Happy Summer Everyone!
This week at Westridge Florist we have chosen the noble Sunflower to be our Flower of the Week! Personally, I love sunflowers. To me, they are a symbol of strength and perseverance against adversity. These flowers are so bright and cheerful, it’s hard not to be happy just looking at them!
Did You Know?
After the devastating tsunami destroyed nuclear reactors in Fukushima – Japan, millions of sunflowers were planted to absorb toxins in the atmosphere. These hardy blooms are not just pretty faces, but great for the environment too!
Sunflower
Botanical Name| Helianthus (Hēlios – Sun | anthos – flower)
Common Name| Sunflower
Meaning| Adoration | Longevity | Happiness
Description| Sunflowers are usually tall plants that grow to a height of 300cm (120 in) or more. They bear one or more wide flower heads with bright yellow florets at the outside and yellow or maroon florets inside. There are many varieties of sunflowers, with some being used for Floristry and others used for their seeds.
Mythology| There are many tales revolving around this happy bloom but this is our favorite!
The Sunflower & The Sun
There was once a flower despised by other wild summer flowers. They considered her ugly and feared that she would diminish their beauty by being near. The poor flower suffered terribly, but she did not complain. She returned their mocking tones with humble strength and ignored their jeers.
She lived in solitude and admired the great golden sun with wonder. During the day, the flower watched the source of her life and lifted her heavy head to follow it’s bright trek across the sky. During the night, the flower persevered through darkness and counted the stars until dawn.
Upon seeing his admirer’s plight, the sun decided to show favor to the poor flower rejected by all. The sun shone down his brightest rays on her, lighting her petals with a golden glow. The flower now wore a striking crown, which made her look the most beautiful flower of all.
The other wild flowers could no longer torment her, looking on with awe and wonder at her shining petals. Even during the night, her petals held a warm glow, reflecting the shining stars above her.
With a new found strength, the flower raised her head with pride. She fell in love with the sun, wishing to be closer to the one she admired. The sun noticed that the flower continued to admire him and shone with glee. He too fell in love and sent his rays to help her grow.
Soon she grew to be the tallest and most elegant of all flowers, forever lifting her head to watch her love. To show his affection, the sun gave the flower his name, which she still bears proudly… The Sunflower.
Author | Jessica Schoultz
Sunflowers are such happy flowers and are perfect for every home this Summer! Not only are they certain to brighten every day, but they also provide delicious Summer treats like Sunflower Seeds. We have plenty of sunflowers at Westridge Florist so we always work a smile on our face and a warmth in our hearts!
Until our next adventure~
Westridge Florist Toowoomba
Author: Jessica Schoultz