Floriography, by Gina Margolies — October birthday flower

Happy October! Writing a blog about birth month flowers never feels like a job. I look at beautiful photos, research flowers, share fun facts, and spotlight joyous moments, all while calling it work. Obviously, there is no downside here. It’s hard to select my favorite thing about this job, but one of my top five would be all of the things I have learned in the past two years. One of the most interesting subjects I have researched is the significance of various types of flowers in different cultures. A great example of this arose from my exploration of October’s...

October's Birthday Blossom is the marigold. Scientifically referred to as tagetes, the common name marigold is derived from the words "Mary's Gold," as the flowers were called by early Christians who placed them around statues of the Virgin Mary, offering the blossoms in place of coins. Today, the marigold is a festival flower in many cultures. It is significant in Nepal, where marigold garlands are used during the Tihar festival. The marigold is also widely cultivated in India and Thailand, where large quantities of marigolds are used in garlands and decorations for weddings, festivals, and religious events. Whether celebrating your own...

October’s birth month flower is the marigold. This orange beauty is the flower of the herb calendula officinalis. Thanks to their sunny orange hues, marigolds are often used to brighten up a garden or a room. But those lovely petals have other gifts to offer. Marigolds possess natural astringent, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory properties, which means they can lend a helping hand in several ways. Marigold is an aid to healing skin wounds, rashes, bug bites, and, thanks to its antifungal properties, even athlete’s foot. Marigold doesn’t just brighten up the garden, it is a valuable tool in nature’s medicine cabinet.

October’s birth month flower is the festive Marigold. This Birthday Blossom is bright, cheerful and talented. Scientifically referred to as tagetes, the common name marigold is derived from the words “Mary’s Gold,” as the marigold was called by early Christians who placed the flowers around statues of Mary, offering the blossoms in place of coins. Today, the marigold is a festival flower in many cultures. It is significant in Nepal, where marigold garlands are used almost in every household, especially during the Tihar festival. The marigold is also widely cultivated in India and Thailand, where large quantities of marigolds are...