Carnation Lady

[paxillated]

Whether it was a scam to get her preferred flowers on sale, or her not knowing she should go to a real florist... Methinks CL had between 3 and 5 brain cells operating. (And lying about managing a florist's... sheesh. Why do they do that?)

Of course, I've been known to do dumb stuff in spite of my high IQ. I'm the Queen of asking, "Where is the ladies' room? Oops, I bet it's right over there where it says Rest Rooms!"

But I make my best effort not to be a SC. Both because I like to be nice, and because folks are usually nice back. (It even works on traffic cops!)

And my momma taught me to say please and thank you to everyone who helps me, whether or not they get paid for it. Their paycheck is no excuse for my bad manners.

[Peppergirl]

And my momma taught me to say please and thank you to everyone who helps me, whether or not they get paid for it. Their paycheck is no excuse for my bad manners.

I love this! Permission to steal it for my signature line?

[Dark Psion]

I know your pain. Did you ever get people accusing you of growing marijuana in your green houses? I got that quite a bit.

Japanese Maples

[Squeaksmyalias]

Japanese Maples

So I'm guessing that's a yes? For some reason we ALWAYS were asked that when we had poinsettias.

[Dark Psion]

With poinsettias it was always "Aren't these poisonous?!" No, they are Toxic.

And I would have to explain it every year;

There are two terms: Poisonous & Toxic.

Poisonous make you dead.

Toxic makes you so sick you will wish you were dead.

[Squeaksmyalias]

With poinsettias it was always "Aren't these poisonous?!" No, they are Toxic.

And I would have to explain it every year;

There are two terms: Poisonous & Toxic.

Poisonous make you dead.

Toxic makes you so sick you will wish you were dead.

I've had to explain that many times too. You always end up with at least one odd question with each plant.

[Dark Psion]

Or a question about an odd plant, I had one lady that wanted a Hydranium.

I tried to explain to her that there were Hydrangeas and Geraniums, but no one had yet to find the right Barry White album to cross breed them.

And then there was the Japonica lady, for three years she would come in and want a "Japonica Bush". And every time I would explain that Japonica is just half of the botanical name and all it means is that the plant originated in Japan.

[lineswine]

With poinsettias it was always "Aren't these poisonous?!" No, they are Toxic.

Actually, that's an urban legend, stretching from 1919.
Many of the plants in the family Poinsettias comes from are, but it is not.

[Squeaksmyalias]

I've had someone ask for a Hydranium before. Your answered for it is the best. I got pretty good at translating these questions. I sometimes would keep an plant Id book in my back pocket so I could pull it out and go "Does it look like this?".
Working at a florist was fun.

[Salesmonkey]

And then there was the Japonica lady, for three years she would come in and want a "Japonica Bush". And every time I would explain that Japonica is just half of the botanical name and all it means is that the plant originated in Japan.

I bet this is what she wanted:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaenomeles

Where I live in the Deep South all the gardener ladies call these things "Japonicas".

[Dark Psion]

Wow, I never even considered it was a Quince she wanted.

The one time a customer could have said "the green plant with the red flowers" and they didn't.

[Geek King]

Whether it was a scam to get her preferred flowers on sale, or her not knowing she should go to a real florist...

Even a lot of real florists would have had problems with an order that large. When I was a wee geekling, my mom worked for a florist. An order that large would have needed at least a week (and likely would need two or more weeks) notice to arrange with their supplier. I remember a couple of large weddings they did where the shop coolers were stuffed to the gills with various cuttings and arrangements.

[Squeaksmyalias]

Even a lot of real florists would have had problems with an order that large. When I was a wee geekling, my mom worked for a florist. An order that large would have needed at least a week (and likely would need two or more weeks) notice to arrange with their supplier. I remember a couple of large weddings they did where the shop coolers were stuffed to the gills with various cuttings and arrangements.

Yep, exactly. If she worked at a florist as long as she did she would know how ordering worked.