As someone who frequently suffers, like Winnie the Pooh, from having ‘Very Little Brain’, I have to create mnemonics to help me remember all the tasks that running a household involves. Since I have A LOT of houseplants, I decided to nominate Fridays for watering them. So far this seems to be working. When I exclaimed that my plants needed attention because is was Flower Friday, my husband assumed that it was thing: a day to give and receive flowers. What a lovely idea, I thought. And nothing is a ‘thing’ until we make it one. So here’s my suggestion, that on Fridays, we give our attention to flowers. Perhaps we remember to water them, or to make an arrangement or give a bouquet, large or small, to someone we care about. And of course, we are not restricted to Fridays. Every day gives an opportunity to celebrate flowers.
The power of potted plants
Much has been written about the benefits of filling your home with plants, so I thought I would check what the medical website, WebMD, had to say about it. Plants, it seems, are mini medics acting as air filters purifying the air of dust and pollutants whilst simultaneously increasing humidity and oxygen levels. Most of us know that plants improve mood and help us relax, but I was astonished to discover how they also improve our concentration levels and academic performance. ‘Students in classrooms with three potted plants performed better on math, spelling, reading, and science tests than kids in classrooms without any greens.’ (WebMD) Perhaps, rather than filling our schools with smart boards, we should be filling them with plants!
In addition, they have important healing powers: improving both our mental and physical wellbeing. Bringing flowers to someone in a hospital bed does more than add a little colour to the ward. ‘Researchers found that people who had surgery got better faster if they had plants in their room or even a view of the nature from their window. They also tolerated pain better and needed fewer medications when surrounded by greenery.’ (https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/ss/slideshow-health-benefits-houseplants) With so much to offer for so little effort and cost, I now feel justified in getting some more.
Garden flowers
The last week or so the weather has been exceptionally fine and almost warm, so I take my breakfast out to the garden each morning. With the arrival of spring, my garden has erupted into a blaze of yellows, purples and whites and it would be churlish not to enjoy every minute of this magnificent display.
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
And for me, gardens are the first point of welcome to my home. By planting lots of flowers on the path to our doors, we are making a celebration of each visitor. Though we are seldom able to spend a lot of time in our front gardens, we can still provide some colour to passers-by. I know that I enjoy the gardens of others and hope that they enjoy mine.
Flowers and friendship
Flowers have always been tied to friendship and love. They are readily portable beauties that are meant to be shared. Though relatively inexpensive, they are much more certain to induce joy than even more expensive gifts. Simply put, flowers make us happy and the science backs this up. Giving flowers doesn’t have to be tied to a special occasion. In fact, the unexpected bouquet is often the most precious.
We don’t even need to buy them. If you are blessed with an abundance in the garden, take some each time you visit a friend. Tied with a simple ribbon, they look complete. Even if you don’t have a garden or florist shop nearby, tiny flowers from the verges are beautiful too. Daisies, buttercups, wild violas, pink campions and grasses have a delicate allure. Size does not matter. Some of my favourite arrangements are of tiny flowers set in little glass containers. A group of three makes a pleasing tableau.
Image: Karen Costello-McFeat
Pass it on
Another wonderful way to share is to give seedlings or cuttings of flowers. Friends often give me such things and more often than not they grow into majestic plants lasting several seasons. One friend gave me a tiny rose pelargonium, which now fills two large garden pots. Since these delightfully scented geraniums are hard to find, I’ve taken cuttings too and passed them on. There is something especially delightful in conjuring plants from nothing and in enjoying the fruits of someone’s nurturing.
This cutting of an angel winged begonia was a surprise gift.
My spider plant’s ‘babies’ have colonised many parts of my home and those of friends. And I have become less shy in asking for a cutting of a particularly pretty shrub. After all, we can all spare a little twig!
Fridays are for flowers
Tomorrow I shall need to do my watering and compost the old arrangements and make some new ones. It is a weekly ritual that never fails to raise my spirits. I hope that you will find time for flowers this Friday too. Whether you give them or receive them, may they bring you joy.