flower blog

People were smiling all across the country last week thanks to Teleflora florists and the terrific volunteers who take part in Make Someone Smile Week, a program to give Be Happy bouquets to those in need of a day-brightener.

In LA, florists and TF employees assembled bouquets on Sunday and delivered them on Tuesday to the Veteran’s Hospital in West Los Angeles.

About 20 florists took part, with Liz Seiji, owner of Edelweiss Flower Boutique in Santa Monica, edelweissflower.com leading the effort. Local wholesalers donated enough flowers for 250 bouquets. Volunteers from groups like the Elks, American Legion and Freemasons also came out to lend a hand. It's a great way for one vet to support another.

For Liz and her team, the project lets the patients know that people are thinking of them and appreciate the sacrifices they've made. The fact that so many are men makes it more of a surprise.

My colleagues from the communications department helped out as well and we managed to snap a few shots in between making our rounds.


A volunteer pushes a cart full of flowers for
patients at the VA Hospital in West LA.


A patient receives TF's Be Happy bouquet and a balloon.

For many of us at Teleflora, this is our favorite week of the year and one of the busiest. That's because florists across the country are making surprise deliveries to people in need of cheering up – in nursing homes, pediatric wards, VA facilities, treatment centers or shelters.

Teleflora donates its keepsake Be Happy® Mugs, wholesalers and growers donate the flowers, and florists donate their time.

Now in its ninth year, florists love the program because it gives them a chance to give back to their communities.

Last year, they delivered 35,000 Be Happy arrangements in 144 cities throughout the United States and Canada.

If you know someone who needs a day brightener, Be Happy bouquets are available on teleflora.com for $46.95.

Here are pictures of assembling the flowers at TF HQ in Los Angeles and some of the people who stopped by to pick up free bouquets.

What better way to welcome a new baby than with a radiant bouquet of flowers? They're the perfect symbol of life's most precious blessings and moments of profound joy.

Speaking of happiness, just look at Heather Glissman, mother of Stella May, who was born on May 1. Heather, her husband Steve and Baby Stella live in Richmond, Va.

These are lovely blooms, to be sure. And we're especially excited that, on June 22, we’ll be launching a new line of floral gifts for babies and new parents, designed by the trend-setting designers known as the MiGi Girls, Michele Adams and Gia Russo. It's just darling and we can't wait to see more pix from smiling families and their new additions.

Come back Monday to see the line and read guest posts from the girls.