by Valerie Nusbaum
I originally intended this column to be about our garden project, but I decided to put that story on hold until later in the summer when I’ll know whether or not our new garden is a success or a failure. We’ll either be eating tomatoes and corn, or crow. That remains to be seen, and I’ll let you know.
We’ve been experiencing sort of a strange spring this year. Raise your hand if you agree with me. You know I can’t see you, right? Anyway, March came in like a lamb and went out like a lion. The winds were terrible and they wreaked havoc on our daffodils and all the stuff that was starting to bloom. Since it’s said that April showers bring May flowers, I’ve been thinking a lot about flowers lately and decided to do some research into species and varieties.
Each month has a specific “birth” flower, which symbolizes characteristics of those born during that particular month. January’s flower, the carnation, stands for fascination and love; February’s primrose represents modesty and virtue. Randy’s April birth flower is the sweet pea (how appropriate), which means that he’s blissful and full of pleasure. Sure he is. My birth flower for August is either the poppy or gladiolus, which both symbolize moral integrity. So, there.
Other flower months are as follows: March—daffodil (rebirth, vanity); May—lily of the valley (happy, humble); June—rose (love, appreciation); July—delphinium (joyful, fickle); September—morning glory (daintiness); October—calendula (grace, comfort); November—chrysanthemum (cheerful, friendly); December—holly (sweet, self-esteem).
Every state has a state flower. Some are cultivated and some are wildflowers, but each blossom is indigenous to that particular state. We all know that Maryland’s state flower is the black-eyed-susan (rudbeckia hirta), but did you know how the flower got its name? It was named for the Swedish professor of botany, Olaus Rudbeck. You thought I was going to tell you the story of how Susan got a black eye, but I seriously couldn’t find anything about that. My guess is that she was born in August and got lippy with a girl who was born in March.
Texas has the bluebonnet and Massachusetts has the mayflower, while Maine’s state “flower” is the white pine cone and tassel. These should be self-explanatory. I can’t list all fifty states here, but you can look up the state flowers on Wikipedia if you’re interested.
There are hundreds of varieties of roses, and these sweet-smelling beauties come in a wide range of colors. Did you know that the color of the rose you give to someone is intended to tell that person exactly how you feel about her or him? Red roses, of course, infer romantic love, while white roses imply purity of heart. Pink roses are the correct way to show appreciation or say “thank you” and yellow roses indicate friendship. On a trip to San Antonio a few years back, Randy and I learned that the Yellow Rose of Texas was a person and not a flower, but that’s a story for another day and probably another publication since it’s a bit risqué—at least the way the story was told to us. On the other hand, our tour guide was drinking something from a flask. But I digress….
Giving orange roses to someone is meant to let that person know that you desire her or him, while lavender blooms indicate that it was love at first sight for you. A bouquet of different-colored roses might say that you’re unsure how you feel about the recipient, but you certainly liked her or him well enough to buy roses!
Not only does the color of the rose tell a story, but also the number of stems you’re handing out. A single flower shows your utmost devotion. Two entwined roses say “Marry me.” A bouquet of thirteen roses is from a secret admirer, so please remember not to sign the card, and don’t deliver it in person.
We use flowers at weddings to celebrate new beginnings, and we send flowers for funerals to show respect and say good-bye. We plant flowers in our yards to beautify our homes. Our choices reflect our personalities and tastes, and sometimes our degree of laziness. These days, I tend to plant flowers that don’t require much attention. I used to have a gorgeous rose garden, but roses are such divas and the constant pruning, feeding, and tending wore me out. People used to stop all the time to ask me questions about my roses. I didn’t have answers for them because I tossed out all the tags that came with the plants. I didn’t care what they were called. They were pretty.
When we were dating, Randy sent flowers to me all the time. I jokingly told him once that pink carnations were my favorite. After that, he always sent me bouquets of the perky pinks, or he made sure that the florist included at least one pink carnation in every arrangement delivered to my office. Years later, I confessed that my favorite flowers are really white roses. Randy still sends or brings me flowers, and he still gets me pink carnations, because, as he says, why mess with a sure thing.
