The Language of Flowers thru the Ages

Jun15

The language of Flowers started in Constantinople in the 1600s, and was brought to England in 1716 by Lady Mary Wortley Montague who had spent time in Turkey with her husband. The interest then moved to France (of course) where the Book Le Langage des Fleurs was printed with over 800 floral signs. Many were toned down in the English translation at the time of Queen Victoria because they were quite lusty and risque!

Flowers are part of our daily life. For virtually every event we have assigned a special flower. Flowers for love, church, church graveyard, marriage, etc. In the 16th century inn’s use to have a branch or flower stalk as signboard which later often changed only into the name of a specific tree or flower. Many times one finds flower gardens in mythological sceneries.

The use of flowers is uncountable: attributes for the springtime, the youth, the sunrise, the rhetoric, the virtue etc.

Most people are aware that a red rose means love but did you know that almost every flower and sometimes the different colors of a single flower has its own meaning? Why is Stephanotis such a popular flower to use in wedding bouquets? Why put Bells of Ireland or Cattails in a bouquet for someone getting a new house or embarking on a new career?

Check out our Language of Flowers Chart (pdf, no optin) for the many different flowers and their meanings. This includes the more traditional meanings according to the original language of flowers.

Flower Study Unearths Buyers Generational Preferences

May29

The Society of American Florists conducted research to find out what flowers “mean” to different generations. Here’s an excerpt of that study:

“SAF’s Generations of Flowers consumer research study, completed in January 2009, explores the motivations and barriers of how different age groups perceive, buy, and use flowers and floral outlets. Three generations of consumers were assessed through qualitative and quantitative measures: Generation Y (ages 18-30), Generation X (31-44), and Baby Boomers (45-60). The study methodology included:

Interviews with generational and gift giving research giants, Iconoculture and Roper
Two online focus groups of 57 individuals
Online survey of 1,557 flower consumers”

Key Inisghts Included Flowers and Gifting, Flower Purchase Behaviors and compared Boomers, Gen X’ers and Gen Y feelings toward flowers in general.

For instance when it comes to floral purchases

Gen Y is “most likely to purchase flowers in person and deliver flowers themselves. This echoes a “personalization” trend in gifting characteristic of this generation.”

And Gen Y is also “more likely to purchase flowers to impress guests in their home, significantly higher than other generations. This indicates an opportunity to reposition the value of flowers for the younger consumer.”

Compared to Gen X which “most likely purchases flowers as a traditional holiday/occasion gift for someone else, as a “just because” pick-me-up gift, and for home decoration.”

The Baby Boomer Generation “is significantly more likely than other generations to keep flowers in their consideration set when purchasing a gift, and to find flowers appropriate for a broad range of gifting situations.”

To read the rest of the study visit http://www.canadiangardencentre.ca/content/view/2017/38/

To order flowers visit: Eden Florist Today!

Florascope for Gemini

May22

Gemini: May 22 – Jun. 21

Gemini’s symbol is the twins. Geminis are versatile, highly adaptable and somewhat mysterious. Gemini are playful, youthful and fun-loving. Bordering on the mischievous, Geminis are expressive, clever and social.

You can choose narcissus or buttercup, roses or poppy. Lady Gemini like almost every flower and her preferences depend on her mood, that changes very quickly.

Geminis delight in fun loving, cheerful flowers such as daisies, gerberas, summery sunflowers or quiet sophistication of the rose. Geminis like nearly every flower so match the flower to the ever changing mood of the creative, lighthearted Gemini, are one of the most creative of all the zodiac signs. Roses are a perfect choice with the range of colors that symbolize friendship. love and even passion.

Geminis colors are bright yellow, black and white and their birthstone is agate.

Today is Plant a Flower Day… In Honor of Earth Day

Apr21

“Flowers are good for the Earth AND for the Soul” Heidi Richards Mooney

Remember when you were a school girl (or boy as the case may be) and your teacher gave you a project of planting a seed in a paper cup? I do, I think the first time we did that was in 1^st grade and the nuns (did I mention I’m a recovering Catholic? *SMILE) gave each student a paper cup, and some seeds which I don’t even recall what they were. We marched outside to the school yard, hoes in hand and began digging up the earth so we could put the dirt in our humble paper cups, add seeds, a little water and then wait. We waited for what seemed like eternity (probably only a few days in adult time) as the paper cups sprouted little green leaves. I remember how proud I was of that little plant… that I (and God) could actually create a living thing! In fact, it is probably the only good memory I have of Catholic School. This is, I am sure what started my love, awe and respect for flowers.

According to the National Gardening Association, gardening is one of the nation’s most popular pastimes. One in four Americans says that gardening is a real hobby or interest of theirs. About one in four spends four or more hours per week tending lawns, flowers, and vegetables. It makes me wonder how it is around the world? In some parts the numbers are probably much higher!

It got me thinking about how flowers affect us in such profound ways.

In Honor of Earth Day and Plant a Flower day….. Here’s a story Gloria Mount shared on the WIN network on RYZE Social network shared about how flowers have impacted her life:

THE FAMILY ROSE by Gloria Mount

Elizabeth is standing along side of what we are now calling, “The Family Rose”, at our home in California.

It was just a nice little red rose bush, to begin with and suddenly, it has taken on a life of its own.

It began with Liz’s wedding back in December 2004. The morning of her wedding, for various reasons, I was not able to attend her “original” ceremony. That morning, when I went to get the morning paper, I was heavy hearted.

Then I noticed this red rose, in full bloom….in the dead of winter, the only plant in the garden blooming. I was amazed, but knew the Lord was comforting me.

Come February 2005, the morning of my Mother-In-Law’s funeral….suddenly in our barren rose garden was this Red-Rose in full bloom!!! We cut it and took it with us to the services.

When Baby Luke was born, Oct. 2005 there was this Red-Rose!!

December 2005 when Christina was here for Christmas holidays, the day we took her to her Grandma’s grave site….here was this red-rose in full bloom!! We cut it and Chris put it on Grandma Mount’s lovely grave.

Now, May 2006, the morning of Liz’s Bday. I walked outside and saw 2 brilliant red buds….by the time we came back from her Bday breakfast…there was the Red Rose, in full bloom !!!!

Now, I’m wondering how Christina came to name her website….Cyerra Rose…I’m sure Chris wasn’t thinking of our roses here in Whittier….but “Some One” had guided her heart and mind.

As I’m writing this, the connection, now is amazing.

Cyerra Rose was always a beautiful name, but, now it all makes sense with our “Family Red Rose”.

God loves to delight us!!!!

If you’d like to stop by Gloria’s page and say HI and thank her for her story, it’s here: http://www.ryze.com/go/Italianmamma

In case you’d like to read about the other benefits, check out a post I wrote last month entitled “NATURES BENEFITS” at http://tulipstalk.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/natures-benefits/

And if you like flower humor, here’s one for you:

What did the bee say to the flower?

“Hey bud, when do you open?

Time to get out the shovel … Happy Plant a Flower Day!

Heidi

Today is Plant a Flower Day… In Honor of Earth Day

Apr22

“Flowers are good for the Earth AND for the Soul” Heidi Richards Mooney

It got me thinking about how flowers affect us in such profound ways.

In Honor of Earth Day and Plant a Flower day….. Here’s a story Gloria Mount shared on the WIN network on RYZE Social network shared about how flowers have impacted her life:

THE FAMILY ROSE by Gloria Mount

Elizabeth is standing along side of what we are now calling, “The Family Rose”, at our home in California.

It was just a nice little red rose bush, to begin with and suddenly, it has taken on a life of its own.

Then I noticed this red rose, in full bloom….in the dead of winter, the only plant in the garden blooming. I was amazed, but knew the Lord was comforting me.

Come February 2005, the morning of my Mother-In-Law’s funeral….suddenly in our barren rose garden was this Red-Rose in full bloom!!! We cut it and took it with us to the services.

When Baby Luke was born, Oct. 2005 there was this Red-Rose!!

Now, May 2006, the morning of Liz’s Bday. I walked outside and saw 2 brilliant red buds….by the time we came back from her Bday breakfast…there was the Red Rose, in full bloom !!!!

Now, I’m wondering how Christina came to name her website….Cyerra Rose…I’m sure Chris wasn’t thinking of our roses here in Whittier….but “Some One” had guided her heart and mind.

As I’m writing this, the connection, now is amazing.

Cyerra Rose was always a beautiful name, but, now it all makes sense with our “Family Red Rose”.

God loves to delight us!!!!

If you’d like to stop by Gloria’s page and say HI and thank her for her story, it’s here: http://www.ryze.com/go/Italianmamma

In case you’d like to read about the other benefits, check out a post I wrote last month entitled “NATURES BENEFITS” at http://tulipstalk.wordpress.com/2008/03/12/natures-benefits/

And if you like flower humor, here’s one for you:

What did the bee say to the flower?

“Hey bud, when do you open?

Time to get out the shovel … Happy Plant a Flower Day!

Heidi

Daffodils – The Principle of Becoming

Apr4

There’s a new book in town and it is amazing! It is calledThe Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self by my good friend Lynn Serafinn ~ Personal Transformation Coach

Here’s an excerpt from her book: Daffodils – The Principle of Becoming

We all associate springtime with new beginnings. After a long, barren winter of hiding under the earth, the flowers begin to emerge one at a time. Here in the UK, the first flower of spring is the daffodil. This week, I took two lovely long walks in different parts of town here in Bedford—one along the River Great Ouse, and the other through Bedford Park, a beautiful Victorian park that is much loved by us Bedfordians. Daffodils were bursting with bright yellow everywhere I walked, especially in one wooded section of the Park, which was actually the inspiration for the setting of one of the stories in my upcoming book, The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. And when these brilliant flowers make an appearance, they really make an appearance. Never satisfied with being just a flower or two here and there, daffodils usually come in the hundreds when you find them. And what a glorious site they are. Their yellow colour and their unique shape makes you feel just as if the sun itself had decided to incarnate right there in the woods and burst into a thousand tiny suns. It is the true announcement that spring has come, and that new life is brewing all around us.

In my book, I use the daffodil as the symbol for “The Principle of Becoming”. “Becoming” means all that is continually evolving, growing and changing within us. Many of us fear change, but we all inwardly know that without change in our lives, we stagnate and die. Change is where innovation, imagination and creativity are born. It is the source of spontaneity, laughter and, ultimately, joy. “Becoming” therefore is the principle of regeneration and rebirth. No rebirth is able to take place without letting go of something else. In the case of the daffodils, they release themselves from the hidden safety of the earth, to take their chances in the open air of the late winter in the barren world above, before any of the other flowers dare attempt to poke their heads out. They do not wait to see if other flowers survive the ordeal first. They may look like light and cheerful flowers, and indeed they are; but in my view, they are also the most courageous.

We can learn from the daffodils by seeing that their glory lies in the fact that they took that bold chance, and are protected from harm, even when an unseasonable snowfall comes along. Like them, we can learn how to make courageous decisions in our lives by sensing when the time is right, and trusting the universe to carry us safely to our destination. It is when we procrastinate due to fear—of the unknown, of failure, of the judgement of others, or so many other things—that we often miss the opportunity the world is offering us. If the daffodil does not bloom in the spring, it has to wait until another year rolls around. Fear is inevitable in life. But fear itself is not our obstacle; it is merely an emotion. The real obstacle comes when we allow that fear to paralyse our own ability to grow. To master “The Principle of Becoming”, which is the lesson of the daffodil, we have to learn how to be comfortable with our own fears, and simply fall backwards into trust, for the greater purpose of feeling fully alive and bringing joy to the world.

This spring, when you see the daffodils, learn this vital lesson from them. Your glory in life begins the moment you hear the call of your own awakening and decide to take the chance to blossom, even in the face of your own fears. It is then when you too will take on the beauty of a thousand suns.

You can learn more about the lessons from the four flowers when you purchase my book The Garden of the Soul: lessons from four flowers that unearth the Self. It’s coming to Amazon on Tuesday 7 April 2009. AND if you join the “launch countdown”, you can find out how to receive 25 beautiful mind-body-spirit gifts donated by over 20 of my friends and colleagues, just for buying the book the day of the launch. Visit http://tinyurl.com/lynn-bonus for complete information. And be sure to keep an eye out for daffodils this week.