Floriography, by Gina Margolies

  It seems that the common belief about how the narcissus flower got its name is not necessarily accurate. I always thought that the narcissus flower was named after the Greek youth who fell in love with himself, giving us the term narcissist. However, references to narcissus can be seen in sources dated before the myth of the beautiful youth appears. It turns out that there are several theories about the name’s origin, none of them really proven. The Greek myth of Narcissus says a very handsome young man was so taken with his reflection in water that he could...

The Flowers Personified There is a language in each flower That opens to the eye, A voiceless - but a magic power, Doth in earth’s blossoms lie; Yes - flowers have tones - God gave to each A language of its own, And bade the simple blossom teach Where’er its seeds are sown. The Flowers Personified by J. J. Grandville   Have you ever found an object that was odd or funny or unusual which, for no practical or obvious reason, you liked?  Something like a doorknob from an antiques fair that you bought with no intended door for it...

December’s Birthday Blossom is the beautiful Narcissus. This Birthday Blossom is promising, youthful and joyful. The narcissus flower, whose scientific and common names are the same, is frequently linked to the Greek myth of Narcissus who became so obsessed with his own reflection in the water that he leaned over too far and drowned. Legend says that the narcissus plant sprang up where he died. No one really knows if this is where the name came from, but we do know that the narcissus represents youth and joy. On a cold, gray winter day, what better way to give the...

Mother Nature produces tremendous beauty. Every day the natural world presents us with its gifts. Flowers are just one of those gifts and they bring so much joy into our lives. Many factors come together to produce a thing of beauty like a flower, including mathematics. Most people think of numbers when they hear the word mathematics. But math is actually a language, a vocabulary of symbols and words used to express mathematical concepts. Flowers also speak a  type of language. Officially called floriography, the language of flowers refers to the idea that each flower holds a meaning or message...

Birthday Blossoms took a field trip!  In honor of November babies, we visited a chrysanthemum exhibition at the fabulous New York Botanical Garden @NYBG. The chrysanthemum is November’s Birthday Blossom.  It also happens to be the national flower of Japan.  The Japanese celebrate the arrangement of the chrysanthemum’s petals and the beauty it creates.  They love the chrysanthemum, kiku in Japanese, so much that they dedicate an annual festival to the lovely flower.  Luckily, those of us who can’t visit Japan can celebrate and enjoy these beautiful flowers in the Kiku: The Art of the Japanese Garden exhibit at New...