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wedding flowers significance

The Evolution of Wedding Flowers

Greetings, my dear reader! Today, we will delve into the lovely world of wedding flowers and their evolution over time. Wedding flowers are an essential part of any marriage ceremony. They are not only stunning decorations to frame the bride and groom but they can also carry a deep symbolic meaning, representing love, purity, and fertility. Let us explore how wedding flowers have evolved over the years, reflecting changes in fashion, cultural traditions, and personal preferences.

Flowers have played a significant role in wedding ceremonies since ancient times. In the Middle Ages, brides carried herbs and spices to ward off evil spirits and mask unpleasant odors. It wasn’t until the Victorian era that the use of flowers in weddings became popularized. During this time, flowers were chosen based on their meanings and the message they conveyed. For example, orange blossoms represented purity, lilies symbolized innocence, and roses represented love and beauty.

As time passed, wedding flower trends evolved. In the 1920s, brides carried elaborate cascading bouquets made of exotic flowers, such as orchids and lilies. In the 1950s, pastel-colored flowers, such as carnations and roses, were popular. The 1970s saw a shift towards more natural and rustic styles, with wildflowers and greenery becoming popular choices. In the 1990s, elegant and simple floral arrangements were favored, with roses and lilies being the flowers of choice.

Today, wedding flowers have become more personalized and reflective of the couple’s unique style and personality. Couples are no longer limited to traditional flowers and colors. Many are opting for unconventional floral arrangements and incorporating non-floral elements such as succulents, feathers, and even fruit into their arrangements. Additionally, many couples are choosing to include flowers that hold personal significance to them, such as their favorite flowers or flowers from their childhood home.

Cultural traditions also play a significant role in wedding flower selection. For example, in Indian weddings, marigolds are considered auspicious and are often used in wedding decor and floral arrangements. In Chinese weddings, red is a popular color for wedding flowers as it is considered lucky and symbolizes prosperity. In Jewish weddings, white flowers, such as lilies and roses, are often used to symbolize purity and innocence.

As you can see, wedding flowers have a rich history and have evolved significantly over time, reflecting changes in fashion, cultural traditions, and personal preferences. Today, wedding flowers are more personalized and unique, reflecting the couple’s individuality and style. Whether traditional or unconventional, flowers continue to be an essential part of any wedding ceremony, conveying a message of love, beauty, and joy.

floral scents, floral perfumes, Chanel No. 5

The Secret Language of Floral Perfumes

My dear reader, today we shall explore the secret language of floral perfumes. Much like flowers themselves, floral scents have held symbolic meanings and cultural significance throughout history. Perfumes are not only used to enhance one’s personal fragrance but also to convey hidden messages. Let us dive into the fascinating world of floral perfumes.

Throughout history, various floral scents have been associated with different meanings and emotions. For instance, lavender has been used for centuries to calm the mind and body, and its scent is often associated with tranquility and relaxation. Similarly, rose has been associated with love and passion, and jasmine with sensuality and romance.

In ancient times, floral perfumes were used as offerings to the gods in various cultures, including the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans. These scents were believed to have spiritual and mystical properties and were used to honor the deities during religious ceremonies.

During the Middle Ages, floral perfumes were used to mask unpleasant odors and to protect against diseases. People would often carry small sachets of perfumed herbs to ward off illness and disease. These scents were also used to mask the smells of the streets and were particularly popular among the aristocracy.

In the Victorian era, the language of flowers was popularized, and floral scents were used to convey secret messages. A woman could convey her feelings to her suitor by wearing a particular scent or gifting him a perfume with a hidden message. For instance, violet was associated with modesty and lilac with youthful innocence. A gift of violet or lilac perfume would convey the message of the giver’s pure intentions.

Today, floral perfumes continue to hold significance and are used to evoke emotions and memories. Perfumers create complex scents using a combination of different flowers and other ingredients to create unique and meaningful fragrances.

For example, Chanel No. 5 is a classic floral perfume that has been popular for nearly a century. The scent is composed of jasmine, rose, and ylang-ylang, among other ingredients, and is known for its elegant and timeless fragrance.

In conclusion, floral perfumes have held symbolic meanings and cultural significance throughout history. They have been used in various cultures and traditions, and have evolved over time to become a way of conveying hidden messages and evoking emotions. The next time you wear a floral perfume, take a moment to appreciate the rich history and significance behind its scent.

cultural practices with flowers, international flower significance culutre

The Significance of Flowers in Different Cultures

Flowers have played a significant role in cultures around the world for centuries. From religious ceremonies to weddings and funerals, flowers have been used to convey meaning and symbolize various cultural beliefs and traditions. In this article, we will explore the significance of flowers in different cultures and their meanings.

In ancient Greece, the flower that was most closely associated with the gods was the lily. According to Greek mythology, the lily was created from the breast milk of the goddess Hera. The Greeks believed that the lily symbolized purity, innocence, and rebirth. Today, the lily is still a popular flower for weddings and funerals, where it is used to symbolize new beginnings and the cycle of life and death. Mind you, there are about 100 species of lilies with over 2,000 varieties, and there are different meanings for many of them.

In China, the peony is considered to be the national flower and is a symbol of wealth, honor, and happiness. The peony has been cultivated in China for over 1,500 years and is often used in art and literature to symbolize femininity and grace. In Chinese culture, the peony is also associated with the goddess Guan Yin, who is revered for her compassion and mercy.

In Hinduism, the lotus flower is one of the most important symbols. The lotus is said to represent enlightenment and the journey to spiritual awakening. The lotus is often depicted in Hindu art and is associated with the gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva. In addition to its religious significance, the lotus is also used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of ailments.

In Japan, the cherry blossom is a symbol of beauty and the impermanence of life. The cherry blossom is a popular subject in Japanese art and literature and is often used to represent the transience of life and the beauty that can be found in fleeting moments. The cherry blossom also plays a significant role in the annual Hanami festival, which celebrates the arrival of spring and the blooming of the cherry blossoms.

In Native American cultures, the sunflower is a symbol of good luck and harvest. The sunflower is often used in traditional ceremonies and is believed to bring blessings and good fortune to those who cultivate it. In addition to its cultural significance, the sunflower is also a source of food and oil for many Native American tribes.

And this is just a fraction of the incredible cultures in our world today, all of which have their own concept and meaning of flowers. Flowers have held symbolic meanings and cultural significance in many different cultures throughout history. From ancient Greece to modern-day Japan, flowers have played an important role in conveying meaning and representing cultural beliefs and traditions. Whether used in religious ceremonies, as a symbol of good fortune, or as a native plant to the indigenous lands, flowers continue to hold an important place in nearly every culture around the world.

health benefits of fresh flowers fresh-cut flowers for your health

The Health Benefits of Fresh Flowers

Thank you for joining us today as we discuss the surprising health benefits of fresh flowers. I think we would all agree that being surrounded by fresh flowers, whether it be in the garden, at the conservatory, or even just beside a simple vase of fresh-cut flowers, gives off a sweet, serene feeling. Flowers have long been appreciated for their beauty and their ability to brighten up a room, but did you know that they also have numerous health benefits? From improving mental health to boosting physical well-being, flowers have a lot to offer in terms of their medicinal properties.

One of the most well-known health benefits of flowers is their ability to improve our mood and reduce stress levels. Studies have shown that simply being around flowers can increase feelings of happiness and calmness, while also reducing levels of anxiety and depression. This is likely due to the natural aromatherapy that flowers provide, as well as their vibrant colors and pleasant appearance.

In addition to improving mental health, flowers also have numerous physical health benefits. For example, certain flowers have been used for centuries to treat a variety of ailments. Chamomile, for instance, is well-known for its ability to soothe an upset stomach and promote sleep. Lavender is another popular flower that has been used for its relaxing and pain-relieving properties.

Other flowers, such as echinacea and calendula, have been used to boost the immune system and fight off infections. These flowers contain natural compounds that help to strengthen the body’s defenses and protect against illness.

Flowers can also be used to improve our skin health. Many beauty products contain natural extracts from flowers such as rose, chamomile, and lavender, which have been shown to have anti-inflammatory and moisturizing properties. These flowers can help to soothe irritated skin, reduce redness, and promote a healthy, glowing complexion.

Finally, flowers can also have a positive impact on our social well-being. Giving someone a bouquet of flowers can be a powerful way to show them that you care, and studies have shown that receiving flowers can boost feelings of happiness and improve our relationships with others. Nowadays, we have the ability to send flowers to anyone in the world, typically within 24 hours, why not consider sending a bouquet next time you’re thinking of someone you care about? Never done that before? No worries! Check out our guide here: How to Send Flowers Online
Convinced? Read our vetted list of online floral shops before placing your order. Unfortunately, there is a huge market for 3rd, even 4th, -party websites that claim to be the “best” when in reality they’re in some basement having never even seen a bouquet of flowers. Your Flowers Best Delivery Option (Actually Here are 4 Best Delivery Options!)

In conclusion, flowers are not just pretty to look at – they have numerous health benefits that can improve our mental and physical well-being. From reducing stress and anxiety to boosting the immune system and promoting healthy skin, flowers have a lot to offer in terms of their medicinal properties. So the next time you’re feeling down or under the weather, consider treating yourself to a beautiful bouquet of flowers – your body and mind will thank you!

language of flowers roses passionately in love

How to Say “I’m Passionately in Love” with Flowers

Dear reader, in my last article, The Proper Flowers to Say “I Love You”, I explained a few options for flowers that represent the sentiment “I love you.” As you may have guessed, red roses are the pinnacle of romantic symbolism, but I included some other interesting tidbits about roses, forget-me-nots, and Lily of the Valley. I also mentioned that there are hundreds of sentiments that can be expressed in this manner. If one wishes to convey the message of “I am passionately in love,” the language of flowers provides a range of options to express such intense feelings.

As mentioned earlier, the red rose is the ultimate symbol of love, and a bouquet of a dozen or more red roses is the most classic and direct way to express one’s love. However, to convey the message of “passionate love,” one can add or create an entirely different bouquet of other flowers with complementary meanings.

For example, the carnation can be associated with intense, passionate love and the bonds of affection. However, I caution against the use of just any carnation as certain colors carry not-so-lovely meanings. Yellow, for example, means disdain. Striped demonstrates refusal, or can add an extreme exclamation to an unpleasant sentiment. Deep red carnations stand for “Alas! My poor heart!” so if you’re a hopeless romantic, it may be appropriate to include them in the bouquet to express this sentiment. Additionally, the red tulip is another option, representing a declaration of love, especially when presented in a large bouquet.

To add more depth to the message, one can also include flowers that represent the qualities of the person being loved. For instance, if the person is known for their beauty, a lily can be included, symbolizing purity and radiance. If the person is known for their charm and grace, a bouquet with pink roses and lilacs can express admiration and enchantment. Ultimately, the key to expressing “passionate love” through the language of flowers is to choose flowers that symbolize intense emotions and complement each other in meaning. A combination of red roses, carnations, and red tulips, with a touch of lilies and lilacs, would create a beautiful and meaningful bouquet that conveys the message of “I am passionately in love.”

The language of flowers is a wonderful way to express the intensity of one’s emotions, especially when it comes to conveying “passionate love.” By choosing the right combination of flowers and their meanings, one can create a bouquet that truly speaks from the heart. I hope that you found this article intriguing! If you missed my introduction you can find it here: Looks Can Be Deceiving: an abridged introduction to the Victorian Language of Flowers

Victorian era Language of Flowers

Looks Can Be Deceiving: an abridged introduction to the Victorian Language of Flowers

Dear Reader, I write to you this letter of introduction so that we may not set off on the wrong foot. You see, I’ve come to share my wealth of knowledge of the language of flowers. While my education has been steeped in English tradition, I assure you that this secular subject has roots in nearly every corner of the earth, so long as the climate permits. Thus there are many interpretations of what any one flower may mean. Being how we are sentimental animals we adore symbolism and assign it often without notice. Consider how difficult it is to get rid of some knick-knack you’ve come to own. It has no purpose yet it holds a dear place in your heart. You’ve assigned it meaning. Just one of the many symptoms of the human condition.

There is no telling which culture first used botanicals to convey a message, though I can say that the English were some of the last to develop their own language of flowers. The Eastern tradition was brought to Europe by Aubrey de la Mottraie who experienced this curious means of communication in Turkey. The Eastern language of flowers relied on the flower’s physical form to convey its meaning resulting in a lovely, flowery, ornamental language that was used for such occasions. The French followed a similar suit in the development of their flower dictionary.

The English however saw an opportunity to create a discreet and cunning new form of communication. Their dialect of the language of flowers was developed in a multifaceted way of deriving meaning. Some were assigned meaning based on their physicality. Others by their botanical, medicinal, or spiritual properties. Still others hold no resemblance to the flower itself but rather the linguistics of their names, by way of rhyming. There are some plants that have whole phrases assigned as their meaning. Meanwhile, the specific parts of certain plants could mean something quite different from one another, say the branch vs. the bud.

What is most important to note is that the English language of flowers was used to communicate messages of all types. Sure, messages of love and courtship were common suitors for such means of communication but messages of war, disdain, and danger were just as common. Allow me to also assure you that in my understanding of this rich dialect, looks can be deceiving. The beauty of a bouquet does not stand for the beauty in the breakdown of its contents. I do hope that you’ll not take it personally should you come to find out that your dear late grandma’s favorite flower represents “unrequited love”. I’m certain that you could find some other meaning that’s been attached to that flower —— just not the proper one. Like most English traditions, the Victorian language of flowers favors practicality as opposed to the overtly sentimental.

I hope that you’ve found this abridged origin story intriguing. Check back in at The Right Flowers for more meaningful bouquet recipes and insights!

language of flowers roses passionately in love

The Proper Flowers to Say “I Love You”

Greetings, my dear reader. It is with great pleasure that I have been asked to compose this article for you, on the fascinating topic of the language of flowers. In particular, we shall explore how the language of flowers was used to express love and affection, and how one could convey the powerful message of “I love you” through the subtle and beautiful language of blooms. (If you missed my abridged introduction to the Victorian Language of Flowers, you may find it here.) To recap, during the Victorian era, the language of flowers was a popular and widely used means of communication, especially among the upper classes. Flowers were assigned meanings and were used to express a wide range of emotions and sentiments, from love and admiration to jealousy and disdain. Indeed, the very act of giving and receiving flowers carried significant meaning, and was an art in itself.

To express love, the most important flower was, of course, the rose. The rose had a variety of meanings, depending on its color, and was one of the most popular flowers used to express love and affection. A red rose was the ultimate symbol of love, and it was said that the deeper the color, the deeper the love. Pink roses symbolized admiration and gratitude, while white roses were associated with purity and innocence. A yellow rose, on the other hand, was not used to express love, as it was associated with jealousy and infidelity.

But it was not just the rose that could be used to express love. Other flowers also had their own unique meanings. For example, the forget-me-not was a popular choice to express undying love and fidelity, while the lily of the valley was often used to express a return to happiness. The daisy was another popular choice, representing innocence and purity, while the carnation was associated with deep, passionate love.

So how does one say “I love you” using flowers? The answer is simple – with a bouquet of red roses. A dozen red roses, to be precise, was the ultimate expression of love and devotion, and would leave no doubt as to the sender’s intentions. If one wanted to be more subtle, one could add in other flowers with complementary meanings, such as forget-me-nots or lilies of the valley.

In conclusion, the language of flowers was a beautiful and intricate means of communication, especially when it came to expressing love and affection. The Victorian era aristocrats, with their love of all things elegant and refined, embraced this language wholeheartedly, and it remains a fascinating and charming aspect of our cultural heritage to this day. As one would assume from the language of flowers, there are hundreds of plants that represent words of love and devotion, as well as whole phrases. If you wish to curate a unique arrangement that symbolizes your precise feelings, it may very easily be done. It is my intent to share with you more personalized recipes in the coming articles.

Virginia spring beauty, also known as eastern spring beauty, can be used for food, medicine and barometer purposes

Virginia Spring Beauty: For Food, Medicine and Weather Purposes

Claytonia virginica, commonly known as Virginia spring beauty, fairy spud, eastern spring beauty, grass-flower, or just spring beauty, is a low-growing, pretty, perennial wildflower, and delicious vegetable. It is native to North America and thrives in sunny river banks, well-watered woodlands, and thickets.

[Note: The Right Flowers is not a medical site. Knowledge of and information about the therapeutic benefits and applications of flowers, while known through the ages, does not constitute medical advice. If you are having health issues, you should consult with a physician. In addition, you SHOULD NEVER attempt foraging and eating wild plants unless you are triple sure of their identity and edibility].

The spring beauty is a member of the portulaca family and closely related to miner’s lettuce (montia perfoliata) and purslane (portulaca oleracea). It got the name spring beauty because it is one of the plants that flowers in early spring, just after the gloom of the winter.

Virginia spring beauty is a perennial plant with succulent, grasslike dark green leaves. The plant produces dense white flowers with pink streaks in spring. When these plants bloom in large numbers across a field, they form a stunning, dense, flora formation that takes your breath away. The flowers usually open when it is sunny and warm and are known to close their petals and droop at night or when it is cloudy. So, if you intend to catch sight of these beautiful flowers in the wild, you need to walk around their natural habitats on a sunny day in the afternoon.

The beautiful flowers have a sweet floral scent that attracts pollinator such as bees. In the cut flower industry, Virginia spring beauty blossoms are used on their own in bouquets or used alongside other flowers. In ancient civilizations, the flowers were studied by rainmakers to predict the weather (sort of natural barometers).

The plant has always been associated with human civilizations due to its ornamental, food, and herbal purposes. In North America, the Algonquin and Iroquois tribes utilized the plant for food purposes by boiling or roasting it. Basically, the most sought after part of the plant is the tuber, which has a potato-like flavor and is considered a perfect potato substitute.

Since the plant has always held a coveted place in human history, Virginia spring beauty has been overharvested in the wild, making it almost an endangered plant. In Massachusetts, it is considered an endangered species.

The Virginia spring beauty is not a fussy plant and easily establishes in a garden as long as its natural habitat is simulated. It is a beautiful addition to flower gardens and can be easily propagated.

All the aerial parts of the plant are edible and can be eaten raw or cooked, however, the roots taste better when cooked. The leave, flowers, and stems are eaten raw in salads. Alternatively, they can be cooked like any other greens and eaten with rice, beans, pasta, and other dishes. Apart from its use for food purposes, the entire plant is used orally to prevent conception.

The Virginia spring beauty will cheer you up, help to predict the weather if you can master the ancient art, and still stimulate your palates. Here is a perfect floral plant you should have in your garden.

Geraniums: Two Floral Families with Striking Flowers

When we think of geraniums, we usually envision the red or pink annual plants that bloom throughout the summer in North America. But these bedding geraniums are actually a member of the pelargonium family. True geraniums are winter-hardy and are often called by the common name ‘cranesbill’.

Both exhibiting five-petaled blooms, the geranium and the pelargonium were once classified as the same genus of plants. However, after careful study they were given separate categories. While the overlapping names can be confusing, these plants each stand on their own as having a place of honor in the garden.

With hundreds of cultivars to choose from, bedding geraniums are popular for their bold red, pink, white, and orange hues. Requiring full sun for optimal growth, they bloom all summer and are a common focal point in flower beds and potted arrangements.

The geranium is the customary gift to celebrate the fourth wedding anniversary. It’s easy to see why, as the warm-hued red and pink flowers and soft, fuzzy leaves are a reminder of romantic love.

Zonal geraniums are among the most common varieties sold in the United States. Native to Africa, these geraniums get their name from the zone of red or purple coloration usually found on the middle of each leaf.

If you live in an area with little rainfall, look for ivy-leaf geraniums. A modified succulent, the cuticle of the leaf has evolved to conserve water in dry regions. The ivy geranium is also well-liked in hanging planters, as the vine-like leaves trail gracefully out of the pot.

The true geranium, or cranesbill, is a family that contains over 400 varieties of plants. With pink, purple, or blue flowers, these plants can be annual, biennial, or perennial. Cranesbill may be called hardy geraniums to distinguish them from pelargonium, but not all species are winter-hardy in temperate areas.

Some cranesbill are propagated by seeds that burst out of their pods when they are fully ripe. In some species, these seeds pods resemble the long neck and bill of a crane, giving the family its common name.

Other varieties may be divided by splitting rhizomes or bulbs that grow from established plants. Plants should be divided and replanted in the spring or autumn. Unlike their bedding geranium cousins, cranesbill prefers a somewhat shady spot.

Pelargonium is a broad family that encompasses many cheerful flowers. Whether you choose bedding geraniums or hardy cranesbill, these plants are a lovely gift for a spring birthday, graduation, or Mother’s Day. From annuals to perennials to succulents, there’s a member of the geranium family sure to please everyone.

Hydrangeas Bring Year-Round Interest to the Garden and Home

Hydrangeas are charming, oversized flowers composed of clusters of petite four-petaled blossoms. While they are quite popular today, this wasn’t always the case. These blooming beauties once held a variety of unsavory meanings!

For much of its history, the hydrangea has had quite a negative connotation. During the Middle Ages and throughout the Victorian era, hydrangeas were frequently sent to an enemy or used to signal the rejection of a marriage proposal. Because of their numerous small flowers, hydrangeas represented abundance. But eventually this symbol of plentiful resources took on a new meaning and the hydrangea began to depict boastfulness about one’s riches.

Cultivated hydrangeas originated in ancient Asia, where they came to represent apologies. In modern Japan, hydrangeas are still given as a way to reconcile with someone when you have offended them.

The hydrangea’s reputation has recovered in recent years, and this beautiful flower has entirely different meanings in the Western world today. Pink flowers stand for affection, while white flowers represent purity. Purple hydrangeas signify a deep understanding in either a romantic or platonic relationship. The purple blossoms would be a lovely gift for your best friend, for any special occasion.

White hydrangeas are often used in bridal bouquets and decor. Because one stem has such a large flower, you can use fewer flowers to make a bold, elegant statement. For a bridal bouquet that will last for years to come, create a unique dried floral arrangement. The warm ivories and blush hues of dried hydrangeas will be a beautiful complement to every bride’s gown.

There are two main types of hydrangeas: the mop-head and the lace-cap. The mop-head refers to a spherical, snowball-shaped flower cluster. Lace-cap hydrangeas are more flattened overall, and resemble lace thanks to hundreds of tiny, unopened buds in the center.

Hydrangeas are well-known for providing year-round color in the garden. Hydrangeas start their show with their oversized leaves in the spring, leading to festive blooms throughout the summer. In autumn, many varieties of hydrangeas will develop a rich, deep burgundy hue on both the flowers and the leaves. Most types of hydrangeas exhibit this change to burgundy, regardless of the color of the flowers earlier in the growing season. Left unpruned, these colorful dried flowers can even be quite charming with a dusting of snow on their petals.

Hydrangeas are one of the few varieties of flowers that dry beautifully outdoors with no help from the gardener. Rather than cutting and drying the blooms yourself, watch what happens to the fading flowers as the summer winds down. You will be pleasantly surprised by the broad array of warm colors that develop when hydrangea flowers are allowed to dry on the plant. Dried hydrangeas are naturally perfect for all of your floral crafts and arrangements.

Whether dried or fresh, you’ll find countless uses for the voluminous hydrangea bloom. Even a single flower makes a bold statement. You can’t go wrong when you give hydrangeas as a gift to anyone who appreciates Mother Nature’s little treasures.

Edible Squash Blossoms to Share with Family and Friends

Have squash vines taken over your late-summer garden? Do you have dozens of new blooms late in the growing season? It may be too late for those flowers to develop into fruits, but that doesn’t mean they have to go to waste. Squash blossoms are edible and can be incorporated into a delicious harvest dinner.

As summer winds down and we begin to harvest from our gardens, it’s a wonderful chance to invite your friends and family to share in your bounty. Sharing a home-cooked meal is a gift in itself, and is so meaningful when you include loved ones. Squash blossoms are the right flower to add an exotic flair to your autumn dinner party.

Edible squash flowers are found on all members of the squash family, including summer and winter squash, zucchini and pumpkins. These blooms are usually bright yellow or orange, and shaped like a large trumpet. Squash flowers often last only one day before wilting on the vine, so plan accordingly when you’re using them as the star of your harvest dinner.

Squash blossoms are loaded with calcium and iron, and are also high in vitamins A and C. They have a high water content and are quite low in calories and carbohydrates. The flavor of squash blossoms is reminiscent of the squash itself, but more mild.

Most grocers don’t sell squash flowers because they have such a short shelf life. Luckily, they are quite plentiful in the garden. When choosing blossoms from your garden, be sure to choose the ones that are unblemished and firm. Also be sure they don’t have any chemicals or pesticides on them, as these may not rinse off totally.

Squash and pumpkin flowers are often chopped up and used in salads as a colorful accent. They would be delicious accompanied by a sprinkling of toasted or spiced pumpkin seeds on top of the salad. Squash blossoms can be used in place of greens such as kale and spinach, and make a healthful addition to soups as well.

Because of their long, narrow shape, squash flowers can be stuffed and baked, as you would prepare a stuffed pepper. Popular fillings include grains, cheeses, such as herb-seasoned ricotta, and diced meats like pancetta or bacon. Take care when stuffing the flowers, as they are much more fragile than a pepper. If a petal tears a bit when you stuff the flower, don’t worry. The finished dish will still be tasty.

Squash blossoms are also a crowd-pleaser when dipped in batter and deep-fried. Yes, this negates their health benefits, but it’s OK to splurge since they’re only available for a short time each year. Any batter recipe that you have can be used on squash flowers. Batters containing beer are a popular choice, and work well if your harvest dinner has an Oktoberfest theme.

Gifting a portion of our harvest to others is a tradition that has continued for thousands of years. When you’re giving away bushels of squash to your family and friends, remember to also give a gift of the edible squash flowers to share in the beautiful bounty of your garden.

Stonecrop Brings “Autumn Joy” to the Garden

Stonecrop is a family of around 500 varieties of succulent plants. Succulents store water in their leaves, making them an excellent choice for gardens that don’t receive much water or rain. These low-maintenance plants will add color and interest to your fall garden. Because stonecrop is so easy-going, it makes a wonderful gift for someone who loves flowers but may not have much time to devote to gardening.

One of the most widely known stonecrops is “Autumn Joy”. This easy-to-grow perennial features deep pink flowers and bright, apple green leaves from late August through October. Left undisturbed, the dried flowers may color your garden throughout the winter as well.

Stonecrop is also commonly known as sedum. Once established, sedum requires little water. Most varieties prefer ample sun, but there are also stonecrops that do well in partial shade. Primarily native to the northern hemisphere, these plants are usually classified by their growth habit – either upright or creeping.

Upright-growing sedum bears flowers on stems that reach heights of up to three feet. These flowers bloom primarily in the autumn season. Many varieties possess flowers that dry to a deep burgundy color, making them a good choice for long-lasting decor. The dried blooms would be lovely displayed on a fall or winter wreath.

Creeping stonecrop has a low-growing, spreading habit. Many varieties are less than two inches tall but can spread to several feet wide in ideal growing conditions. Creeping sedum is well-known for thriving in difficult locations, such as on top of rocks or even rooftops!

Creeping sedum bears flowers in a range of warm colors such as pink, yellow, and white. These blooms, which are prolific in autumn, coordinate beautifully with other fall-blooming plants like chrysanthemums. They also echo the gorgeous colors of changing leaves on deciduous trees.

Most types of stonecrop are edible, with a mild peppery flavor. Young sedum leaves are often eaten raw in salads in European countries. However, it is recommended that you cook the varieties with red leaves or yellow flowers, as eating them raw can cause mild stomach upset.

There is a folklore history of using sedum to heal broken hearts. It seems that people once believed that eating sedum would mend a spurned lover’s spirit. We don’t know if this actually works, but it’s surely healthier than eating a whole carton of ice cream!

If you know someone who loves all things autumnal, stonecrop would make a lovely gift for their garden. They require little hands-on care but produce quite a showy display every fall. Sedum is also a great option as a gift for someone who is new to gardening. The plants are rugged yet elegant and will provide years of interest with little work. With their durable nature and bright fall colors, sedum can bring “autumn joy” to every garden.

Gorgeous Green Blooms to Light Up the Room

When we think of flowering plants, we usually visualize green leaves with blooms in shades of pretty pastels and brilliant jewel tones. But did you know that there are many varieties of plants that have natural green flowers? Here are just a few examples of these unique green blossoms.

Bells of Ireland are tall stalks with graceful green bell-shaped flowers along the whole length of the stem. These flowers are often found in florists’ shops and used as a way to add height to floral arrangements.

Bells of Ireland stalks are frequently dried in order to preserve them, resulting in the flowers fading to a soft ivory color. A member of the mint family, Bells of Ireland are actually native to Syria and Turkey.

Hellebore, or helleborus, is a garden perennial that is famous for blooming in the winter. Also called the Christmas rose or Lenten rose, hellebore flowers bloom in shades of green and ivory, and dusty hues of purple and pink. You may also find varieties with striations or spots on the petals. Green hellebore flowers are commonly found in variegated shades with ivory or burgundy accents.

Natural green chrysanthemums are frequently given as cut flowers, especially around St. Patrick’s Day and Christmas. Mums are a popular choice for gifting because many varieties can last up to two weeks once cut. They are also common in the garden, blooming in late summer and early autumn. The zesty, bright green of chrysanthemums will add a brilliant pop of color to your fall landscape.

Orchids are exotic beauties that are available in a broad range of colors, including green. Orchids grow wild all over the Earth, including in the inhospitable tundra. It seems there are as many types of orchids as there are nations in which they grow.

Many green orchids are accented with shades of white and burgundy, while others are a solid, brilliant lime or apple green hue. Orchids are considered easy to grow and many varieties don’t even require soil!

Green flowers make a striking statement when planted in landscape designs with contrasting colors. The color green looks beautiful in combination with nearly every shade of the rainbow and will easily coordinate with everything else you plant in your garden.

Green flowers are also a lovely addition to bouquets of cut flowers. The green blooms will tie in with the green leaves of the other flowers to create a harmonious arrangement that is well-balanced and pleasing to the eye.

If you have a friend or loved one whose favorite color is green, surprise them with an unexpected gift of natural green flowers. These unusual blossoms will send a unique and unforgettable message to someone special.

Japanese Anemones Shine in the Autumn Garden

As days grow shorter and summer blooms begin to fade, Japanese anemones come into their full glory. With oversized leaves and tall stems bearing charming flowers, Japanese anemones make a bold statement in your autumn garden.

Japanese anemones are members of the ranunculus family. With their cup-shaped blossoms with few petals, they resemble several other members of this popular family such as windflowers (spring-blooming anemones) and buttercups.

With a bloom time as long as six to eight weeks, Japanese anemones are one of the stars of the late-season garden. Japanese anemones demand your attention as they bear blooms on stems that can reach up to four feet in height! In addition to pure white flowers, they grow in rosy shades ranging from pale, baby pink to a medium lavender hue. Some varieties may also exhibit subtle tone-on-tone stripes.

To call these flowers “Japanese” is actually a misnomer, as they are native to China, where they were once frequently found growing near graves. Their longevity in bloom, coupled with their believed ability to ward off evil, made them ideal as memorials for the tombs of the beloved departed.

Japanese anemones got their common name after having been “discovered” by Europeans in Japan, where they had been cultivated for several centuries. The simple, elegant blossoms are typical of the types of graceful flowers that are often portrayed in Japanese art.

Japanese anemones are considered easy to grow and they can spread vigorously once established. These flowers prefer partial shade (4-6 hours of sun per day) and well-drained, rich soil. They can be difficult to divide by splitting the root, so propagation by seed is suggested. The seed pods are cheerful, yellow fuzzy spheres that are left behind after the petals have fallen.

In addition to being beautiful and easy to care for, Japanese anemones are a great choice for the garden because they are quite sturdy. They are naturally resistant to insects and common botanical diseases. They are also unappetizing to hungry rabbits, and not very desirable to deer.

If you have a friend who laments the end of the gardening season, Japanese anemones would be a thoughtful gift to extend the garden’s bloom time by several weeks. Perhaps you have planted a memorial garden in honor of a loved one who has passed on. Japanese anemones would be an excellent addition by which to remember that special someone. No matter the occasion, these charming blossoms will be a treasured part of any autumn landscape.

Welcome Autumn with Chrysanthemums

As warm weather gives way to cooler days, we begin to see chrysanthemums everywhere. These hardy plants, also called mums, are a beacon of autumn in North America. Blooming in late summer through mid-fall, mums add a pop of color when other garden plants are dying back for the year.

Chrysanthemums are readily found in nurseries and garden centers. You may even find them at your local grocery store, along with pumpkins and corn stalks. Mums make an excellent autumnal decoration, as they bloom in warm shades of reds, yellows, and purples that reflect the hues of the changing leaves on trees.

In the United States we associate mums with the start of fall, Halloween, and everything pumpkin spice flavored. However, in many nations, chrysanthemums have a more somber meaning. In some European and Asian countries, certain mums are used almost exclusively for funerals and grave markers. These mums are usually white in color to symbolize grieving.

There are thirteen main types of chrysanthemums, determined mostly by the shape of the flowers. There are countless variations in size and color as well, with thousands of individual varieties being officially recognized by the National Chrysanthemum Society.

Some of the most common types of chrysanthemums are cushion, with a mounded flower shape, and spider mums, with dangling petals reminiscent of legs. The quill mum has petals that are tube-shaped, and button mums have petite flowers growing on the stems in a natural bouquet shape.

One of the most popular uses of chrysanthemums worldwide is to dry the flowers and make them into tea. This practice is said to have begun in China around one thousand years ago, and remains widespread to this day. Chrysanthemum tea is served both hot and iced year-round, and is frequently sweetened with honey.

All chrysanthemum flowers are edible but they exhibit nearly as many flavors as there are types of blossoms! Some mums have a peppery flavor, some are tart, and some are thought to taste like honey. If you’re making your own tea, be sure your mums are clean and chemical-free before drying them.

If you know someone who loves everything associated with autumn, chrysanthemums will make a wonderful gift. As part of a holiday display or planted in a flower bed, mums deliver a brilliant splash of color late in the growing season. When other plants are winding down, mums are in full bloom to brighten a friend’s day with jewel-like colors.

“Exploding” Jewelweed is Popping with Fun

Jewelweed is a yellow or orange flowering plant whose claim to fame is that the ripe seed pods “explode” or burst open when touched. Much to the delight of children and fun-loving adults, these plants have a quite entertaining method of dispersing their seeds.

Also known as touch-me-not, jewelweed grows in damp, marshy areas all across the eastern United States. While these trumpet-shaped flowers are classified as annuals (completing their life cycle within one year), they are so adept at self-sowing their seeds that they return reliably, year after year.

Jewelweed is a member of the impatiens family, which includes the shade-loving blooms of the same name. While common impatiens are readily found at every garden center and nursery, their wild cousins are not commercially cultivated. Like jewelweed, common impatiens also have a seed pod that bursts when fully ripened.

There are two theories about how jewelweed got its name. Some say that the gem-colored flowers glisten and shimmer when wet from rain or dew. Others say that the flowers hang from their stalks like jewels on a necklace. Whatever the case, these brilliant blossoms should not be overlooked.

Jewelweed has evolved to appeal to its primary pollinators, butterflies and hummingbirds. The warm red-orange to yellow hues of the flowers are attractive to these species. The jewelweed releases its seed pods with the gentlest nudge, such as the feather-light touch of a hovering hummingbird.

This fascinating manner of seed dispersal is called “ballistichory”, referring to the way in which the seeds act as projectiles. This enthusiastic popping is achieved by a buildup of tension within the cells as the seed pod dries out. The cell walls gradually begin to coil and the tension is released when the fully ripe pod is touched.

Aside from being fun for inquisitive people, jewelweed has some beneficial qualities as well. The liquid from the stem of the plant is said to be excellent at reducing inflammation when applied topically. It has long been used as a treatment for poison ivy, poison oak, and stinging nettles. In fact, jewelweed is frequently found growing in the vicinity of poison ivy. If you know you have touched the noxious poison ivy, immediately applying liquid from the jewelweed is supposed to reduce the severity of the reaction before it even gets started.

Note: The Right Flowers is not a medical site. Knowledge of and information about the therapeutic benefits and applications of flowers, while known through the ages, does not constitute medical advice. If you are having health issues, you should consult with a physician.

In addition to the medicinal liquid, the seeds of the jewelweed are edible. The seeds can be flung as far as ten feet away when the pod pops open. But if you manage to collect a few, they can safely be eaten. After wiping off the coating on the fresh, ripe seeds, you will find that they taste nutty. This flavor has been compared to walnuts or almonds.

Exploding plants like jewelweed are proof that botany can be fun. There are wondrous things all around us, if you take the time to look. Go for a walk and see what jewels Mother Nature has to offer in your neighborhood.

Venus Flytrap: The Perfect Gift for Curious Kids

The Venus flytrap is the most mysterious and notorious of house plants. These carnivorous plants were made famous (or infamous) in the cult classic movie “Little Shop of Horrors” and have been intriguing curious kids for decades ever since.

Carnivorous plants derive their nutrients from trapped insects because they grow in areas where the soil is very nutrient-poor. Native to Asia, Australia, and North America, these fascinating plants have evolved to move quite rapidly in order to snag their meals. There are currently about 500-700 living varieties of carnivorous plants that have been recognized and catalogued.

The Venus flytrap is native to the wetlands of the Carolinas in the United States. North Carolina colonial governor Arthur Dobbs coined the name “fly trap” in 1760 after observing the remarkable spring-like trapping action of the plant. Actually, flying insects make up only about five percent of their diet. The remainder is made up of crawling insects that supply needed nitrogen and phosphorus to the plant.

Despite the tremendous growth of Audrey II in “Little Shop of Horrors”, Venus flytraps generally grow to only five inches in size. They certainly don’t eat people – it is a myth that the plant will try to digest human fingers. And it remains to be seen if any Venus flytraps can really talk.

Because these plants are accustomed to growing in poor conditions, they are rather easy to care for as house plants. With ample sunlight and water, the flytrap can go up to a month without “eating”. If grown outdoors, there will be a sufficient number of insects for them to snack on. Indoor plants will have to be provided with the occasional meal. Don’t worry if you’re a little squeamish – Venus flytraps will be satisfied with dead insects.

Venus flytraps have been observed to have a life span of up to twenty years. During this time they will have countless traps, as each mechanism can only be triggered a few times before it dies and is replaced by a new set of trapping leaves. The method by which the trap is activated is still being studied and is only partially understood by botanists.

The Venus flytrap is a discerning diner – it does not eat the insects that pollinate its flowers. When it is mature, the plant produces delicate white blossoms in the spring. If you are keeping it as a potted plant, cutting back the flower allows the flytrap to put more energy into long-term growth.

Carnivorous plants make wonderful gifts for children who are intrigued by nature and science. Flytraps are a great introduction to botany and biology for kids who always wonder what makes things work. A house plant may also be a precursor to a pet, teaching children the responsibility of caring for a living creature.

Watch “Little House of Horrors” with your kids and introduce them to the cool idea of carnivorous plants. Then present them with their own Venus flytrap and watch as inquisitive minds learn about the wonderful world of science.

Prickly Cacti Make Perfect Presents

With over 1500 varieties, cacti are distinctive members of the succulent family. Botanists estimate that these fascinating plants have been growing in various forms for at least 20-30 million years. This diverse, yet easily identifiable, group of plants has become nearly synonymous with southwestern culture throughout the Americas.

Cactus plants have evolved to store large quantities of water within their flesh. After the rainy season, some cactus plants may be up to ninety percent water by volume. Most of this water is stored in the stem of the plant and slowly released throughout the plant in arid months.

The vast majority of cactus species are leafless, with photosynthesis being done in the plant’s stem. Over the years, highly modified leaves called spines have developed to protect the plant against hungry herbivores and to reduce water evaporation from the cactus. These spines give the cactus its trademark spiky appearance.

The spines of the cactus also serve to facilitate flower production. Flowers emerge from the spines in areas of newer growth, usually on sections that are less than a few years old.

Cactus flowers are adapted to attract the specific pollinators in the area where they are native. To attract butterflies in the region, many cactus flowers are brightly colored in hues of yellow and orange. Brilliant red flowers appeal to hummingbirds. If moths and bats are the primary pollinators, pale flowers that open in the evening are more prevalent.

After the cactus flowers have faded, fruits develop on the cactus plant. These fruits are generally sweet and appeal to both animals, who spread the seeds, and humans. Almost all cactus fruits are safe for human consumption. Some types may be fermented to create alcohol. Others are known to have psychotropic qualities, altering mood and perceptions. Caution is thus advised when eating wild cactus fruits.

The majority of cacti are adapted to grow in regions with at least partial drought conditions throughout the year. These rugged plants are quite tolerant of poor soil conditions as well. Many types of cacti prefer a growing medium that is partially clay with very little organic matter. This hardiness makes the cactus a wonderful choice for houseplants and dry outdoor landscaping, or xeriscaping.

The low-maintenance cactus is a thoughtful gift. When grown as a houseplant, most cacti should be allowed to dry out completely between waterings. This makes them a perfect plant for someone who travels frequently or has a very busy schedule. Some varieties of cactus only bloom one or two days per year, making them an ideal gift for a more accomplished gardener, or someone who is incredibly patient! No matter who the recipient is, there is bound to be a cactus suited to their tastes. With ease of care and colorful blooms, the cactus will brighten up any home or garden.

Make it Yourself: Flower Infused Salt and Sugar

If your herb garden is overflowing and you’d like a unique way to share your harvest, consider making infused salt or sugar. Using the flowers and leaves from popular culinary herbs allows you to create thoughtful and fun gifts with little effort.

If you would like to make infused salt, start with a high quality base. Flaky salts work best for this application, and are ideal for sprinkling as a finishing salt or for use in a recipe.

Begin with 1/4 cup of salt and approximately 1 teaspoon of herbs and edible flowers. Remove some of the moisture from fresh herbs by drying them in a 200 degree oven. This can help to prevent the salt from clumping.

Depending on the volatility of the herbs’ oils, infused salt may be ready to use in as few as 1-2 days. Kept in an airtight container, the herbed salt may last up to a year. But chances are, you’ll use it much faster than that!

If you choose to infuse sugar, use a ratio of 4 parts sugar to 1 part herbs. Be sure to choose healthy blemish-free herbs and flowers, ensuring they are clean of chemicals. Crush the herbs slightly to begin the process of releasing their oils.

The more moisture your herbs have in them, the more the sugar may clump. Herbs may be dried before use to remove some moisture. If pre-drying the herbs is not an option, this issue will usually resolve as the herbs naturally dry out, and can be hastened by stirring the mixture every few days.

The herb flowers will usually take about 2 weeks to release their flavorful oils completely. Because the herbs and flowers are edible, there is no need to remove them from the sugar. The flecks of color add to the charm of the infused sugar. This sugar should last several months in a tightly-covered container.

Do you have a tea lover in your life? Chamomile sugar will make a thoughtful gift for them. Giving a sampler of herbal teas and some homemade chamomile flower sugar will let your loved one know that you wish them sweet dreams.

Violet sugar is a pretty and tasty way to add a surprise element to baked goods. Try sprinkling violet sugar on top of sugar cookies or on a white buttercream frosting. The flecks of flowers add visual interest and a fresh flavor. This would be a beautiful choice for Mother’s Day or a spring birthday.

Salt infused with dill flowers will add an extra layer of flavor to dry rubs. Dill salt would be especially good mixed with garlic powder. Try this combination on a cut of meat that cooks at a low temperature for several hours, such as a savory pork roast.

Salt infused with flowers from French chives or garlic chives will impart a subtle onion flavor to your dishes. Try sprinkling chive flower salt on vegetables that have been blanched at the peak of their freshness. Green beans and corn on the cob are excellent choices here. Chive salt also makes a considerate gift for someone who loves to experiment in the kitchen.

This list is certainly not all-inclusive. The wonderful thing about these culinary gifts is that you’re limited only by your imagination. Try salt blended with basil flowers to sprinkle on fresh mozzerella. Lavender-infused sugar would make a lovely addition to a tea party. Use the bounty of your garden to send a caring message to someone special.

Make it Yourself: Flower Infused Vinegars and Oils

As warm weather lingers, many of us find ourselves with an abundance of herbs. After making compound butter and chimichurri sauce, we often have more herbs than we can use at once. This is a great opportunity to make culinary gifts at home.

You may be familiar with chili-infused oil and tarragon-infused vinegar. But did you know that many herb flowers can be used to add flavor to condiments? Not only are the leaves and seeds of herb plants edible, many have flowers that impart delicious flavor as well.

The blossoms of French chives and garlic chives release a gentle onion flavor when added to foods. Blooms from the basil plant have the same slightly anise flavor as the leaves. And colorful nasturtium flowers have a mild peppery zest.

One way to extend the life of your herb harvest is to make infused vinegars and oils. This is a simple process with impressive results. The finished products are special enough to give as gifts, but you may want to keep some for yourself, too!

The first step to creating infused oils and vinegars is to pick healthy sprigs of herbs and herb flowers. They should be free of blemishes and chemicals, and washed thoroughly. Taste a little bit of each to get an idea of which flavors will pair well together. Choose two or three complementary flavors per bottle.

The next step is choosing high quality vinegars and oils. Keep in mind that some extra virgin olive oils have a strong fruity flavor, so choose herbs that will not compete with the oil. There are a wide variety of vinegars on the market. Lighter choices such as apple cider, white balsamic, and champagne vinegars are a few options that will pair well with herbs.

Once you have selected all of your ingredients, place the liquid, herbs, and herb flowers in a clean jar with a tight-fitting lid. Store it in a cool, dark place. The herbs will begin to impart their flavors within a few days. For maximum effect, leave the herbs in the jar for 3-4 weeks.

After about a month, you will strain the contents of the oil or vinegar jars to remove the herbs and herb flowers. Discard the herbs and pour the flavored liquid into a jar that has been sterilized to ensure the longest shelf life of the contents. Be sure to add a festive label identifying the flavors of the contents.

Oils naturally slow the growth of bacteria and can be kept in a cool, dark place for 6 months. If refrigerated, the oil may solidify but this should not affect the flavor. Because vinegars are so acidic, they also slow bacterial growth. They will remain fresh in a cool, dark location for 4-6 months.

Including garlic cloves, citrus zest, and chili peppers adds an extra layer of flavor to herb-infused liquids. Keep in mind that these additions may shorten the shelf-life of your finished product.

Homemade gifts are a thoughtful gesture for birthdays, holidays, or thank yous. If you know someone who loves to cook, they will surely appreciate a gift from your garden. Easy to make, infused vinegars and oils are a delicious way to share the bounty of your harvest.

Patriotic Petals: Check Out these National Flowers

The majority of the world’s countries have a national flower that is meaningful to its people. These emblems may have been chosen by popular consensus, government selection, or a long-standing tradition in the history of the nation.

Most national flowers are indigenous to the area that they represent. Many have played a role in a region’s culture for hundreds of years or more. In general, the national flower is beloved by the people it embodies.

Some national flowers have been associated with their nation for thousands of years. For example, the lotus blossom has been sacred to Egypt for millennia. Representing purity and divinity, depictions of the sacred lotus are found in tombs dating back to 1500 BC or earlier.

Other national flowers have only been officially recognized for a short while. The United States adopted the rose as its national flower in 1986. On the other hand, the rose has been symbolic of England since the Wars of the Roses in the late 1400s. The regal rose symbolizes the disparate ideas of love and war to both of these nations.

Some flowers are so beloved that songs are written about them. Edelweiss, the daisy-like national flower of Austria and Switzerland, was immortalized in song by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Written for The Sound of Music, the lyrics laud the small flower whose name translates as white and noble.

The regal iris is popular in the many regions in which it grows. Irises of varying colors represent the nations of Croatia, Algeria and Jordan. The iris also signifies the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition. The fleur de lis, as it is called in France, has stood for nobility for centuries. For those who would protest that the fleur de lis is surely a lily, we refer you to this article. Reasonable minds can differ as to which flower the fleur de lis is patterned after – we are in the “flowers along the Lis river” camp.

The exotic orchid seems to blossom everywhere that the tropical sun shines. Popular varieties of orchids serve as the emblems for Brazil, Singapore, Kenya, and Venezuela. While the meaning of the orchid varies with its color, these flowers generally represent love, especially when given as a gift.

Jewel-toned tulips grow wild in many nations and make a stunning display in spring when thousands of these flowers may bloom at once. This colorful member of the lily family is the national flower of Iran, Turkey, Hungary and Afghanistan. The tulip also represents Holland, which is famous for selling a single bulb for a year’s wages in the early 1600s.

In many nations around the world, there are flowers that celebrate national identity. These patriotic emblems represent the culture and diverse people found in each region. Celebrate the history of your homeland with your national flower and make a statement of pride in your heritage. Or give them to someone whose family or roots are from the country with which the flower is associated!

Statice, Feverfew, Baby’s Breath, and More: Festive Filler Flowers that Stand on Their Own

In bouquets and floral arrangements, flashy focal flowers like roses and lilies are often the star of the show. The smaller filler flowers are sometimes considered just a placeholder. However, these small blossoms ought to be recognized in their own right.

Filler flowers are flowers that add volume and texture to floral arrangements. They may tend to be muted in color and may not have a strong fragrance. Nevertheless, many filler flowers are beautiful enough to stand on their own or as a focal point in a floral design.

One of the most common filler flowers is baby’s breath. Also known as angel’s breath or gypsophila, these miniscule members of the carnation family are usually white or pink, but can be dyed to coordinate with your bouquet. Representing innocence, baby’s breath have dozens of tiny flowers on each stem and add a dreamy, ethereal element to arrangements.

Another frequently used filler flower is statice. These delicate flowers look as if they are made of tissue paper. Available in a variety of colors, statice has come to represent remembrance and treasured memories. The statice flower can easily be dried to use in long-lasting displays.

Stock is a popular choice to add height to arrangements. The name stock might sound basic but these flowers are beautiful on their own. Growing in a broad range of hues, stock flowers add a pop of color on long, slender stems. These flowers have a gentle clove scent and are used to convey a message of long-lasting affection.

Bells of Ireland are another great choice to add height and texture to a floral display. Each stalk is covered in bright green, hollow bell-shaped blooms. Bells of Ireland add visual interest while easily coordinating with every color in the rainbow.

Stephanotis, or Madagascar Jasmine, are small, fragrant white flowers that represent marital harmony. With their pure white petals and sweet scent, they are quite popular in bridal bouquets and wedding decor. These petite blooms are so delicate that they are often wired in place.

Feverfew is an herb with tiny flowers that resemble daisies. The yellow center of each flower adds a gentle pop of color. Feverfew stems are often added to arrangements with a less formal structure, such as wildflower bouquets.

Alstroemeria, or Peruvian lily, is a trumpet shaped flower that often displays stripes and spots on its petals. Available in a variety of warm hues, alstroemeria is an affordable way to add exotic beauty to a floral arrangement. These flowers symbolize devotion when given as a gift and are popular as a gesture of friendship.

Filler flowers may not always get the attention they deserve, but each of these background beauties should get a chance to shine on their own. Give someone an out-of-the-ordinary bouquet of unexpected blossoms to make a lasting impression on the recipient.

Fragrant Lilacs Symbolize Remembrance

The flowering lilac is a bush that seems to be everywhere in the spring in North America. The lilac’s early bloom time makes it a welcome sight after a long winter. Its clusters of small blooms and sweet fragrance make it easily recognizable as a symbol of the season of renewal.

Lilacs have elongated stems bearing dozens of tiny flowers on each branch. They are frequently a pale purple color. In fact, the word lilac can apply to anything that has a lavender hue.

Lilacs are also found in shades of pink, white, indigo, and yellow. The yellow variety of the lilac is less common and is more sensitive to cold winters. Lilacs petals may be a solid color or display a contrasting color in their center or along their edges.

Lilacs are prized not only for their cheerful flowers, but also for their unique scent. This fragrance has been described as sweet and powdery, and has been popular in perfumes for hundreds of years. The lilac essence is also commonly found in skin care products and in aromatherapy oils, to promote tranquility.

Since the Victorian era, lilacs have been used to represent a past love. They were often worn by widows as a way to remember their departed husbands. In addition, the lilac was sometimes given by an old flame trying to rekindle a romance.

Because many lilacs exhibit pastel colors they can be used to celebrate new babies. Traditionally, pink blooms were for girls and violet-blue flowers were for boys. However, multi-color and neutral colored flowers are growing in popularity. As with many flowers, white symbolizes purity. What is more pure than a newborn baby?

Lilacs are members of the olive tree family. Although they are classified as a bush, many varieties can grow as large as trees. Preferring full sun and needing little maintenance, some lilacs can reach heights of fifteen to twenty five feet.

If you love to watch butterflies, consider planting lilacs in your garden. Not only does their sweet fragrance attract a variety of pollinators, the bush itself is often used as a home for butterfly larvae. To learn all about how a caterpillar becomes a butterfly, see this article from our sister site, AllAboutWorms.com.

Lilacs make an excellent present for a spring birthday or celebration. White and pastel varieties are also beautiful in bridal bouquets and decor. Whatever the occasion, the cheerful blossoms and delicate fragrance of the lilac will always be a welcome gift.

The Magnolia’s Long History of Symbolizing Grace and Beauty

The stately magnolia has been admired as a symbol of beauty and nobility for countless centuries. In fact, fossils indicate that the magnolia tree and its blooms have remained nearly unchanged for the last 100 million years!

Many varieties of magnolia boast pure white flowers, but there are also lovely shades of yellow or purple blooms. Magnolias are also known for their thick, luxurious leaves. Almost leathery in texture, these leaves are often dried for use in floral arrangements.

Magnolia flowers have come to symbolize grace and dignity because of the elegance of the blossom. In ancient Asian cultures, the magnolia represented feminine beauty. In the Victorian era, these flowers conveyed a message of nobility when given as a gift. White magnolias are used today to symbolize purity in bridal decor.

Magnolia species native to Asia have been used in medicinal applications in China and Russia for hundred of years. Varieties native to North America have found popularity in bridal bouquets and home decor.

There are several types of magnolia with edible components. Buds are often pickled or boiled and eaten whole or added to rice or other starchy foods. Some types of leaves may be dried and used as a spice.

Magnolia flowers differ from many other cut flowers because they grow on trees. This family of trees is so ancient that they pre-date bees. Instead, magnolias have long been pollinated by beetles. Their design seems to have evolved to attract and accommodate these insect visitors.

Magnolias are so widely recognizable that they have permeated popular culture in numerous genres. There are movies, poems, paintings, and at least a dozen well-known songs that reference the magnolia flower.

Most magnolias bloom in early to mid-spring in both warmer and temperate climates. Many varieties develop flowers before their leaves have emerged from winter dormancy. Some types of magnolias may even bloom throughout the summer. While the blooms are long-lasting on the tree, magnolia flowers tend to wilt within a day or two once cut.

While magnolia blossoms are usually associated with warm weather, they are also quite popular in holiday decor. Dried leaves and faux magnolia flowers are frequently seen in Christmas wreaths and garlands. Fresh leaves are utilized in warmer growing zones where evergreen magnolia trees remain lush throughout the winter.

The graceful magnolia is a worldwide symbol of delicate charms. Whether in a spring bouquet or as a winter holiday gift, magnolias send a message of gentility and loveliness to your gift recipient.

Ranunculus Flowers are Whisper-Thin Gems in Your Garden

Ranunculus flowers are known for their brilliant colors and layers of paper-thin petals. They belong to the botanical family of the same name, which encompasses more then five hundred species.

Some varieties of the ranunculus flower can have more than one hundred petals on each flower, while other cultivars have only a few petals. These petals are often tightly packed in a spiral pattern, giving the blossom a look reminiscent of a peony or an old-fashioned rose. Because of this resemblance, ranunculus are sometimes called the rose of spring.

Ranunculus are available in a vast array of warm colors such as yellow, pink, red and peach. A symbol of affection, these gentle colors make a lovely addition to a birthday or celebratory bouquet for a friend or loved one. The white and pastel colors are also popular in bridal arrangements.

In the Victorian language of flowers, ranunculus symbolized attraction. They also told the recipient that the giver found them quite charming.

Flowers in the ranunculus family are known for their glossy petals. They are so smooth as to be almost reflective. This is especially true of buttercups, another well-known member of the same family.

Members of the ranunculus family originated in southern Asia and the Mediterranean before being brought to Europe and the Americas. There is a Persian legend that states that the ranunculus was created when a nymph turned her suitor into a flower when she grew weary of his pursuit.

An old Native American story tells us that a coyote used the brilliant blossoms as replacement eyes when his own eyes were stolen by an eagle. In North America there is also a long history of using ranunculus petals to soothe aching muscles and joints when applied topically.

Ranunculus are propagated by corms, or bulbs, that bloom between January and May in warmer climates. They need to be protected from extremely cold weather but are worth the extra effort when you see their vibrant blooms. They may be planted as an annual in cooler growing zones.

Ranunculus flowers are long-lasting once cut. They can often last one week in floral arrangements. When cutting flowers from the garden, choose buds that have not yet fully opened. This will ensure a longer life in the vase.

Tell your loved one that you find them as charming as these beautiful blossoms. Thanks to their soft hues, sentimental symbolism, and long life, ranunculus flowers make an ideal gift for someone special.

Buttercups are Sunshine in Flower Form

Buttercups are brilliant yellow members of the ranunculus family. Buttercups make up nearly one fifth of the species of this family. There are variations in the number of petals and where the flowers grow, but almost all varieties share the distinctive butter-yellow petals for which they are named.

Buttercups are well-known for their sunny color and have worked their way into popular society to reflect cheer and affection. From the 1968 song “Build Me Up Buttercup” to Princess Buttercup in the beloved 1987 movie “The Princess Bride”, this flower has been used as a term of endearment for decades.

Buttercups are also popular with children. Many of us learned to hold the flower under a friend’s chin. If there was a yellow glow on their skin, the friend was said to like butter.

Buttercups are unique in the way their petals are highly glossy, to the point of being reflective. The smooth surface along with the underlying anatomy of the petals allows the buttercup to radiate a soft yellow glow that is unlike any other flower.

Long ago, buttercups were thought to give butter its yellow color. They are, in fact, toxic to cows and other livestock. However, the flowers lose their toxicity once dried. They have been used to create a topical salve for achy muscles and joints for hundreds of years.

Buttercups are most often found growing in cooler temperate regions. Many varieties thrive in either damp soil or in water. They are also sometimes found in wooded areas with dappled sunlight.

Buttercups are slightly heliotropic, turning somewhat to face the sun throughout the day. This fact, coupled with their brilliant surface, allows the flower to collect extra warmth from the sun. They can be as much as three degrees warmer than surrounding plants. This is advantageous in attracting pollinating insects.

While they are mostly perennial plants, buttercups can be difficult to transplant once they are established. If you would like to give buttercups as a gift, seek out sturdy plants at a local nursery to ensure growing success.

Once they are happily growing in the garden, it is said that buttercup plants can live in excess of one thousand years. This longevity makes them a thoughtful gift that will be remembered for years to come.

From childrens’ games to pop culture references, buttercups are beloved throughout our society. A gift of this bright yellow flower will send a cheery message to a loved one or friend.

Delphinium and Larkspur Send a Message of Heroism

The statuesque delphinium is easily recognizable for its tall spike of five-petaled flowers. One of the birth flowers for July, these flowers are named for the Latin word for dolphin and their history goes back several thousand years.

Ancient folklore tells us that the first delphinium flowers sprouted from the blood of the Greek warrior Ajax. It was also used on ancient battlefields to prevent lice and to help in healing wounds. The blue flowers came to represent truth and protection. These traditions led to the association of delphinium with heroism, making them an excellent gift for first responders and those in military service.

While delphinium have been used to treat surface wounds, they contain toxins that are harmful to humans and most domestic animals. They should not be ingested and may cause a rash if handled without gloves.

These toxins have been advantageous in repelling unwanted pests such as scorpions and snakes. The delphinine toxins discourage rabbits and deer from nibbling on the plants. For centuries the flowers were also thought to repel witches and ghosts.

The most common colors of delphinium are blues and shades of indigo or purple. There are several hundred varieties that also include white and pink hues. The dried flowers have long been used to create a purplish-blue dye for fabrics as well as a blue ink.

Delphinium are commonly thought to be the same as larkspur but, in fact, there are several marked differences. While closely related, larkspur are annuals, dying at the end of the growing season, whereas delphinium are perennials. They will return year after year when planted in a well-drained, sunny spot in the garden.

Delphinium stems are tightly packed with numerous flowers, while larkspur flowers have a much less dense growth habit. Larkspur flowers each have one petal that forms a spike, resembling a spur, but delphinium flowers lack this.

Both larkspur and delphinium were popular as cut flowers in the Victorian era, where they symbolized love and levity. They remain popular in the garden today thanks in part to their ability to attract bees and butterflies.

While these elegant flowers have had happy, positive connotations for hundreds of years, the larkspur is referenced in morose poetry by both Alfred Lord Tennyson (Maud) and T. S. Eliot (Ash Wednesday). Perhaps these poets found the blue flowers to be somber rather than cheerful.

Lasting up to two weeks once cut, a gift of delphinium or larkspur won’t soon be forgotten. Whether you use them to represent heroism or levity, these bold flowers make a powerful statement.

The Many Meanings of Dahlias

As a cut flower or in the garden, the bold dahlia always makes a statement. The dahlia family boasts thousands of hybrids, making it possible to find the perfect flower for someone special.

Dahlias are quite diverse in their range of sizes, shapes and colors. They are available in numerous varieties, in nearly every color except blue. Despite pop culture references, there is also no black dahlia. Rather, there is a dark burgundy wine color that is referred to as black.

The myth of the black dahlia gained popularity when aspiring actress Elizabeth Short was killed in Los Angeles in 1947. The press dubbed her “The Black Dahlia”, supposedly for her love of black clothing. Since then, the phrase “black dahlia” has had sinister connotations.

Full of variety, dahlia petals may be solid colors, striped, or tipped with contrasting hues. In some instances the individual petals may curve in on themselves, forming tiny tube shapes. The flowers grow between two to twelve inches in diameter, and stalks can grow anywhere from one to six feet tall.

A dahlia may have a single layer of petals or rows of hundreds of petals in each bloom. One method of classifying dahlias is based upon the overall shape of the flower. Some categories include ball, pompom, cactus and waterlily.

Native to mountainous areas of Central America, the dahlia is the official flower of Mexico. It is a perennial plant in warm climates, and is grown as an annual in more temperate regions. In cooler growing zones, the tubers, or roots, can be dug up as winter approaches and re-planted in the spring.

In the language of flowers, dahlias have a variety of symbolic meanings. Since the Victorian era, they have been said to represent dignity and grace. Dark red or burgundy dahlias imply deceit and betrayal.

Pink and purple dahlias convey a message of kindness. Because they also signify inner strength and elegance, dahlias can be a welcome gift for a friend.

The dahlia has long been utilized to represent unity, making it popular in wedding decor and bridal bouquets. Dahlias are also a thoughtful gift for a newly engaged couple.

One of the few flowers that blooms all throughout the summer, dahlias are an alternate birth flower for the month of August. They are sometimes called Queen of the Autumn Garden, as their brilliant blossoms can continue well into the early fall season.

This diverse family of flowers allows the gift-giver to send the right message for any occasion. Whether for a new friend or a married couple, there is a beautiful dahlia suitable for every event.

Graceful Orchids are Perfect for Gift-Giving

Orchids have been highly prized since the time of the ancient Romans. Though they are now seen as fragile and graceful, orchids were once considered a symbol of rugged male virility. This led to ancient people associating the orchid with fertility and even believing that the size of an orchid’s tubers could predict a baby’s gender.

In China orchids are said to represent prosperity and good luck. Giving an orchid sends a message of well wishes. In other regions, orchids stand for beauty and passion, and are often given as romantic gestures.

As with many other plants, the color of the flower sends a symbolic message to the recipient. White orchids symbolize purity, whereas purple indicates regality. Pink orchids convey grace and yellow represents friendship.

Aside from the beauty of the flowers, orchids have several practical uses as well. There are medicinal and culinary applications that have long-standing traditions across the world.

Orchids were used for medicinal purposes dating back to ancient China. It is still common in Asia to make dendrobium orchids into a tea that is said to strengthen the immune system due to its high vitamin C content. Orchids are rich in fiber and may aid in digestion. It is also believed that orchid tea may help improve eyesight.

Beans or pods from vanilla orchids have been used to flavor foods, especially chocolate, since the time of the Aztecs. The Aztecs believed that orchids were a source of strength. Of the thousands of varieties of orchids, only about one hundred species produce vanilla. These vining plants are losing habitat, causing the price of natural vanilla extract to increase significantly.

Orchids comprise the largest flower family in the world with some 25,000 recognized species. Because many of these are native to the tropics, orchids are most often thought of as warm-climate plants. In fact, different varieties are adapted to grow in nearly every environment except atop solid ice.

Orchids can be classified according to whether they produce a single stem (monopodial) or multiple stems (sympodial) from each rhizome or root. They are also classified according to their natural growth habit, such as growing as a vine, in a tree, or on top of stone. Knowing the type of orchid you have will help you determine how to best care for the plant.

There are as many occasions for giving an orchid as there are colors of this beautiful flower. Whether for a friend or a loved one, a gift of an elegant orchid will be treasured for years to come.

The Stately Gladiolus Represents Integrity and Passion

The gladiolus flower is best known for its tall spikes of ruffled blooms. These stems can reach two to four feet in length with blossoms blooming in succession from the bottom up. Gladioli are a member of the Iris family and originated in Africa and the Mediterranean several thousand years ago.

The name gladiolus is derived from the Latin word for sword. This refers to the long pointed leaves the plant exhibits. Dating back to the Roman era, the association with the sword led to the gladioli representing moral integrity. The sword analogy was carried on further as gladioli have been said to pierce the heart of their recipient with the sender’s passions.

Hybridization of gladioli began in the early 1800s. There are now several thousand varieties with colors ranging from delicate pastels to brilliant jewel tones. Bi-color flowers have also become popular in gardens and bouquets. These colorful blooms send a message of admiration and affection to the recipient.

White gladiolus flowers are often used in sympathy and funeral arrangements. They symbolize remembrance and purity of spirit. A bouquet of white gladioli makes a stunning statement of honor and respect.

When planted in gardens, gladioli are frequently positioned near walls or fences. This allows the tall heavy blooms to be supported as they grow. Because gladiolus stalks bloom gradually, from the bottom up, they are long-lasting once cut. With proper care, they can remain fresh for nearly two weeks, making them well-suited for gift giving.

Gladiolus flowers are the traditional birth flower for the month of August. They are appropriate for all types of celebrations, especially August birthdays. They are also given in honor of the fortieth wedding anniversary.

Various uses of gladiolus roots, or corms, have been recorded throughout the centuries. Some believe they assist with digestive regularity, or with helping to remove thorns. Caution is urged, as many varieties of gladioli are toxic. In fact, only the Gladiolus dalenii is known to be eaten in great quantities, in today’s Congo.

Gottfried Benn, a German medic during WWI, was so inspired by gladioli that he wrote a poem about them. He refers to the stately blooms as “highly emblematic of creation” and “sure of kingly dreams”.

The statuesque gladiolus flower has been inspiring powerful emotions for millenia. Send a loved one a gift of gladioli and tell them how they inspire the emotion in you.

Use Orange Flower Water to Create a Sweet Gift

Many people think of orange trees only for the citrus fruit they produce. In fact, the orange tree is also beloved for the delicate white blooms it produces. These blossoms are the state flower of Florida and have long been used as a bridal flower because they represent purity.

A steam distillation process is used to extract essential oils, often called neroli, from orange blooms. The by-product of this process is orange flower water. Also known as orange blossom water, this liquid has diverse uses in cosmetic, culinary and aromatherapy applications. Orange flower water has been popular in Middle Eastern culture for centuries and has been highly valued by the French since the time of Marie Antoinette.

Orange flower water is slightly acidic, making it well suited for use as a skin toner. It is said to brighten the skin, thanks to its vitamin C content. The liquid also has some anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. A spritz of orange flower water will be both hydrating and refreshing to the skin.

Orange flower water is soothing when used in aromatherapy for both the body and the home. Mix orange blossom water with distilled water and simmer on the stove to release the gentle fragrance. The scent is calming yet fresh, and may re-energize you when you are weary.

In addition to enlivening the home, orange flower water is used in many cultures to cleanse the hands before and during a meal. It also makes a lovely addition to bath water as it soothes both the skin and the spirit.

Orange flower water has a wide range of culinary uses. These include flavoring coffee and water in North African countries and enhancing sweets and pastries all over the world. The liquid is frequently added to a simple syrup for cooking and baking purposes. This is a dissolved mixture of equal parts of water and sugar, with the orange essence incorporated into it.

When cooking with orange flower water, be sure to check the ingredients for purity. Avoid added alcohols and chemicals, as these are unnecessary and can adversely affect the flavor.

If you wish to give a gift to someone who is feeling under the weather, make them a treat with orange flower water. Baked goods such as baklava or madeleines are often infused with orange flower water, which has the added benefit of a boost of vitamin C.

Another thoughtful present is a facial spritzer with a blend of orange blossom water, rose water, and a splash of witch hazel. Put this blend into a pretty vintage bottle and you have a considerate gift that is both calming and good for the skin.

These are just a few of the many ways to incorporate orange flower water into homemade items. When you give orange flower water as a gift, you are sending a message of good health and happy sentiments.

Set Your Garden on Fire with Gloriosa Superba

With a scientific name like Gloriosa superba, you might say that this fiery beauty is superb in color and full of glory. And you would be right! Perhaps that’s why it’s so rich in descriptives. Common English names include flame lily, fire lily, climbing lily, creeping lily, glory lily, gloriosa lily, cat’s claw, tiger’s claw, and Rhodesian flame lily.

Whatever name you use, this plant is a stunner with showy reddish orange/yellow flowers that look like flames, and shiny green stems and leaves. The leaves are narrow and usually taper to a short tendril at the tip. The tendrils cling to other objects and help the plant climb up and scramble over other vegetation. Flowering occurs on pedicels or stalks up to 7-1/2” long from May to October. Though the showy flowers are lily like, these plants are not true lilies.

Insanely Beautiful, but Deadly

Gloriosa is a genus of 12 species in the plant family Cholchicaceae. They are tender, tuberous rooted deciduous perennials, adapted to summer rainfall with a dormant dry season. All parts of the plant contain colchicines and related alkaloids which makes them toxic if ingested and fatal if consumed in large doses. Small doses of colchicine are used in traditional medicines in both Africa and India, as well as pharmaceuticals in the U.S. Skin irritations can result from contact with the stems and leaves. Clearly not a plant you want to have around small children or pets.

The genus is found in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and from the Indian subcontinent in Malaysia. The national flower of Zimbabwe, Gloriosa superba is widely naturalized in coastal Australia, where it is considered a rampant and dangerous invasive weed. It is also considered a noxious weed in some Pacific islands and parts of the United States.

How to Grow Your own Gloriosa Garden

While propagation generally occurs from seeds, mature plants can be divided and grown from tubers. Outdoors, tubers should be planted horizontally 2-4” deep and 8-12” apart in organically rich, medium moisture, well-drained soil after the last frost date. These plants do best with some afternoon shade. Because the tubers are brittle and difficult to dig up, many gardeners leave the tubers in pots or containers year-round. They work well as houseplants in a bright sunny window, with watering tapered off after blooming to induce dormancy.

The plant also produces fruit, which are large fleshy capsules that turn from green to yellow and eventually dark brown. These fruits contain numerous large, rounded, or ovoid shaped seeds. There are several named cultivars, including Citrina, which is yellow with maroon stripes, Lutea, which is all yellow, and Nana, which is a dwarf form. One brightly colored variety called Gloriosa Rothschildiana was named after the second Baron Rothschild who is credited with bringing the flower to Europe from Africa.

Bulbs are sold on Amazon and Plants Delight Nursery, and you can find seeds on Etsy. Here are the links:

ttps://www.amazon.com/Plants-GLORIOSA-SUPERBA-Flower-Viable/dp/B00LQIS1NS

Gloriosa superba Greenii

https://www.etsy.com/listing/530587243/100-gloriosa-superba-seeds-flame-lily?ref=pla_similar_listing_top-4&frs=1

Hibiscus is a Bold Statement of Beauty

Hibiscus are a family of five-petaled flowering plants often associated with exotic tropical locales. The hibiscus flower is considered to be quite feminine, as the petals are often ruffled and come in warm shades of reds, pinks, and lavenders. Thus, they are often depicted in paintings showing women either wearing the hibiscus blossom or surrounded by it.

Because the individual flowers often last for only one day, hibiscus are said to represent fleeting youth, beauty and fame. As with many flowers, red conveys romantic love and white expresses purity. Pink hibiscus blooms send a message of friendship and yellow indicates wishes for good luck.

The hibiscus is the national flower of Malaysia, South Korea, and Haiti. It is the state flower of Hawaii, and is sacred to the goddess Kali in the Hindu religion.

While it is frequently associated with tropical climates, these members of the mallow family are also found in temperate climates. With ample sunlight and well drained soil, these showy shrubs can thrive in many growing zones.

Hardy hibiscus are also known as rose of sharon. They are able to withstand much colder winter temperatures than their tropical cousins. In fact, rose of sharon bushes are so rugged that they are sometimes considered a nuisance, as they can multiply aggressively under the right conditions.

Hibiscus, whether hardy or temperate, make a lovely addition to the garden because they bloom for several weeks. With most varieties, the bloom time is in late summer or early autumn when there are few other plants flowering. Certain types of hibiscus can even have blossoms as large as ten inches across. These are commonly referred to as dinner plate hibiscus.

Hibiscus were given their name in the first century AD by the Greek physician and botanist Dioscorides. In the last two thousand years, several practical uses for the various parts of the plant have been developed. Hibiscus has been used in making both paper and rope. The structure of the plant is somewhat similar to cotton, as both are members of the mallow family.

Hibiscus flowers also have some medicinal value. Because they are rich in vitamin C, the petals are often used to make an herbal tea. This tart tea is served either hot or cold. There have been preliminary studies that suggest it might have a beneficial effect on blood pressure as well.

While not often sold as a cut flower in North America, the hibiscus or rose of sharon bush is a beloved addition to many gardens. Symbolizing love and beauty, the hibiscus makes a bold statement that your gift recipient will treasure for years.

Rose Water is an Essential Gift for Rose Lovers

Roses have been cultivated for medicinal, culinary and cosmetic uses for over two thousand years. Steam-distilling methods have been used to extract the essential rose oil throughout most of this time. The by-product of this technique is rose water, a versatile liquid that can be used in culinary, beauty, and even religious applications.

If someone special to you loves roses, give them a gift made with rose water. The sweet fragrance of roses permeates items made with rose water. Unlike cut flowers, rose water will not wilt in a few days.

Rose water has a myriad of uses, many of which date back two millenia. One of the earliest uses of roses was in perfume. Not only did people use rose essence to fragrance their hair and bodies, they also used it to perfume their homes and in sacred religious sites. Muslim and Hindu traditions call for the use of rose water in many ceremonies, such as weddings and even burials.

There is a long tradition of cooking with rose water in the Middle East and Mediterranean regions. In the ancient world, rose gardens were considered to be equally as important as grain fields and orchards. For centuries the scented water has been added to both sweet and savory dishes to infuse it with a complex and distinct flavor. Rose water was a popular flavoring ingredient long before vanilla became widely available.

Examples of modern foods flavored with rose water include marzipan, baklava and rice pudding. It is also common to mix rose water with dairy drinks such as milk and yogurt lassi. In Muslim traditions, rose water is a frequent substitute for champagne as a celebratory beverage.

Long ago it was discovered that rose water has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. Thus, it has been added to skin care products to help reduce redness and irritation. It is said that Cleopatra washed her face in rose water and bathed in a mixture of rose petals and milk to keep her skin supple.

Rose essences are also popular in aromatherapy, as many people find the classic tea rose scent to be quite soothing. A topical spritz of rose water provides both moisturizing and calming properties when applied to the face. This is especially soothing in dry winter air.

If you would like to make your own rose water at home, this process is simple and the finished product makes a wonderful gift. Bulgarian and Damascus roses yield the best results. Petals should be remove from the stems and rinsed thoroughly. Place the petals in a pot, cover them with distilled water, and simmer with the lid on until the color has faded from the petals. Keep the pot covered while allowing the liquid to cool so no further evaporation occurs.

Rose water carries the pure fragrance of roses without added chemicals or alcohol. Whether in homemade baked goods or a calming beauty product, there are countless ways you can make rose water a thoughtful gift for the rose lover in your life.

M McConnell blue iris flower

A Gift of Irises Sends a Regal Message

Irises are a popular cut flower, often found in mixed arrangements with roses or lilies. They are also quite striking on their own. Dating back several thousand years, the iris flower has long been associated with both royalty and heaven.

Irises are named for the Greek goddess Iris who was said to travel to and from the heavens on a rainbow. Since ancient times, Greek people have planted these purple flowers on the graves of loved ones to appeal to Iris to lead the departed to heaven. The ancient Egyptians similarly connected the iris flower with divinity and the journey to the afterlife.

More recently, iris has become the birth flower for the month of February. It is the traditional flower for the twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. Iris is also the inspiration for the French royal symbol, the fleur-de-lis.

If you wish to send a message of hope and trust to a loved one, irises are an excellent choice. If you want to give a gift that will last for years to come, consider irises to plant in the garden.

Irises are known to be low-maintenance and easy to grow. There are varieties that will thrive in a broad range of climates and almost any growing conditions.

There are as many as three hundred identified species of irises, varying in height, petal formation and methods of growth and propagation. Different types of irises bloom from early spring to late summer, providing brilliant colors throughout the growing season.

The Siberian iris is native to eastern Europe and central Asia. The narrow leaves have been compared to grasses and the colors are primarily in the blue to violet family. They frequently display a white stripe or veining in the petals.

Flag irises are semi-aquatic and thrive in very damp soil conditions. Some flag irises are mistaken for Siberian irises, and vice versa, due to similarities in the formation of the petals. Flag irises range from dwarf varieties to those reaching 3 feet tall.

Commonly found in shades of purples, yellows, and white, rock garden irises are petite in size. Most reach only 4 to 6 inches in height. They bloom in early April and coordinate nicely with daffodils and crocuses that bloom at the same time.

Bearded irises have a raised “fuzzy” patch near the base of the downward petals, or falls. Blooming later than many other varieties, bearded irises are among the most prevalent types of iris found in many gardens today.

Whether you opt for cut irises or perennial plants for the garden, the gift of an iris sends a regal message. Irises are a divinely inspired token of affection.

Alstroemeria is the Right Flower for a Dear Friend

Popular in cut floral arrangements, alstroemeria are small lily-like flowers that are native to South America. They are one of the most common cut flowers in Europe with an increasing following in the United States. This family of plants is named for Klaus von Alstromer who introduced them to Europe in the late 1700s.

Alstroemeria have several common names including Peruvian lily, lily of the Incas, and parrot lily. There are nearly 200 cultivated varieties of this delicate looking flower. None are known to have any scent, making them appropriate for hospitals or other medical facilities.

Alstroemeria are categorized by their growing seasons. Varieties from Brazil grow in the summer while those native to Chile grow in the winter. By growing both types and even cross-breeding them, growers and florists are able to offer blooms all through the year.

Once used primarily as filler flowers in bouquets, alstroemeria have become quite popular in their own right. They are available in nearly every color of the rainbow and their petals feature diminutive stripes, streaks and spots that make each variety unique.

Alstroemeria are used to represent friendship and a platonic bond between two people. They also represent support for a friend, making them an ideal gift for a “Thinking of You” message or a kind gesture when a friend is under the weather. Yellow and white varieties especially express concern for someone who is ill.

While red and pink represent romantic feelings in most types of flowers, these colors in alstroemeria show friendly affection. They are considered to be an excellent birthday gift for a dear friend and can even last two weeks or more once cut.

If you have a friend who lives in a warm climate, they may appreciate a gift of alstroemeria in their garden. Many varieties are perennial, or hardy, in central America and the southern United States.

Their hardiness range can be somewhat extended by applying a layer of mulch to the plants before winter. Mulch also keeps the roots cool in the summer, allowing for a slightly longer bloom season. True to their tropical origins, alstroemeria thrive in well drained soil with full sun.

With their brilliant colors and playful stripes and spots, alstroemeria make a festive gift for nearly any occasion. A cherished friend or loved one will surely enjoy these long lasting blossoms as a cheerful token of your affection.

Bring on the Dancing Girls: Impatiens Bequaertii

Among the world’s rarest and most enchanting flowers, Impatiens bequaertii is part of the impatiens family but has no acknowledged species name. Most notable for their petals resembling little dancing ladies in skirts, they are commonly referred to as dancing girls.

Native to the rainforests of East Africa, where the climate is very mild (ranging between 45-80F (6C-26C), these little beauties bloom mainly in white and occasionally light pink. Adding to their appeal are two little spots of yellow on the petals that look like tiny buttons. Even their heart-shaped leaves are attractive in a combination of olive green and dark red.

Petite in stature, Impatiens bequaertii grow approximately one foot across with blooms measuring no more than ½” long. Though Impatiens are most often treated as annuals, this species is perennial and makes an excellent indoor plant. They grow well in a small pot and will blossom year ‘round when properly tended. Because they will trail and climb, dancing girls are also perfect for hanging planters.

Impatiens bequaertii alone has 300 positively identified species and nearly 900 other possible species still under investigation as possible new members. All told, there are more than 1,000 other kinds of impatiens flowers, including jewelweed, touch-me-not, snapweed and patience. Generally speaking, they prefer filtered light and humus-rich, moist, well-draining soil with humidity over 40-50%. Overwatering encourages fungus, while underwatering leads to flower and leaf drop.

Because they grow so well in shady areas and are prolific bloomers, impatiens are among the most popular flowers for spring gardening. And, while you’d be hard-pressed to find a dancing girl plant, other varieties of impatiens are inexpensive and readily available. Plus, they go well beyond the dancing girl palette with vibrant colors like red, violet, purple, coral and yellow.

The name ‘Impatiens’ comes from Latin, meaning–hang on now—“impatient.” The reason is that their ripe seed pods sometimes burst open from even a light touch, as if they were impatient to scatter their seeds. This characteristic is especially apparent in the jewelweed variety. Impatiens are tropical flowers and, when planted outdoors, will turn to mush in frost.

As mentioned at the outset, Impatiens bequaertii is extremely rare and exporting of the plant remains illegal. They can be grown from seeds, though and are available for purchase at a number of online vendors. Here are a few direct links:

https://www.bonanza.com/listings/Egrow-50Pcs-Pack-Impatiens-Bequaertii-Seeds-Beautify-Dancing-Girl-Orchid Flower/723770224

https://www.banggood.com/Egrow-50PcsPack-Impatiens-Bequaertii-Seeds-Beautify-Dancing-Girl-Orchid-Flower-Seeds-p 1302148.html?akmClientCountry=America&cur_warehouse=CN

If you’re taken by this extraordinary flower and looking for a unique gift, there is a very impressive handmade flower stem available on Etsy:
https://www.etsy.com/listing/668455002/dancing-girls-impatiens-impatiens

Thomas Wolter lavender freesia

Freesia is the Right Flower to Give to Someone Sweet

Freesia is a well-known multi-bloom flower with a distinctive sweet scent. Freesia is available in gentle pastel colors such as white, yellow, pink and lavender. It is among the most popular choices for floral bouquets.

Freesia is beloved in bridal arrangements due to its elegant trumpet-like blossoms and lovely fragrance that can fill a room. Furthermore, freesia is said to represent trust, making it a significant detail in the wedding ceremony. It is also the traditional flower for the seventh wedding anniversary.

Discovered in southern Africa in the mid-1800s, it was originally called “Cape lily of the valley”. The name was later changed to honor Dr. Friedrich Freese, a medical doctor and botanist. Dr. Christian Ecklon named the plant after Dr. Freese to commemorate their camaraderie, beginning the tradition of freesia symbolizing friendship.

A member of the iris family, all of the recognized species of freesia can be directly traced back to Africa. Because they are indigenous to sub-tropical climates, freesia can be difficult to grow in more temperate areas. Thus, they are more often seen as cut flowers rather than grown in a garden.

Freesia grow in clusters atop a long stem. Once they have begun to bloom, the stem has a way of bending so that the flowers are always facing upward. This can be used to send a message of uplifting optimism to someone you care about.

Since Victorian times, the various colors of freesia have had unspoken meanings. White stood for purity, pink for maternal love, and yellow conveyed joy. A bouquet of mixed colors, including bi-color blooms, sent a message of friendship to the recipient.

Freesia is well known for its pleasing fragrance. It is predominantly sweet, although not overly heavy. It has even been described as fruity. Freesia is a common note in scented soaps and lotions. There is even speculation that there may be a note of freesia in the majority of the world’s most popular perfumes.

Because of its sweet fragrance, freesia is frequently used in aromatherapy as a relaxation aide. Both the cut flowers and the essential oils derived from them are used to invoke calm and tranquility.

According to many florists, freesia are one of the longest lasting cut flowers used in arrangements. This makes them an excellent gift, as the blooms and scent will continue to convey happy sentiments for up to two weeks. Use freesia to send loved ones a sweet message that will not soon be forgotten.

Night Blooming Cereus—Here and Gone in a Flash!

Whether you call it night blooming cereus, Epiphyllum oxpetalum or Queen of the Night, this unusual flower is a knockout while it lasts. Native to Arizona and the Sonara desert, night blooming cereus is a member of the orchid cactus family. Resembling a scraggly bush for most of the year, it buds and then blossoms into pure white magnificence between May and late July.

Night blooming cereus opens its ethereal, star like blossoms after dark, usually between 8 and 9pm. The buds open slowly release an intoxicating fragrance that has been described as heavenly (think milk and honey). The breathtaking flower lasts only until the first light of dawn. The faded blooms will then wither and drop, and it will take a year (or longer) before the plant flowers again.

Plant Intelligence

Flowering will not begin until a plant is four or five years old. It starts out with just a couple of flowers and increases blooms as it grows older. One of the most interesting things about this plant is that, when there are multiple plants, the flowers will bloom en masse. A plant that is ready will actually wait for others to catch up.

Researchers believe there may be some type of chemical communication amongst plants, but they don’t know more than that. The reason for the mass blooming is not as much as a mystery. With no blooming companions, the plants would lose their chance at reproduction. Night blooming cereus is pollinated by sphinx moths and nectar-feeding bats, which are only active at night. The bright white color of the flowers glow in the moonlight and the fragrance is strong enough to attract its followers from far away.

You Are Cordially Invited…

…to a night blooming party, and the guest of honor is night blooming cereus. Please be sure to bring a camera. Night blooming parties became a tradition in the south and continues to this day. The plant openings can be predicted by the swelling of the buds, and friends gather and watch with amazement as the spectacular flower emerges. Beloved author Eudora Welty, a lifelong gardener, and her fun-loving literary friends formed the “Night-Blooming Cereus Club” in 1934. Their motto was “Don’t take it too cereus. Life’s too mysterious.”

Night blooming cereus is popular in rock gardens and can be grown from seeds or stem cuttings. They need bright sunshine and warm temperatures and are generally grown as houseplants in cooler regions. They are said to bloom best when slightly potbound. With light shade, the plants can handle temperature over 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C.), so you can bring them outdoors in the summer.

Cereusly Gift Worthy

When the limbs get unruly, they can be cut and planted to create more plants (though in the cactus family, they have no thorns). An inspired anytime gift for yourself or your favorite gardener. If you can’t get your hands on a cutting from a friend, you can click on Amazon.com where you can buy plants, seeds, and cuttings.

Because the flower is so extraordinarily beautiful, the night blooming cereus image is often used on tattoos. A wide variety of gift items are available ranging from prints and posters to stationery, pillows, greeting cards and phone covers. Night blooming cereus’s intoxicating scent has also been captured in a product line called “Once in a Bloom Fragrances.” available at https://www.desertusa.com.

Pink snapdragon closeup

The Long History of Snapdragons as Cut Flowers

Snapdragons have been a popular cut flower for thousands of years. Snapdragons have long been highly regarded for both their beauty and the legends that accompanied them.

Snapdragons have multiple delicate blooms on long, slender stalks. These blossoms are said to resemble the elongated snout of a dragon. They can be made to “snap” by gently pinching the sides of the flower.

Snapdragons are available in a wide range of colors, including shades of yellow, red, and pink. There are numerous hybrids that have blended colors on each flower. They are also categorized by the height of their stalks, which can range from four inches to four feet tall.

There is a long history of folklore surrounding these flowers. Originally found growing wild in the Mediterranean region, the ancient Greeks and Romans believed that snapdragons would protect them from witchcraft. Ancient Germanic people hung snapdragon flowers near the beds of babies and small children to keep them from being afraid of evil spirits.

In early Greek society, people wore snapdragons around their neck to ward off anything negative that they might encounter. Ancient European castles would often have snapdragons planted near their gates to offer an additional level of protection to the occupants.

In the Victorian era, snapdragons were full of hidden meanings. A gift of these flowers could mean that a marriage proposal was imminent. On the other hand, they could also represent deception. Snapdragons were even hidden within the layers of one’s clothes to make them more beguiling.

Popular in the United States since Colonial times, snapdragons have recently been bred to have blooms resembling butterflies or azaleas. Though not found in cut bouquets as frequently as they used to be, snapdragons remain a common flower for annual garden plantings. When stalks are pinched back after the flowers are spent, the plant will bloom vigorously for the duration of the growing season.

While the flowers themselves are not edible, a cooking oil can be made by pressing the snapdragon seeds. This oil has been compared to olive oil and is sometimes whipped into a butter. It is common in Russia, where snapdragons are cultivated specifically for this use.

The leaves of the snapdragon contain an anti-inflammatory agent that can be used as a topical remedy for irritated skin. They are also sometimes used to create a green dye for fabrics.

Whether you are gifting snapdragons as a cut flower or as a garden plant, the long history of these flowers makes them full of meaning. Not only can snapdragons tell a story, but they are bright and beautiful as well.

Bess Hamiti daisy closeup

Daisies Send a Message of Good Cheer

Daisies, both wild and cultivated, have a rich history of folklore and symbolism. The word daisy comes from the Old English “day’s eye” because the petals open at dawn and close at dusk. It began to be used as a woman’s name in the nineteenth century when it was popular to use floral names for babies. Daisy was once a nickname for Marguerite, which is the French name for the flower.

A once-common folk name for daisy was “Measure of Love” after the practice of plucking alternating petals while reciting “he loves me, he loves me not”. Long before that practice became popular, daisies were the sacred flower of the Norse goddess Freya. Freya was the goddess of fertility and love and her association with the daisy led to it being given as a gift to a new mother.

According to a Celtic legend, white daisies are said to represent purity and innocence. These are the most common type of daisy and are frequently seen growing in the wild. In fact, another name for common daisies is the lawn daisy because they can spread so easily. Left undisturbed, they will thrive in a sunny spot. Daisies are so adaptable that they can be found on every continent except Antarctica.

Another sought-after kind of daisy is the Gerbera daisy. They are also known as Transvaal, or Shasta, daisies. Originally found growing in Africa, the Gerbera daisy has become the fifth most popular cut flower in the world. They are available in brilliant shades of yellow, orange, red, or pink. Like other daisies they represent innocence, but thanks to their bright colors they are also symbolic of cheerfulness. Gerbera daisies are a thoughtful gift to bring a smile to someone’s day.

As far back as ancient Egypt, daisies had cultural significance. In that society, the yellow variety of these daisies were said to reflect one’s devotion to the sun god. This may be because these flowers are heliotropic – they turn their “face” to follow the sun throughout the day.

Because daisies are closely related to artichokes, the leaves are edible. High in vitamin C, they make a nutritious addition to a green salad. They are also believed to have medicinal qualities such as slowing bleeding and assisting in digestion. For centuries, daisies were always planted in the gardens of healers.

With 4,000 species of daisies around the world, there is a daisy to suit every flower lover’s tastes. Whether you are giving daisies in a bouquet or as a perennial to plant in the ground, the recipient will surely appreciate your message of good cheer.

The Flower Named after Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex: Clematis Meghan

A new baby, royal anniversary and namesake flower all in the merry month of May! Being in the royal spotlight comes with many challenges, but clearly has its sweet spots. Clematis Meghan, named after the Duchess of Sussex, is making its debut at the famed Chelsea Garden Show May 21-25, 2019.

According to the Royal Horticultural Society, who named the flower, “the flowers are a rich, opulent magenta-purple, so they will really make an impact when planted in borders or larger pots.” Clematis Meghan flowers twice a year, in spring and early summer. It’s described as a hardy plant that makes a big impact when given room to grow.

Clematis Meghan will join a lineup of royal family flowers, including clematis Prince Louis, named after Prince William and Kate Middleton’s youngest child. There is also a clematis Princess Kate, clematis Royal Wedding and clematis Princess Diana. It seems even royals have to share! But, with so many stunning color variations, each seems to have its own unique personality.

Clematises are members of the buttercup family and have well over 300 species and countless man-made hybrids. Besides being prized for their magnificent, large flowers, they are one of the best-known climbers among vertical plants. They will train onto trellises and fences, or arch gracefully over doorways.

Though there are a few varieties that manage in part sun, most Clematis grow best in sunny locations (at least 6 hours of sun for blooming) and prefer cool, moist well-drained soil. They also need plenty of space for adequate airflow to prevent mildew. In the wild, clematis is often found growing at the edge of woodlots where they climb through the tree limbs to reach full sun while their roots remain in the shade.

Care of clematis vines is minimal except for watering, which calls for about an inch weekly and more during dry spells. Mulch should be replenished each spring. Bloom times vary depending on species. Whether you choose clematis for climbing or keep them in containers, pruning is important to keep them looking their best. The large flowering types, such as clematis Meghan, should be cut back to the topmost buds in late winter/early spring.

According to the International Clematis Society, clematis seeds may take up to three years to germinate, but you should get some germination in about six months to a year. You will find complete instructions on their website: http://www.clematisinternational.com/. Though your odds of getting a clematis Meghan plant are slim to none, there are an endless number of colors and varieties available from nurseries across America, including Spring Hill and Michigan bulbs

A clematis plant, sometimes referred to as the ‘queen of climbers’ makes a wonderful gift for gardening loved ones, such as moms on Mother’s Day, dads on Father’s Day, or anyone on their birthday or anniversary. This much-loved flower is also available in a wide range of gift items, including stationery, prints, tote bags, nightlights, tee shirts, plates, accent pillows and even iPhone cases. No doubt, the Queen Mother herself would approve.

pink flowering bonsai

Bonsai is the Right Gift for the Patient Gardener

Bonsai refers to a tree or shrub that is grown in a shallow vessel and pruned to retain a compact form. This process can take years or even decades to achieve the desired result. It is said to promote inner peace and tranquility.

The art of growing perennial plants in shallow containers dates back several thousand years to ancient China. Now primarily associated with Japan, there are also examples of this practice in Vietnam and Korea.

Bonsai trees are an excellent gift for a gardener who is patient and methodical. In some cultures they are given to those who wish to develop those qualities. Bonsai are also suitable gifts for people who need a calming hobby or pastime.

The majority of bonsai trees are kept indoors. It is believed that ancient priests began this practice to bring an element of nature inside the temple. By growing bonsai indoors, you can cultivate a plant that would not normally survive over the winter in your growing zone.

Few bonsai trees are intended to remain outdoors for the duration of the cold season. However, many varieties can be left outside in the warm months and then returned to the house when the weather begins to cool.

There are several horticultural categories of trees and shrubs that can be used for bonsai. These classifications are evergreen, deciduous and flowering.

Evergreen plants retain their leaves or needles throughout the entire year. Juniper is one of the more popular species of this type for bonsai because of its naturally slow and compact growth habit.

Deciduous plants lose their leaves and become dormant in cooler months. Maple trees are one of the most common examples of trees used for bonsai, especially Japanese maples with their brilliant red leaves. Black olive trees are also highly regarded by experts.

For those who love a pop of color, flowering bonsai are growing in popularity. Examples include tropical plants such as the easy to grow bougainvillea. Other choices are shrubs from temperate climates such as the well loved azalea.

Bonsai are frequently categorized according to their size. The Japanese word Shohin means tiny and is often used to refer to bonsai. Mame bonsai are even smaller than Shohin. Finally, the smallest bonsai are called mini.

Bonsai are representative of balance. Classifications of bonsai forms reflect this idea. Some types of bonsai shapes include upright, slanted and windswept. There are further distinctions such as broom style and cascading style. Bonsai are carefully cultivated over time to be harmonious and aesthetically pleasing.

Bonsai would make a thoughtful gift for someone who is seeking balance, harmony or tranquility. They are also suitable for an accomplished gardener who would like to bring an element of nature indoors. Bonsai will give the grower pleasure for years to come.

lavender flowers with bread

A Flowering Herb Garden is the Right Gift for Someone who Loves to Cook

Many gardeners who love to cook grow an herb garden. Few things make more of a flavor impact than fresh herbs. But did you know that many classic herbs also have edible flowers?

Starting an herb garden is a beautiful and practical gift for someone who enjoys cooking. Often, common herbs that have been prized for centuries are best known for their leaves. Actually, many of them have attractive flowers that can be eaten and pressed for their oils.

An herb garden can be a considerate present for a gardener or cook who appreciates not only the flavors of the herbs, but also their beauty and versatility. Herb flowers are often overlooked in favor of the leaves of the plants. However, the flowers add a pop of color and flavor to many dishes and teas. Here are some examples of culinary herbs with edible flowers.

Chives are a member of the allium family, along with garlic and onion. The narrow stems of French chives have a subtle onion flavor. Garlic chives, with broad flat leaves, have a mild garlic flavor. The leaves and flowers can be used either fresh or dried to add flavor to savory dishes.

The leaves and flowers of the many types of basil are frequently used in Italian and Thai cooking to add a slightly anise-like flavor to dishes. Basil should be torn, not chopped, for the best flavor.

With their soothing scent, lavender flowers are used in herbal teas as well as in baked goods like scones and other pastries. Some creative chocolatiers even extract the essence from lavender flowers and infuse it into candies and caramels.

Said to have energizing properties, mint flowers and leaves can be used fresh or dried. Mint is found in many herbal teas as well as in numerous savory Middle Eastern dishes.

Often found in Mediterranean cooking, pungent oregano tastes best when simmered in sauces or liquids for several hours. Oregano is also said to have some medicinal properties as well as repel mosquitoes.

A classic addition to French cooking, there are many popular types of thyme. The lemon variety of thyme is said to repel flying insects. Thyme makes a beautiful groundcover when left undisturbed outdoors in warmer climates.

Many herbs are hardy enough to be grown outdoors and survive cold winters. Others are treated as annuals and replanted each year as they do not grow over the winter in colder climates. Flowering herbs are low maintenance, and do not require much attention to thrive in a sunny spot.

For fresh herbs year-round, an indoor herb garden makes a thoughtful gift for someone who loves to cook. A sunny window or a small grow light can create ideal conditions for a thriving culinary garden.

Look beyond the leaves of some of your favorite herbs to explore the possibilities of edible herb flowers. Whether your gift recipient is just learning to cook or is a seasoned chef, a garden of edible flowering herbs can be used and appreciated for years to come with just a little care and sunlight.

Purple and white African Violet blossoms

Violets: A Popular Gift Since Ancient Times

Violets have been popular in folklore as far back as ancient Greek society. There are numerous myths about their creation and their significance as gifts going back at least two thousand years.

Violets have been given as gifts of love for at least several hundred years. Once commonly given as tokens of affection from a suitor, violets are now also associated with fiftieth wedding anniversary celebrations.

There are as many as five hundred varieties in the Violaceae, or garden violet, family. These are the hardy varieties sold in nurseries that are suitable for outdoor planting in North America. The popular Valentine rhyme says

roses are red, violets are blue

. In fact, garden violets’ colors range from white to lavender and shades of indigo.

People in the Victorian era were expected to understand the language of flowers and their unspoken meanings. Much of this symbolism is still relevant today. White flowers represent innocence. Purple conveys thoughts of love from the giver to the recipient. The color purple can also be used to represent the future.

Aside from looking beautiful, wild violets, also called sweet violets, have long been used as a food source. Ancient peoples used the root to make soups. Today, the flowers are often candied and used as decoration on baked goods. If you plan to eat these delicate blossoms, please be sure they have not been exposed to any chemicals.

Garden violets grow extensively throughout Canada and the United States. If left undisturbed they will multiply and make a lovely addition to the landscape in mid-spring.

Despite their name, African violets are not actually part of the Violaceae family. They are an unrelated species, but look rather similar to sweet violets. African violets also come in a broad range of colors including white, pinks, and many shades of purple.

African violets are popular flowers native to Tanzania and Kenya. In the US, they are grown as house plants, as they cannot live outdoors in cooler climates. These flowers symbolize friendship and loyalty. They are considered easy to grow and long-lived, making them an excellent gift for a loved one.

Thanks to hybridizing, there are well over ten thousand different varieties of African violets. There are countless variations in size, color and markings of the petals. They also exhibit numerous types of leaves, many of which are fuzzy. There is an African violet to suit every grower’s tastes.

Whether you choose sweet violets as a gift, or easy-going African violets, the recipient will surely appreciate this token of affection. In the garden or in the house, either is a wonderful choice to bring years of pleasure to someone you care about.

White Hellebore flower

Helleborus is an Early Messenger of Spring

Helleborus makes a thoughtful gift to a loved one’s garden by providing color in winter and early spring. Usually found in shades of pinks and purples, their shape resembles a wild rose. However, helleborus is actually a member of the buttercup family Ranunculaceae.

With over two thousand years of folklore, the hellebore flower tells many captivating stories. Most recently, it is known as a herald of spring, as it is one of the first to bloom in the garden. Some types even bloom in December and January when many gardens are otherwise dormant.

Helleborus niger is often called the Christmas Rose. Legend has it that the flower sprouted from the tears of a young girl who wanted to bring baby Jesus a gift. Helleborus orientalis is known as the Lenten Rose as it blooms in early spring in many areas, around the season of Lent. The Lenten Rose is well suited to warmer climates where other varieties do not grow as well.

Different parts of the hellebore plant have been used in a variety of medicinal treatments for nearly two millennia, but have since been discovered to be toxic in all but the smallest of doses. Be careful if you have curious children or furry friends, as ingestion can cause illness.

There have been numerous myths and legends surrounding helleborus since the time of the ancient Greeks. Pliny the Elder advised facing toward the east and saying a prayer before digging up a hellebore plant. This may stem from the fact that these plants do not like to be moved once established. According to medieval folklore, walking on powdered hellebore root would result in invisibility of the person stepping on it. It is not clear how this story began, but years of experience seem to indicate that it is probably not true!

Considered relatively low maintenance once planted, hellebore tolerates a good deal of shade and many varieties are easy to grow in a range of gardening conditions. They are also resistant to being eaten by deer and other hungry visitors to the garden.

Helleborus will make a considerate gift because they require little attention once planted. They provide lovely blooms when the weather may be dreary, and they give the gardener something to look forward to early in the growing season. If you’re looking for a flower steeped in mystery and tradition, helleborus is a fine choice.

Daffodils Mean a Gift of Sunshine

Daffodils are an iconic symbol of spring thanks to their brilliant colors and fresh scent. Daffodils mean a gift of sunshine because of their cheerful colors in early spring.

The daffodil has numerous varieties that sprout their leaves while the snow is still on the ground. Because the most common color of daffodils is yellow, they are often associated with sunshine after a long winter.

Yellow flowers traditionally represent happiness and cheer as well as vitality. Yellow flowers also express friendship when given as a gift. This makes daffodils an excellent choice for a “Get Well” gift.

Some types of daffodils are among the earliest flowers to bloom in late winter and early spring. They are sometimes called the Lent Lily in the United Kingdom. Daffodils are a symbol of renewal and rebirth when given in bulb form. The hardiest of these bulbs can bloom for decades with little to no maintenance once planted. This makes daffodil bulbs a thoughtful gift.

Daffodils are frequently gifted in the Easter season.  They pair beautifully with other bulbs that are blooming in early spring. However, when cut they should never be placed in a vase with other types of flowers. They release a type of sap that can damage flowers like tulips or lilies.

Daffodils have been grown and prized since ancient times. The Latin name for daffodils is Narcissus. They are named after a character in Greek mythology who was so smitten with his own good looks that the gods turned him into the beautiful flower we love today.

There are more than thirteen thousand recognized varieties of daffodil.  New hybrids are being developed each year. Variations in colors include white, orange, pink and green. The numerous choices make daffodils a welcome gift for any celebratory occasion.

For example, daffodils are the traditional gift for the tenth wedding anniversary in the US.  They are a symbol of good fortune when given as gifts for the Chinese New Year.  Paperwhite narcissus bulbs are also popular around the Christmas holiday. The white blooms symbolize purity.

Daffodils are a gift of sunshine that can be given any time of year thanks to indoor growing techniques.  The bulbs can be forced to bloom inside the house during the snowy months. Lucky recipients can have a touch of spring all year round. If you want to send good cheer to someone, daffodils are a wonderful choice.

Branch of forsythia

Forsythia are Beacons of Springtime

Forsythia are beacons of springtime. When the branches and buds start to turn a brilliant shade of yellow, we know that warmer weather is right around the corner.

Forsythia is named for William Forsyth, a founder of the Royal Horticultural Society. It was first introduced to Europe in the late 1800s. These shrubs are only native to Asia but have been cultivated all around the world in the last one hundred years.

Forsythia is a relative of olive trees. All eleven varieties have mostly identical small yellow blooms. Variations are found in the leaves and growth patterns of the plant.

Because forsythia blooms in early to mid spring, it is often associated with Easter. In fact, one of its common names is the Easter Tree. It is also sometimes known as Golden Bell because of the shape of the individual blossoms.

Forsythia stems are one of earliest to bloom in spring. Victorians used the unspoken language of flowers to convey feelings. They associated forsythia with anticipation as they looked forward to the end of winter. Forsythia could be given to a loved one to convey anticipation of an upcoming meeting.

Forsythia is also representative of reliability. Branches and buds are known to begin turning yellow while there is still snow on the ground and a chill in the air. Because they are sturdy once established, forsythia can be counted on to brighten your late winter landscape.

Almost all forsythia flowers are golden or lemon yellow. This color is said to represent cheerfulness, friendship, and positive energy. The association of yellow flowers with happy sentiments makes it appropriate for Easter, spring birthdays, “get well”, or any celebratory occasion.

These cheery flowers are usually sold in bunches of long graceful branches. They are beautiful on their own or as the focal point of a bouquet. They also make a wonderful gift because they are so easy to grow. In fact, it is commonly said that you can just stick a forsythia branch in the ground and it will take root. When they are done blooming in the vase, they can easily be planted for enjoyment in years to come.

Branches of forsythia usually have both closed buds and open blooms. Flowers will continue to open once inside the house. This carries on the theme of anticipation as you look forward to more buds opening. In this way, forsythia is a beacon of springtime.

A Flower that Only a Botanist Could Love

Beautiful colors and luscious fragrances – we must be talking about flowers, right? Not so fast! There is a bizarre species of flowers that neither look nor smell pretty. In fact, they literally stink.

Perhaps the biggest and worst offender (in the world!) is Amorophallus Titanium, also known as titan arum. With an odor like the smell of a rotting flesh, the titan arum is characterized as a carrion or corpse flower. Now how cheery is that!!!!

Native to Sumatra, Indonesia, titan arum grows in the wild only in the equatorial rainforests. But it has made its way to botanic gardens and greenhouses around the world where it has been given names like Morty, Audrey, Fester and Putrella.

Not just stinky, but super-sized

The corpse flower holds the record for the world’s largest unbranched inflorescence (cluster of blooms on a stem) and can reach heights up to 12 feet in the wild. Cultivated corpse flowers run smaller, ranging anywhere from 6 to 8 feet. The stem of the plant typically weighs about 110 pounds. It feeds on soil, air and water.

In cultivation, the corpse flower can take years or even decades to bloom. It seems that each botanic garden has its own unique growth tale to tell. When it gets close to blooming, the plant’s bud grows several inches a day before slowing down. After its initial blooming, there can be considerable variation in blooming frequency – from another seven to ten year cycle to as little as every two or three years.

Loved by dung beetles and flesh flies!

Lime green on the outside with burgundy on the inside, the corpse flower has a ruffled collar called a spathe that encircles the central stalk or spadix. When flowering happens, it’s over quickly. The spathe unfurls, revealing its blood red inner coloring. The spadix then starts to generate heat. Then comes the stench.

The flower’s colors and foul smell are meant to replicate a dead animal. That attracts dung beetles, flesh flies and other carnivorous insects, which are the pollinators that will ensure continuation of the species. Once the flower has bloomed and pollination is complete, the flower collapses. But it does not die.

From Pungent Plant to Fruit-Bearing Flower

If pollinated, the plant will produce hundreds of small, golden-colored, berry-like seeds which are eaten and dispersed by certain birds and animals. Once the seeds ripen, the corpse flower goes dormant and the life cycle starts again.

Due to the threat of deforestation in the Sumatran rainforests, the corpse flower is now classified as “vulnerable.” If factors threatening its survival and reproduction don’t improve, it could become endangered. The good news is that blooming events for cultivated corpse flowers are still generating news and big excitement.

Extraordinary as the corpse flower is, it’s a stinker of a gift idea. You could score a lot more points by taking someone to see a nearby blooming event! To find the closest corpse flower blooming event, simply search online for “corpse flower blooming in (your state).”

A History of Flowers as Gifts

There is a long tradition of giving flowers as gifts throughout history. People across the world have been using flowers to express their sentiments for thousands of years. In ancient Greece, Rome and China, flowers were believed to be divinely inspired and were laden with meaning when given as a gift. There have been countless references to flowers in art and literature that help us to understand the traditions of ancient people.

There are well over a quarter of a million different varieties of flowers alive today. Thanks to fossil records we know that flowers have been growing on Earth for millions of years. We can imagine that ancient people long ago admired their beautiful colors and captivating scents.

Over the centuries, many flowers have developed associations with emotions. In some cultures there was a language of flowers, or floriography, that recipients were expected to understand. As far back as the Middle Ages, the symbolic nature of various blooms was used to send a message without the spoken word.

During the Victorian era, the size, shape and color of a flower all had significant meanings, many of which are still relevant today. For example, in the US red is associated with passion and romantic love, while white represents purity. Purple is connected to royalty and yellow corresponds to friendship. By arranging a bouquet with a variety of flowers, you could send a complex message to the recipient.

In the modern world we still abide by some of these unspoken rules of flower gifting. Interestingly, there are very different messages conveyed by flowers in cultures across the world. For example, in Russia yellow flowers are often used for funerals. A gift of yellow flowers for a happy occasion could be mistakenly taken as an insult.

It is still common in European beliefs that it is good luck to give someone an odd number of flowers, with the exception of thirteen. While this may seem superstitious to some, these customs have been popular for hundreds of years. This is an extension of the belief that flowers carry a powerful message.

Whether or not we believe the superstitions or study floriography, the fact remains that flowers are beautiful. We gift them because we want to share that beauty with someone we care about. We may not know the hidden rules but our sentiment is universal – “I saw something pretty and I thought of you”.

Make Your Own Body Scrub With Flowers

 

Basic homemade body scrub recipes start with a carrier oil. You can use the oils in the recipes we’ll give you or swap them out with an oil of your choice. Some of the best oils include almond, coconut, apricot and olive. For the scrubbing ingredients, use sugar or salt of you want something that will exfoliate gently and eventually liquefy, which is good because you don’t want large particles of your body scrub clogging up your drain. Finally, pick your favorite flower essences and flower petals, and you’ll have a DIY scrub that will be relatively cheap and arguably better than a store-bought version.

Enjoy the following body scrub recipes and feel free to play around with them to make them just the scrub you want.

 

Energizing Lemon Verbena Scrub

Ingredients

2 cups sea salt

1/3 cup olive oil

8 drops lemon verbena essential oil

small handful of dandelion petals

Method

Combine salt, olive oil, lemon verbena essential oil and dandelion petals in a medium-sized jar. Stores for up to 2 months.

 

Soothing Lavender Scrub

Ingredients

1/2 cup sugar

4 tablespoons olive oil

2 drops lavender essential oil

small handful of lavender petals

Method

Combine sugar, olive oil, lavender essential oil and lavender petals in a medium-sized jar. Use immediately.

 

Lovely Rose Foot Scrub

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

8 tablespoons coconut oil

3 drops rose essential oil

small handful of rose petals

Method

Combine sugar, coconut oil, rose essential oil and rose petals in a medium-sized jar. Stores for up to 2 months.

 

If you make these scrubs, please come back and let us know how you liked them!

Flowers and Kids: Planting for a Fun Summer Project

Looking for fun summer projects to do with your little ones? Consider planting flowers with kids.

There are many beautiful blooms that you can plant with your kiddos, in a garden or even in a pot to keep near the window inside of your home. A trip to a local garden center, or perhaps a farmers’ market, should uncover some beauties that your family can easily turn into décor – and good times!

If you can’t find any flowers near you, there are always websites that sell seeds, and young plants, which are perfect for tiny hands to work with. The following are some of the best blossoms of summer that you might want to look for when taking on this fun kid-friendly project.

Johnny Jump-Ups (Violas)

Johnny Jump-Ups are perfect for kids to plant because children usually love the flowers’ bright colors, and it’s kind of funny to say the flowers’ name. Johnny Jump-Ups need a moist bed to thrive, so consider this if you’re trying to decide to plant them indoors or outside. While your children will likely have a thrilling time sowing seeds into dirt, or covering the roots of a juvenile plant with soil, you can think of the edible goodness you’ll receive when the blooms are fully grown. Johnny Jump-Ups are pretty and delicious in salads.

Arugula

Arugula is often a plant that people grow to consume, but you and your child can grow it to see the gorgeous little flowers that pop up. Did you know that arugula grew flowers? They’re delicate and white, and you can eat them just like the rest of the plant. Arugula will self sow, so think about planting it outdoors or in a large window box that gives it enough room to spread.

Calendula

Another kid-friendly plant that offers bonuses for adults, calendula puts out cute daisy-like blossoms in bold shades of yellow and orange. Calendula flowers are also edible. They can be steeped into a tea or placed on top of baked goods. Grow calendula to give your family a natural, effective, and homemade salve for summer bug bits and accidental scrapes too.

How to Grow Flowers You Can Eat

If you want to grow a flower garden that will supply you and your family with yummy food to eat, you’ve come to the right place. We’re going to show you how to grow some flowers that you can mix into salads, teas, lemonades, and even baked goods. Most of the flowers we’ll introduce you to can be cultivated easily in a home garden or indoor window garden. They don’t need a lot of care, they’re cheap to grow from seed, and they’ll give you colorful blooms that are nourishing and gorgeous to add to meals and drinks.

Here are some of our favorite flowers that you can grow to eat, and guidelines on how to cultivate them:

Bachelor’s Button

Bachelor’s button is a flower that tastes a bit like cucumber, so it’s great for adding to salads or pasta dishes. It has a frilly texture, like radicchio, and it’s perfect for eating in its entirety (the bloom) or eating a petal or two. Plant bachelor’s button (an annual) in full sun and make sure it has moderate water. Sow seeds in spring (or in autumn if you’re in the desert) and you’ll have blue, pink, purple, or white blooms to use in your food the following season.

Calendula

For a mildly tangy flavor in tea, salads, and baked goodies like lemon cupcakes, add calendula. This flower is beautiful and flavorful. It has delicate and thin yellow petals (these are all you’ll want to eat) that add visual and palate appeal to dishes prepared for spring, summer, or fall. Grow calendula in full sun, offer it moderate water, and make sure it has soil with good drainage. Calendula flowers typically give color to a garden for a full season.

Violas

Violas, including pansies, have a velvety texture that makes them ideal for using on fancy desserts like wedding cakes and holiday cheesecakes, and in decadent cocktails. These flowers are perennials, but they’re usually grown as annuals. They prefer full sun to partial shade, and they need regular water with well-drained soil. Violas grow in low, bushy plants and they come in solid colors or “whiskered” varieties.

In addition to these flowers, you can grow carnations, nasturtiums, and herb flowers like lavender to add to food and beverages.

About the Daisy

Have you been thinking about new beginnings and fresh starts like we have? Maybe because spring is almost here and the chill is going from the air, which means we’ve had more time to linger outside and notice the beauty that is all around, we’ve been appreciating the blue sky, the beach, and the flowers that are filling up the flower shops and farmers’ markets close to where we live.

We’ve been noticing daisies, wrapped in bunches in plain brown paper or placed carefully into more formal arrangements. Thoughts have been going through our minds about how the daisy perfectly represents innocence and purity, and how it seems like the flower guides us into times that are ripe for whatever happiness we want to create.

Daisies bring smiles to our faces, and we’re betting they do the same thing to millions of others. So, we thought we’d share a bit about the daisy to celebrate it and to honor its presence in our lives.

Here’s a little information about the pretty, colorful, cheery, and easy-going daisy:

The Daisy’s Composition

The daisy is actually two flowers in one. It’s made up of a pair of different florets, small or flowers, that together give us the illusion of a single bloom. On the daisy, you’ll find ray florets (these make up the prominent petals) and disk florets (these sit at the center of the daisy). The daisy’s composition is called a capitulum, and it’s a composition that the sunflower shares, among other flowers.

A common daisy has white petals (or ray florets) and a yellow center (disk floret). But, the daisy’s petals can also be pink, orange, yellow, or rose. The daisy’s stem is smooth and leafless, and it only holds one daisy on it. Common daisies have stems that are about three to four inches high. Other types of daisies can have stems reaching twelve inches or so. Daisy leaves grow at the base of the stems.

Types of Daisies

Some of the most popular types of daisies include the common daisy, African daisy, blue daisy, kingfisher daisy, gerbera daisy, butter daisy, sunshine daisy, and giant daisy.

Daisy Trivia

Did you know that the daisy, a perennial, has leaves that form a rosette? Have you heard that you can propagate daisies through division during springtime, or by sowing the daisy’s seeds during spring or autumn? The following is some daisy trivia that many people, even flower lovers, don’t know:

  • Daisies are vascular plants, which means water and nutrients circulate throughout the them. Vascular plants comprise nearly 10% of all flowering plants on the planet.
  • You can find daisies on every continent on Earth, except on Antarctica.
  • The word “daisy” comes from the Old English “daes eag”, which is thought to mean “day’s eye” after the way it opens up at dawn.
  • German botanist Paul Dietrich, close friend to the Swedish “father of taxonomy” Car Linnaeus, classified the daisy family as Compositae in 1972.
  • The daisy’s leaves are edible. You can use them in salads and teas.

Do you love daisies? Do you frequently keep them in your home or in your garden? Do you have any stories to tell about your experience with daisies? If so, we’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Rose Trivia

In honor of Valentine’s Day, and because there will likely be many roses sent and received for this special holiday, we thought we’d give you a bit of rose trivia to celebrate.

Roses are universal symbols of love. Most everyone knows that roses represent adoration, desire, friendship, and other forms of love that one person can have for another. But, roses offer more meanings and they come with some interesting stories. The following are some pieces of rose trivia we thought you’d like to know about.

  • People have loved roses since nearly the beginning of humanity. In fact, it’s thought that the floors of Cleopatra’s palace were decorated with carpets of rose petals. The wise Confucius even had a library specifically dedicated to books on roses. He had more than 600 volumes in it!
  • “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” We agree, Mr. Shakespeare. William Shakespeare refers to roses more than 50 times throughout his brilliant writings.
  • The world’s oldest living rose is said to be 1,000 years old. It lives today on the wall of the Hildesheim Cathedral in Germany.
  • The mystery of, and the love for, the white rose began in the age of the Romans, when they believed that white roses growing wild were the tears of Venus that had fallen as she mourned the loss of Adonis.
  • Most people associate New York with the moniker “The Big Apple” or the giant crystal ball that falls in Times Square every New Year’s Eve. But, the official symbol of New York is the rose. It’s the state flower.
  • Country music star Dolly Parton has a rose named after her. It’s a beautiful orange-red variety that looks gorgeous on its own or in multi-flower arrangements.
  • According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite gave the rose its name.

The rose is a beautiful, mysterious, and popular flower that has withstood time and seems like it may outlast much of it. The next time you hold a rose in your hand, think about the people that have also experienced the wonder of the rose and the way the flower links all of us together with its beautiful presence.

More Flowering Herbs for an Herb Garden

We recently told you about some flowering herbs that we like to keep in our home or in our garden. But, later we realized that there were more herbs we wanted to share with you.

Herbs are amazing plants because they offer so much beauty, and benefit, for us. They’re ideal for using in cooking, they provide healing in the form of natural medicine, and they lift our spirits when we think about the beautiful way nature provides for us through them.

The following are a few more flowering herbs that we think will be great additions to a windowsill, or outdoor, garden.

Marsh Mallow

Marsh mallow is a stunning herb that puts out little pink or white flowers for most of the summer. It has velvety, sensual gray-green leaves that look incredible in any garden. Marsh mallow is often used to make healing teas that comfort the body and the spirit. This herb grows to about three to four feet tall, if left undisturbed.

Purple Coneflower

Also called Echinacea, purple coneflower is a flowering herb that would be great in a healing garden. Echinacea is tasty, and effective, when used to make cold and flu-fighting teas and elixirs. It’s signature purple, and pink, petals can help heal the body, and the mind, when it’s under extreme stress.

Meadowsweet

This flowering herb is sometimes known as “queen of the meadow.” It’s a graceful plant that provides creamy white flowers and clusters of leaves from mid to late summer. Meadowsweet grows in clumps, so you can divide it every two to three years to control its spread. Use meadowsweet in calming teas.

These, in addition to the other flowering herbs we’ve mentioned, will provide you with a gorgeous garden filled with many benefits for happiness and health.

Creating a Flowering Herb Garden

 

If you get excited about food and flowers as much as we do, consider creating your own flowering herb garden. You’ll be able to supply yourself with as much beauty as you desire, whenever you desire.

The following are some of the herbs that you might want to put into your garden. They will provide blooms, stems, and leaves that can be used in a variety of ways.

Anise Hyssop

This perennial herb is bushy and it grows in bunches. It has upright stems that bloom with an abundance of blue-lavender flowers during mid to late summer. Anise Hyssop attract pollinating bees and other beneficial insects, so you might want to grow this herb outside. It has fragrant leaves that are especially perfect in healing ointments.

Feverfew

Feverfew is a great herb to have around if you like to make tea from fresh flowers. The blossoms on this herb look delicate, but they’re actually sturdy so you can grown them nearly anytime of year. They thrive in early summer and into fall, however. After a round of flowers on this herb, you can cut it to the ground so it will bring new growth for you.

Lavender

Lavender is an herb that looks stunning indoors or out. It’s one of the best herbs to grow if you want something with a range of possibilities, for health, happiness, and healing. Lavender is ideal for making into tea, baked goods, and healing tinctures. It has a heavenly smell and it’s easy to take care of, as long as its soil gets proper drainage.

These are some of our favorite herbs to growing in a flowering herb garden. Do you have flowering herbs that you especially like to keep around? If so, feel free to let us know about them in the comments below.

Flowers that are Safe for Companion Animals

Having companion animals and flowers together in a house can make for a happy life. But, choosing animal friends and flowers that can coexist is essential to bring about all of this happiness.

If you have cats or dogs who live with you, and you want to have a bit of floral beauty in your home, the following is a guide to which flowers you should choose and which should stay at the florist.

Animal-Friendly Flowers

Roses petals are fine to have around furry friends, but watch out for thorns on stems. Petals and stems from daises, orchids, bromeliads, and African violets are safe for fuzzy creatures. Animal-friendly flowers and plants like alyssum, bachelor’s buttons, begonia, celosia, snapdragon, Peruvian lily, and Brazilian lily are also good choices. Your cat or dog companion may get a little bit of an upset tummy if he, or she, were to eat Christmas cactus, but it would only be a mild case of the yucks that could easily be recovered from.

Do Not Keep These Flowers Around Companion Animals

Be careful with tulips around cats and dogs. They’re toxic and they can make your companion animal extremely sick, or cause death in some instances. Other plants and flowers that are toxic to cats and dogs include azalea, bird of paradise, begonia, aloe, amaryllis, and baby’s breath. Easter lilies and stargazer lilies, and other members of the Lilium genus, can cause serious kidney problems if consumed by cats.

When seeking out flowers to keep in your garden or in your home, or if giving flowers to someone, always consider if the blooms you’re thinking about could be eaten by an animal. If so, avoid those we’ve mentioned that are toxic. Animals’ lives are too precious to take any chances with.

Flowers, just like our companion animals, should be a source of joy and pleasure in our life. So, it’s best to take every precaution possible to preserve the goodness that they offer. Animals can be curious beyond what we might imagine, so remember to play it safe and opt for flowers you know will not cause harm.

Some Popular Flowers and Their Meanings

If you’re trying to choose flowers that say something specific to your recipient, whether it’s “I love you,” “Thank you,” “Get well,” or “I miss you,” there is a special bloom that will perfectly express your sentiment.

The following are some of the most common flowers that you might want to turn to when you have a meaningful message to give to another.

Carnations

Carnations are one of the most popular flowers given in the world. This flower’s meaning varies from place to place, but usually it’s one of love (pure and innocent love) or deep fascination.

Irises

The iris represents beauty almost everywhere you go. It symbolizes beauty in appearance, faith, and character. We love a beautiful blue iris, but white and yellow varieties are just as stunning.

Gerbera Daisies

Gerbera daises are distinguished by their large, open-petal face that seems to instantly offer feelings of cheer and joy. These flowers, therefore, have become common gifts for those wanting to bestow happiness and good wishes on another.

Orchids

Given often to convey known beauty or undeniable love, the orchid is an exotic flower that speaks of rare and extremely special relationships. Orchids are exotic flowers that are perfect gift choices when you want to let someone know you’ll always go out of your way for him or her.

Peruvian Lilies

Peruvian Lilies look similar to the smaller lily version, but they’re distinct in their shape and color varieties. These gorgeous flowers are ideal if you want to show your devotion or friendship.

There are many other flowers that you can give to convey certain thoughts, such as roses to offer love and friendship or sunflowers to bring someone well wishes. Tulips also signify true love and Stargazer lilies share feelings of honor.

Do you have special flowers that you like to give for specific reasons? If so, we’d love to hear about them in the comments below.

anemone flower

The Beautiful Anemone

Are you a fan of the anemone? Have you seen this flower and the gorgeous dark inky centers that make it unique? The anemone is one of our favorite flowers. It’s a go-to for us when we’re decorating for a dinner party, baby shower, Christmas gathering, or special luncheon. The anemone brings grace and class to any function. It comes in many colors, but the white and purple blooms are to-die-for in our opinion.

Here’s a bit of what we think everyone should know about the lovely anemone.

Origin

There are actually 120 species of the genus anemone, which is a flowering perennial that grows from tubers. The anemone pops up wild in many European countries. It’s also found in many areas in North America and Japan.

Anemones are closely related to the Hepatica and Pasque flowers. Some botanists even include all of these blossoms in the same genus anemone.

Fun Facts

The name anemone comes from Greek and it means “wind flower.” It was chosen to signify the way the wind blows the anemone petals open and the dead petals away.

The anemone’s elongated stem bears one, or several, white, blue, red, purple, or sometimes yellow flowers.

The autumn-flowering Japanese anemone is one of the most popular anemone flowers.

In herbal medicine, the anemone is used to treat menstrual cramps and problems, such as emotional distress.

Varieties of Anemone

There are three types of anemone flowers: spring flowering anemone, larger fall flowering anemone, and tuberous Mediterranean anemone. Between all of these, we find that there is a perfect bloom for any occasion.

Flower Meanings by Color

Many people choose the colors of flowers they give by how the colors make them feel. For instance yellow brings happiness to mind for a lot of people, while red makes one think romantic thoughts.

Sometimes, a flower buyer wants to select blooms in colors that actually signify deep meaning. They want to pick flowers in colors that will pass on long-standing traditional messages, whether those messages be of loyalty, friendship, or gratitude.

The following is a guide that you can refer to if you’re wondering what hues traditionally tell certain stories of the heart.

Red

The color red is usually associated with true love, especially if it’s the color for roses. This deep scarlet shade is perfect for sending to someone who you want to profess your most passionate desires to. Red is a color that says “I love you” in almost every language, but it’s also one associated with Christmastime. So, send red flowers like poinsettias for a festive bouquet for a special someone.

Pink

Pink can also offer thoughts of love, but these thoughts are typically more playful and brotherly (or sisterly). Pink also conveys joy, grace, and admiration, so choose pink flowers for a good friend, sister, daughter, or revered service provider like a daycare worker.

Orange

The color orange is a noble color. It offers feelings of warmth, gratitude, family, and trust. It’s also an exciting color that can show your interest in getting to know someone better or your hopes of beginning a new journey in life with someone. A bouquet of orange flowers sends a message of intrigue, passion, and enthusiasm.

Along with these colors of flowers, you can choose white to speak of innocence and purity, yellow to offer cheerful wishes, and purple to bring fun and levity to life.

Do you give certain colors of flowers to express specific sentiments to those you care about? If so, we would love to hear about your gifts in the comments below.

Companion Flowers for a Garden Border

Did you know that using specific flowers to create a border around your garden can benefit the plants inside the border? Certain flowers offer perks to a garden, such as keeping birds or bugs away, or bringing beneficial critters to the garden. We’ve made a list for you of some of these flowers, so you can choose ones that you think might best suit your particular situation.

In addition to protecting a garden or helping it thrive, all of the flowers on our list will bring beauty to your space.

The following are some of the top flowers to plant as border flowers:

Bachelor’s Button (Cornflower)

Bachelors’ Button is a stunning blue wildflower that has some very special qualities. In addition to looking gorgeous, its leaves release nectar even when the flowers are not blooming. This nectar has a very high sugar content (about 75 percent), which is highly attractive to butterflies, ladybugs, and beneficial wasps.

Sweet Alyssum

For a low-growing border flower, consider sweet alyssum. This highly fragrant bloom is ideal for edging flower beds because it smothers weeds that would intrude on a garden. Sweet Alyssum acts as a floral ground cover that brings in beneficial aphid-eating flower flies.

Borage

Borage is an annual herb that has bright blue clusters of flowers. These flowers are edible, so you can pluck them and toss them into salads (or decorate pastries with them). Good bugs find borage attractive, so plant these flowers if you want to bring lacewings into your garden.

In addition to these border flowers, you can plant anise hyssop, cup plant, and golden marguerite to benefit your garden. Do you have any special flowers you use to keep your garden safe and bring life to it? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!

Flowers to Companion Plant in a Vegetable Garden

If you have a vegetable garden and are looking for the right flowers to plant to keep critters away, we have some ideas for you.

The following plants do a great job discouraging bugs and animals from getting into your vegetable garden. They are functional, for sure, but they look amazing too. So try some of these beauties in your veggie garden!

Alyssum

Alyssum are gorgeous plants that spread along the ground and produce hundreds of tiny flowers. These blossoms bloom all season long, and they come in purple, white, and pink varieties. You can plant Alyssum with basil, lettuce, sprouting broccoli, and bush beans for a stunning aesthetic.

Calendula

Yellow and orange calendula flowers bring a bit of brightness to a cool-season vegetable garden of cabbage, carrots, collards, and kale. Tall calendula varieties can grow up to 18 inches tall, and they’re less prone to mildew, so we suggest you plant these in your garden. As a bonus, you can pluck your calendula petals to use in tea and in beauty products.

Cosmos

There are two common types of cosmos: C. sulphureous, which comes in orange, red, and yellow and Cosmos bipinnatus, which produces the familiar pink and white flowers sometimes called “Sensation” mix. Cosmos keep creatures you don’t want near your flowers away. And, it attracts beneficial bugs and pretty birds.

All of these flowers for a veggie garden are pretty common, which means you should be able to find them in your local nursery. But, if you can’t, you can always order them (or their seeds) online.

russian sage

Flowers to Attract Wildlife

Do you love the idea of wildlife hanging out in your garden, or stopping by to visit your patio? We do. So, we did a little research to find out which flowers wildlife are attracted to.

We wanted to get an idea of flowers that would be great for planting, or giving to someone, so that beautiful creatures would be enticed to come to our home or to our friend’s house.

The following are some of the wildlife-friendly flowers we found. They’re gorgeous in their own right, but they’re even more special considering they’ll bring little critters to brighten our day.

Russian Sage

Russian Sage offers a scent that we love. But, deer don’t seem to like it so you won’t find these animals gathering around your sage plant. You will, however, see bees and butterflies flying around sage, looking for sweet and sumptuous nectar.

Poppies

If you want a perennial for your home that looks stunning and begs for big bumblebee beauties to come eat, choose poppies. They’re easy to grow, which makes them a perfect flower for newbie gardeners who want to welcome winged friends.

Serviceberry

Birds go crazy over serviceberry. The tasty berries on this plant are favorite meals of many fluttery creatures, including the brown thrasher. Oh, and many a wild human likes to eat these blueberry-like berries too.

Purple Coneflower

A never-fail garden flower, the purple coneflower is worth growing if you want to bring butterflies into your space. These flowers come in a variety of colors. So, when combined with butterflies of varying hues, you’ll have a rainbow for viewing in your yard.

Chokeberry

Chokeberry has a rather unfortunate name, because it’s actually a go-to flower for attracting wildlife into a garden. The chokeberry blossoms during spring, and during summer it gets pretty berries that birds adore. This plant’s foliage during fall is phenomenal. Plus, it grows well in most soil and sun conditions.

We hope you’ll give these flowers a try in your home, for your sake and for the sake of the critters that live in your area. If you already have some of these flowers growing where you live, drop us a note and let us know what kind of wildlife come to enjoy them.

flowers to attract hummingbirds

Flowers to Attract Hummingbirds

There’s something about a hummingbird that brings joy to a moment. When we see a hummingbird, in our garden or as we’re going about our life, we take pleasure in watching the little bird’s seeming playfulness and in feeling the joy that it appears to have as it goes about its activities.

Without being inside the mind of a hummingbird, we can’t say for sure that it flits from here to there (and from flower to flower) with joy on its mind. But, it sure looks that way. In many cultures, in fact, hummingbirds do represent joy and they serve as a reminder to savor each moment.

If you love hummingbirds as much as we do, and if you want to attract them into your garden, you can plant the following flowers:

Abutilon

Abutilon, also called Chinese bell or Indian Mallow, is one of about 150 species of broadleaf plants in the mallow family.

Hyssop

A warm-climate flower, hyssop is an aromatic flowering perennial in the Lamiaceae family.

Aloe

To attract hummingbirds to your warm-climate yard, plant aloe, one of approximately 500 species of flowering succulents.

Crimson

Crimson, or columbine, is often found naturally in meadows and woodlands. This hummingbird-friendly flower thrives in high altitudes throughout the Northern Hemisphere.

Bird of Paradise

Did you know that there are anywhere from 70 to 165 species of Bird of Paradise? Hummingbirds love these plants, which are actually in the legume family.

Bottlebrush

Bottlebrush is a shrub that grows beautiful crimson red flowers. It’s a favorite of hummingbirds and it’s endemic to Australia.

Fuchsia

There are nearly 100 recognized species of fuchsia, and hummingbirds adore them all.

Honeysuckle

Honeysuckle are mostly found in China, Europe, India, and North America. There are almost 180 species of this flower, which is great for the gorgeous hummingbird.

In addition to these flowers, hummingbirds regularly get nectar from bergamot, firebush, water willow, torch lily, and sage. Plant any of these floral beauties in your garden and you’ll likely have sweet birdies come visit you on a regular basis.

flowers to attract butterflies

Flowers to Attract Butterflies

Do you love the sight of a beautiful butterfly? We do. They’re so graceful and light in their ways. They’re perfect examples, in our opinion, of how we might transform into people filled with grace and loving light.

If you want to bring butterflies into your living space, and enjoy the lightness and joy they offer, you can plant the following flowers:

Joe Pye Weed

Joe pye weed is a perennial that grows medium-pink blooms and pretty, foot-long leaves. The flowers on this plant smell like vanilla, which will surely be attractive to you and to the butterfly friends you wish to spend time with.

Russian Sage

If you want a big and showy plant in your garden that will draw in butterflies in swarms, consider Russian sage. Russian sage is perennial known for its silvery foliage and for its small purple blooms, which seem to come in bursts.

Black-Eyed Susan

Black-eyed Susans are classic backyard flowers that are favorites of butterflies and of seed-eating birds. They’re boldly colored in yellow and orange, and they’re perfect for growing in drought-prone regions.

Another couple of great flowers to attract butterflies are the chrysanthemum and bee balm. If you want to give these, or the other three butterfly-loving flowers we mentioned to someone you know, there are many flower shops and online florists that will ship them (or ship seeds to grow them)!

4 Charming Floral Imports from China to Celebrate the New Year

Today is the official start of the Year of the Sheep!
With one of the oldest human cultures in the world, the Chinese New Year tradition is the most important of the year and is celebrated by millions of people around the globe. Based on a lunar calendar and lasting for 15 days, many people travel home to be with family, eat special food and attend celebrations with fireworks, performances and friends. If you want to start the Year of the Sheep off on the right foot, consider decorating your home or bringing a gift of one of these important flowers that were first cultivated in ancient China.

ChrysanthemumMums
One of the most revered flowers of the Song Dynasty, there is evidence that the mum has been cultivated in China as far back as the 15th century BCE. Depicted in paintings, pottery and fabric art, the mum became a flower associated with several different holidays and in the Chinese culture and was an important export to other parts of Asia where it shows up in everything from traditional flower arranging to soup. A popular flower both in gardens and in vases, there are hundreds of different sizes, shapes and colors of chrysanthemums to choose from these days. Consider choosing the frilly Fuji or spider mum for this occasion, which has long, trailing petals surrounding wide center. Hardy, inexpensive and available year-round- it’s easy to find one that fits for this New Year celebration.

Roses
While the hybrid tea rose is right at home in and English garden, the first cultivars of today’s modern rose came from careful breeding of the wild five-petaled rose found in China. The whole rose family, Rosaceae, which contains many commercially (and culinarily) important plants such as the apple, pear and strawberry, all have east Asia as their center of origin.

Peony
Peony
Surrounded by myth and legends, this spring-flowering phenomena of a plant is said to symbolize riches and honors. The peony is considered to by one of the longest-used flowers in eastern culture and many cultivars have been created over the years and exported around the globe. The large blooms are a profusion of petals in white, pink or magenta. Consider just one or two stems to bring in the new year and welcome spring.

BambooBamboo
While technically more of a grass than a flower, the stalks of bamboo have a long and important history in China. Used to build everything from aquaducts to bridges, this plant provided material that helped to build civilization. Now retired to more of an ornamental role, there are a variety of sizes and shapes to choose from. Easy to care for and tolerant of low-light conditions, a few stems of bamboo will grow all Year of the Sheep long.

Killer Plants for Catching Fruit Flies

We’ve all done it.
Arriving home after a trip you walk into the kitchen and a swarm of tiny, little flies comes swirling from those bunch of bananas you never got around to eating. With a life span of only a month or two, it’s still surprisingly hard to get rid of those suckers. While all sorts of traps and homemade solutions exist, why not turn your infestation into a small science experiment by using one of these crazy carnivorous plants. Not only will they help control your fruit fly population, but they’ll be a unique addition to your houseplant collection for years to come.

Venus Fly TrapVenus fly trap
The golden standard of carnivorous plants, this small, herbaceous specimen is actually native to North America. It can be found growing in the acidic bogs of swampy areas in the Southeast and are often available at your local plant nursery. You may have had one in the past as a kid, only to watch it die a few weeks later. The Venus fly trap is actually not that hard to grow if you keep a few things in mind. These plants are native to bogs, so they love “wet feet” which means never let the soil dry out in the container. Choose a pot that is on the taller side (at lease 5 inches high) and use mostly peat moss if you are going to repot it rather than a potting soil. This will provide high acidity and lots of moisture, which this plant prefers. A bright, sunny spot close to where you store your fruit is the perfect location and if you live in a drier climate, be sure to give it a little spritz of water from the kitchen sink sprayer in those dry, winter months.

Pitcher PlantPitcher plant
There are several different species that go by this common name, which it gets from the shape of its traps. The long, pendulous leaves end with a modified, “pitcher”-like trap that insects are lured into and then get digested. An interesting houseplant, the pitcher plant looks great in a hanging basket and likes the same kind of conditions as the Venus fly trap. Consider hanging one in the kitchen window for year-round pest control and a great conversation piece. Most nursery and garden centers are beginning to have these in stock for under $20 these days.

SundewsSundew
An absolutely fascinating plant, the sundews capture their prey using tiny little trichomes on the surface of their leaves that emit a sticky substance. When insects land, they become stuck and the leaf slowly rolls up to digest the unfortunate flies over time. These plants are native to several different places and are easily purchased online or at a well stocked garden shop. Tolerant to a little less sun than the others, these plants are small but mighty.

Why just grow ferns when you can have a plant that helps keep your house free from flies all year round!

Kiss the Night Away Under Fresh Mistletoe

A symbol of the season, mistletoe is the iconic plant of Yuletide affection. Tied with a ribbon and hung above a door or threshold, tradition holds that lovers (or those who time their entrances wisely) smooch under the sprigs of mistletoe hung there. While this might make the plant a favorite for paramours, it is actually a slightly poisonous, parasitic plant that sucks the sap from trees in which it grows. How then did this leeching evergreen find its way down from the boughs of host trees an into the lore of Christmastime lovers?

Many researchers credit the tradition of kissing under the mistletoe to Druid mythology, specifically the Ritual of Oak and Mistletoe practiced among the Celtic people of what is now England and Ireland. It was thought at the time that mistletoe could be made into an elixir that could cure infertility. According to accounts written in the 1st century AD by the Roman historian, Pliny the Elder, mistletoe that was found growing high up in the branches of an oak tree were considered to be sacred. On the sixth night of the moon, priests clad in white would climb the tree to gather the mistletoe and make it into a concoction that was given to barren animals. Most species of the plant are toxic to humans in any sizable quantity, so offering this to cure infertility in humans seems questionable at best. In the language of flowers, however, it is still said to represent affection.

Like many other pagan traditions, this symbolic plant was slowly incorporated to more Christian traditions, so along with the Christmas tree and and Easter egg, the hanging of mistletoe this time of year found its way into modern day practices of early Europeans, particularly the British, French and Irish. Eventually, kissing under a sprig of this round-leafed evergreen followed Europeans over the pond, where it became a tradition in the New World as well.

There are several different species of mistletoe, including one (Phoradendron leucarpum) that is native to North America. The European mistletoe (Viscum album) is the species most commonly used for Yuletide smooching and can be found at many florists come December. It has small, rounded, light green leaves with small white or somewhat transparent berries. Gathered in a cluster and tied with a ribbon, these are sometimes sprayed with a preservative to help them last the season. While handling mistletoe poses no risk, keep them out of reach of pets and children, as the alkaloid they contain, tyramine, can make them quite sick. If this is a concern, try a sprig of holly hung it its place.

Whether you want an excuse to sneak in a kiss or simply want to carry on a tradition that dates back to the time of the Druids, hang a bit of mistletoe in your doorway this season.

Decorate for Day of the Dead with Marigolds

Tracing back to the ancient Aztecs, the celebration of Dia de Muertos falls on November 1st and 2nd each year as a day to remember and honor the departed loved ones in your life. A national holiday in Mexico, but celebrated around the world, the Day of the Dead is a time to decorate small alters, clean and beautify grave sites and to gather with friends and family to reminisce and tell stories about those who have died. Favorite food and beverages, treasured belongings, freshly baked bread and candied sugar skulls are all a part of the fiesta, but one of the most important decorations are the marigold flowers. Said to be the favored flower of the dead, the Mexican marigold (Tagetes erecta), sometimes called cempasuchil or Flor de Muerto, is an essential part of the traditional celebration.

Native to Mexico and parts of Central America, the marigold is a member of the sunflower family and loves hot, sunny days. It is grown as an annual bedding plant in temperate climates and many gardeners plant it around their vegetable garden, as it is said to ward off pests. In tropical climates, it grows as a perennial and can grow to a foot for more in height. It thrives on neglect and can tolerate both drought and over watering, making it very adaptable to most climates.

The leaves of the marigold are a deep green and fern-like in shape, releasing a sharp tarragon-like scent when crushed. They are often substituted for tarragon in recipes and all parts of the flower are edible. For centuries, this plant has been used in traditional folk medicine by pre-Columbian people and modern day testing has found that some of the active chemical extracts inhibit the growth of bacteria in lab studies. Both leaves and flower parts can be brewed into a tea and the deep saffron color of the petals have been used as a natural dye.

While the petals of the flower can come in a variety of shades of yellow, orange and golds, the color most popularly used for Dia de Muertos is orange. The whole flower heads can be strung together to form a garland or used to decorate the small alters and petals are plucked and sprinkled around graves and tombs. Along with beautifying the surroundings, the marigold is said to attract the dead back to their graves to visit with the family and enjoy the offerings.

Add Flare to Fall Arrangements with Chinese Lanterns

Like tiny, orange paper lanterns strung together along a stem, the hanging fruit of the Physalis alkekeng, (called Chinese lanterns, winter cherry or Japanese lantern) will light up a bouquet of autumn flowers. These uniquely shaped plants offer a wonderful harvest look to any arrangement and are fun to tuck into a vase or add along the edges of a table or wreath. In great fall colors like burnt umber and pumpkin orange, these long-lasting stems are the perfect choice for an autumnal bouquet.

Native to parts of southern Europe, Asia and the islands of Japan, the Chinese lantern is a perennial plant that grows 1-2 feet tall. Small, white flowers, when fertilized, develop into a tomatillo-like fruit. The papery covering hides a small firm fruit and is shaped like a hot air balloon. This deepens in color to a rich orange over time and each stem can have 3-6 fruits ripen at a time. As the plant ages and matures, the paper covering becomes delicate and can slowly dry in unique, lace-like patterns. Far from looking faded the way traditional blooms will after a time, these plants add a certain seasonality and can be pulled from the old arrangement and placed in a vase on their own as the evenings lengthen and the nights grow cooler.

Edible, as well as medicinal, the fruit of the Chinese lantern has been cultivated for many years around the globe and used as a sedative, diuretic and as an antiseptic. In Japan, the seeds of this plant are used as an offering during the Bon Festival, to help guide the souls of the departed. It is a very popular ornamental plant there in both gardens as well as in the traditional flower arranging art of Ikebana, which employs a minimalist approach to floral design. Clean lines, specific shapes and carefully chosen and placed blooms create the effects of this floral art, which has become a part of the culture of Japan and is believed to have origins dating back to the 6th century. The use of the Chinese lanterns in these traditional arrangements can add a specific “air” quality or be use to trail gently down the side of a container.

Chinese lanterns are available at your local florist through the middle of summer well into the first frosts of winter. Like leaves turning colors, choose stems that have some orange and some fruits that are still a bit green to experience the cycles of nature from the comfort of your kitchen table.

Celebrate Native American Day with these Indigenous Flowers

In many states across the nation, the second Monday in October is somewhat contentious. While many calendars mark it as Columbus Day to celebrate his “discovery” of America, others see it as an opportunity to highlight the rich history and culture of the indigenous peoples of our country. Regardless of what title you give this holiday, it is a time to reflect on the natural riches and scenic wealth of our lovely lands. With thousands of native plants to admire, try out one of these two listed below for a bouquet or arrangement that was truly “made in America.” Not only are these native plants lovely to look at, but many also have served other important uses to America’s first peoples.

YarrowYarrow
Native yarrow, Achillea millefolium, grows in dry, mountainous regions across the American west. This sunflower relative has hundreds of tiny flowers that cluster tightly together to form an flat, showy perch for butterflies and other pollinators. The leaves are soft and feathery, earning the name plumajillo (little feather) from early Spanish explorers making their way north. Long before them, the Navajo of the southwest were chewing its leaves and stalks to ease toothaches and the Miwok (of what would one day become California) found it helpful to treat a common cold. The Cherokee found a tea brewed from yarrow useful in reducing fevers, while the Zuni found that a poultice made from the pulverized roots and stems soothed burns. Useful and unusual, the yarrow looks lovely in a mixed arrangement and will keep its color even after it dries, allowing it to be used again in future arrangements. New cultivars like “Paprika” and “Terra Cotta” come in a beautiful red and bronze color, while traditional yellow and white colors add a lighter look to a vase and a wildflower look to any bouquet.

EchinaceaEchinacea
Used by many people at the first sign of a sort throat, this native American medicinal plant makes for a great cut flower. While not as long lasting as a sunflower or chrysanthemum, the unique central “eye” and pretty purple petals of this flower look great mixed in with yarrow and a few bright dahlias or plumes of native grass. Used by the Pawnee, Lakotah and many other Plains Indians, echinacea has been evaluated in clinical trials for its medicinal purposes. A popular landscape plants in areas with a whole lot of sun and not a lot of water, this pretty purple daisy is a great way to honor the ingenuity of America’s indigenous peoples.

Celebrate Labor Day with Lupine

One does not typically associate labor and toil with a day of festivities, but the invention of Labor Day in America was started as just that back in 1882. Seen as the swan song of summer and the last long weekend for barbeques and bocci ball, celebrate this national holiday with the lupine flower. At its finest as the dog days simmer down into cooler nights and crisper mornings, this native wildflower works hard to look good in a vase next to the roasted corn and sweet iced tea.

Adopted as an official federal holiday in 1894, Labor Day has become the end of summer holiday celebrated with camping trips and backyard grilling. Originally established to give workers a day off so that they, along with their families, could come out to enjoy parades and events highlighting the hard work and contributions of labor associations across the country, many towns still hold festivals and fairs around this time to show of (sometimes the literal) fruits of their labor. As a wildflower, lupine grows natively in the mountainous west with very little labor and care at all, but can also be quite at home in a perennial garden. They are the perfect expression of a lazy Monday off from work.

Tall and voluptuous, the lupine flower is made up of a 2-4 foot stalk with many pretty little pea-flower like blooms. The cupped shape of each individual bloom can often have two different shades of color which can come in purple, blue, yellow, pink or white. Full and thick, they look great next to daintier daisies or frilly lady’s mantle mixed together in a vase. While the palmate leaves of lupine are gorgeous, they do not last as long as the flower, so consider adding other greens or even a dropping amaranthus flower to your vase or bouquet.

Lupine may look like a flower of leisure where it bloom in meadows and open alpine fields, but under the ground it is hard at work fixing atmospheric nitrogen into a form other plants can use. A member of the legume family, the lupine has a symbiotic relationship with bacteria in the soil which help it convert this essential element into a usable nutrient for itself and surrounding plants. While they haven’t unionized, this labor of love allows for healthier soils while adding beauty to late summer hikes.

Florist will tend to carry this bloom around late August and early September, and while they are a bit more expensive than roses or lilies, only a few are needed to fill a festive occasion. While lupine do come in white, be sure to put your white shoes and clothes away after today!

Welome Back to School with Begonias

A teacher friend once described the month of August as one long Sunday night, with educators, students and parents all mentally preparing for the start of school. While you are busying packing up the pencils and notebooks for the new year, pick up a begonia as a gift for yourself, a teacher or student, as a reminder that there’s always time to stop and smell the roses while this busy time of year begins. While the begonia does not have much of a fragrance, certain types are said to symbolize cleverness and popularity. Named for a 17th century governor, Michael Begon, by the famous French botanist, Charles Plumer, the begonia got a bad rap for having a name that sounded like the word “beware” in Latin. In the Victorian language of flowers that was all the rage at the time, the begonia was sent as a message of warning. With hundreds of different species in three different subgroups, it is unfair to associate all of them with caution and imminent danger. In the 21st century it’s time to reclaim this large group of lush flowering plants and have them symbolize the upside of wariness, which includes adventure, opportunity, and the wonderful feeling that something big is about to happen.

Wax BegoniasWax Begonia
These shiny-leafed little bloomers are adorable little bedding plants that look great in a container outside a classroom or in a pretty pot on the steps of that new college apartment. They come with dark, reddish leaves and white or red flowers and lighter, waxy green leaves with white, red, pink or coral colored petals. Fun and easy to grow in shade or partial sun, these dainty little plants are a fun gift that will keep on blooming as the leaves begin to change and midterms begin.

Tuberous BegoniasTuberous Begonia
The 2.0 version of your typical bedding plant begonia, these larger plants with huge double-petaled blooms grow from a tuber-like corm and can be grown inside in a bright, sunny window or outside in a hanging basket or container. The plants can trail over the sides of the pot with large blooms in white, red, salmon, yellow or orange and are absolutely striking. Voluptuous with their ruffled petals and pretty leaves, these plants are a breath of fresh air when a teacher or student needs to stop and take a deep breath.

Rex BegoniasRex Begonia
Show stopping houseplants with fanciful leaves, this subgroup of begonias would have millions of followers on Twitter if it had thumbs to text with. Large and showy leaves have silver, red, and purple designs on them and a range of exotic looking flowers that will bloom from time to time throughout the school year. The only thing to be worried about with this begonia is that you won’t be able to stop at just one.

Send a Student off to College with a Colorful Croton Plant

As bags are being unpacked and books bought for the new semester, a splash of color in a drab dorm room or tiny apartment will bring a smile to your favorite college-bound kid’s face and brighten up their academic year. The croton is the perfect houseplant for sending a student off to college and will be a welcome reminder of home. Easy to care for with cheerful, multicolored leaves, the croton will thrive in a sunny corner from orientation until finals week.

While there is a genus of plants called Croton, with hundreds of different species around the world, the common name “croton” is used in reference to the plant Codiaeum variegatum– a specific species of flowering houseplant with leaves that come in a rainbow of colors. Native to parts of southern India, the colorful croton can grow into a large shrub but is sold as a houseplant suitable for smaller spaces in pots and containers. In tropical climates they make striking landscape plants with their large, flat, rubbery leaves that come in yellow, red, green and bright orange. In a container on a sunny windowsill, they will grow slow and steady over the course of a semester.

Crotons are specifically cultivated for the vibrant colors of their foliage. Leaves of some varieties are long and wide, reaching more that four inches across each leaf even when plants are small. Other varieties may have lobed or narrower leaves that twist and turn. The green edges are lines and crossed with veins of yellow, orange and red- all in the same leaves. These colors are created as pigments produced in the plant such as anthocyanin (red), lutens (yellow) and carotinoids (orange). The brighter the light exposure to the plant, typically, the brighter the colors of the leaves. If a croton is not getting enough light, it will start producing more chloroplast to capture any available light with its chlorophyll, resulting in a plant with more green in its leaves. If your student is a Biology major, try asking them to figure this out on their own!

Crotons are easy to find and often available at florists, garden centers and any place houseplants are found. While primarily grown for their foliage, the plant does produce a funky spike of white flowers from time to time when given plenty of sunlight. Send off your student with instructions to water it regularly and give it a lot of light and it should do beautifully right through graduation.

Killer Flowers that are Drop Dead Gorgeous

Beauty comes with a price.
In the evolutionary arms race to both attract pollinators to their flowers and repel herbivores from munching on their leaves, many plants have developed an arsenal of chemical weapons. Carefully created compounds inside many plants’ leaves, roots, seeds and stems give them a defense mechanism against passing grazers. What many of us don’t realize, however, is that some of the loveliest flowers in a bouquet can also be some of the deadliest. While it would take quite a bit of munching on these drop dead gorgeous blooms to actually cause a human much harm, their toxic nature certainly lends a new respect to these frilly florist favorites.

Lily of the ValleyLily of the Valley
When Kate Middleton walked down the aisle holding that white lily of the valley wedding bouquet, florists’ phones rang. Old fashioned, but never out of favor, this lovely bloom (Convalleria majalis) has tiny, bell-shaped flowers along a dainty curling stem. While fashion experts and floral tweet followers couldn’t get enough of this bloom, even a small bite of its flowers or berries can lead to extreme abdominal pain and cardiac distress.

FoxgloveFoxglove
A perennial favorite in French and English cottage gardens, the tall, pendulous blooms of foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) are at their peak in summer and are a wonder to behold. Straight stems reaching 2 to 4 feet in length make this a focal point of flower arrangements and a great addition to any garden. Along with making lovely, individual purple or pink blooms with a white throat and dark spots on the inside, this plant also secretes a toxin that can literally stop your heart. The entire plant is toxic when eaten, but it was used medicinally in small quantities to help regulate heart conditions. Look, but don’t eat, this classy bloom.

Calla LilyCalla_lily
A favorite flower for bridal bouquets, the single, rolled petal and yellow center of the Calla Lily (Zantedeschia aethiopica) comes in white, yellow, purple, orange and pink. Prized for its gracefully arched stem and elegantly shaped bloom, this flower creates microscopic crystals out of calcium oxalate (which is the same chemical compound that forms kidney stones in humans). These sharp crystals, called raphides, cause tiny microscopic tears inside the mouth and esophagus when eaten. This irritation leads inflammation in the throat, making it hard to breath if eaten. When cooked, the leaves can actually be consumed with no adverse results.

DIY Guide to Farmers’ Market Bouquets

Nothing says summer quite like a lively bouquet of flowers picked fresh from the farm. Strolling through the stalls and sniffing on blooms brought in just that morning and tied with string is as much of a pleasure as the flowers themselves. Supporting local farmers and bringing a bit of the farm to your table is a great tradition May through October, but now you can put together these bountiful bouquets year round by following the advice below.

Go For Variety
Farms must diversify out of necessity. In order to be sure there is plenty to pick all summer long, most farms grow more than 5 to 6 different flowers for cutting. Your florist will be able to get a mix of these year round, so rather than picking out one or two of the prettiest stems, go for variety. Mix a tall, yellow zinnia with another color or else a different flower, like dahlia or sunflower in a similar yellow. To offset these, chose a contrasting blue flower like delphinium or bachelor button. Don’t forget to add in a variety of textures as well. A feathery grass stem or fern-like leaves from larkspur will add a look like you just came in from the garden.

Flowers that Bloom Together

In a world of increasingly industrialize agriculture, it’s not common for folks to necessarily know what’s in season. While a nice bowl of mixed fruit might contain apples, peaches, oranges and bananas, those fruit grow in very different seasons. Peaches and plums are summer fruit; apples and pears are fall fruit. By choosing flowers that bloom at similar time, you end up creating a look that is both colorfully pleasing and naturally possible. The upside of more globalized agriculture is that you can get these flowers from all over the world and from greenhouses that make a December day into summer. A good florist can tell you which blooms coincide, but here’s a brief seasonal primer:
SpringLilac, peony, ranunculus, anemone, freesia, sweet pea
Summer– Rose, zinnia, snapdragon, delphinium, flowering stock, gladiola
Fall– Sunflower, amaranthus, chrysanthemum, dahlia
Winter– Camellias, hypericum berries, pine cones and branches

Choose Blooms that Could be Local
As the locavour movement continues to gain momentum, more and more farmers are finding the funds to build hoop houses and high tunnel greenhouses that can house flowers earlier in the spring and later in the winter. While they may not have enough volume to make a mixed bouquet for market (even if the farmer’s market was open), they may have enough blooms available to mix in with others bought at your flower shop. If not, they are still a great source of information, so give them a call to find out what blooms will be grown there this year and take that list to the flower shop to pick put pretty stems that suitable for your climate- even if there is still snow on the ground 🙂

3 Reasons Why Pansies are the Perfect Flower for a Parent’s Birthday

Derived from the French word, pensée, which means “thought,” the dainty and colorful blooms of the pansy are a thoughtful gift to bring mom or dad on their birthday. Sometimes called violas, these highly stylized, hybrid flowers have been a lovely addition to the garden since the late 1800’s and are immensely popular as a bedding plant tucked into the border or in a pot all by themselves. Whether your parent likes to garden or simply sit and enjoy a nice flower, the happy, nodding faces of pansies turn towards the sun and brighten up any landscape. Pansies make an excellent gift tucked into a pretty new decorative pot on the porch and come with a whole lot of stories to tell. Whether mom or dad is into history, art or politics, celebrate their birthday with a plant that gets them thinking.

Pansies in History
In olde English, the pansy is known by the common name, “hearts-ease.” Associated with St. Euphrasia, a venerated nun known for her humility from which the term “humble violet” stems, this flower was often found growing wild on hillsides around Europe and the Mediterranean. Most likely, this was the species Viola tricolor, known by a myriad of common names, such as “Johnny-Jump-Up” or “Love-in-Idleness.” In the middle of the 1800’s, the daughter of an English Lord, Lady Mary Elizabeth Bennet went around gathering different varieties of this heartsease flower and, with the help of her estate’s gardener, crossbred many together, producing a wide spectrum of new cultivars and color combinations. Around the same time, another English lord was busy crossing this naturalized plant with a viola from the mountains of Russia. The results were the larger blooms and darker centers of many of the pansies we see today.

Pansies in Art
Shakespeare couldn’t get enough of these flowers, with Ophelia scattering them along with daisies in Hamlet and Oberon calling out for them in A Midsummer Nights Dream. Featured in the work of both van Gogh and O’Keeffe, the iconic pansy has played the muse for many a masterpiece.

Pansies in Politics
Who would have thought that the gentle, nodding heads of these dainty flowers would be swept up in the winds of politics and philosophy. Used over the centuries as an emblem for Freethought and Humanist thinking, this flower’s symbolic meaning for “thought” has been adopted by both secular movements and sororities to represent free will and deep concentration. Many attribute this connection to the human face-like features of the flower. Along with your smiling face, give your parents the gift of thought with the pensive pansy.

Make History with Vintage Roses

After literally thousands of years of cultivation, the wild, five-petaled rose found growing on the hillsides of Asia and Europe has been transformed into the botanical behemoth it is today. While progressive breeding and specific selection has given the rose both girth and consistency, many have found that those features have come at a cost to both fragrance and form. Fortunately, roses live longer than most people and many an old bush has been found growing in churchyards and along roadsides. Gardeners and florist have propagated these vintage blooms into a new market, calling them antique roses.

Imported primarily from Ecuador and Colombia, the roses of today have won a genetic victory for their close relationship with humans, making them the most popular and recognizable cut flower in the world. They have been bred naturally, though chosen artificially, for specific traits that make them more easily shipped and longer-lasting. This intentional breeding is called hybridization and has resulted in a wide spectrum of colors ranging from deep red to pure white and a variety of sizes and forms. Called hybrid tea roses (Rosa x hybrida), the selection of these at your local florists can be almost endless. By contrast, antique roses are those that were around prior to the mid-1800’s and display characteristics of older rose species and cultivars. The oldest know rose breed, the Apothecary’s Rose (Rosa gallica officinals), for example has strong, alluring fragrance and deep, rich color while being wider and more open than typical hybrids. Softer, muted colors and stronger scents are two characteristics prized by collectors and connoisseurs of these blooms.

With healthy foliage and a surprisingly strong disease resistance, antique roses are seeing a resurgence in the landscape, with several different varieties suitable for a range of USDA hardiness zones. Florist, too, are aware of a new interest in the vintage look of these voluptuous blooms and can usually order them with about one week’s notice. Mixed with flowering branches in an antique vase or tied together in a wedding bouquet, just a few stems of these breathtaking beauties will pay homage to a time gone by while adding a lovely scent and ardent look to any arrangement.

One of the best features of antique roses are the unique names many go by and the stories that come with them. The familial David Austin roses, named for the man who began to breed and popularize many of the antique roses on the market today, come with names like “Constance Spry” and “Chianti”. The Damask group of roses come in various hues and are said to have been brought from the Middle East by returning Crusaders. There are so many different ones available today, and one sniff will have you quite glad they’ve been re-discovered. Whichever one you pick, it will be sure to have a story to tell.

While

Best flowers for a Hawaiian-themed Celebration

If you are lucky enough to live in the land where palm trees sway, then lush, tropical flowers will simply be out your front door, but for the rest of us, there are dendrobium orchids. Whether it’s for a graduation, a retirement, a welcome home or simply a party to welcome the coming of summer after a long, cold winter, a Hawaiian Luau just wouldn’t be complete with some flowers tucked behind the ears, strung around the neck or scattered in vases around tables.

While tropical flowers actually do grow on trees in Hawaii, they can cost a pretty penny in more temperate climates. Temper the cost by choosing the wildly exotic, but extremely affordable dendrobium orchid.

At an average of $2-$4 a stem, these beauties go a long way. With between 7-9 individual blooms per stem that can be removed and strung together or worn separately in the hair, each gracefully arching stem will provide ample amounts of the tropics. While most commonly found in white, the dendrobium orchid also comes in a bright fuchsia, a deep purple, soft lavender and orange. Typically, the lower flowers open first, with a few dainty buds on the top giving the whole stem a tapered appearance. These look amazing in a tall glass vase with rocks or clear marbles in the bottom.

The individual dendrobium flowers are fleshy and turgid, with upright petals that won’t wilt for many hours after being removed from the stem. They will look fresh behind ears through many hulas and cocktails without being in water and will last for days if plucked and placed floating in a bowl or short vase.

Dendrobiums are epiphytic orchids, meaning the plant grows hanging from trees or other structures rather than rooted in the ground like terrestrial orchid varieties. Most of the 1,200+ species are native to parts of southern Asia, though many are now commercially grown in Hawaii, which has become one the the largest commercial breeders of a wide variety of orchids worldwide.

Traditionally, according to Hawaiian custom, it is the hibiscus flower that is worn behind the ear to advertise a woman’s eligibility (the left side means you are married, the right side says you are open to suitors), but the year-round availability of the dendrobium orchid make it an excellent substitute. Put a little hula in your step with these tropical flowers any time.

Best Flowers to Send a Man to Celebrate a Promotion

Congratulating a man on his promotion may call for some slaps on the back and brews after work, but the best way to welcome him to that corner office on the first day is a vase full of anthuriums. These tall, tropical flowers, sometimes called Flamingo Lilies, have a certain stateliness to them and a rather masculine appearance that makes them appropriate for tough guys and softies alike. While the bright red variety gives off a sense of power, the meaning of this bloom in the language of flowers symbolizes hospitality. A vase or potted container full of anthuriums sends the message that he’s the guy in charge, but the door is always open.

Native to the New World, the anthurium was first identified in parts of Mexico and the Caribbean. Diverse and widespread around the Americas, there are several hundred different species that range in size, shape and color. The one most typically available at flower shops and garden centers have a red or green spade-shaped, brightly-colored, upright “petal,” which is actually a botanical adaptation called a bract. This bract is more like a leaf than a petal and stays turgid and colorful for several weeks. It can come in orange, yellow, pink, white or green. The actual “flower” is a type called a spadix, which is a densely spiraled appendage that sticks straight up from the bract. The image this flower exudes is that of, ahem, virility and masculine prowess; perfect for pumping him up the first few days on the new job!

One of the advantages in choosing this flower to celebrate a promotion is that it can be bought as a cut flower in a vase or arrangement, but is also sold as a houseplant. Needing very little care other than good soil, regular watering and medium to bright light, this little guy will thrive and grow to heights of 1-3 feet in a container with good drainage. What better way to celebrate the move from a dark cubicle to an office with a view than to give him a plant to put there! Rather than lasting a few weeks, this potted plant will grow and develop along with him.
Evolutionarily, the anthurium is a complex plant. Part of the aroid family, this unique bloom evolved recently and has one of the strangest flowering morphologies of any plant on Earth. Many plants in this family are thermogenic, meaning they are able to produce their own heat. Quite possibly, this developed to attract pollinators through the heating and releasing of pheromones and some of them can reach temperatures of over 100F, which will make your guy seem cool under pressure in comparison.

The Language of Flowers: a Brief History

The Language of Flowers, known as floriography, has a history much like any language with influences from its diverse background of speakers. The ability to convey messages through the scent, sight and gift of flowers has a tradition that has risen and fallen with empires and traveled from old world to new, picking up new meanings and losing some in translation along the way.

While many associate the use of symbolism to convey clandestine messages through flowers arising from the Victorian era in England, the actual origin most likely dates far back into the Ottoman Empire. In her book, The Language of Flowers: a History, professor Beverly Seaton credits the wife of a British ambassador to Turkey who described what then was known as the custom of selam she observed while living there during the early part of the 18th century. This Englishwoman, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu (1689-1764) was a keen observer and avid writer whose letters from Istanbul described Eastern life to those back in Europe, particularly the lives of Muslim women. She noted how flowers were often used as a form of cryptological communication between women of the harem and how this practice of selam had also been popular in the court of Constantinople where communication between the sexes or persons from different social groups must often be conducted discretely.

She wrote about the different meanings associated with each plant and flower in her long letters, which were eventually published back in England and France where interest grew along with the importation of tulips and a growing interest in botany among the upper class. By 1820, the interest had grown wide enough to spawn several books about the subject, including the publication of a dictionary that described the meaning attributed to each flower by the woman Louis Cortambert under the pen name Madame Charlotte de la Tour. Reaching its zenith in France during the mid 1800’s, floriography made its way across the ocean to America, where the discovery of local flora growing in the New World were added to the vocabulary of flowers. Adding to this interest were several articles written about the secret language of flowers in popular women’s magazines at the time, which were widely read and distributed.

As the practice of communicating with flowers spread from east to west, it gained not only new plants and new “speakers”, but also new meanings within cultural context. For example, while the spring-flowering narcissus is considered in Eastern culture to convey good fortune and happiness, it has come to represent egotism in Western cultures.

Culturally, flowers are ripe with symbolism and can be found in modern myths, art, literature and at your local flower shop. Why not learn a new language and improve your vocabulary by taking some home today?

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