Flowers Guide

Writen by Joel S. Taylor

Flowers tend to be the gift of choice for many special occasions, including Mother's Day, Easter, and Valentine's Day. But did you know that flowers speak a language all their own? Every flower has a unique meaning based on its color and other distinguishing characteristics, so the next time you decide to buy a beautiful bouquet for someone you love, make sure the flowers you choose convey the right message.

Roses: Roses are the popular choice when it comes to flower selection. Modern cultivators of the rose tend to emphasize color and size more than any other aspect of the flower, whereas wild roses are often characterized by a strong, sweet scent.

For thousands of years, the rose has stood as a symbol for love and beauty. But the different rose colors also represent specific sentiments. For instance, red roses symbolize love, pink signify grace, and white convey innocence, purity, and secrecy. Yellow roses represent platonic love, and orange are symbolic of passion.

Lilies: Lilies are large-flowering and showy. They are often fragrant and come in a variety of colors including white, yellow, and red. Depending on the color, lilies can signify youthful innocence, purity, modesty, virginity, majesty, beauty, wealth, pride, and prosperity.

Tulips: Tulips are native to southern Europe, North Africa, and Asia. The European use of the word "tulip" was probably taken from the Persian word for turban, as flowers were often worn in the folds of a turban. Tulip meanings include: perfect lover, hopeless love, fame, love, and passion. They can say, "Believe me," "There is sunshine in your smile," and "I love you."

Iris: Deriving its name from the Latin word for rainbow, the iris is a flower that comes in many colors, as you might expect. Irises symbolize faith, wisdom, valor, promise, and hope. The fleur-de-lys also represents the Kings of France and is the official flower for the city of New Orleans.

Orchids: There are many varieties of orchids, more than any other plant family. Orchids were very popular and widely distributed in the 19th century, resulting in about 25, 000 varieties. Orchids represent love, beauty, refinement, and mature charm.

Daisies: Daisies have been admired by people for thousands of years, and used as decoration for just as much time. In ancient Greece and Egypt, this pretty flower inspired the local artists to create hairpins and ceramics decorated with its likeness. The daisy embodies notions of innocence, loyal love, purity, gentleness, and romance. It also sends the message, "I'll never tell" to someone whose secrets you have promised to keep.

Sunflowers: It's no surprise where the sunflower got its name – this flower always faces the sun. Originating in Central and South America, sunflowers were originally cultivated for practical uses, rather than for beauty. The sunflower has different meanings, depending on the culture. In China it is seen as a symbol of longevity, while Native Americans leave a bowl of sunflower seeds on the graves of their deceased loved ones as a sign of grief.

Carnations: Hailing from the Near East, carnations have been a part of human culture for the past 2000 years. The origins of the name are contested, but it is generally thought to derive from the Greek word "carnis"(flesh), perhaps referring to the original color for which this flower was known. Carnations are the perfect emblem of womanly love, devoted love, and admiration. Carnations say, "My heart aches for you," and "I'll never forget you," so if you send someone you love a bouquet of fresh carnations you've made the right choice.

Flower enthusiast, Gardening hobbiest, Plant Lover flowers cheap flowers

Kolkwitzia Amabilis Pink Cloud

Writen by Alan Summers

A Profusion of Blooms from Grandmother's Garden My favorite deciduous shrub for mid-spring color is a plant that was widely grown in grandmother's times - Kolkwitzia amabilis, commonly and aptly named Beauty Bush. This plant was discovered in China around the turn of the last century by the world's preeminent plant explorer E.H. Wilson, who considered it one of his finest introductions. It quickly became very popular first in England and then here. In 1946, the Royal Horticultural Society's Wisley Gardens introduced an improved form with superior flowering. This week we are featuring that selection of Beauty Bush - appropriately named 'Pink Cloud.' 'Pink Cloud' blooms for several weeks in May (in cool seasons up to a month) with a fountain of thousands of bell-shaped, soft pink flowers with yellow throats. The blooms are displayed on arching stems and literally cover the plant, creating a singularly effective display.

With new horticultural techniques of container growing, unfortunately Beauty Bush fell into disfavor. It resents pot culture, looks spindly and weak in the container and is easily passed over. Once planted in the garden, however, it rapidly and reliably grows robustly. I consider Beauty Bush to be a far superior plant to Weigela, yet for every 100 Weigela you see, you may spot one Beauty Bush in someone's garden.

Maturing at eight feet tall and six feet wide, I have used Beauty Bush in my landscape designs as a screen, as a specimen and at the corner of a house in groups of three. It looks particularly striking surrounded by early-flowering red peonies. I have never seen an insect or disease on a Beauty Bush. It asks only for any reasonable soil that is well-drained. It grows best in full sun, but will tolerate very light shade. Kolkwitzia is incredibly drought tolerant. I have a specimen planted strategically as you come up my driveway that has been in place for years and has never seen a drop of water from a hose - even in the worst of droughts. For maximum flower production, after about 5 years we recommend an annual pruning right after the flowers fade. Either remove 1/3 of the stems (the oldest ones) at ground level or give the plant an all-over haircut, removing about 25% of the foliage mass.

Planting and Care

Hardy in Zones 4-8

Prefers a well-drained soil in full sun.

Fertilize with Plant-Tone in late fall and early spring.

When necessary, prune right after flowering.

Click here to view Pink Cloud on the Carroll Gardens website.

Alan Summers, president of Carroll Gardens, Inc., has over 30 years experience in gardening and landscape design. He has made Carroll Gardens one of America's preeminent nurseries, having introduced more than 20 new perennials and woody shrubs over the years and reintroduced numerous "lost" cultivars back to American gardeners.

Carroll Gardens publishes a weekly online newsletter written by Alan. It contains valuable gardening advice and tips and answers to customer questions. Click here to sign up for the Carroll Gardens weekly enewsletter.

Every Saturday, Alan hosts a call-in gardening forum on WCBM radio - 680 AM. For those outside of the WCBM listening area, they can listen to radio show via the internet.

Visit CarrollGardens.com to learn more.

Chives Allium Schoenoprasum

Writen by Gwen Stewart

Known as common garden chives, Allium schoenoprasum, can be grown indoors and out. Chives are rich in vitamins A and C, potassium, and calcium. They are grown for the flavour of their leaves, which is reminiscent of onion, although much milder. Both the stems and light purple flowers are used in cooking and the snipped leaves are an addition to many dishes. Chives lose their flavour with long cooking so it is best to add them to dishes at the last minute. For chopping stems, a pair of scissors is the best tool.

Chives can be frozen or dried. They are less flavourful when dried rather that frozen, so they are best used when fresh and snipped, or snipped and frozen. In both cases sort them carefully, removing any yellowing leaves and shoots, and keep only the plump green ones. It is possible to place chives in non-iodized salt, keep them there for several weeks, remove the leaves, and then bottle the 'chive salt' for use in flavouring.

Chives are a perennial in the garden and grow approximately 12 inches (30 cm) tall. They are extremely easy to grow, are drought tolerant, rarely suffer from disease or pest problems, and don't require fertilizer. Cultivation requirements for growing chives: full sun, will tolerate light shade; grow best in well-drained, organic, fertile soil; keep soil moist – use mulch, and water during periods of drought. Chives tend to get overcrowded so dig and divide every three to four years.

Chives are easily grown from seed or can be brought indoors at the end of the growing season. If you are bringing chives indoors, divide a clump, and pot up in good houseplant soil. Leave your chive plant outdoors for a month or so after the first frost to provide a short period of dormancy. Bring them indoors and provide the requirements needed for them to start growing again. To harvest, snip leaves 2 inches (5cm) from the base of the plant. Cut flower stalks off at the soil line once they have finished blooming. This prevents the plant form forming seed and keeps it more productive.

Chives require at least five to eight hours of sunlight a day. Grow them on a southern or eastern exposure to the light. If you are growing them on a windowsill, turn regularly to ensure every side receives light. If you are unable to provide this amount of light, they also grow well under fluorescent lights. Hang lights 6 inches above the plants and leave lights on for 14 hours per day.

In the garden, plant chives with carrots. They are good companion plantings for tomatoes and fruit trees. Chives or garlic planted between rows of peas or lettuce control pashas and are reported to control the incidence of aphids when planted between roses. In the kitchen, use chives in omelets, scrambled eggs, casseroles, rice, dips, gravies, butter, meat, and seafood. Chives can be added to soft cheese, salads, sandwiches, sour cream, vinegar, and bake potatoes. Chive blossoms can be used for garnishing and are particularly attractive in salads. Chive stems can be used for tying up little bundles of vegetables for appetizers.

Gwen Nyhus Stewart, B.S.W., M.G., H.T., is an educator, freelance writer, garden consultant, and author of the book The Healing Garden: A Place Of Peace – Gardening For The Soil, Gardening For The Soul and the booklet Non-toxic Alternatives For Everyday Cleaning And Gardening Products. She owns the website Gwen's Healing Garden where you will find lots of free information about gardening for the soil and gardening for the soul. To find out more about the books and subscribe to her free Newsletter visit http://www.gwenshealinggarden.ca

Gwen Nyhus Stewart © 2004 – 2005. All rights reserved.