bouquet of beautiful roses from Ferns N Petals will also do.



Don’t panic, if your mother doesn't fall under any of these categories, just pick any or all of these 5 Best GiftIdeas For Busy Moms and you’re good to go!


  

Wednesday 8 April 2015

5 Worst Mother’s Day Gift Ideas


So, all set to start with the search of the best Mother’s Day gifts for this year? Wait! We know your mom loves you enough to accept any kind of present you gift her, but that doesn’t mean you take her love for granted.

I am here to help you make a wiser choice so that your gift brings tears of joy in her eyes and not the tears of awfulness. Go through these 5 gift ideas that you need to watch out.

Here you go!


1. Cleaning Supplies
It’s true that all moms love to keep their homes neat and tidy, but it doesn't mean that you actually gift her a set of toilet brushes or other cleaning supplies on Mother’s Day. If you really want to help her out, then share the work.


2. A Pet
Oh really? She has already spent her entire life raising kids and now you want to gift her one more life to feed it, walk it, and clean up after. It’s a big ‘No’.


3. A Portrait of Yours
Remember it’s Mother’s Day and not Child’s Day? She loves you but gifting a photo of you in a beautiful frame is something which she is not at all expecting from you.




4. Gift Cash

If you’re really planning to gift cash to your mom, then slap yourself twice. You are her child and not grandpa.


5. Red Roses
You know the difference between Valentine’s Day and Mother’s Day, right? Roses are fine, but not red ones…spare them for your girlfriends.


I hope none of you planned to gift any of these to your mommy dearest. She’s special, so treat her like that. Read on to see five best gifts that your moms will absolutely adore for years to come: http://goo.gl/Ggro9n


Tuesday 31 March 2015

5 Best Gift Ideas For Busy Moms


Really? Do you know a mom who is actually free? Every mother I know is trying her best to meet the deadlines, sending her kids to school, making them do their homework, pampering them with love, scolding them for their good, handling household chores, doing the laundry and the list goes on. Our mothers are 24×7 on duty, without complaining and without expecting.

Aren't they sounding like supermoms? Read on: I've got five gift ideas that will cheer them up as they sprint through their day.   

There won’t be a single morning when your mom didn't cook breakfast for you, right? So, start her day off with a special breakfast, either cooked by you or ordered from her favorite food outlet.

Spa. Does this word make her go ‘I so need it, but who has the time?’ You can’t make her go there but can definitely relax her with a soothing spa basket from Ferns NPetals.

A box full of delicious cupcakes is perfect for the mothers who are busy, tired, or well just being moms!

A Scarf. Ahaan! It’s something which can never go wrong. Just remember, she is a woman first and all women love to accessorize.


The fifth gift on my list, last but definitely not the least, is a bouquet or a bunch of flowers. Gift it yourself with a kiss on her cheek or get it delivered to her office, these blossoms will surely leave her with all smiles.

Wednesday 18 March 2015

That Moment When I Pretended To Return Their Love

India is a land full of generous people, at least I meet them very often. I call them aunty, uncle, tayaji, tayiji, mamaji, mamiji and so on. You all must be wondering that why am I calling them generous, right?

Well, if you are born and brought up in India, then you must have experienced the times when the elders in your family gift you cash on some special occasions. Your first visit to their home, their first visit to your home, your birthday, graduation day, wedding, and there are many such occasions when the cash flows in without doing any hard work.

I remember one such moment from my 16th birthday party. Although I didn’t want to celebrate it with my relatives, because that’s the trend, right? At that age, teenagers like to spend their birthdays with their friends. But, my mom was too happy that I turned sixteen and invited every relative to my birthday party as a surprise.

Only I knew that the surprise was more of a shock to me. I was really not liking it, until one of my aunts came and handed over a beautiful envelope filled with cash to me, which is popularly known as ‘Sagan ka lifafa’. Other uncles and aunties walked on her footstep and surrounded me with pretty envelopes in their hands. Oh god! I was overwhelmed. I could not believe that I am getting so much cash (Oops! I mean love).

And then, my sweet mom took charge of that beautiful situation. She scolded me in front of those generous relatives and asked me to return back their love. Oh no! I did not want it to happen, but I had to do it. With a very-very heavy heart, I acted to return back those envelopes, saying statements like ‘there’s no need of this’, ‘your blessings are enough’, blah blah blah! At last, the war was over and I got defeated by relatives who have golden hearts. 

Ahhh! That moment was incredibly humorous and I’m all smiles whenever I remember it. Now, the time has changed. Instead of surprising me with cash, my lovely aunties and uncles send me flowers, cakes and gifts online through Ferns N Petals. The bright side of the coin is that I don’t have to fight with them anymore pretending that I really don’t want their gifts.

Gifts, be it cash or anything, make us happy and we deserve them too. So, keep loving, keep gifting and keep making such moments.