Category Archives: Flowers

There is something spectacular to be said about monochromatic schemes, and while I’m not disciplined enough to maintaining myself, I’m always enraptured when I see them done well. There’s also a sense of calm and serenity to a scene that eases the eyes by using one or two colors, rather than utilizing the full spectrum in dramatic super-saturated intensity. Bouquets that focus on a single section of the color wheel offer a charm and elegance often missing from a cacophonous mix of every color available. As I get older, I find myself drawn to such simplicity. 

I’m also a great admirer of the moonlight garden – those spaces that use only white flowers for a garden that exerts its magic most powerfully at dusk or dawn, when the white flowers act like little moons floating at ground level. That’s the vibe I got from this camp of white narcissus – serenity, tranquility, calm. A quiet nod of beauty in a world that grows louder and less serene by the day. 

Everything’s been coming up roses in these parts, and it’s a beautiful thing. Fresh off this celebratory rose fragrance post, I found this gorgeous bouquet of ‘country roses’ at Trader Joe’s. With their undulating shades of pink, and these wondrously ruffled edges, they were more interesting than the common roses one finds in every market these days. 

There was something quaint about them as well, befitting their designation as country roses, and I don’t even know what that might mean. Sometimes it is enough just being pretty. 

Finishing up ‘The Highly Sensitive Person’ by Dr. Elaine N. Aron is putting me in an introspective mindset, as does this glorious spring weather we have had of late. I want to slow everything down and savor it, to fully inhabit the moment at hand, to pause in the bed of unfurling ostrich ferns and lean down to take in the full fragrance of a daffodil.

“Sometimes we do need just to enjoy the world out there as it is and be glad for those who help us, the extraverted who can make even total strangers feel connected. Sometimes we need an inner anchor – that is, those who are introverted and give their full attention to the deepest nuances of private experience. Life is not just about the movies we have both seen and the restaurants we have both tried. Sometimes discussing the subtler questions is essential for the soul.” ~ Dr. Elaine N. Aron

Our Kwanzan cherry tree is in full bloom, and already dropping its petals – a lesson in the fleeting nature of such beauty and grace. It never lasts for long – but I would always indulge in short glory if only for the memory of it. I stand beneath the tree in the late afternoon, looking at the way the sun ricochets through the pink canopy, and I do my best to still the moment, to elongate the beauty, to make a memory that will last long after the final pink petal drops. 

When spring is stalled and the nights are still too cold to put out the tropical potted plants, I find solace in the local greenhouse – in this case Faddegon’s – where the plants are warm and toasty and in full bloom. The colors are wildly vibrant, especially after such a drawn-out and dull winter, and they bring to mind hints of summer and sunny days. 

Is there a happier sight than a hibiscus in gloriously full bloom? With their throats of scarlet or cream and frilled petals of salmon and sunshine, they make for happy faces indeed. 

Deeper in the greenhouse was this hanging specimen, with little purple and white bunches of flowers – another tropical treat that is perfectly at home indoors when the winds wail and the night temperature drops. 

And so we wait for the outside to catch up with the inside, and for spring to offer something slightly more pleasant before summer storms in without any sort of temperate moderation whatsoever. 

This space needed a little jolt of happy energy, and so this pair of photos is intended to lift us up a bit until the weather more fully embodies the season. These flowers remind me of summer vacation, where they often populate the potted plantings of seaside towns and summer homes. I may grow a few myself this year, but we are not yet at the frost-free date, and this year I’m not chancing anything. 

I found a lovely bouquet of pale pink hyacinths at the market a couple of weeks ago, and they held long stems that included the very top of the bulbs from which they originated. I plopped them into a vase and let them flaccidly flop about, thinking they might rebound like a tulip and curve upwards. Instead, they curved downward, and the effect was rather graceful and enchanting. It’s difficult to go wrong when you let nature guide design.

The resulting form echoed that of a trailing orchid bloom as it hangs over some tropical tree limb. It was an exquisite effect, so I didn’t bother re-cutting the flowers to a shorter and more sturdy form. Beauty will happen where it happens – it’s best to just go with the flow. 

Near the end of our Spring Stroll in Boston, this patch of yellow crocus appeared, heralding the new season and mimicking the sun that decided to disappear right at that moment. These little flowers carried on the cheer in the face of wind and rain. They make a lovely little mid-Sunday treat as well.

Legend has it that the name ‘daisy’ is derived from ‘day’s eye’, which seems too good to be true, but maybe there was a time when the world made sense, and pretty things had pretty names without any sort of ulterior motives or cynical irony. I’m embracing that kind of hope as I am due in Cape Cod for JoAnn’s birthday gathering, and given the way travel plans have gone over the past two years, may the universe smile on our little get-together. 

In honor of the birthday girl, here are some daisies, one of her favorites. They remind me of her, and populate any party we’ve thrown in her honor. A more cheerful floral persona the world doesn’t yet know. 

A true pansy laughs off spring snowstorms, shuddering in the wind and cold, but bravely prevailing and shaking off the icy cloak of winter’s death throes. At the time of this writing, I have no idea what sort of snow event we will be getting today, or how it might affect the plants outside. It’s way too early for me to have put anything outside, and the perennials and shrubs will have the power to shrug off the snow as needed. We may lose a few flowers in the process, but such is to be expected in upstate New York. 

In the meantime, this glimpse of pansies from the local nursery will provide a happy thing to look upon while we trudge through a decidedly dreary day. Andy had hoped to have the pool open and running by now, though it may be best to wait a bit. No sense in having it snow on that parade. 

While spring wavers in properly arriving, and we still have snow squalls terrorizing the neighborhood, I’ve been in a bit of a funk, seeking some source of inspiration for kicking myself into spring gear. I may try switching out the rose quartz crystal I use in my daily meditation with a carnelian stone, which supposedly ignites the creative drive. 

Or maybe this blazing begonia seen at Faddegon’s will prove the incendiary source of inspiration to usher me into creatively fertile ground. Any recommended music, books, shows, movies, or artists are always appreciated. 

When spring is slow to start, and the flowers are hesitant to open, I find my way to Faddegon’s to get a little floral fix before everything opens at once. (It usually happens when more than one day in a row deigns to be warm, and since that doesn’t look to happen with any consistency soon, here are a few floral blasts from the local greenhouse. They give a thrill because of their strong colors, and may be appreciated more than when the outside world will inevitably catch up to them.