Floriography, by Gina Margolies — JulyBirthMonthFlower

What’s in a name? In Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, Juliet famously asks, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet. . .” She seems to be arguing that it doesn’t matter to her that Romeo is a Montague, the rivals of her family the Capulets. She loves him regardless of his name.   Family feuds aside, Juliet does raise an intriguing point. What is in a name? As I have become immersed in the world of flowers, I am often puzzled by the names of the various blossoms. All the...

July’s Birthday Blossom is the playful Larkspur. This Birthday Blossom is light, colorful and complex. Larkspur flowers come in a variety of colors including spikes of red, pink, violet and white which symbolize carefree summer days, feeling lighthearted, and having fun. The scientific name is delphinium, a form of the Latin word for dolphin, possibly due to the shape of the larkspur. Larkspurs were a popular gift in Victorian times when they were associated with a strong feeling of romance. In modern times, white blossoms signify a happy-go-lucky nature while purple represents first love. Even butterflies love larkspur and the...