Monday, February 8, 2010

Long Lasting Beauties!


Happy Monday! What better way to start the day than with flowers?

Gerber daisies, which come in bright, cheerful colors, last quite awhile. Long after roses have bitten the dust in a bouquet, gerber daisies will still be perky and appealing.

Sizzling pink is my favorite color of gerber daisies but orange, red, white, and yellow are also great.

Do you ever wonder how flowers are named? Traugott Gerber, a German naturalist in the 1700s, is the namesake of the flower. (Now that name, Traugott, is a first for me. Never heard that name before.)

In her book, Garden Flower Folklore, published in the late 1980s, Laura C. Martin notes that Robert Diem, also a German plant breeder, continued to develop attractive Gerber daisies.

The author said the flowers are very important to Holland's flower trade.

Whenever a bouquet of flowers is on its way to someone, I try to include a few Gerbers in it, knowing they will make a good gift and outlast every other flower in the bouquet. Gerber daisies are an especially good choice to give to someone in a hospital or nursing home because they are so colorful and long-lasting.

What is your absolute favorite flower in the whole world? Why do you like it?

12 comments:

diane stetson said...

Someone gave me a boquet of flowers for my birthday on January 18 which contained Gerber Daises and today it is February 8 and those flowers are still decorating my living room....unbelievable! Thanks for the information on how they got their name...

Susan said...

Hi Di...You betcha. Gerbers are keepers. Hope your day is awesome. Sincerely, Susan

Chatty Crone said...

You are also a gardener! My favorite flower is a simple sunflower - they remind me of my daughter - her favorite. sandie

Susan said...

Hi Sandie....I'm not really a gardener. I love flowers, though, and like to buy them at the supermarket! Ha! Sunflowers are nice, too. Thanks for visiting and commenting. Love it! Sincerely, Susan

Adrienne said...

I love them all, but I really love ones that smell good - Oriental lilies, petunias, and yes, even marigolds. I grow zinnias in my cutting garden by the boatload along with glads for vases in the summer. It makes me feel rich.

Carnations from the grocery store are another favorite...

Karen Lange said...

Love these daisies! White daisies were my Mom's favorite, so all the varieties are special to me.
Blessings!

GratefulPrayerThankfulHeart said...

Hello Dear Susan! The Gerber Daisy is a favorite of my daughter, Jill. I don't think I can narrow it down to just one favorite. I like lily-of-the-Valley a lot but I have never met a flower I did not like. Always a joy visiting with you!

Kindly, ldh

Susan said...

Hi Adrienne...Oh, I love fragrant flowers, too. Gardenias.....aren't they enchanting? And jasmin? And honeysuckle? I'd love to have a cutting garden like yours, with glads and zinnias. Sounds divine. Sincerely, Susan

Susan said...

Hi Karen...Oh, daisies are so lovely. Remember doing "He loves me, he loves me not?" when you were a kid? Would do that with black-eyed Susans, too. Blessings to you, too, Karen. Sincerely, Susan

Susan said...

Hello LDH! Lily of the Valley are so beautiful. I even love their gentle fragrance. I'm with you. There are very few flowers I don't love. (Although tiger lilies aren't my faves.) Sincerely, Susan

Rebecca said...

It's hard for me to "pick" just one - no pun intended :) I don't have a green thumb when it comes to flowers so don't have a huge array in our yard, but I love roses. We have a couple public rose gardens nearby that I love to visit. Another park features tulips in the spring - and they are beautiful, too...I like several of the iris varieties, hydrangeas (is that a flower or bush bloom), and (since some mentioned it) the scent of lily-of-the-valley which I DO have here at the house..I like flowers.

Susan said...

Hi Rebecca! Isn't it wonderful to visit public gardens and see gorgeous blooms without having to tend to them? I think flowers are one of the best gifts on earth! Thanks for your comment! Sincerely, Susan

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