Daisies, simple and sweet, are one of the most popular cut flowers. Look at a mixed bouquet and there’s a good chance that daisies are looking back. They’re also striking on their own.
Representing joy, purity and youth, legend has it that we have daisies because a shy maiden was dancing and caught the attention of a god. Uncomfortable with attention, she morphed into a flower.
Daisies were seen as omens in the medieval era and hit their heyday in Victorian times when an entire language of flower meaning and color became popular. Blooms and bouquets were essentially coded messages. For example, white conveyed innocence; red meant intense passion.
And in the 60s, I believe it was a daisy that a student placed in the end of police gun, a moment famously captured in a Washington Post photo.
Because of their simplicity, daisies have never been out of style and still delight us today.
Gerbera daisies take center stage in this festive Halloween arrangement.
Did you know:
• Daisies gave rise to the childhood game of “He loves me, he loves me not,” which started with the Victorians.
• Daisies are the flower for the 5th wedding anniversary.
• Daisies are the April birth flower.
• Daisies love water so give them lots. To make your gerberas last, be sure to refresh their water as frequently as you can and clean the vase each time you change the water. Why? Gerbera will droop if they encounter bacteria.
• The Gerbera gets its common name from 18th century German botanist Traugott Gerber.
Flower Fact of the Day: “Even leaves take on a special look when they are mixed in vases alone or with garden vines,” writes Nancy Gmeiner, Penn State master gardener. Read her tips on flower arranging at: eveningsun.com/localcolumns/ci_10689256.