Thursday, April 22, 2010

Daisy Fresh

The daisy, birth flower for the month of April, has long been celebrated in art and poetry for its simple beauty. Poets like Chaucer, Phoebe Cary and James Montgomery used the flower to symbolically express devotion. Hairpins decorated with daisies have been found in ancient ruins dating back 4,000 years. A European native, the daisy is widely naturalized in North and South America. While its most recognizable form—white petals and a golden yellow center with grassy-green stem and leaves—belongs to the family "Bellis perennis", its common name comes from the term "day's eye," a reference to the fact that daisy blooms are only open during the day and close up at night.
There is a myth that tells of the daisy's creation when a nymph transformed herself into a charming but unassuming wildflower to escape unwanted attention. Through the centuries, daisies came to be associated with innocence, childlike joy and playfulness. No other flower captures the essence of spring’s happy-go-lucky, forever-young attitude like the daisy. Daisies have long been associated with love. The "she loves me, she loves me not" method of pulling petals from a flower was first used with the daisy to tell love's fortune. Daisies are customarily given in bouquets to new mothers as a way to celebrate the birth of their baby. Did you, as a child, make "daisy chains" to wear on your wrists and in your hair?

Happy birthday, April babies!
Inspired by a meadow filled with flowers on a blue-sky day, here is a daisy chain of ten fresh-as-a-daisy spaces just for you:

1.

2.

3.
4.

5.

6.

7.

8.
9.

10.


If I had a little blond dachshund, I would name her Daisy and buy her a soft blue settee. We would sit side by side. I would sip tea and read poetry aloud. She would nap quietly, dreaming of sunshine and endless green meadows.

See, the grass is full of stars,
Fallen in their brightness;
Hearts they have of shining gold,
Rays of shining whiteness.

Buttercups have honeyed hearts,
Bees they love the clover,
But I love the daisies' dance
All the meadow over.

FROM "DAISY TIME" BY MARJORIE PICKTHALL

Top photo by Baslee Troutman (isn't it gorgeous?). Other daisies via stock photo sources, photographers unknown. All interior photos via marthastewart.com. Daisy facts via teleflora.com, birthfloersguide.com and life123.com

17 comments:

Unknown said...

So great! My middle daughter has an April birthday...we were so focused on the fab Birth stone (diamonds!) that I never even knew about the flower...she will love this, who wouldn't?

Kathy @ Creative Home Expressions said...

I love daisies! I think because of their simplicity. Love that yellow chest!

Kathysue said...

I love daisies and all of the images you chose are so wonderful to look at, they put a smile on my face. fun post,Kathysue

Pamela Terry and Edward said...

As an April baby myself, I thank you for this collection of lovely images. I just may purchase a bouquet of fresh daisies tomorrow!

Karena said...

Buttercup yellow I love, great images, love your site!

Karena
Art by Karena

Tracy F. said...

Love the daisies and blue and yellow are my favorite colors. Such pretty rooms! I have a "Daisy", who is a very chubby Golden Retriever!

desiree said...

I love daisies--absolutely my favorite flower. Great post--lots of inspiration!

the gardener's cottage said...

There's just something about the daisy that is so fresh and simple. Love them.

~janet

Tammy@InStitches said...

Maybe Zoe would like me to read poetry to her.......

My Galveston Cottage said...

I didn't realize daisies closed their petals at night. Interesting. And what a pretty post. Loved all the images . . . and, especially, the one of the buttery yellow chest.

Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriti said...

Delightful post Tracy!

I love daisies and I enjoyed looking at all the photos of the pretty buttery yellow and light blue rooms.

One of my favorite e. e. cummings poems is:

"I thank Heaven
somebody's crazy
enough
to give me a daisy"

It's short, sweet and so happy!

Pauline Wiles said...

Wonderful collection of pictures! I love the hallway with the two chairs and stunning clock, but then I got to the last photo of that cute dog on the even cuter settee and my heart just melted...

La Dolfina said...

What a sweet post :)
Daisies remind me of my Mom... she loves them. I remember doing the he loves me, he loves me not. It really is a sweet flower :)
xx

Amy Trimble said...

I love daisies ! I have a precious sweet daughter in heaven, daisies were her favorite. Daisies- simply and beautiful.

The homesteadingcottage said...

So lovely (: My grandmother's favorite flower was the daisy and this post brings back the simple elegance that was my grandmother. This post makes my heart smile (:

sallymandy said...

I'm an April baby, and I love these photos...especially the top ones, with the blue, white and yellow. At the end of a dark Montana winter, those colors are the ones that bring me back to life.

Anonymous said...

This post just made me smile - daisies, yellow, cute dog, what's not to like? Thanks for the day brightner! :-)