Spellbound #4: Flowers!
I am not the most green-fingered of individuals, much as I do try. (Where you at, teeny sprouts of jalapeño chillies that grew really well at first and now haven't changed one bit in months? Also one of you disappeared, so quite literally: where you at?) I ambitiously took three (criminally overpriced, I have learned) succulents with me to uni in first year, but alas - even these notoriously low-maintenance plants did not live long enough to see out the year.
Somehow, despite my less-than-glowing track record with plants, I managed to become 'plant-girl' (yep) in the job I had over the summer. I honestly think my approach to plants is 99% enthusiasm and 1% total lack of skill. It should probably be at least 50/50, but hey ho.
My next planned endeavour is a cheese plant. They look cool and having plants in your living environment (pun not intended) is good for you, so why not. Plus, a cheese plant is basically as close to cheese as it gets for #plantpowered individuals such as myself.
Also, in case you hadn't noticed, (British) Mother's Day is coming up (in one week, to be precise) so you may want to consider branching out (pun absolutely intended) and presenting your madre with some nice flowers! Or yourself. Both?
(Sidenote: if you want to order some letterbox-friendly blooms from Bloom & Wild, you can get £5 off your order by clicking this link or entering at the checkout that you were referred by a friend and putting in 'Imogen Molly' as my name! It gives me dolla off my orders too, without taking anything from you, so would be super duper nice if you were considering buying flowers anyway. Thank yoouuuuu!!)
Anyway, in the hope that it will prove helpful, here is a list of some of my most fave flowers - in no particular order, because I'm constantly changing my mind. About basically everything. Including flowers.
1. daffodil
The sunshine of flowers! Giant ones, teeny wee ones, white ones, yellow ones, orange ones... Daffodils are amazing. And so underrated. Don't forget about these babies. (Narcissus, if you're fancy (or into Greek mythology)). These spread joy, and they always turn to face the sun which is just the loveliest thing ever.
2. gerbera
Another sunshiney variety, these are essentially daisies on speed. (Which means that yes, this entry also includes daisies.) They're huge, they have a million and one petals, they come in all sort of colours (but daisy-coloured are the prettiest), and they press/dry really nicely because they're basically flat. I feel like these are a friendlier version of sunflowers.
3. baby's breath
Not as creepy as they sound. Very pinterest-country-wedding-bouquet vibe, and the kind that you can visualise being surrounded by in a summery paradise-esque field, if someone tells you to imagine a summery paradise-esque field.
4. rose
Obviously. Red, pink, white, orange, coral, prickly, prickle-less, miniature, gigantic, English, avalanche, snowflake, any kind really. The list goes on (and on and on and on).
5. snowdrop
Meek and mild, humble and unassuming, delicate and lovely, and entirely out-of-season for Mother's Day, given that they are always the first to bloom after winter. But I like them, so they're in the list.
6. ranunculus
Alternatively: buttercups! But not as we know them - these kind of look like more tightly packed, intricate roses. Butter-affinity-reading properties questionable.
7. peony
You know those flowers that look really full and... fluffy? That's these. I LOVE THEM. So do most people. (peo(ny)ple?) (Sidenote: if you're thinking of the fluffy-looking flowers that also happen to resemble something you might find on a coral reef, it's probably a carnation.)
8. tulip
Not actually one of my tip top favourites, but I felt I should include them as a bunch of pinky purpley tulips in varying hues are classic Mother's Day flowers. Very nice, of course! But just not the very nicest.
9. dahlia
Lots of petals, lots of colours, lots of happies when you present a bouquet of them. Some varieties are prettier than others (the round blobs strike me as a bit fussy and overstructured.. I prefer the soft petally ones to the precise tubey ones) but really they're all Very Cool. Hydrangeas have a similarish vibe (quite round, quite packed full), and are also extremely great.
10. blossom
When it's not creating a slip-slidey mush underfoot because they all fall off the tree at the slightest whisper of wind (seemingly, anyway), blossom is wonderful. We have a crab apple tree in our garden which has lovely blossom ('crab apple rudolph'), but the super-popular Japanese cherry blossom is gorgeous too. Gentle, pastel, generally sweet. Like soft pink buttercups on trees.
One last thing: a quick note for the underdogs - the green foliage type bits in a bouquet are so often what takes it from nice to GOSH SO BEAUTIFUL, so don't forget some nice greenery to finish off the spray. There is basically nothing that won't work. Have fun arranging! Or perusing and buying, whichever.
Somehow, despite my less-than-glowing track record with plants, I managed to become 'plant-girl' (yep) in the job I had over the summer. I honestly think my approach to plants is 99% enthusiasm and 1% total lack of skill. It should probably be at least 50/50, but hey ho.
My next planned endeavour is a cheese plant. They look cool and having plants in your living environment (pun not intended) is good for you, so why not. Plus, a cheese plant is basically as close to cheese as it gets for #plantpowered individuals such as myself.
Also, in case you hadn't noticed, (British) Mother's Day is coming up (in one week, to be precise) so you may want to consider branching out (pun absolutely intended) and presenting your madre with some nice flowers! Or yourself. Both?
(Sidenote: if you want to order some letterbox-friendly blooms from Bloom & Wild, you can get £5 off your order by clicking this link or entering at the checkout that you were referred by a friend and putting in 'Imogen Molly' as my name! It gives me dolla off my orders too, without taking anything from you, so would be super duper nice if you were considering buying flowers anyway. Thank yoouuuuu!!)
Anyway, in the hope that it will prove helpful, here is a list of some of my most fave flowers - in no particular order, because I'm constantly changing my mind. About basically everything. Including flowers.
1. daffodil
The sunshine of flowers! Giant ones, teeny wee ones, white ones, yellow ones, orange ones... Daffodils are amazing. And so underrated. Don't forget about these babies. (Narcissus, if you're fancy (or into Greek mythology)). These spread joy, and they always turn to face the sun which is just the loveliest thing ever.
2. gerbera
Another sunshiney variety, these are essentially daisies on speed. (Which means that yes, this entry also includes daisies.) They're huge, they have a million and one petals, they come in all sort of colours (but daisy-coloured are the prettiest), and they press/dry really nicely because they're basically flat. I feel like these are a friendlier version of sunflowers.
3. baby's breath
Not as creepy as they sound. Very pinterest-country-wedding-bouquet vibe, and the kind that you can visualise being surrounded by in a summery paradise-esque field, if someone tells you to imagine a summery paradise-esque field.
4. rose
Obviously. Red, pink, white, orange, coral, prickly, prickle-less, miniature, gigantic, English, avalanche, snowflake, any kind really. The list goes on (and on and on and on).
5. snowdrop
Meek and mild, humble and unassuming, delicate and lovely, and entirely out-of-season for Mother's Day, given that they are always the first to bloom after winter. But I like them, so they're in the list.
6. ranunculus
Alternatively: buttercups! But not as we know them - these kind of look like more tightly packed, intricate roses. Butter-affinity-reading properties questionable.
7. peony
You know those flowers that look really full and... fluffy? That's these. I LOVE THEM. So do most people. (peo(ny)ple?) (Sidenote: if you're thinking of the fluffy-looking flowers that also happen to resemble something you might find on a coral reef, it's probably a carnation.)
8. tulip
Not actually one of my tip top favourites, but I felt I should include them as a bunch of pinky purpley tulips in varying hues are classic Mother's Day flowers. Very nice, of course! But just not the very nicest.
9. dahlia
Lots of petals, lots of colours, lots of happies when you present a bouquet of them. Some varieties are prettier than others (the round blobs strike me as a bit fussy and overstructured.. I prefer the soft petally ones to the precise tubey ones) but really they're all Very Cool. Hydrangeas have a similarish vibe (quite round, quite packed full), and are also extremely great.
10. blossom
When it's not creating a slip-slidey mush underfoot because they all fall off the tree at the slightest whisper of wind (seemingly, anyway), blossom is wonderful. We have a crab apple tree in our garden which has lovely blossom ('crab apple rudolph'), but the super-popular Japanese cherry blossom is gorgeous too. Gentle, pastel, generally sweet. Like soft pink buttercups on trees.
One last thing: a quick note for the underdogs - the green foliage type bits in a bouquet are so often what takes it from nice to GOSH SO BEAUTIFUL, so don't forget some nice greenery to finish off the spray. There is basically nothing that won't work. Have fun arranging! Or perusing and buying, whichever.
Yup, got to agree with you, peonies are right up there along with an old-fashioned tea rose with its heavenly scent that is so often missing from its modern hybrid cousins.
ReplyDeleteGlad you like the list! Honeysuckle is another that smells lovely (and the nectar tastes pretty good too, providing there are no beasties inside...).
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