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Tulips

April 25, 2010 By 6 Comments
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Today we are looking at the lovely tulip.

Words to describe tulips could be –

  • Cheerful
  • Elegant
  • Showy
  • Colourful

What words would you use to describe this flower?

In the language of flowers, the tulip means –

  • Beautiful eyes
  • Fame
  • Love

Interesting facts:

  • There are over 109 species, with approximately 3,000 different varieties in the tulip family the Liliaceae.
  • If you buy tulips as cut flowers, they will continue to grow in a vase.
  • The first tulips originated as a wildflower in Central Asia. It was in the 17th century that tulips was introduced to Europe. Tulips were so popular in Holland that some special varieties became very expensive to buy; it could quite easily cost the same as buying a house!
  • The Flower Design Institute have provided a useful video on how to care and arrange tulips. Please visit their website for further tips and hints for arranging beautiful displays of flowers.

There are 3 flowering times –

  • Early flowering – March – April
  • Mid season flowering – April -May
  • Late flowering – May
  • There are 12 viruses that can affect tulips, causing problems with the flowers and leaves, as well as problems with growth. The RHS provide a useful information page to help you notice symptoms and give advice on how you can help improve the health of your tulips – Tulips Viruses
  • This bulbous plant is lovely to see in spring, with its amazing range of colours and patterns at various heights from the tall and elegant, to the striking compact variety.
  • Tulips can often be seen in our local parks and roundabout displays as well as a garden favourite.

White and Green Tulips Greeting Card

I have been very fortunate to see the wonderful tulip farms and gardens  in Holland when I was a child. It is something I would like to return to and see again, as it left me speechless, admiring the fields of rich colour.

Daffodils and Tulips Holland Tulips Tulips in Holland

Above 3 images of Tulips and daffodils from Holland, are taken by my Dad from one of our trips.

I have been enjoying various gardens in Dorset and Hampshire admiring this beauty. There are so many different varieties it’s hard to choose a favourite, do you have a favourite?

Tulips can be grown successfully in containers and spring borders. They often provide a sense of structure to a garden border, and mixes well with other plants. I have particularly enjoyed gardens that have concentrated on a green and white colour scheme, with white tulips, daffodils and snowflakes dotted around green foliage. This provides a cool restful scene. An example of this can be seen at Apple Court Gardens in Hampshire, which we will be writing a blog post about our visit very soon.

If you would like to visit a garden to admire this lovely varied flower, the following is a small selection of gardens and farms recommended to see tulips.

  • Keukenhof in Holland has some 32 acres of Tulips!
  • Pashley Manor Gardens in Sussex have a tulips festival, running from the 23rd April –  3rd May. They have some 23,000 tulips to admire!

Spring colour at Kew Gardens

Where to buy Tulips

All garden centres sell tulips, but if you are looking for a specialist grower –

At Nita Joy Craft Design we have some special personalised tulip cards for a variety of occasions, or add your personal message.

We will also have some tulip designs available for kitchen splashbacks through My Kitchen Store, which we will be announcing soon!

Orange tulips and narcissus good luck cardWherever you live, there is sure to be a garden near you where you can enjoy the beautiful tulip.

Enjoy!

We would love to hear your recommended places to see Tulips so we can share them with our blog readers.

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Gardens to see Daffodils

March 26, 2010 By 5 Comments
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The Daffodil

Daffodils are known as the flower for March birthdays, so would be a great idea for a gift and personalised birthday card.

In the language of flowers the daffodil means–

  • Regard
  • Respect

This greeting cards is available through our online shop – Easter Cards

I think this flower would be most appropriate for use in business, as well as for a personal message.

Business strive to be respected in their given profession, and want to show respect to their customers /clients.

It could also be a great gift to give someone as a thank you.


Various cultures and religions have various associated meanings with this flower –

  • The Greeks have a rather sad mythology associated with this flower, involving a punishment from God for our human failures, such as the story of Adonis. There was also a man named Narcissus who thought of himself better than anyone else. He died staring into his own reflection in a pool of water. A flower grew where he died and was named the narcissus.
  • Psychologists use the term ‘narcissist’ to describe those who are obsessed with themselves, excluding all others.
  • The Egyptians used the daffodil bulb skins as part of their burial ceremony.
  • Christians associate the daffodil with re birth and resurrection; the daffodil is used as a symbol of Jesus’ death and resurrection. We use the daffodil as a part of our Easter card collection for this reason.
  • On ‘Mothering Sunday’ or ‘Mother’s Day’ – it’s traditional to give your mum daffodils. The tradition goes back to when those who were in service (maids and servants), were allowed the day off from work to visit their families. As a gift to their mums they would pick wildflowers, including the daffodil. In church services, it’s common for Mums to be given daffodils as part of the service celebrating this day.
  • The Daffodil is the emblem for Wales – also worn with pride on St David’s day (Welsh - Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Sant) St David is the patron saint of Wales and the celebration takes place on the 1st of March.
  • William Wordsworth in 1804 wrote a poem called Daffodils. To hear Jeremy Irons read it beautifully -  Daffodils
  • The Marie Curie Cancer Charity has the daffodil as their emblem.

Here is some information about the lovely daffodil

  • The Latin name for the daffodil is narcissus.
  • There are thousands of different types of daffodil.
  • Due to the huge number of varieties, they have been divided into 13 specific groups to help narrow them down to particular styles, shape, growing conditions and so on…
  • Plant them from September onwards to flower in the following spring.
  • Need help with growing daffodils? -  Then The RHS have provided a helpful guide – Daffodils
  • Daffodil Bulbs are a tasty treat to snails and slugs, and squirrels have been known to dig them up. They are also prone to diseases such as bulb rot.
  • You can grow them indoors as well as outdoors. The indoor varieties brighten up your living space and often have a wonderful smell.
  • Advice from Gardener’s world suggest that the best varieties to grow indoors are -

-          Grand Soleil d’Or an early flowering narcissus

-          Minnow

Gardens to admire the beauty of the daffodil

Daffodils tend to be a park favourite, and you may also see them planted alongside roads and roundabouts.

– Daffodils at Glencoyne Bay, Ullswater

-  ‘Doras Field’

We have daffodil cards and a daffodil tote bag.

Please see our online shop for further details – www.sendaflowercard.com

Where are your favourite gardens to see daffodils?

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floral gifts

March 12, 2010 By Leave a Comment
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Gerbera Mother's Day cards

I have been mainly focusing on personalised cards using my flower photography for the past two years.

My floral gift collection includes personalised totebags and notebooks, as well as coasters and candle holders which will be available to buy through my website soon.

For those who enjoy gardening we have the lovely ranges – Pocket Garden and Bee Good candles from Canova

Within the last few months we have been working towards providing a larger complementing gift range using my flower images.

Many customers and friends have asked if my flower photography was available as framed or canvas prints, so I have been working to expand my range. The below image is an example of the prints available to buy. They would make a lovely Easter or Birthday gift, bringing a touch of nature to your living space.

As well as my special collection of floral art prints, I am pleased to be able to tell you that we are now able to provide a range of personalised mugs, t-shirts, aprons, baby outfits, shoes, tote bags and so on through our zazzle shop.

Nigella Love-in-a-mist slip on shoes kedsshoe

I am particulary excited to have my floral prints available on shoes.

I hope you will like my collection.

If you are interested in our gift range please visit my website for further details. – www.sendafloralgift.com Sunflower Apron apron

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