I love flowers. I love gardens— local, in the islands and abroad; I will seek out gardens wherever I am. Sadly, I am only a “fair weather gardener”, that is, give me a lovely day of moderate temperature and no wind, and I am happy to be outside raking, trimming and planting. Having flowers inside and out is one of my favorite pleasures. Fortunately, we have access to cut flowers from markets and discount stores as well as local nurseries.
My favorite colors are on the cool side of the color wheel. While I love all colors, I have been always drawn to pretty blues, greens, purples and lavenders. As a child, my father would plant blue flowers for me in the shady planter under the bedroom window by the elm tree. I loved spring, when he would plant my favorite Cineraria, a member of the Pericallis genus; there are some pinks in the family as well.
This year when the nursery had pots of Cinerarias, I decided I could keep one inside near a south window. Oh what glory can be had for only six dollars! I have enjoyed this potted pant every day and it has the promise of many, many more weeks of bloom. I often buy a bunch of mixed flowers or a single variety to lift my spirits during the year, but none have brought me as much joy as my old favorite.
Adding living plants and cut flowers to your decor is one of the least expensive yet most gratifying things you can do. Like paint, the bright blooms are instantly rewarding and much less work than paint. Better yet, you can move them around the house wherever you need a pop of color.
Orchids are another great indoor plant that can brighten any room. I have had some amount of success in getting mine to re-bloom, but heaven only knows how— just lucky, I think. Water, light and a light feeding is all I’ve done. There are mysteries around some of my orchids, some re-bloom; others have not. I am being patient. Don’t be too hard on yourself, if you have received a beautiful blooming orchid and feel like the poor plant is doomed to a short life; maybe it just needs a new room, different light or a splash of fertilizer. Orchids have a fairly long bloom period, so they can easily perform in whatever room you want for an event, then move them again to their “happy place”.
Lucky are you, who can have cutting gardens on your property, but others should not despair. Blooms are readily available from many sources. Enjoy the color. Fortunately, there is no shortage of flowers.
