Floriography, by Gina Margolies — birth month gifts

February’s Birthday Blossom is the lovely violet, but we think you will agree that the rose gets all of the attention when the 14th of the month rolls around. It will surprise no one to know that Valentine’s Day is the single largest day of the year for rose purchases (more than 250 million), and that the red rose is the most popular choice. To honor the romantic rose, Birthday Blossoms would like to share this short poem by D.H. Lawrence, written in 1923. Nature responds so beautifully. Roses are only once-wild roses, that were given an extra chance, So...

May’s Birthday Blossom is the lovely lily of the valley, seen in the photo on a silk scarf. There are so many things to love about lily of the valley – the sweet white petals, the quiet beauty, the promise of summer to come. Our favorite lily of the valley fun fact is that in the Victorian era, when flowers spoke their own language, lily of the valley carried the message, “You have made my life complete.” What a lovely sentiment from May’s Birthday Blossom.

"People from a planet without flowers would think we must be mad with joy the whole time to have such things around us."                                                                       - Iris Murdoch  

March's Birthday Blossom is the sunny daffodil, symbol of Spring, rebirth, and new beginnings. Our favorite fun fact about daffodils:  In Sardinia, honey made from bees who have fed on daffodils is prized for its delicate taste.

October’s birth month flower is the festive Marigold. This Birthday Blossom is bright, cheerful and talented. Scientifically referred to as tagetes, the common name marigold is derived from the words “Mary’s Gold,” as the marigold was called by early Christians who placed the flowers around statues of Mary, offering the blossoms in place of coins. Today, the marigold is a festival flower in many cultures. It is significant in Nepal, where marigold garlands are used almost in every household, especially during the Tihar festival. The marigold is also widely cultivated in India and Thailand, where large quantities of marigolds are...