blossom

you only have to take a walk through regents park to admire the beautiful blossom trees everywhere – we are so lucky to have so many beautiful parks in london.   blossom time is such a joyous time – it signals the start of spring, of new life, beauty and the delicate petals blowing through the air adds a romanticism to our day.   enjoy them before they fade away….

symbolically the blossom reminds you that life is short and beautiful, just like the cherry blossom that falls from the tree after just a few days.

Spring is in the air – I shall be starting to do some Qigong classes out in our parks soon – and one good thing to do, is to eat seasonally. Eating more greens and  bitter foods, such as celery, lemon and lime help support and strengthen the liver which is the organ associated with Spring; they call the liver the general of the body, whose role is to keep things flowing, controlling emotions, allowing a smooth flow of Qi and blood.  The liver ‘opens the eyes’, so it’e important to look after them – take breaks from the computer and mobile, especially just before bed time.  When you are feeling restless and irritable, use the power of breath to calm the liver – the liver is about compassion, forgiveness  and kindness, but also about releasing anger in a healthy and positive way. Like the trees, we shall be rooted and grounded through our practice.

  

bluebells are the symbol of humility and gratitude

I love wild flowers and bluebells are popping up everywhere;  I even have lilac bluebells in my garden.   did you know that bluebells are the symbol of humility and gratitude?

gratitude is something that I am feeling at the moment – gratitude for my health, my family, my home, the food that we have – I felt ‘ how can we stay in for weeks on end’, but we have to just think that its a small part of our long lives which can importantly save other lives.  I cannot believe that a year has passed so quickly and yet so slowly…….

I usually go to Cornwall to see my friends at this time of year,  and I am missing those visits so much – its strange how the simple act of seeing friends in other parts of the country can bring so much pleasure, something we just took for granted; these bluebells were growing wild on the slopes of the coastline of Rock.  I look forward to being able to do those simple things again……

tulips

i have a beautiful new tulip growing in my garden, not sure what type it is, but  the edges are dipped in a lilac pink – tulips are a definite sign of spring, i love the way they push their way up from the ground, opening their feather like petals announcing the arrival of the warmer air.

In Victorian times, certain flowers had specific meanings because the flower selection was limited and people used more symbols and gestures to communicate than words;  today there are so many varieties that the simple gesture of giving flowers is a sentiment;  however white tulips signify forgiveness.  here are the meanings of the other colours of tulips;  pink – caring, purple – royalty,  red- declaration of love,  white – forgiveness,  yellow – hopelessly in love.

 

 

 

 

berries

have you noticed all the berries around?  someone told me that when there are lots of berries on the trees, we are going to have a long cold winter – its just natures way of feeding the birds before the hardy period!!!

i love mixing different stems of unusual flowers – here are lilac, wax flowers and callicarpa berries – beautiful for your winter table !

thistle

if you are thinking of different ways to arrange flowers, why not use utensil jugs or tin canisters to hold the flowers in – also using thistles or grasses can be lovely.   i recently  bought these beautiful blue thistles from columbia market and they lasted for ages.    did you know that the thistle represents strength, protection and healing?

grouping similar type of containers is also effective, so instead of putting everything into one vase, split your flowers into several jugs.  if you are looking for girly gifts and pretty ideas for xmas, have a look at the lavender room, they also sell a set of 6 pretty moroccan glasses, which you can put one flower in each glass – they have a beautiful shop in brighton, but you can also buy online.

kew in autumn

autumn is a perfect time for a trip to kew gardens ; it can be so peaceful walking round the grounds watching nature at its best –   the leaves are just dropping – a sign of its life over, but the colours are so beautiful.  we recently visited again,  and although there are queues into the main conservatory, its still a lovely place to spend the day – it is quite expensive for admission, but you have to just tell yourself that its a charitable contribution that helps keep the trees and this beautiful park alive.   it used to be that children under 17 are free entry, so at least this is a bonus.  the kids use to like the walkway through the trees, so its a fun day out for all of you.   there is a peyton and byrne cafe there, its fine for tea and cake.  or another choice is maids of honour just outside of the park.

how wonderful to have an autumn wedding at kew!

iris

every week i seem to have a favourite flower –  basically i think that i love all flowers – white irises remind me of the wings of a dove – apparently  the white iris symbolises purity and kindness; in Japan, it is believed that the Iris flower has the power to purify the body and protect the household from disease and evil.  for me, all flowers have the wonderful tool to change emotions, stir calm and emotion – they are natures w o n d e r.

Stanmer Park

so Maude and I drove to Brighton this week, partly to catch up with friends, and partly to let Maude get some experience of driving on motorways.  I do remember how frightening it is even thinking about driving on motorways and I think that its actually got worst with the amount of lorries now delivering all the time.  typically the navigator took us all the way on the M25, which is definitely the worst road that I have been on.  didn’t help that we were in a mini which made us feel like sardines between all those overtaking gigantic vehicles!  anyhow, we managed to get there and back with only a few hiccups, not a great mother and daughter bonding time driving 5 hours on such heavy roads !   when we got there my friends took me to lovely Stanmer Park, only 15 mins drive out of Brighton, but beautiful woodlands and open lands and we walked the dogs.  there is a country house, church, walled garden, but I loved seeing the community gardens – allotments, flowers from Hearts and Flowers who have an allotment there,  and then there was a hidden garden which has taken over 20 years to cultivate, which was so spiritual – a dome of twigs which has grown perfectly into a perfect geodesic , walls made of twigs and branches, small shrines of stones….   it was like an Andy Goldsworthy piece.  our countryside is so vast and beautiful, there is always something new to discover.   Quince is another of my favourite shops selling flowers and some small gifts and of course there is Tidystreet where I am now buying all my lovely white dresses from – its as though Florence is choosing them especially for me.

 

lily ponds

absolutely love lily ponds, there is something mystical and serene, thought provoking and calming.

the water lily is the national flower of Bangladesh, it symbolizes love and life, and is used in almost every religious ceremony. there are many instances in history where flowers have been given symbolic meanings according to the prevalent culture and era. the stunning blossoms are used as an adornment for ceremonies and celebrations.

this is Judy’s pond, where we used to shoot our ilovegorgeous campaigns – I do miss going there;  always looking so different during the seasons, but still always tranquil.

queen anne’s lace

I love this flower which grows in abundance along the country lanes of england, did you know that its root is edible and it is in fact a wild carrot.   sometimes its known as Bishop’s lace or Bird’s nest.  It represents sanctuary.

Queen Anne’s Lace is said to have been named after Queen Anne of England, an expert lace maker. English legend tells us that Queen Anne challenged the ladies of the court to a contest to see who could produce a pattern of lace as lovely as the flower of this plant. No one could rival the queen’s handiwork. She however, pricked her finger with a needle and a single drop of blood fell into the lace, that is said to be the dark purple floret in the center of the flower.

nature has some of the best designs that is replicated over and over again in our everyday lives.