The golden glow with a velvety blush is uplifting and joyful, full of energy and life, nature at its best.
I am in awe of the beauty and wonder of flowers. They uplift our spirits, whether their blooms are bold, fresh and vibrant, or soft, subtle and feminine. They give infinite pleasure, and we use them to express our emotions in heartfelt gifts to our loved ones, friends and acquaintances.
Flowers can teach us much about the wisdom of life when we take the time to observe their habits, curiosities and perpetual cycles of birth, life, death and rebirth. It is intriguing to explore the many aspects of their biology, history and uses over thousands of years, and weave curious facts, legends, folklore and meanings into stories that reveal their wise lessons and influence on people and cultures across the world.
I began this journal about flowers because I wanted to inspire others to experience the exquisite beauty of flowers and learn how amazing and clever nature is in evolving weird and wonderful characteristics and strategies to ensure their survival into the future. This is, of course, intimately linked to our own survival on this planet through their crucial role in producing food, fibre and fresh healthy air to breathe. This is particularly relevant in the 21st century as we witness widespread destruction of the natural environment and climate change through human intervention.
This painting of a golden rose with a rich velvet blush is uplifting and joyful, full of energy and life, nature at its best. It’s not possible to look at this bloom without being inspired by its sunny exuberance. The golden glow is the colour of the sun, the vibrant energy that gives us life on this earth, that lights up our day when it’s clouded with troubles, and illuminates our path as we journey through life.
The petals in this bloom speak to me of an ancient waterwheel with scooped paddles, perpetually turning around its centre, driving huge stones that grind wheat into flour to be transformed with loving hands into bread for nourishment and survival. It’s a beautiful metaphor for the wheel of life, always turning, moving us inexorably forward each moment of every day, swinging up through the ‘highs’ as we experience the joys and achievements, and plummeting into the troughs that we ultimately move through to rise again to the heights. All the while our destiny is guiding us, the hub of the wheel that stays steady through storms and sunshine. If we are prepared to embrace it and make choices to work with it, there is a warm comfort that underpins our being, even in the shadow of the turning wheel as it descends to its lowest point.
Flowers nourish us, replenish our energy and rejuvenate our soul. I hope you will stay with me and enjoy the journey through botany, myth, magic and meaning, flower by flower.