FLOWERS THAT 'SAY (NOT JUST 'SHOW') THANKFULNESS
Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday is October)is quickly approaching , with American Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) following not too far behind.
These are the times when we gather with family and friends to ...
Canadian Thanksgiving (2nd Monday is October)is quickly approaching , with American Thanksgiving (4th Thursday in November) following not too far behind.
These are the times when we gather with family and friends to acknowledge all we are thankful for in our lives.
This is also the perfect time to practice the new language you are learning - the language of flowers.
If you are a guest at someone’s home this year, or you just want to show gratitude to someone for something, here are some of my top suggestions of how you can do this:
Hostess gift:
Anthurium - Hospitality: While anthuriums may not be available as a fresh cut flower where you live at this time of year, you could stop by your local florist or nursery and choose an anthurium plant.
Sweet pea - Thank you for a lovely time: Again, sweet peas will probably not be available as a cut flower at this time of year, but you can find lovely sweet pea scented soaps that would be a beautiful way to thank your hostess.
Gratitude gift:
Lisianthus - Appreciation/gratitude, Pink Carnations - gratitude, and Dark Pink Roses - gratitude/thankfulness, should all be readily available during October and November. Either pick one of the flowers or make a mixed bouquet of all three.
And remember - include a little note with your gift that says what the meaning of the flowers are so the recipient understands the language you are speaking.
*In addition to the above suggestions a copy of A BOUQUET OF WORDS would make a great gift on its own, or in addition with one of the above.
BACK TO SCHOOL - TIME TO LEARN SOMETHING NEW
September always seems like the beginning of the new year to me.
Years spent going to school myself, working as a teacher, and having three children go through the school system, seemed to ingrain in me that ...
September always seems like the beginning of the new year to me.
Years spent going to school myself, working as a teacher, and having three children go through the school system, seemed to ingrain in me that ‘September’ not January is the beginning of the year.
Back to school shopping, thinking of ‘noon’ as lunch time, and stopping what I am doing at 3:00 to move on to the next thing, are all habits that I find near impossible to break.
So in the spirit of back to school time being the beginning of a new year, why not embrace learning something new.
And why not make that ‘something new’ be learning a new language - the language of flowers.
The language of flowers - using flowers to create and send messages - is something you can learn, and then apply to make your gifts more personal, your events more memorable, and your gardens more meaningful.
To start you off, here are three flowers that are readily available all year long, with their meanings and a suggestion of when to use it:
1 Anthurium - Hospitality: Give cut flowers or a plant as a hostess gift
2 Chamomile - Energy in adversity: Give a bouquet or a pack of tea to someone going through a difficult time
3 Gerbera - Cheerfulness: A ‘just because’ gift to a friend on a grey, rainy, day
f you would like to learn more about the language of flowers you will find my book:
A BOUQUET OF WORDS Express Yourself Through the Language of Flowers a useful reference.
You can also follow along with me on Instagram (@marykelava) as I share new information several times throughout the week
New Beginnings
March is almost here which means the arrival of Spring. This is the perfect time for …
March is almost here which means the arrival of Spring. This is the perfect time for new beginnings. And how fitting it is that the birth month flower for March is the daffodil, with the meaning - New beginnings!
My new beginnings:
I’m updating my website. I love the changes I’ve already had made (thanks Mel!) that give it a fresh new look.
I’m working on a project that I’ll be able to share soon.
I’m learning more about gardening.
I hope to do some floral tourism and get some great photos.
What ‘new beginnings’ do you have planned for this year?
How the Snowdrop Gets it's Name - it may not be what you think ..
Using flowers to express yourself is the language of flowers, or floriography.
It’s well known that a red rose symbolises love, but what’s not as well-known is that most flowers have a sentiment they convey. You may be surprised to learn
Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop.
Today’s focus is on the snowdrop.
Snowdrops are one of my favourite flowers. They are simple, pure, and elegant, and I love their symbolism.
One of the first flowers to bloom in the new year, in the language of flowers snowdrops have been given the very appropriate meaning of ‘hope’. They give us hope that the long, cold, dark, winter days are coming to an end, and hope for what a new, brighter season will bring us.
It’s commonly thought that snowdrops were named ‘snowdrops’ because of the way their pure white bloom pushes its way up through the snow. But they are actually named after earrings. Yes - earrings! This goes back as far as the 15th century when ladies often wore white, drop-shaped earrings, known as ‘ear drops’ . Do you see the resemblance between a ‘snowdrop’ and an ‘eardrop’?
This January as well as enjoying going for long walks spotting snowdrops out in nature, why not treat yourself - or someone with a January birthday to a pair of pearl earrings to remind them of their birth month flower.
Maison de Camille pearls
A great place to get pearl jewelry is from Maison de Camille . She has a wide selection of styles and prices for you to choose from.
What's Old is New Again
Using flowers to express yourself is the language of flowers, or floriography.
It’s well known that a red rose symbolises love, but what’s not as well-known is that most flowers have a sentiment they convey. You may be surprised to learn
Just like every month has a gemstone associated with it, every month also has one or two ‘birth month flower/s’. January’s birth month flowers are the carnation and the snowdrop.
Today’s focus is on the carnation, which ties in well with January’s gemstone, the garnet.
I have a special memory of carnations. When my husband and I had our first apartment, he would come home every week with half-a-dozen red carnations, put them in glass coke bottles, and place them all around our apartment. Nothing fancy - single stems in recycled bottles - but that simple act created a happy memory that has lasted for years.
The carnation is a very under-appreciated flower. Once a prized favourite among elite society, somewhere along the way carnations fell out of favour. They gained a reputation for being old-fashioned, common and unrefined. But, as tends to be the case, things have come full circle, and what’s old is new again. The carnations of today are quickly becoming a fan favourite. If you’re not on the carnation bandwagon yet, here are five reasons why you should quickly jump onboard:
Layers upon layers of dainty ruffled petals give the carnation a soft, dreamy feeling. Their fragrance is a bit sweet and a bit spicy, yet oh-so subtle.
Carnations are affordable, and affordable is never a bad thing.
Carnations have one of the longest vase lives of any flower, giving you an even bigger bang for your buck.
Carnations are available year round so you never need to be without them.
No longer do carnations come in just the standard old red, white or pink. Growers are cultivating and producing new show-stopping varieties. The new editions come in a wide spectrum of colours and hues that are vibrant and trendy. One of the most popular colour choices during the winter months is a deep, dark burgundy - very reminiscent of a stunning garnet.
Carnations are filled with symbolism. As well as being the flower for the month of January, it’s the flower to celebrate first anniversaries, and the national flower for Monaco, Slovenia and Spain. And let’s not forget about the language of flowers.
In general carnations symbolize admiration/affection, while a pink one symbolizes gratitude/mother’s love, red ones love/passion, and white ones innocence/sweet & lovely.
I hope this helps you look at carnations in a different way, and as January is a great time for new beginnings, how about making this the year you start your love of carnations.
One of my favourite places to find beautiful jewelry - garnet or otherwise - is Maison de Camille . This is a woman-led business, that began during the 2020 Pandemic. Kerri-Lee and her team create meticulously handcrafted pieces in their Vancouver, Canada, workshop.
Five Flowers That Express Surprising Sentiments
Using flowers to express yourself is the language of flowers, or floriography.
It’s well known that a red rose symbolises love, but what’s not as well-known is that most flowers have a sentiment they convey. You may be surprised to learn
Using flowers to express yourself is the language of flowers, or floriography.
It’s well known that a red rose symbolises love, but what’s not as well-known is that most flowers have a sentiment they convey. You may be surprised to learn what some of those expressions are.
If you know someone who is going through a sorrowful or tough time you could say “My thoughts are with you”, by giving them a bunch of calendula. These cheerful looking orange or yellow flowers are certain to brighten any room.
After having a wonderful visit with someone, nothing could be better than giving them a bouquet of delicate and fragrant sweet peas to say “Thank you for a lovely time.”
This next one has to be one of my favourite sentiments a flower has - “There is sunshine in your smile.” Which flower expresses that? The yellow tulip.
A unique way to thank someone for their support would be to give them a petunia plant. It expresses the sentiment “Your presence soothes me”.
And to round up my top five is the pansy, which simply says “I’m thinking of you”.
If learning about how these flowers can express your sentiments has caught your interest, stay tuned as I’ll be sharing more about how to communicate with the language of flowers through the upcoming months. To not miss out on anything, just pop your email address into the ‘subscribe’ box on my home page, or email me directly. As always, if you have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to reach out.