Flower Power by Lara Velez

Ah...Spring. After months of cold weather, of course you think of flowers when spring arrives. I will cover many different angles of the beautiful flowers of Spring, including; edible flowers, toxic flowers, flower recipes, tips on how to care for them, and rose colors...what do they say? Come...join me...

The Best Flowers for Spring

Please note: Not all of the flowers in this article are edible. Please see the list below for which flowers are edible and which ones are poisonous.


Tulips - (from genus "Tulipa") From the Turkish for turban, after its rounded form. They are originally from the Middle East and are available November to May (January to April for British tulips).

Tulip Care Tips: Tulips continue to grow in water and will curve towards the light. Make allowances for this when putting them in a vase or wrap the stems tightly in newspaper and stand them in water directly beneath a light for a few hours.


Dill - The botanical name is Anethem graveolens. Graveolens means having a strong scent. Dill is available from spring to autumn. It is a cousin of the humble carrot. Dill has a pungent and tangy flavor. It is best used with breads, fish, cheese, salads, and vegetables - especially cucumbers.

Dill Care Tips: Part sun part shade, keep damp, but not over-wet.


Lily of the Valley - (from genus "Convallaria", full name "Convallaria majalis") It was first cultivated in1420. It is mostly available in the months of April and May. The Lily of the Valley signifies a "return to happiness". It is also frequently used in bridal arrangements for their sweet perfume. Traditionally associated with May 1st, especially in France where the "muguet" is handed out at special events.

Lily of the Valley Care Tips: Must not be left out of water too long. Keep cool and shaded.


Sweet Pea - Botanical name is Lathyrus odoratus - odoratus means scented. They originated in Italy and are available March to November. Sweet peas mean "delicate pleasures".

Sweet Pea Care Tips: Keep cool, always in water, and away from ripening fruit. Commercial sweet peas are treated after cutting to prolong their life; garden-cut ones may only last one or two days but florists' peas can last over a week.


Roses - (from genus "Rosaceae") Botanical name Rosa - It is originally from China and is now cultivated from America to Africa and from Eastern Europe to the Far East. It is available all year round and probably the best known and best-loved flower in the world.

Rose Care Tips: Limp roses can be revived by standing up to their necks in lukewarm water in a cool room. Do not bash the stems as this prevents them taking up water effectively.


Speaking of roses, the next time you buy them for someone special, make sure that you pick the right color for the person or occasion.

ROSE COLOR MEANINGS:

Red: love, respect, and devotion

Deep Pink: gratitude, appreciation, and thank you

Light Pink: admiration, respect, sympathy, and regard

White: reverence, humility

Yellow: joy, gladness, friendship, and social

Orange: enthusiasm, desire

Red and Yellow: gaiety, joviality, fun-loving, humorous


What about eating flowers? Well there are some you can and some you need to steer clear of!


POISONOUS FLOWERS

DO NOT EAT: Lily-of-the-Valley, Bleeding Heart, Buttercup, Iris, Calla Lily, Narcissus or Daffodil, Lupine, Petunia, Sweet Pea, Monkshood, Periwinkle, Rhododendron and Azalea, Oleander, Delphinium, Clematis, Foxglove, Hellebore, Wisteria, Crocus, Poinsettias, Mistletoe, Nightshade, and African Violet...just to name a few.


EDIBLE SPRING FLOWERS

APPLE - May - Slightly floral, sour

CHERVIL – May/June – parsley-like with a hint of tarragon, citrus

CHIVE – May/June – onion, strong

CORIANDER – June/Frost - like leaf, but more fragrant

ENGLISH DAISY - April/Sept – mild

DANDELION - May/July - like leaves, bitter

DILL - June/Frost - like leaves, but stronger

ELDERBERRY - May/June - floral, mild

GRAPE HYACINTH - April/May - grapey, bitter after-taste, slight sour

HONEYSUCKLE - May/July - honey sweet, perfumed

LILAC - April/May - perfumed, slightly bitter

MUSTARD - April/May - hot, mustard

GARDEN PEA - May/June - raw peas

PLUM - April/May - mild, like flower nectar

ROSE - May/Sept - perfume, sweet to bitter

GARDEN SAGE - May/July - flowery sage, slightly musky

SCENTED GERANIUM - throughout year - varies, slightly sour or bitter

SWEET WOODRUFF - May - sweet, grassy, vanilla

TULIP - April/May - slightly bitter or sweet

VIOLET (PANSY) - April/July - Mild, leafy green, some varieties sweet


If you plan on entertaining this spring...you may want to make a beautiful flower ice bowl
for presentation of one of your cold dishes or use it as a centerpiece.


FLOWER ICE BOWL CENTER PIECE

You will need:
assorted spring flowers...or just one kind
greenery (optional)
water
masking tape
2 glass bowls with a size difference of 2 inches


Place a few of your flowers on the bottom of the larger bowl. Place the smaller bowl
in the larger bowl, on top of the flowers. Fill the space between the bowls,
slowly, with water. Using a skewer to push them down into the water, add
the rest of your flowers in the space around the bowl. Secure the smaller bowl
in the larger bowl using the masking tape. Wrap the tape tightly across the top
of the bowls, making sure that the smaller bowl is centered. Freeze at least 4
hours, or overnight. Remove from freezer and let stand for 5 minutes. Gently
pull smaller bowl and remove your ice bowl from larger bowl. Put it in the
freezer until you are ready to use it.


You can use these ice bowls to serve; salad, custards, fruit, sherbert, or you may
fill it with fresh flowers and use it as a centerpiece.


This is also great for other seasons. Just change the type of flower and greenery to
fit the season!


Copyright © Lara Velez

This article is free for reprint, ONLY if you keep the author box in tact, all links active, and do not change ANY part of this article.



About the Author: Lara Velez is a homeschooling WAHM. She lives in the Sunshine State with her two lovely daughters and husband. She is a published author, web designer, web publisher, and editor. She owns two successful websites, http://www.momsoffaith.com and http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com. She also owns her own Health and Wellness business, http://www.mymonavie.com/HlthyLiving/mystory.asp

Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com

Water Lilies by Carolen

As the rose to the flower garden, so is the Water Lily to our lakes and ponds. In the summer stillness of some reed fringed backwater, the crowning note of beauty will be found in a fleet of Lilies moored by hidden cables. Who can forget the sight of the creamy cups sparkling with the morning dew, as the sun scatters the dawn mists from the surface of some placid lake? Or in the blue mystery of night, when the folded flowers shine like silver lamps to guide our boats through the shadows.

If water gardens existed for the sake of this one flower, they would be worth all the love and labor in our power to give.

And yet Water Lilies are much neglected. For them it is worth clearing and cleaning the hundreds of weed grown ponds. Small tanks and tubs might be prepared, the possession of even a few square feet of water surface should be an excuse for growing plants of the hardy kinds.

Perhaps the fallacy that Water Lilies, as a family, are extremely delicate, is difficult to disprove. The fact that they flower freely in lakes and ponds,which in winter are thickly covered with ice, should in itself be sufficient to dispel any such prejudice. Certain varieties require warm and sheltered quarters, but even in exposed situations the available list is by no means small.

In spite of the beauty of flower and leaf as displayed, Water Lilies owe much of their charm to suitable surroundings and graceful grouping.

On natural pieces of water they should always be planted close in-shore, so that they may be appreciated without trouble from the bank. A sheltered bay, surrounded by flowering reeds and with wooded margins, would be an ideal spot for a few good patches. Sunshine is essential, but in an exposed position they rarely look their best. Absolute tranquillity seems necessary in order to realise their full charm, on the mirrored surface of a sunlit pool, each bloom stands out clear cut and delicate.

There is something in the sculptured form of this flower that particularly fits it for association with water gardens of a formal type. In large places the possession of a small Lily Court, with sunk tank and enclosing walls of masonry, will provide a picture of supreme beauty.

An advantage of tanks over ponds and streams, consists in the ease with which the plants may be looked after. Not only can growth be curtailed and overcrowding checked, but the roots may be furnished with just enough soil as is conducive to healthy development and free flowering. In many cases the mud in ponds and lakes is poor, improvement in this direction being difficult, if not impossible. As a consequence, the crop of bloom decreases annually, whilst leaf growth is correspondingly coarse and rampant.

As a rule the more vigorous growers should be reserved for ponds and open water, as the Lily petioles should be allowed to attain their full length, and the plants are impatient of too much restraint. The smaller kinds will thrive in tanks and tubs, with a depth of two to three feet of water. In case of frost, it is advisable that the crowns shall be at least twelve inches below the surface during the winter.

The best time for planting is April or May, at which time the tubers can be obtained from nurseries and specialists. For planting in the open, it is sufficient to tie the roots to a fair-sized stone or piece of iron piping, lowering them into suitable quarters near the pond side. If the mud bottom is of only slight depth, or clay puddling has been resorted to, the roots should be supplied with some strong loam in which to strike. An easy way is to pack them in soil in old baskets, lowering them into position, by the time the baskets have rotted, the roots will have fastened themselves securely into the mud.

In artificial tanks and tubs the bottom can be covered with a foot of good loamy soil mixed with manure before the water is admitted. Planting under such conditions is easy and certain. A thorough cleaning of the sides and brickwork should always precede Lily planting, as old neglected tanks are generally foul and dirty.

Please visit Lily Tanks for more information on water gardens.

Article Source: http://www.ladypens.com