Do you ever pick flowers for the simple joy they bring? Gathering a handful of flowers to give a friend can be as satisfying for you as it is the receiver. And it is well observed, a bundle of randomly picked blooms, casually placed in a vase on the kitchen table, makes any meal taste better.
When dinner simmers, why not gather fresh bloom while you wait? Fresh from the garden flowers brings elation.
Cheer a friend in the hospital–weather hurt from an accident or sharing the excitement of a new life–flowers are appropriate for any occasion. It doesn’t take a lot to have flowering plants growing in the garden for a quick pick-me-up. Too often we think of bouquets as long stemmed flowers to fit in a large vase. But there’s a sublime joy in gathering small stems from a perennial or shrub to drop into a mason jar.
Plants are for friendship. Research has shown* that, “Most recipients feel very positive about flowers and plants as gifts and overwhelming translate those feelings into positive feelings about the gift-giver as well.”
Do you remember the feelings you felt the last time someone gave you flowers? Just yesterday, my 12 year old daughter brought me a short bunch of rain lilies, standing proudly in a jelly jar. Even a child (or especially a child) knows the joy flowers bring.
Whenever I’m invited to a party, I bring foliage or flowers–usually in the form of a ready made container, since I don’t want to cause any more work for the host. I’ve been known to bring a potted topiary, a blooming amaryllis, or bunch of single stems from my garden of plants that were in bloom that day, with each stem setting in a single clear bottle. What delight it is to keep together for a larger arrangement or to tuck individual bottles around the house for a seasonal surprise.
When adding plants for landscape value, also consider the benefit of bringing foliage or flowers inside, as well. Snipping blooming stems of a forsythia, a peach tree, or even an azalea, will bring something different and special into the home. These stems become great conversation starters. There’s a lot of untapped beauty awaiting you in the garden.
During the quiet before dinner and before the preverbal storm of homework, bath time, meetings, and more, try stepping outside for just a minute and snip something wonderful to bring inside to bring you silent joy.
*America in Bloom
By: Helen Yoest
The TarHeelGardening blog is published and edited by Helen Yoest. For more information on Tarheel Gardening, please visit our website at Tarheel Gardening - your online resource for North Carolina gardening enthusiasts.
Sponsored by the North Carolina Nursery and Landscape Association (NCNLA)
