Happy Easter & Happy Passover!

 The Flower Pot wishes you a Happy Easter, and Happy Passover!

Eggs, Bunnies & Easter

We're smack dab in the middle of Holy Week, which ends with Easter, and especially with the Easter-egg hunt. 

Where on earth did egg hunting come from, and what does it have to do with Easter?? Apparently eggs were symbols of new birth for Pagans. Early Christians adopted the symbol for their own. For them it represents Jesus' tomb.

The Easter Bunny is not from Australia as the children's movie Rise of the Guardians would have us believe. In medieval times, hares (not bunnies) were symbols of purity and virginity associated with the Virgin Mary, and were often depicted in religious art. 

Both eggs and hares were also symbols of fertility during the antiquity. European immigrants brought the concept of hares (which was improperly translated to bunnies) laying eggs to North America in the 18th century.

There are many different customs surrounding the eggs at Easter time: Orthodox Christians dye them red to represent Jesus' sacrifice, others dye them green to represent new life. Apparently the reason why we have so many eggs at Easter is because Catholics were forbidden to eat eggs during lent so they went all out on Easter. 

In any event, here's where hares, bunnies, and eggs can be found: in an English garden! 

It's a bright, colourful springtime arrangement in a basket. It would make a great centerpiece or decoration for a coffee table in your living room. 

Check out our other Easter arrangements, and our Passover arrangements as well.

Have questions? Need help? Call The Flower Pot at 514-938-1234, visit us, or visit our website!

source: wikipedia.org

Winter's not over, but here comes Easter and Passover.

The weather is saying otherwise, but theoretically, spring is coming. That means Easter and Passover are on the way too. Although these events are celebrated by two different religious groups, they are celebrating similar concepts.

Easter, Pasch, or Pascha commemorates Jesus Christ's resurrection from the tomb after being crucified and buried for three days.

Passover, or Pesach commemorates God freeing Jewish slaves from Egyptian rule through Moses, and the creation of a new Jewish nation.

What these two religious events have in common is new beginnings. Is it any surprise that they both happen at the beginning of spring, when new life appears after months of winter?

To celebrate new beginnings this year, try something new: this centerpiece is gorgeous, but unique. The flowers are organized around bent branches to create a crescent shaped arrangement. It can be used as a centerpiece for your Easter or Passover feast table, or as a decorative piece for a living room.

We have plenty of other arrangements to choose from if this isn't your cup of tea. Check out our Easter and Passover sections and take your pick.

Questions? Concerns? Call us at 514-938-1234 or drop by! Everyone at The Flower Pot is happy to help.

Happy St. Paddy's Day from The Flower Pot!!

The Flower Pot wishes everyone a very LUCKY Saint-Patrick's Day!!

Tulipomania: sale from March 8-14, 2013!

Tulipa, the botanical name for tulips, is derived from the Turkish word tulpend or turban, which the flower resembles. Many varieties were grown in Turkey long before they were introduced to European gardens. Clusius, Professor of Botany at the University of Leiden in Holland, is credited with first growing tulips from bulbs sent by the ambassador of Turkey. They were soon widely distributed throughout Europe.

The bulbs became so popular that “tulipomania” developed early in the 17th century. People began speculating in bulbs of new colours and unusual shapes and paid extravagant prices for them. The craziness reached its zenith in the years 1634 to 1637, in the period known as "The Foolish Tulip Trade," "The Wild Tulip Speculation" or "Tulipomania."

Buying and selling tulips became not just a hobby for the very rich, but an activity for all kinds of craftsmen as well. By the 1620s, tulips were being sold by the bulb, but in 1634, people switched over to selling rare varieties by weight, using the grain, the same unit of measure used by goldsmiths.

In 1637, tulip trading crashed and wealthy people were reduced to poverty overnight. Today, nearly half of Holland's 47,150 acres of flower bulb farms are planted with tulip bulbs.

From March 8 to 14, 2013 our "Precious Tulips" product will be 20% off! Watch out for coupon code instructions on our homepage banner.

Questions? Call us at 514-938-1234, visit our site, or visit us!