No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.
- John Donne
A beauty that finds expression in poetry, in music and in the coziest recesses of the mind is the beauty that is of autumn. A beauty that is celebrated by Nature in her most extravagant ways. The autumnal Nature is like a host that lays out the most exquisite, most delightful fare for Her guests and offers them the warm welcome of one who has no more pleasure than to see her guests arrive. The beauty of this season manifests itself in ways, each more charming than the other – the balmy sunsets, the inviting blue skies, the caressing breeze, and the one thing that lends Lady Autumn all her grace – the flowers!
Flowers are a delight, ever and always. Nothing like a bloom to uplift your mood, to melt your heart. And nothing like the floral palette that autumn brings to our door. It is as if Nature pampers the human heart in a warm gesture before it leads them to the threshold of the wan, unfriendly winter. The flowers sprinkle color, warmth and life on to everything in a season that keeps itself for indulging all our fancies and joys. The trees, the most prosaic of the street sides, the mundane avenues spring into life and a riot of colors that dazzle in their richness. And sometimes, they make a quiet entry at our bedside, the far corner of the living room, or the lone mantelpiece at the study – to redefine the place!
To usher autumn is to usher flowers to our world – the world that we share and the world that is our own. We do love the fine touch that flowers lend our homes. We do enjoy putting a bunch here and a cluster there to add softness to our nest. It brightens up so! But we also often pout at the briefness of the beauty. Withering flowers is as much a painful sight as fresh blooms are a delight. Yes, flowers, like all beauty, are short-lived. But yes, there are still a way or two to keep them fresh and alive for a greater time than they normally would out of their natural harbor, if we care a little more.
There are almost as many number of arrangements of flowers as there are flowers themselves. The cluster, the bunch, the bouquet, or the lone flower – the arrangement is not one to go by a rule book but by the heart. Pink and blue, red and white, lilac and yellow, crimson and orange – beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. Any arrangement that suits your mood is the one that is best, at all times. But beyond that is the care you take to nurture your guests and make their stay happy. While we are at it, let us share some tips on the care of the most delicate of Nature’s pleasantries:
- A flower loves a neat and healthy atmosphere, just like you. Do remember to clean the vase or the container in which you plan to put your blooms. A mixture of water and vinegar with salt sprinkled generously in it would help remove stains and unpleasant odor from vases.
- Put ammonia or salt in the water in which the flowers are kept. It keeps away bacterial growth for a longer time, and helps the flowers breathe.
- Just like you again, flowers love space and can do with some. Don’t crowd them in one vase to make it look full. There are other ways of bringing on the same effect.
- Snip the leaves that will lie underwater in your vase. They encourage bacterial growth otherwise.
- Put the set-up away from direct sunlight, preferably in a place which is cool and shady. Keeps your flowers fresh for a longer time without wilting.
- Your blooms like to be nourished too. Ask your florist for floral food and according to instructions on the pack, mix it into the water.
- Don’t let the water stink. Change it daily and refurnish the floral food.
- In case the flowers start wilting, snip off an inch of the stems under water. Remember to do it with a sharp knife or a pair of scissors so that muscles are not torn away preventing the intake of water and food.
- Be creative. Be innovative. Use containers other than regular vases to put your flowers in. it adds an individual touch.
- Love your blooms. Don’t keep them there for just the beauty. Keep them because you treasure them. Do take care.
This season is incomplete without flowers. So is your home. We wish you a beautiful flowery autumn – complete with the freshness and fragrance of the choicest blossoms the season can bring. Wish you a vibrant, colorful, floral autumn.
Floral is, Floralis.
Welcome!
