Thursday, May 17, 2012

Gardenia Madness

Gardenias are in bloom and I'm in gardenia heaven. Is any flower more perfect? Their creamy white satin petals set off by intense green foliage makes them picture perfect. And not to mention their intense fragrance. Ah, sweet bliss.

If I were a poet I'd compose an Ode to the Gardenia. But a poet I am not so I'll just enjoy their fleeting beauty and enjoy them while I may.

Some flowers evoke memories for us. For me, carnations bring back memories of corsages for piano recitals; Abelia bushes playing around my grandmother's house. I don't have any particular memories associated with gardenias -- I just enjoy them for what they are in the here and now: a perfect speciman in the plant kingdom.





Do you have a favorite flower? Are certain flowers associated with memories from your past?

10 comments:

  1. Flowers are fine, but I have no passion for them. I like wild flowers, heather being one of them. No memories attached to flowers, sorry (;

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    1. Wildflowers are nice! Realize not all are as devoted to flowers as I am.

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  2. Freesias are my favourite,they were the first flowers my husband gave to me,they had a delicate scent back then which seems to be missing now.

    Your Gardenias are fabulous.Ida

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    1. Hello Ida
      What a nice remembrance for you about freesias. They are a beautiful flower. So many of our old flowers seem to have the wonderful scent removed through hybridization, don't they?

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  3. We had lilac bushes that grew just my height on our horse farm in Ohio. Their scent always makes me think of my Grandma. But now that I live in France I love les roses anciennes but they are so hard to find!

    Bon weekend Sanda!

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    1. Hi Heather,
      Oh to grow lilacs! They don't do so well in my climate. A very fond memory is visiting a friend in New Hampshire years ago and gathering lilacs by the armloads and arranging them in every room of her house. A very good weekend to you as well!

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  4. What beautiful photos of a beautiful flower. These blooms are perfect. Although hydrangea is my favorite, gardenia ranks pretty close. However, whatever is in bloom and I'm looking at, I like it! Flowers and scents also bring back memories to me.

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    1. Hi Sissy,
      Haha, yes I know what you mean; like best whichever flower I'm enjoying at the moment.

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  5. I love the delicate beauty of gardenia; it looks like a miniature magnolia blossom. Love the daffodil and forsythia; reminds me we're still alive after a drab winter. Lilac is one of my favorites - reminds me of home! Thanks for the beautiful photos!

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    1. Hello Areeda

      Yes, I agree that the gardenia and magnolia are similar, except in size of course. Each has a wonderful, evocative scent that I love!

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