JULY BIRTH FLOWERS

Hi to all of the July babies. You are pretty lucky to have not one but two birth flowers. Check out the article below and glow in your awesomeness.


July heralds the middle of summer and with it come two gorgeous flowers that are unique not only in appearance but in growth as well. The Delphinium, otherwise known as the Larkspur, as well as the Water lily has both been awarded the honor of representing July as its birth flower.






Characteristics Of These Flowers
These two July birth flowers differ greatly in appearance. The water lily makes its home on the surface of water and has a large lily pad with a single flower in the center. These majestic plants are often referred to as “Queen of the Water” and the flowers almost look like a crown and is also called a Lotus flower. The delphinium, on the other hand, might look like a single flower but is made up of numerous tiny flowers shaped like a poker. Other names for the Delphinium / Larkspur include Knight’s Spur, Lark’s Heel or Lark’s Claw. Although the Delphinium and Larkspur look very similar, there are subtle differences between the two. You only have to look at the delicate flowers to see this. The Delphinium has trumpet-like flowers while the Larkspurs flower is more open without the trumpet-like tube of the Delphinium.


Symbolism, Meaning and Significance of Water Lilies

As the national flower of Bangladesh, the water lily has long been a symbol of life and love. Throughout Eastern culture the water lily has been a symbol used to convey emotions, ideas and experiences ranging from beauty to enlightenment. Not only is it a symbol of life and love but is also seen as a symbol of unity. For Buddhists and Hindus, the water lily is an important religious symbol. When a water lily is used in a bridal bouquet it represents purity of heart.


According to history the Larkspur was originally used as a deterrent for scorpions. The Larkspur is known as a symbol of an open heart and devoted attachment. Since the shape of these flowers resembles parts of the Lark (bird), it is no wonder that these beautiful flowers also symbolize swiftness and lightness after the Lark in flight.

Interesting Facts
A single water lily flower not only changes color from white to deep pink but is the only flower that bears fruit while it is in full bloom. Native Americans used the Larkspur / Delphinium to make blue dye while some Europeans ground the flowers for making ink. Both these flowers are special in their own right making July a very special month.

source: birthstonezodiac.com

VIOLET FLOWER

VIOLET FLOWERS symbolize delicate love, affection, modesty, faith, nobility, intuition and dignity. ... Blue violet flowers symbolizes love and faithfulness, white violets represent purity and chastity and yellow violets symbolize high worth and goodness.

African Violets are stunning tropical plants whose flowers resemble violets in color and shape. Their cheerful flowers perched just above a neat rosette of dark-green, fuzzy leaves may bloom constantly throughout the year.


There are thousands of cultivars, which provide a palette of flower colors that include lavenders, blues, pinks, reds, and white. Some blooms combine two or more colors and may be single or double. The leaves are either smooth or wavy and sometimes are variegated. In addition to standard varieties, there are miniature African violets and trailing forms that can be grown in hanging pots.

Beginning growers sometimes have trouble getting African violets to flower. This is because the plants are really fussy about growing conditions. For maximum blooms, they demand ten to 14 hours of bright but indirect light per day and an eight-hour rest period in darkness. West- or south-facing windows offer the best light in winter, and windows that look north or east are preferred in summer. African violets thrive best with daytime temperatures between 70° and 80° F and nighttime temperatures near 65° F.

Avoid over watering; water just enough so that the soil is uniformly moist but not saturated. Use tepid or room temperature water; cold water can damage the root system and will cause spotting if spilled on leaves. Too little or too much fertilizer can result in a lack of blossoms. Use an African violet food to ensure the right proportions of nutrients. Experienced growers use a diluted solution of fertilizer with each watering.


African violets need to be repotted about once a year, but they can be persnickety about this, too. They prefer to be a bit potbound, so use a new pot that is only slightly larger than the old one. Remove about one-third of the old soil and replace it with a commercial African violet potting mix. Make sure that the crown of the plant is just above the soil line. Water thoroughly and the job is complete.


African violets really are easy to grow as long as you care for them on their own terms. When rewarded with a windowsill full of beautiful, blooming plants, you’ll know that they were certainly worth all of the fuss.




INFORMATION PROVIDED BY:
http://www.almanac.com/content/african-violets-fusspots

Loving Women's Day with photograher BETH MOON

Heart of the Dragon © Beth Moon

March 8 is National Women's Day. There are many women that have accomplished a great deal--whether in the political forum, art and business world, teachers, professors, mothers, wives, lawyers.....the list is endless. I bow my head to ALL of these WOMEN. I thank them for their wonderful, creative, genius ideas, hard work, contributions and love. 

We have selected to showcase Beth Moon's work on our blog. Her Ancient Tree photographs are breathless. Click on the link below to view more of her AMAZING WORK.

Portraits of Time: Ancient Trees

Hidden amidst the groves of these ancient trees (some as old as 4,000 years!), one finds a perfectly weathered beauty and a hope that we can discover better ways to live harmoniously with our environment.


For more info and to view Beth Moons amazing photos; click on the link: https://www.lensculture.com/articles/beth-moon-portraits-of-time-ancient-trees-2#slideshow


bethmoon.com

LOCATION:
United States
GALLERY REPRESENTATION:
Corden Potts Gallery
VERVE Gallery of Photography, Santa Fe, NM
Corden Potts Gallery, San Francisco
PH Neutro Fotografia Fine-Art, Verona, Italy
Vision Fine Art Photography Gallery, Jerusalem, Israel
Galeria Fass, Sao Paolo, Brazil
The Empty Quarter, Dubai
Zotts' Artspace

Planting Bioswales for NYC

   

Hi All! We finally completed the planting of Bioswales in Maspeth, Queens. In case everyone doesn't know what a bioswale is......."They are landscape elements designed to concentrate or remove silt and pollution from surface runoff water. They consist of a swaled drainage course with gently sloped sides (less then 6%) and filled with vegetation and compost." 

These are photos of the Bioswales we planted for the City of New York. They are not in bloom now but will be in the Spring. The covering you see in between the plants is called Jute Mesh. It helps with soil drainage and helps deter weed growth. We will post photos of them when blooming in the Spring! The City launched this project all around both residential and commercial areas to help with water drainage should there be excessive flooding and of course there is nothing better then looking at beautiful flowers as you walk along our wonderful NYC streets. Questions? info@hibiscusflowershop.com

The Bioswales that we planted for the City of New York were filled with various perennials: flowering shrubs & grasses; to name a few.....

Hibiscus Moscheutos

Astilbe 

Echinacea 

Sea Oats

  


   

Coreopsis