Floriography, by Gina Margolies
Origin of name Larkspur, July's Birth Month Flower
Birth Month Flower Meaning JulyBirthMonthFlower Larkspur
Gina MargoliesWhat’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 Birth Month Flower
JulyBirthdayBlossom JulyBirthMonthFlower JulyBirthMonthGifts Larkspur WhatsMyBirthMonthFlower?
Birthday BlossomsJuly’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...
Visiting Rodin’s Roses
Birthday BlossomsToday is my last chance to squeeze in one more paean to June’s lovely Birthday Blossom before I turn to my own Birthday Blossom in July. On a recent Birthday Blossoms field trip to France, I had the privilege of visiting Musee Rodin in Paris. Opened in 1919 the museum is dedicated to French sculptor Auguste Rodin. It is housed in the building that served as Rodin’s workshop and was donated to the French State at his death, along with his entire collection. The museum exhibits many of Rodin’s most significant sculptures, including The Thinker and The Kiss. The museum...
What we're reading now
BookReview JuneBirth Month Flower Roses
Gina MargoliesIn honor of June’s Birthday Blossom, I have been busy perusing books about roses. One of my new finds is the aptly titled Roses. The photographs are by Fabio Petroni and the text by Natalia Fedeli. Clearly meant to be a coffee table book, Roses is actually both visually stunning and a fascinating read. The fruits of this crossbreeding are stunning. If you think that pictures of roses would be boring I can assure you that these are not. The variety of style, the rainbow of hues, and the juxtaposition of each color-saturated rose...
The Magic of Spring
Gina Margolies
Every spring the fairies come out to play. After the long barrenness of winter, our enchanting friends revel in the new warmth with exuberant joy. Many tales and stories reveal how the magical realm welcomes spring. The fairy mothers in “The Legend of the Fairy Tulips” rock their springtime babies in newly-blossomed flower cradles. The fairies in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream celebrate the arrival of springtime with dancing and merrymaking. The flowing green Spring Sprite from Fantasia 2000 soars over the barren earth to call forth new life. These stories and so many others capture the gush of magic...