The power of flowers have been discussed for ages, by floral aficionados and scientists alike: that they help people feel more compassionate towards others; that they have healing benefits; that they help lessen worry and anxiety. It’s the reason why you see floral arrangements in hospitals, why we gift bouquets on special occasions and why we decorate our spaces with fresh blooms.
Others believe that flowers possess a far more incredible effect on our psyche that can scarcely be explained. American flower alchemist Katie Hess, for example, believes that humans are attracted to (ie. resonate with) certain flowers because they crave whatever quality the flower possesses – and that can change from time to time. In her book Flowerevolution, she describes this effect as “sympathetic resonance”. “This explains why nature makes us feel better when we are ‘out of tune’, ‘out of sync’, or full of stress. Flowers emit a subtle energy that gives our bodies and minds a tune-up, bringing us back to our own natural balance,” she says.
But regardless of whichever purported effect you choose to believe in, one thing’s for sure: there’s simply no harm in buying some flowers, even if just to add a splash of colour to your immediate environment.
Make your own at home
If you are looking to try your hand at creating your own floral arrangement, check out Enjoy Fleur’s (#B2-70A) video that will help you get a kickstart. It is much less complicated than it seems!
Tips from Enjoy Fleur to create a simple bouquet using the “spiral technique”:
Of course, if you would rather stick to simplicity and start off with something more basic, consider single-type arrangements with long-stemmed flowers for an elegant, classic look. Some long-stemmed flowers that will class up any home immediately include lilies, tulips, orchids and daisies.
For expert advice or customised bouquets, get in touch with EnJoy Fleur instead.
Understand your blooms
The significance of flowers – for example, a red rose to symbolise romantic love – isn’t without its historical backing. Named floriography, or ‘the language of flowers’, meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and practiced in many cultures around the world. Before you hastily put together a floral arrangement, spend some time getting to know them better individually.
Some of the most popular flowers include:
Rose: Besides the ubiquitous red rose of love, other popular rose varieties include the pink (elegance), yellow (joy and affection) and peach (gratitude and sincerity). Fun fact: did you know that there are no naturally-occurring black roses? Black roses are technically in a very dark shade of red – so dark that they appear black to our eyes.
Carnation: While pink carnations are most often seen during Mother’s Day, other varieties are popular during special occasions too. For example, the white carnation, which symbolises good luck, are often presented to someone going through a new experience in life. Meanwhile, the red carnation represents love and admiration. If you have homemade desserts that you’d like to fancy up, consider adding some carnations – they are often used as an edible, if somewhat bland, decoration. At least your dessert will look pretty!
Gerbera: These brightly-hued blooms, part of the daisy family, brighten up any room instantaneously. The orange ones, for example, signify enthusiasm, energy and warmth, while yellow gerberas represent friendship and happiness, and are best gifted to a close friend.
Having trouble falling asleep? Try getting some gerberas for the bedroom. These are said to be able to lull you to sleep thanks to its ability to release a continuous stream of fresh oxygen through the evening hours, while other flowers slow down their oxygen production.
Baby’s breath: The ultimate filler flower, white baby’s breath are usually presented to the parents of newborns, with the white colour signifying unity and innocence. Other popular colours include the yellow (happiness and joy – ideal as a birthday gift) and blue (trust and respect). A study has claimed that the extract of the baby’s breath can boost the efficiency of anti-cancer drugs by a tremendous amount, but believe it or not, it’s still a beautiful flower to look at.
Make your flowers last longer
The last thing you want to happen to your painstakingly-put-together floral arrangement is for it to wilt in a flash. Here are some easy flower-saving pointers to keep in mind.
Before you throw them into a vase of water, remove any leaves that will go below the waterline in the vase to avoid rotting leaves that may contaminate the water. Next, give the stems a 1- to 2-cm trim at a 45-degree angle so that the flowers can absorb water better. Remember to trim the stems daily and replace the water every alternate day so that the water remains fresh. Finally, keep your flowers away from direct sunlight and at a constant room temperature, and you will have happy blooms that can last up to two weeks.
Up for trying out some ways to extend the lifespan of your flowers even further? Try these methods:
Fall in love with flowers (and more)
With all the supposed magical qualities of fresh flowers, is it any wonder that they have been used as ingredients in many a love potion? Don’t write it off as voodoo just yet. After all, love potions, according to American herbalist Suhaly Bautista-Carolina, is more about “self-realization” and “self-love”, which she believes are “the first step(s) in being able to love someone else”.
Here’s what she suggests: fill a clean glass jar, ⅓ with dried rose buds and ⅔ with honey and say your intentions out loud to manifest the positive vibes into the mixture. Then, label the jar with the date, keep it in a cool, dark place and shake it every day. After four to six weeks, take a spoonful of the honey once a day, directly or with tea or on toast. Even if you don’t believe in any of this, you still can enjoy the sweet treat. And isn’t a little extra sweetness in our lives something we could all use more of in this day and age?
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