Flowers of August: The Dramatic Gladiolus
If you’re looking for a dramatic, meaningful flower to include in your garden this year, or to send to a loved one, the Gladiolus is an exotic choice. August’s birth flower was named for its sword-shaped leaves; the name Gladiolus, is Latin for “sword”. This beautifully simple flower was also called “xiphim” from the Ancient Greek word xiphos – meaning sword.
Meanings and Colors
Flowers come in all shapes and sizes and the Gladiolus is a fine example of this. It has large thick stems, usually with 6-8 tightly packed blossoms on one side. They come in a variety of colors – some that are native to the species and some that have been cultivated over the years – pink, yellow, red, purple, white and orange.
Representing strength of character and gracefulness, this blossom also represents the 40th Wedding Anniversary. Said to have had a secret meaning in the Victorian era, this flower was given to symbolize “love at first sight” and secret passion.
Parts of the Gladiolus are poisonous if ingested; nevertheless, this extremely fragrant member of the Iris family was still used for medicinal purposes once upon a time. The English used the corms to remove thorns and splinters, while some mixed powdered corms with goat’s milk to relieve colic.
Care and Cultivation
If you are a gardener looking cultivate flowers that evoke a gladiator-esque or old Victorian feel for your garden, the imposing Gladiolus is a wonderful choice. They are generally semi-hardy (there are some hardy varieties) and should be grown in temperate climates - full sun if possible.
In the fall, after the blooming season is over, lift the corms (bulbs) from the soil, store inside and replant in the spring. Some of the hardier varieties can be left in the soil. When you are ready to plant in the spring, plant the corms 4-6 inches apart in full sun – partial shade, in an area with good drainage.
The Gladiolus is a must for unique flower designs and looks beautiful as a cut flower. It should be tended to daily with fresh water and the removal of wilted blossoms.
Enjoy this unique flower in your garden or on your kitchen table; it is sure to evoke passion and strength with whoever comes across it.
Lilly Gordon is freelance web publisher and author. She writes on a variety of topics and is a fan of gardening and cultivating Calgary flowers, where she currently resides.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Roses: The history, care of, and meanings behind the most popular flower in the world
Excerpt from
A Little Budding Rose by Emily Bronte
It was a little budding rose,
Round like a fairy globe,
And shyly did its leaves unclose
Hid in their mossy robe,
But sweet was the slight and spicy smell
It breathed from its heart invisible….
History
The rose is one of the oldest plant species and has been a beloved and celebrated flower for thousands of years. Thought to be symbols of love and beauty, poets, artists, florists and gardeners alike delight in the beauty and delicate nature of its fragrant blooms. Acient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks all celebrated the rose with awe and reverence. The rose plant was used as a decoration and for medicinal purposes, to cure gout and stomach upsets. The Catholic Rosary was originally made of 150 dried roses and England has adopted the rose as its national flower. During the 17th century, roses and rose water were deemed so valuable, they were used by royalty as legal tender. Roses, from the family Rosaceae, are over 35 million years old and there are 150 species in the northern hemisphere. Some people say that these flowers were cultivated in gardens as many as 5000 years ago. The hardiness of these flowers, combined with their diversity and appearance may account for their popularity. Roses bloom over a longer period of time than most other shrubs and plants in the garden and are therefore sought after as permanent fixtures in many a yard.
Meanings
Traditionally, roses are the most popular flower at the florists shop. A staple in wedding bouquets, funeral arrangements, holiday arrangements and as an everyday token, roses are flowers that make a statement. Whether giving a single rose, a bouquet to a loved one; or sending flowers to acknowledge an event, the giver can rely on the face that their message will be received without words.
The variety of rose plant you select should be based on your garden’s growing conditions, size and above all, personal taste. They should be planted at least 24” apart and deep enough to allow the roots to be covered up to the “bud union” or “graft union”, about 15” usually. The soil should be loose around the roots and not tamped, allowing for both drainage and air circulation. Allow for 6 hours of sun per day at least and mulch if desired. Roses should be cut at a 45 degree angle when preparing for bouquets.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance web writer and publisher. She is an avid gardener and is fascinated with floriculture and Calgary Flowers.
A Little Budding Rose by Emily Bronte
It was a little budding rose,
Round like a fairy globe,
And shyly did its leaves unclose
Hid in their mossy robe,
But sweet was the slight and spicy smell
It breathed from its heart invisible….
History
The rose is one of the oldest plant species and has been a beloved and celebrated flower for thousands of years. Thought to be symbols of love and beauty, poets, artists, florists and gardeners alike delight in the beauty and delicate nature of its fragrant blooms. Acient Egyptians, Romans and Greeks all celebrated the rose with awe and reverence. The rose plant was used as a decoration and for medicinal purposes, to cure gout and stomach upsets. The Catholic Rosary was originally made of 150 dried roses and England has adopted the rose as its national flower. During the 17th century, roses and rose water were deemed so valuable, they were used by royalty as legal tender. Roses, from the family Rosaceae, are over 35 million years old and there are 150 species in the northern hemisphere. Some people say that these flowers were cultivated in gardens as many as 5000 years ago. The hardiness of these flowers, combined with their diversity and appearance may account for their popularity. Roses bloom over a longer period of time than most other shrubs and plants in the garden and are therefore sought after as permanent fixtures in many a yard.
Meanings
Traditionally, roses are the most popular flower at the florists shop. A staple in wedding bouquets, funeral arrangements, holiday arrangements and as an everyday token, roses are flowers that make a statement. Whether giving a single rose, a bouquet to a loved one; or sending flowers to acknowledge an event, the giver can rely on the face that their message will be received without words.
- A single red rose: “I love you”
- A single purple rose: “Love at first sight”
- Red: love, beauty
- White: purity, innocence, youth, heavenly
- Pink: appreciation, “Thank you” happiness, joy
- Yellow: friendship, remembrance, delight, joy
- Peach: appreciation, modesty
- Orange: desire
- Purple (or lavender): enchantment, mystery
- Red and white: unity
Care
The variety of rose plant you select should be based on your garden’s growing conditions, size and above all, personal taste. They should be planted at least 24” apart and deep enough to allow the roots to be covered up to the “bud union” or “graft union”, about 15” usually. The soil should be loose around the roots and not tamped, allowing for both drainage and air circulation. Allow for 6 hours of sun per day at least and mulch if desired. Roses should be cut at a 45 degree angle when preparing for bouquets.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance web writer and publisher. She is an avid gardener and is fascinated with floriculture and Calgary Flowers.
Prevent an Unplanned Pregnancy: Talk to Your Children About Sex!
Talking to your children about sex isn’t the most fun thing to do. We all know it’s embarrassing, but if you truly sit and think about the consequences of NOT talking to your kids about sex, you may find it significantly less embarrassing. Kids who don’t know the truth about sex are more likely to end up with an unplanned pregnancy or something far worse like an incurable sexually transmitted disease (STD). Children want to know the truth, and they want it from the people they trust the most: their parents.
The first thing to know is: it’s never too late! It’s recommended that you start talking to your children in their early childhood years. But if you have pre-teens or teenagers that have somehow avoided the subject, don’t despair – they are never too old to learn about the truth! As soon as children start seeing any sort of “sexual messages” (pregnancies, Mom and Dad hugging, etc.) they will need to (and want to) at least know the basics. Another important thing for a parent to remember is to always be open and honest; always be available for a chat, no matter what the time of day.
When talking with your kids about sex and pregnancy information, craft your words and responses depending on the age of the child and his or her level of understanding. What is appropriate for a four year old is probably not going to fly with a pre-teen.
Remember that kids view their parents as experts on sexuality and relationships and are less likely to venture out into the world seeking knowledge on these topics if you give them forthright information about sex, unexpected pregnancy, STDs and relationships. Being embarrassed is normal – your kids may be embarrassed too – but it’s a topic that needs to be addressed at different times in a child’s life, by the people that have the most authority on every subject - their parents.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance author and web publisher. She writes on a variety of topics and is an avid supporter of educating children about safe sex and unplanned pregnancy.
The first thing to know is: it’s never too late! It’s recommended that you start talking to your children in their early childhood years. But if you have pre-teens or teenagers that have somehow avoided the subject, don’t despair – they are never too old to learn about the truth! As soon as children start seeing any sort of “sexual messages” (pregnancies, Mom and Dad hugging, etc.) they will need to (and want to) at least know the basics. Another important thing for a parent to remember is to always be open and honest; always be available for a chat, no matter what the time of day.
When talking with your kids about sex and pregnancy information, craft your words and responses depending on the age of the child and his or her level of understanding. What is appropriate for a four year old is probably not going to fly with a pre-teen.
- When talking to a young child, you may tell them about the different body parts, or ask them if they know why boys look different from girls. They may also be curious about how babies get in and out of peoples tummies. Children are also never too young to know that their parents love each other and what that means.
- An older child may be ready to hear about relationships between men and women (or same sex relationships, but that’s a different article!), dating, and their bodies changing.
- Teenagers need to hear about pregnancy info, STDs, positive relationships with others and their own bodies, birth control and fertility, and the emotional aspects of intimate relationships.
Remember that kids view their parents as experts on sexuality and relationships and are less likely to venture out into the world seeking knowledge on these topics if you give them forthright information about sex, unexpected pregnancy, STDs and relationships. Being embarrassed is normal – your kids may be embarrassed too – but it’s a topic that needs to be addressed at different times in a child’s life, by the people that have the most authority on every subject - their parents.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance author and web publisher. She writes on a variety of topics and is an avid supporter of educating children about safe sex and unplanned pregnancy.
The Reality of Pregnancy: A Week by Week Guide to Crazy Ladies and Nursing Bras
Wondering what to expect during your partner’s pregnancy? It’ a good idea to be realistic and expect the worst – then you may be pleasantly surprised. Just for the record, only about 10% of women experience happy, blissful pregnancies. The rest of us experience what I like to call the “year I went crazy.”
The beginning…
When a woman finds out she’s pregnant, she’s usually about 4 – 6 weeks along. (Which in medical time is actually only 2-4 weeks.) So as you can imagine, the hormones are just starting to brew. You might notice a little change; she may be a bit more emotional, her breasts may instantly perk up, and she may look at you like you’re an Adonis who fertilized her womb.
What most of you don’t know, is that this is the calm before the storm.
6-12 Weeks
This is the time when, if you’re going to get morning sickness, it’s going to start happening now and last until you hit the 12 – 14 week mark. If you’re not okay with your lady throwing up, don’t go near the bathroom. And it usually doesn’t happen in the morning. It could be noon, it could be the middle of the night, or it could be all day. Her breasts will be so sore that she’ll take a swing at you if you even look at them. She may cry during breakfast. Or on the phone. Or while she’s peeing. This is normal.
12 – 20 weeks
This is the trickiest time in the pregnancy due to the start of the weight gain. Just a heads up for you guys: don’t comment on it. When she asks, “Do I look pregnant, or just fat…?” you can do one of two things:
1. Say “Pardon? I didn’t hear you because I was too busy cleaning the bathroom for you. I know how tired you’ve been.”
2. Pretend to pass out and just avoid the situation entirely.
The Mother-to-be of your child may also be very tired right now. Let her sleep as much as possible to avoid unnecessary conflict. The morning sickness should be over now and give way to the whole new enemy: constipation. There is nothing you can do to help with this problem except to nod sympathetically if she brings it to your attention, and pretend not to cringe when you see stool softeners in the medicine cabinet.
20 – 28 Weeks
Now you will start to see your partner blossoming into a beautiful, life-giving entity. For those of you that are lucky, this is when some pregnant women get a little “randy” and suggest passionate sessions of sex. For those of you with a different type of extremely hormonal partner (remember, she can’t help it) this is when she will swear off sex for the rest of the pregnancy, if she hasn’t already. Also, she may take on an odd smell – this is caused by extreme flatulence – a common side effect of pregnancy. Also beware of: overheating, swelling of extremities and weird ailments (skin rashes, hemorrhoids, etc.)
This may also be the time to get the baby’s nursery in order. Be prepared for her to shop… A LOT. If this is your first, she may break the bank at baby boutiques buying everything from burp pads and potty seats and headbands. (Baby girls will cause a significantly bigger shopping spree.)
28-38 weeks
If your wife is going to get bitchy, it’s going to happen now. There are varying degrees of bitchiness. She could range anywhere from Disney-princess to Linda Blair (think The Exorcist.) Women will shake their heads and disagree, but I for one, didn’t allow my husband to chew inside the house. Yes, chew. It’s not uncommon either. Here are a few things that may or may not set her off like an atomic bomb:
1. Breathing on her, or breathing in general.
2. Chewing by her or chewing in general.
3. Snoring.
4. Drinking alcohol or general merriment with “the boys”.
5. Mentioning there’s a funny smell by her (she probably farted – keep it to yourself.)
6. Your suddenly stronger-than-usual odor.
7. Your hygiene habits –do not clip your toenails around her.
8. Any sudden noises (like coughing.
9. Any failure to understand what she’s going through (dude, just pretend.)
10. The mere mention of sex.
38 – 42 weeks (I really hope for your sake it’s 40 weeks)
You’re in the homestretch! You’ve both made it to the end of a long, hard journey… but not quite. This is the nesting period, when your lovely will clean out the whole pad, scrubbing like she’s Cinderella and working for food. Don’t get in her way – even to help. She won’t notice anyway, and she’ll just clean it again. You are to offer your heavy-lifting services only.
Your wife will look as big as she’s going to get now. Her breasts will be massive and need to be poured into a nursing bra 2-3 sizes bigger than normal. Her belly will resemble a massive beachball and her feet may be so swollen she has to have a foot rub twice a day (get on it!)
Quick Tips to get you through 40-ish weeks of joy/scariness:
• Go to the appointments with her.
• Don’t miss the ultrasound!
• Give her foot rubs every day.
• Pretend to be excited about everything.
• Be less annoying in general.
Good luck and God Speed.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance web publisher and author and enjoys writing on a variety of topics. She is a wife and mother of two and specializes in babies, burp pads and diaper changing.
The beginning…
When a woman finds out she’s pregnant, she’s usually about 4 – 6 weeks along. (Which in medical time is actually only 2-4 weeks.) So as you can imagine, the hormones are just starting to brew. You might notice a little change; she may be a bit more emotional, her breasts may instantly perk up, and she may look at you like you’re an Adonis who fertilized her womb.
What most of you don’t know, is that this is the calm before the storm.
6-12 Weeks
This is the time when, if you’re going to get morning sickness, it’s going to start happening now and last until you hit the 12 – 14 week mark. If you’re not okay with your lady throwing up, don’t go near the bathroom. And it usually doesn’t happen in the morning. It could be noon, it could be the middle of the night, or it could be all day. Her breasts will be so sore that she’ll take a swing at you if you even look at them. She may cry during breakfast. Or on the phone. Or while she’s peeing. This is normal.
12 – 20 weeks
This is the trickiest time in the pregnancy due to the start of the weight gain. Just a heads up for you guys: don’t comment on it. When she asks, “Do I look pregnant, or just fat…?” you can do one of two things:
1. Say “Pardon? I didn’t hear you because I was too busy cleaning the bathroom for you. I know how tired you’ve been.”
2. Pretend to pass out and just avoid the situation entirely.
The Mother-to-be of your child may also be very tired right now. Let her sleep as much as possible to avoid unnecessary conflict. The morning sickness should be over now and give way to the whole new enemy: constipation. There is nothing you can do to help with this problem except to nod sympathetically if she brings it to your attention, and pretend not to cringe when you see stool softeners in the medicine cabinet.
20 – 28 Weeks
Now you will start to see your partner blossoming into a beautiful, life-giving entity. For those of you that are lucky, this is when some pregnant women get a little “randy” and suggest passionate sessions of sex. For those of you with a different type of extremely hormonal partner (remember, she can’t help it) this is when she will swear off sex for the rest of the pregnancy, if she hasn’t already. Also, she may take on an odd smell – this is caused by extreme flatulence – a common side effect of pregnancy. Also beware of: overheating, swelling of extremities and weird ailments (skin rashes, hemorrhoids, etc.)
This may also be the time to get the baby’s nursery in order. Be prepared for her to shop… A LOT. If this is your first, she may break the bank at baby boutiques buying everything from burp pads and potty seats and headbands. (Baby girls will cause a significantly bigger shopping spree.)
28-38 weeks
If your wife is going to get bitchy, it’s going to happen now. There are varying degrees of bitchiness. She could range anywhere from Disney-princess to Linda Blair (think The Exorcist.) Women will shake their heads and disagree, but I for one, didn’t allow my husband to chew inside the house. Yes, chew. It’s not uncommon either. Here are a few things that may or may not set her off like an atomic bomb:
1. Breathing on her, or breathing in general.
2. Chewing by her or chewing in general.
3. Snoring.
4. Drinking alcohol or general merriment with “the boys”.
5. Mentioning there’s a funny smell by her (she probably farted – keep it to yourself.)
6. Your suddenly stronger-than-usual odor.
7. Your hygiene habits –do not clip your toenails around her.
8. Any sudden noises (like coughing.
9. Any failure to understand what she’s going through (dude, just pretend.)
10. The mere mention of sex.
38 – 42 weeks (I really hope for your sake it’s 40 weeks)
You’re in the homestretch! You’ve both made it to the end of a long, hard journey… but not quite. This is the nesting period, when your lovely will clean out the whole pad, scrubbing like she’s Cinderella and working for food. Don’t get in her way – even to help. She won’t notice anyway, and she’ll just clean it again. You are to offer your heavy-lifting services only.
Your wife will look as big as she’s going to get now. Her breasts will be massive and need to be poured into a nursing bra 2-3 sizes bigger than normal. Her belly will resemble a massive beachball and her feet may be so swollen she has to have a foot rub twice a day (get on it!)
Quick Tips to get you through 40-ish weeks of joy/scariness:
• Go to the appointments with her.
• Don’t miss the ultrasound!
• Give her foot rubs every day.
• Pretend to be excited about everything.
• Be less annoying in general.
Good luck and God Speed.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance web publisher and author and enjoys writing on a variety of topics. She is a wife and mother of two and specializes in babies, burp pads and diaper changing.
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Top Ten Budget Wedding Tips:Esthetics Schools and Homemade Invitations Are Cool!
A wedding is the most wonderful time in a couple’s life together. The engagement is exciting; setting the date is a blast; setting the budget is… well, not so fun. Statistics show that the average cost of a Canadian wedding is $20,000. More and more couples are paying for their own weddings and paring down the costs. Making your own invitations and using the services of esthetic schools are just the beginning. Here’s how to plan your budget wedding.
- Guest List: We all know how hard it can be to pare down a wedding guest list, but for the sake of the budget, it’s necessary. The general rule is: If you haven’t spoken to or seen a person in the past two years, they shouldn’t be on your guest list. Also, be sure to take control of your list – tell Mom and Dad that the neighbours you had when you were five aren’t invited!
- Invitations: Make your own invitations. Spending hundreds of dollars on invitations is completely unnecessary. You can purchase invitation kits at local office supply stores for a fraction of the cost. All it takes is an hour in a word processing program on the computer, a cute picture of the couple and some address labels. Also, instead of spending money on reply card postage, ask your guests to reply via email or phone.
- Hair, Makeup and Spa Services: Forget about pricey spas and salons. Look online to find your local Hairstyling school or esthetics school. The students at these schools know how to style hair too and fancy hairdos are usually their specialty. You will pay a fraction of the cost for the same do. These establishments also offer makeup and spa services for very low costs and are a fantastic option for manicures, pedicures and all other spa services as well.
- Wedding Dress: This can be one of the biggest costs for a bride. We all know you want to look your best, but that doesn’t mean you have to blow your budget. Spend some hours looking online at used dresses: eBay and local online classifieds are a great source. If you’re not open to used, try rental establishments. Sample sales and seasonal sales at stores are a great opportunity as well. Call stores in advance and find out when they are hosting these events. You can also look in non-traditional stores for not only your dress, but your bridesmaid dresses. Sales racks at stores that offer formal dress wear are usually packed with options.
- Decorations & Favours: Ask for help with the decorating. Your friends an family are bound to harbor some inner craftiness.When choosing your wedding flowers, look for silk or seasonal fresh flowers. Wedding favors don’t need to be expensive. Bottles of bubbles with personalized labels that are computer made are a really inexpensive option as are little bags of candy.
- Wedding Day: Try a non-traditional weekday or Friday-night wedding. Saturday wedding costs are usually much more expensive, and they break up your guest’s whole weekend.
- Say NO to the Open Bar: Having an Open Bar at your wedding is definitely a no-no if you want to stay on budget. Instead, place two free drink tickets on each guest’s place setting and then have a cash bar for the rest of the evening. When couples offer open bars, the drinks tend to be discarded or lost after two sips anyway.
- Dinner: Instead of appetizers and served meals, try a buffet-style dinner. It is usually the cheaper options and provides your guests with more options for their supper.
- Cake: Guests at weddings usually don’t eat the cake so consider a small wedding cake for show only. Dessert is offered with dinner so don’t feel compelled to have a cake big enough to feed all of your guests.
- Photograper & Videographer: If you have a friend who is an amateur photographer, enlist their services. Or, consider having you’re a professional only for the ceremony and placing disposable cameras on tables for the reception. You will get great, spontaneous shots. If you hire a professional, be sure to ask about enlargement fees, and having all of your images available on a CD for your own use after the wedding. Ask one of your single friends to be the videographer for your big day. It’s a great way to preserve the memories AND get your friend talking to everyone at the party.
Planning a wedding on your own dime can be a stressful and complicated project. But it isn’t impossible and it is definitely worth a little extra effort. Remember, your wedding is just the start of your life together… Don’t spend all of your hard earned money on one day when you have the rest of your life to live.
Lilly Gordon is a freelance web author and publisher who enjoys writing on a variety of topics. She currently resides in Edmonton and is researching budgets, brides and Edmonton spa services.
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