Lilies bloom during summer, and have an amazing scent, which is used to attract bees, butterflies and other pollinators. They are very popular the world over, have been spoken of in literature and painted by famous painters. Even today, a lilies bouquet is very well received because of the flowers' beauty.
Lilies were first mentioned on a tablet from Sumeria about 5000 years ago, where they were described to surround a city. However, the Madonna lily, for instance, was treated with much respect by the Minoans, who associated it with the goddess Britomartis. Of much greater importance it was to the Greeks, because they associated it with Hera, the queen of gods. Moreover, their mythology tells that the lily first appeared on Earth after Hera's breast milk stained the skies, creating the Milky Way, and a few drops of it fell down to the ground. Those drops, the legend goes, became the first lilies.
As a matter of fact, the very word "lily" comes "lilium", its name in Latin, which originated from "leirion", its name in Greek. Later on, the Romans also started to share the Greeks' respect for the flower, and tied it in with their own queen of gods. Even one of their poets, Virgil, who lived between 70 to 19 BC spoke of the flowers in some of his poems.
A lilies bouquet is also a very powerful messenger, because of the things lilies symbolize. To the Greeks, they meant birth and renewal, mainly because they associated it with the legend of Hera. On the other hand, they represented purity and innocence for the Christians, who associated the flowers with virgin Mary. Moreover, the three petals of the flower is often thought to represent the trinity. Whichever meaning speaks to you, there's no denying that they are a very positive symbol.
When preparing a lilies bouquet, take away leaves on the stems, as having them underwater will only end up making the water murky and the whole arrangement will become unappealing. Then, cut off about 2 cm from the stems, and do so in a diagonal line to increase the absorption area. If possible, hold the stems underwater while performing the cut to avoid formation of air bubbles within them. As the stamens of the flowers develop, make sure to cut them because when falling, they will end up staining everything they touch. Finally, change the water every few days and add flower food, in order to ensure that the flowers are always well fed.
With such a history behind them and such beautiful meanings carried in their strong petals, it is no surprise that lilies are loved so much. Many will tell you that they love the flowers' shape, or their amazing scent that can easily fill an entire room, but there's so much more to them than the way they appear. A gift - for someone, or for yourself- of a lilies bouquet is a great reminder of love and proof of attention that will certainly bring a smile even on the saddest face.
Find out more about flowers in our Lilies Bouquet guide.
This article is Copyrighted to Ioana Iacob - Online Flowers Guide and cannot be republished unless you mention its source.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ioana_Iacob
No comments:
Post a Comment