Flower Care | Birth Month Flowers | Traditional & Modern Anniversary Gifts Ideas | Birth Month Gem Stones

Caring for your Flowers

Fresh cut flowers: Remove all the leaves that fall below the water line, any leaves sitting below the waterline can rot and block the flow of water up the stem. Re-cut the bottom of the stems diagonally at least 3cm from the base, this helps maintain the water flow up the stalk of the flower by removing any air pockets in the stem. Remove any dead blooms from your arrangement. To prolong the life span of your flowers, arrange the flowers in a clean vase with fresh water. Change the water every few days and add a floral preservative (food source). Avoid leaving flowers out of water, this can cause an airlock which will stop water take up. Keep the vase spotlessly clean by washing it in a solution of bleach before storing. Keep flowers in a cool place, avoid placing them in direct sunlight, heat, humidity or draughts.

Arrangements Water them daily

Bouquets Make sure you snip a few millimeters from the stems before you put them in water. This re-opens the drinking vessels in the stems and allows the flower to absorb the water more freely. This will help prolong the life of your flowers.

Dried Arrangements To dust your arrangement, set your hairdryer to a cool low setting and blow the dust away.

Birth Month Flowers

Month	Flower	Meaning
January		Pride, Beauty, Fascination, Love and Distinction. The carnation also known as dianthus, sweet william, pinks, and maiden pink. This January birth flower is derived from Greek words that mean "flower of the gods". On Mother's Day wear a pink carnation to honour a living mother, or a white carnation to remember a mother that has passed on. The Latin name for carnation is dianthus which means "divine flower". The carnation is used by some for protection, strength and healing.
February		Faith, Wisdom, and Hope The iris comes a few colours including cool blue and snowy white, remembrances of winter. In ancient times iris roots were used in perfume and medicine. Iris, is Greek for "rainbow".
March		Rebirth, Respect, Regard and Unrequited Love. The daffodil is one of the first flowers of spring, therefore it is a symbol of rebirth. The Latin name for the daffodil is narcissus. Narcissus are also referred to as jonquils in North America. The name daffodil is a derivative of affodell, which is a variant of asphodel. The daffodil is a perennial grown from a bulb.
April		Innocence, Implicity and Modesty. An alternate birth flower for April is the sweet pea. The Gerbera Daisy is native to South Africa. The gerbera daisy has large colourful blooms, which has made it a favourite with flower lovers.
May		Humility, Chastity, Sweetness and Purity. It has a flower meaning of the return of happiness. Lily of the Valley has also been used in herbal medicine as a poison antidote, for the heart and epilepsy. Lily of the valley is one of the most delicate and beautiful of the lily family. According to legend, the lily of the valley came into being from Eve's tears after she was kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Also called "the ladder to heaven" and "fairy ladders" in Ireland. The lily of the valley is poisonous.
June		Love, Beauty and Appreciation Rose is known as the flower of passion as the ancient Greeks believed that Aphrodite the goddess of love gave a rose to Eros the god of love. Red roses mean you love the receiver. Pink roses mean you have not the passion of red, but still have feelings of love. Dark pink roses mean you have gratitude. Light pink roses mean admiration or sympathy. White roses mean innocence, purity, secrecy and friendship. Yellow roses mean dying love or platonic love. Yellow roses with red tips mean friendship or falling in love. Burgundy roses mean beauty. Blue roses mean mystery. Green roses mean calm. Purple roses mean protection and maternal or paternal love.
July		Lightness, Levity, Open Hearted and Ardent Attachment. The larkspur is a tall flower and is a variety of delphinium. The spikes of flowers are one to two feet tall.
August		Remembrance, Sincerity and symbolizes Strength of Character.. These flowers look like a sword with their tall stalks, hence their being named after the gladiators. There are 255 species of gladiolus. The gladiolus comes in every colour except blue. It is a member of the iris family and is originally from southern Africa.
September		Patience and Daintiness Aster is Latin for star which is referring to the flower's star shape. Aster is closely related to the Chrysanthemum. There are actually 250 species of aster. This flower is frost resistant. In ancient times, it was believed that burning aster leaves would drive away evil snakes.
October		Sympathy or Sorrow. The Marigold is also called calendula. Sometimes called "summer bride" or "husbandmans dial," because it’s flower head follows the sun. Once considered the most sacred of flowers, in India it was placed around the necks of holy statues. Marigolds are good cleansers and can be remedies for the sting of bees.
November		Compassion, Friendship and Secret Love. Chrysanthemum was named after the Greek word which means gold flower. This flower is also a symbol of the sun. There are over 30 species of the Chrysanthemum. The Chrysanthemum flower is actually a powerful antiseptic and antibiotic! It is used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat high blood pressure and angina.
December		Respect, Modesty and Faithfulness They are very fragrant flowers and are frequently given as gifts at Christmas. Legend states that after Narcissus died, Apollo turned him into the flower narcissus. The paperwhite narcissus is a cousin to the daffodil flower. According to tradition, a daffodil is worn on Saint David’s day.
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