Both the sight and scent of flowers delight. They’re often present at life’s important occasions: weddings, funerals, birthdays and anniversaries. They help cheer people up when they’re sick or sad and help us make celebrations more special. They also trigger memories, and so, are often dried or pressed between leaves of a book for safe keeping. Most perfumes are made from concentrated floral scents. The slightest whiff of a familiar perfume can awaken a sleeping mountain of memories.
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.
~ William Shakespeare
Floral names for women have always been popular, among them: Rosa, Daisy, Iris, Violet, Lily, Myrtle, Margarite and Jasmine. Although most people love trees, they certainly don’t name their daughters Spruce or Maple. Why do flowers have this special place in our lives?
Could it be because the olfactory nerve that plays such an important role in our sense of smell is located right next to the part of our brain where memory is stored? Or is there some more mysterious reason? After all, shape and color define flowers as much as scent.
My dad’s favorite flower was lily of the valley, which happens to be in bloom now in my flower beds. It’s almost impossible for me to look at these delicate white flowers without thinking of him. These are also my friend Rose’s favorite flowers, so they also trigger thoughts of her too. Oddly enough, I don’t think of Rose when I look at roses.
Forget-me-nots are also in bloom. They remind me of my grandparents who had the words ‘forget-me-not’ engraved in my grandmother’s wedding ring. The flowers and phrase are now on their shared grave marker. Queen Anne’s lace, sunflowers, daisies, carnations and gardenias all bring to mind a different person whom I know prefers that one flower over all others, yet I’ve never thought of asking them why they’ve selected that particular one as their favorite.
With such a variety of blooms to choose from, it’s difficult to pick just one. Though the scent of lilacs is wonderfully intoxicating, I think I’m pretty settled on wild violets. I love their purplish blue color and the way they grow unobstrusively in the woods in spring time.
Do you have a preference or know what your beloved’s favorites are?
This post was inspired by Gerry’s recent floral posts at Torch Lake Views.
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I love to read your stories. They make me smile, even at times when I don’t feel like smiling. Lily of the valley has always reminded me of Ann of Green Gables. The picture you have posted are beautiful. I am assuming it is from your garden. I smiled when you mentioned daisies. I have so many favorite flowers. Violet’s are also a favorite of mine. I’m looking at a vase full on my table now. Thanks for your words Amy, it is a pleasure to read them.
Rose, you’re going to have to clue me in on the lily of the valley/Green Gables connection. Yes, the pictures are from my garden. The daisies aren’t in bloom here yet but they will be soon 🙂
I’m glad the squirrels and I can give you a smile, especially when you don’t feel like smiling 🙂 xo
Amy, I took a pic of a lily of the valley yesterday or the day before and it’s now sitting in the “June” folder. we’re in synch again!
I don’t know about having a favorite, though. That would be way too hard to choose. And my beloved (tee hee) hmmm….ok will ask him tonight!
The June folder is filling up fast. It seems like there’s so much to see these days.
Maybe by the end of the summer you’ll be able to narrow your favorites down to a few.
It has to be the wild violet of the deep woods. Ours down here (in Oregon) are usually of the darker purple variety, and occasionally a sport of white shows up in the woods, shining like an unexpected star down there in the leaf litter. It seems they all have the same scent — heady, old-fashioned, but wild, too. No other bloom speaks spring to me like the wild violet.
Skepweaver
Aha, another lover of wild violets! I can barely pick up any scent from the ones growing here but am still smitten by them. The stronger scent must be accompanied by the deeper color in your neck of the woods Skepweaver.
The scent is so strong it will very shortly anesthetize your sense of smell and you have to go away to recover it and come back for some more. on a warm day in violet season, the air is sweet. Imagine how powerful it must be for well-scented animals, those ones with big olfactory bulbs and long noses!
S.
I’m like Kathy – too many favorites! Daisies and forget-me-nots, lupines (remember the ‘Lupine Lady’ book?) and marshmarigolds…..OK, gotta quit – there’s just too many!
Skepweaver do you think you package up some of that violet scent and send it this way? It must add so much to the experience of walking in the woods in springtime. I wonder if it’s a distraction to the animals in any way.
Cindy Lou, it is amazing how easily one can come up with a very long list of favorites. I do remember reading the Lupine Lady book 🙂 Lupin seed packets are often sold as souvenirs from Nova Scotia as they’re such a common sight here in the Maritimes.