Flowers put a smile on my face. I love to watch them grow and flourish. I have many flowering plants in my home, delighting in the way they grow. Orchids lie dormant and then present me with their intricate blooms which last for months.
This white one has surprised me with a multitude of blossoms. It now has a partner, another white orchid which belonged to my late cousin. We used to talk about our orchids and how they gave us such pleasure. It's funny how things can be ties to other people. My aunt was the first to show me that having orchids was not a difficult thing. When hers stopped flowering, she would place them by a window behind her couch, watering them, but otherwise ignoring them. After a time they would surprise her with a new stalk with the promise of buds. My orchids now delight me with their beauty and their memories.
This cyclamen has continued to flower for three years. It really seems to love my new home. Its bright pink flowers are such a contrast to the white and grey scene outside the window.
Even my kalanchoe, which had lost all its blooms, started producing new flowers - a bit of sunshine to enjoy indoors!
An African violet sits in my bedroom, its deep purple flowers a reminder of the first plant my mother gave me as a child as she wanted to instil in me her love of plants and flowers. My Christmas cactus celebrates different holidays each year, one year blooming for Remembrance Day another for St. Nicolas Day. This year's blossoms are slowly fading. A begonia blooms in my dining area, its new blooms creeping up the stalk with the old ones dropping to the floor. Each day I travel around my home, stopping to appreciate the beauty. Water and light and look how much they give back!
