Valentine's Day is always a fun day. It's the perfect occasion for giving flowers and one of the busiest flower times of the year. In a natural English cutting garden in February, that does not rely on polytunnels, there are only limited blooms available. Therefore a little lateral thinking is needed when it comes to flowers from the Foragefor garden on St Valentine's Day. This year I've looked to the romantic Victorians' floriography or 'language of flowers' for inspiration and matched this to what is growing in the garden now. My flower sales have included moss hearts and posies, nosegays or 'tussie mussies' (depending on where you come from). So here are a few examples using cut flowers growing outside in the Foragefor garden, with not a red unseasonal rose in sight!
Moss, for 'maternal love' and 'charity'.
Snowdrops for 'hope' and ivy (leaf and berries) for 'fidelity' attached to the moss heart.
'Hope' and 'fidelity' in posy form
Now, if you want to get a little 'naughty' on Valentine's, what about hellebores for 'scandal' and aconite for 'treachery'.
One final one, hellebores again for 'scandal' (who could refuse a little bit of scandal) elm twigs for 'dignity and grace', rosemary for 'remembrance', wrapped in fern for 'sincerity'. Receipt of this posy might confuse your Valentine somewhat, remembering a sincere, scandalous person who has dignity! But they did sell, perhaps more for the gorgeous looking hellebores than for the meaning.
So whatever you are doing this Valentine's I hope you get the token of love you wish for!
You are a garden of fascination.
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