As part of our 125th Anniversary celebration
at Stein Your Florist Co. we are sharing a year of floral education, November
1, 2012 thru October 31, 2013. Each day we will post something new on our Facebook page to share
our knowledge of our favorite things, flowers and plants and we'll be updating
our blog every 5 days or so. No need for pencils and notebooks, just sharing
some simple lessons in floristry.
Day 151 - A
mark of purity and grace throughout the ages, the regal white lily is a fitting
symbol of the greater meaning of Easter. Gracing millions of homes and
churches, the flowers embody joy, hope and life. Whether given as a gift or
enjoyed in your own home, the Easter Lily, along with other Easter blooms,
serves as a beautiful reminder that Easter is a time for rejoicing and
celebrating.
Day 152 -
Today begins the month long Cherry Blossom Festival in Philadelphia, a
celebration of the beautiful blooms and Japanese culture. Our cherry blossoms
are just beginning to open, but will soon bear a bevy of beautiful pink petals.
Sakura, the Japanese name for cherry blossoms, serve as a metaphor for the
ephemeral nature of life.
Day 153 -
Although different tulip colors carry distinct meanings - yellow tulips
symbolizing cheerful thoughts, white conveying forgiveness and purple
representing royalty - a Turkish legend may be responsible for the red tulip's
symbolism. The story goes that a prince named Farhad was love struck by a
maiden named Shirin. When Farhad learned that Shirin had been killed, he was so
overcome with grief that he killed himself - riding his horse over the edge of
a cliff. It's said that a scarlet tulip sprang up from each droplet of his
blood, giving the red tulip the meaning "perfect love."
Day 154 -
Roses have colorful names such as Be My Baby, Tooth Fairy and Deja Blue. The
ones pictured here are called Mount Everest. They have even been named honoring
famous people from John F. Kennedy to Queen Victoria, and Ronald Reagan to
Dolly Parton. To make the name of a rose official, it must go pass stringent
testing by the American Rose Society, the governing organization in the United
States for authenticating and registering the names of new rose cultivars. A
new hybrid rose breed is a cultivar. In order to have the cultivar officially
sanctioned and the name registered with the ARS, the cultivar goes through
lengthy examinations conducted by the ARS testing how the rose performs in a
variety of garden settings and conditions. The cultivar breeder applies to a
governing body, such as the ARS, the Royal Horticulture Society of London or
the International Rose Cultivar Registration Authority. The registering
organization requires detailed information about the rose's lineage and
characteristics. There are extensive guidelines regarding the name. The IRCA
requires the cultivar name have no more than 10 syllables and no more than 30
letters or characters. The trial and name registration process with any
accredited organization can take 2 years or longer for an application to be
approved or denied.
Day 155 - The
11th wedding anniversary flower, it's said that the tulip's velvety black
center represents a lover's heart, darkened by the heat of passion. With the
power to rival roses in their red variety and the sweet charm to express simple
joy when yellow, it's no wonder that in addition to all its other symbolism, in
the language of flowers, a tulip bouquet represents elegance and grace.