This picture is of some friends clearing the hall by carrying the bouquet of flowers left by the guests, who received them when they were welcomed for a function. I see this often after meetings. May be I am curious to know what happened to flowers as I rarely see the guests carrying them with them after the meeting.
Floral decorations are most common for all functions. Guests are happy to receive flowers as it symbolises warmth and hospitality.
Let me suggest some honourable ways of using flowers.
The cut flowers have a shelf life and some of them remain fresh for a few weeks like the Orchids. In tropics, most flowers remain fresh for three to five days .
What if you decide to have a single flower or a small bunch on your table! Try picking them up form your garden or from the wild growth. They can lift our spirit.
When you buy flowers form the market, choose flowers that you like looking at them. Some flowers are fragrant and shed pollen. Avoid them if there is if anyone in the family is allergic to them.
Which ever is the source of your flower, have a nice vase filled with three fourth of water. Cut the stem of the flowers afresh before placing them in water. Arrange the flowers according to your taste. Retain enough leaves on the stem and not more as leaves when immersed in water will decay. It is good to spray some water at least twice a day on the petals and leaves to keep them moist. Even in an an air conditioned room it may be necessary. Have the stem cut every day little bit to allow absorption of water from a healthy stem. It is wise to change water every day and rinse the inside of the vase. I avoid putting Aspirin into the water although it is recommended. Take time to look at the flowers a few times each day. Flowers speak. How they speak is most fascinating!
One day after a difficult meeting when I returned to my room, a beam of light was falling on the flower from a slit in the window and the rose shone brilliantly. I was moved to tears, which was a therapeutic to my soul at that time.
There are some of us who would prefer to have flowers in the garden and not cut them for table decoration. If, so, get used to visiting the flowers at least twice a day to look at them and allowing them to look at us. Flowers reach out.
On one occasion, when I was looking at the flowers in my mother's garden, I watched the flowers sway gently in the breeze creating a musical tone. That was when I was awakened with an idea, what if we have a lawn all around the house! That is what we have now after five months.
After being used to having flowers on my table for thirty five years, I have a way of saying farewell to them, when they start shedding the petals. I take a few moments to recollect all the messages the flowers brought to me during its time on my table. I receive them as gifts. I remember the hands that tilled the soil and planted the plant, pruned, manured and cut the flower. All of them made the flower to be what it is. I cover the flower in a nice packing and drop it in the basket for disposal. I do it personally as a mark of gratitude for what it brought to my heart.
Flowers are a symbol of freshness, fragrance and fragility.
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
This article on flowers was very informative.
ReplyDelete