Beauty Behind Every Flower

In every special occasion or just an ordinary day, flowers are given to cheer up somebody or to let them feel they are important and that they are love. One of the most popular flower is the rose and it comes in varieties of sizes and colors. Roses inspired people over thousands of years to develop a language of color. When you specifically choose a color, variety of number of roses for someone, you are personalizing your gift with deeper sentiment. Some people may not really understand what each color of the roses convey, it might have a different meaning from what you intend. Roses have been in existence for around 32 million years, and have been used for many reasons since the ancient civilizations including the Greeks, Romans, and Persians.

Roses have been bred to be colorful, fragrant, and hearty for thousands of years. Although a rose of any color can simply mean gratitude and simplicity, over time they have been attributed to a variety of emotions and occasions. There are actually six different colors of roses that have associated with different emotions. The most popular is the red rose which symbolizes love and they are given to those who you want to show love and passion, people who you have great respect for, and those who have shown great courage. Pink is for showing gratitude, while orange is for desire and enthusiasm white is for purity and lavender is for enchantment. Lastly is the yellow rose, which is my favorite of all roses. 

Throughout history, yellow has been closely related to the sun, making these type of roses excellent for cheering people up. Yellow roses send a message of appreciation and platonic love without the romantic subtext of other colors. The color yellow represents feelings of joy and delight and it shows a warm feeling that are often shared to a true friend. It will always brighten my day every time I am down.

Landscaping Adds Real Value To Our Properties

Globally, the trend is showing that landscaping is increasingly adding real value to our properties. For home owners who have do have enough space in their front or backyard prefers to add style and some practical touches to these spaces. Landscaping is considered to be both science and art, and it requires good observation and design skills. It also refers to any activity that modifies the visible features of an area of land that includes the living elements, such as flora and fauna, the natural elements such as landforms, terrain shape and elevation or bodies of water. Human elements such as structures, buildings, fences or other material objects created and/or installed by humans, as well as abstract elements such as the weather and lighting conditions.

A good landscaper understands the elements of nature and construction and blends them accordingly. Landscaping varies according to different regions, that is the reason why understanding of the site is one of the chief essentials for successful landscaping. Putting all the right materials into your landscape design would really make a difference as an output. Pillar caps, edgers, landscape rock, landscape sands, mulch, or landscaping timbers are just some of the many landscaping materials. I have check online for new designs and any piece of decor that I could add into my garden. Vertical garden with containers is one eye catching piece that I could add into my garden.

A well designed landscape provides more than just aesthetics for our home. It also can help reduce our heating and cooling costs. Solar heat absorbed through windows and roofs can increase cooling costs, and incorporating shade from landscaping elements can reduce this solar heat again. You can also design a landscape that conserves water as well as energy. Remember, as you think about your landscaping, don't forget to consider ways to help the environment.

The Many Benefits of Lavender

 

 

Lavender is considered to be an herb. It has its many uses especially as ornamental plants for garden and landscape use, for use as culinary herbs, and also commercially for the extraction of essential oils. The flower and the oil of lavender are used to make medicine. It is one of the most nostalgic fragrances, bringing scenes of childhood vividly to the mind: high summer that lasts forever, lavender bushes shimmering against blue sky, the bees blundering in and out among the flowers, stirring up the intense sweet sensation. But again, lavender is much more than just pretty and calming. It is one of the most powerful remedies in the plant world, offering both physical and emotional relief for problems as varied as burns, migraines, insomnia, insect bites, skin problems, infections, stress, and nervous tension. 

One of my close friend, used to have these insomnia attacks for days and her doctor gave her sleeping pills to help her sleep because our body and mind needs to rest too. Those sleeping pills didn't have any affect on her sleeping habits, so the doctor gave her a much higher dosage and inform her of using lavender in her room to help her in sleeping. That actually made a difference. it help her put into sleep faster and lately she doesn't even need to take those sleeping pills. It's all thanks to the lavender aromatic oils that she uses at home. Since, I am growing lavender plants in my garden. I decided to give her one as a gift, so I bought a purple ceramic container and transferred some lavender. She really like the plant and decided to put it in her room near her bed. She is very thankful because she feel that I really cared for her a lot.

Lavender is particularly rich in aromatic molecules called esters, which are antispasmodic, pacifying and tonic, while other molecules give it's anti viral, bacterial and anti-inflammatory powers. Of the many, therapeutic attributes of Lavender oil, respiratory relief would be one of the most consistently reported benefits. Certainly eases breathing when lungs and sinuses are choked with phlegm. It also defends system against airborne viruses. Knowing all of these benefits, I am very glad that I was able to take care and maintain this type of plant at home.

Growing Your Own Bonsai Plant

 

It has a long story of beliefs that bonsai are lucky plants because they bring good luck to every household that cares and maintains them. One of the many plants that you could cultivate as bonsai is the Pyracantha or sometimes referred to as Firethorn. It is an Asian evergreen which has an abundance of white blossoms in spring and is loaded with beautiful orange-red berries on spurs along the wood of the previous year's growth in autumn. They resemble and are related to Cotoneaster. Firethorn is favored for their year round foliage, their abundant flowering capabilities and for their numerous fruit in autumn. The name Firethorn is derived from the fiery berry color and very sharp long thorns that carried on branches and these thorns may become branches in the future.

We all know that bonsai is the reproduction of natural tree forms in to a miniature form. This art form has its origin in Japan and China where it has been practiced for centuries. These bonsai are usually grown in pots and are totally dependent on you for their care. Pyracantha bonsai may be grown either indoors or outdoors and they do have specific care instructions if you choose either of the options. Always remember that with proper care, your bonsai will remain healthy, beautiful miniature for many years to come. If you place your bonsai indoors, please remember to put it in a cool, bright location receiving two or more hours of sunlight a day and appreciates being kept outdoors during the spring and summer. 

Firethorn bonsai require careful attention to watering. You must make sure to apply water before the soil appears dry -- never allow the soil to become completely dry. Keeping the soil evenly moist but not soggy. It doesn't really matter "how" you water your tree, but rather that when you are finished the tree has been well watered. Trimming, pinching,repotting and pruning is also necessary for the growth of your bonsai.

What Plants Can Do: Happiness Over Grief

Losing someone or something you love or care deeply about is very painful and we sometimes feel that it is also the end of the world for us. We may experience all kinds of difficult emotions and it may feel like the pain and sadness you're experiencing will never let up. These are actually normal reactions to a significant loss. Always remember that everyone experiences death and it is an inevitable part of human life. Lucky are those people who died with contentment for they were able to find their purpose in life and that they were able to properly bid goodbye to their loved ones before leaving their human body. 

Last December 17 of 2013, my husband's grandmother died peacefully on her bed. It is just a few days before Christmas, the whole family mourned, but it is during these times that the family's bond is tested. And one important factor why the whole family was able to recover quickly from grief is the support they receive from one another as well as support from other people. Friends were able to provide not just emotional support but also they were able to send peaceful sentiments lily arrangements at home to express their warmth and support during this difficult time.

Spiritual activities that are meaningful, such as praying, meditating, or going to church can also offer solace. Sharing your loss makes the burden of grief easier to carry. The burial follows after 3 days of mourning. Now, a new year has begun, and a new journey is definitely waiting ahead. One thing I have learned is to be thankful for the past, because it has taught us and molded us to be better today and the future. Welcoming the new year with a light heart, full of happiness and love is the best way, so that the whole year would be full of it too.