 Growing
Gardens
with Anita Morton
Language lessons
One of the differences between the sexes is that women have an instinctive
understanding of what used to be called 'the language of flowers' - and men don't.
This can lead to disappointment when a man hands over a mixed bunch of blooms
that signify only that he was afraid of sending the wrong message!
The Victorians raised the language of flowers to a high art of great complexity,
requiring all aspiring courting couples to invest in reference books so that they
could decipher each other's messages. We don't take it nearly so seriously anymore,
but the giving of flowers still sends a message whether the giver means to or
not.
The most easily understood message is the single red rose. This means, 'I love
you, but I'm too cheap to buy you a dozen'.
Victorians gave red roses the more defined meaning of 'passionate love', with
white roses meaning 'pure love' and yellow roses 'jealous love'.
Violets indicated modesty and faithfulness, and ivy stood for marriage. Anyone
given a bunch of callas would be pleased to be complimented as a 'magnificent
beauty', while those receiving a bunch of carnations had to content themselves
with 'affection'.
Fortunately our native wildflowers have no such allusions attached, so they
are a good neutral choice for nervous flower-givers. Other than that, the best
advice is to choose warm coloured flowers to convey warm emotions, and cool colours
for more formal occasions. White is always safe, and scented white flowers are
absolutely unexceptionable.
A delightful thing to do is to choose a flower for oneself - something that
blooms at your birthday or other significant time of year, that has qualities
you associate with your own character. Grow it in your garden and you'll always
have a talking point. My flower is the poppy - what's yours?
Lismore Garden Club News
This is a great time for daisies. If you want to brighten up a garden or balcony,
daisies will give you a quick result. Margeurite and sailorboy daisies are in
full bloom and they grow quickly from cutting, too. The old gazanias have had
a real facelift and come in many colours, including pinks, and some have silver
foliage. These are incredibly tough and colourful ground covers for sunny banks
and spill overs. They are massed with short stemmed flowers for many months of
the year in full sun. Aurora daisy, or arctotis, has long-stemmed flowers in a
range of single or two-tone shades.
Lismore Garden competition gardens are open for inspection from September 10-18.
For further information phone Ron on 6624 7422 or 0421 021 451.
Finally: "I never saw an ugly thing in my life. For let the form of an
object be what it may - light, shade and perspective will always make it beautiful."
John Constable.
Happy gardening
Ron Burns
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