I am picking my Mother a bouquet of flowers for Mother’s Day. As ever we will not be together alas, however she is blessed with an impressive imagination so I am certain she will be able to visualise this bunch all the same.
I will send it to her from my brother as well though do admit he has been better at remembering Mother’s Day than I have in recent years. It is Mother’s and my birthday that seems to confuse him, he insists that we change the date every year!
One of my girls gave me a little book on the meaning of flowers which was fascinating, so much so I fear I have enthusiastically lent it to someone and now cannot find it. So, I have had to resort to some online research which has been rather short on inspiration. It appears that many of the flowers that survive in the Moble garden do not have a meaning in Victorian English floral language. Who would have thought that those Victorian- era suitors were not backing their success on a fist full of saltbush? No wonder so much was written on unrequited love.
Therefore, in order to be able to send my dear Ma a truly Moble arrangement, I will need to interpret my own meanings for some of the flowers and leaves. Another example dear reader of the power of the pen…
I will start at the centre: pink roses including Bloomfield Abundance and The Children’s Rose, heavenly scented and soft in tones, shell pink I would think. Remember, a rose without fragrance is simply a thorn in the nose. Pink roses are for grace and joy, perfect for dear Ma. Tea roses mean I’ll always remember, so Felicia and Duchesse de Brabant will fill that spot. Only a couple of buds so far but the weather is kind so they will be blooming soon. Some white Icebergs, always reliable and can mean sympathy so we shall give her the benefit of the doubt. Gold Bunny will add a squeeze of lemon, they are struggling on despite a hard summer and a yellow rose is for friendship and more joy. Why not? Can you ever have enough?
A White Chrysanthemum means truth, something she has always expected. They are still in bud though the buds are a fabulous lime green and will look great in the mix. Think she would prefer the buds to the flower anyway, she can be particular like that. To tone in with the yellow roses, I will head to the Bluebush swamp and gather the last of the yellow Wilcannia Lillies, Calostemma luteum, in my translation they tell of generosity and optimism, two things dear Ma has in buckets.
On my way home again, I will pick some blooms from the Swamp Lignum, Eremophilla polyclada. Just an imagining of scent and at its bell -shaped throat, a hint of purple (has Ma been at the Gin bottle again?), it is ethereal and delicate. A few sprays of it around the edges will add some radiance and Mother has always lit up a room.
A few Zinnias are flowering on, pink and cream for kindness and goodness, I could have made a posy from them alone and it would have been perfect. I would add resilience to the Zinnia’s portfolio and most certainly to my Mother’s, interestingly neither like the cold weather. The Mulga is flowering, Acacia aneura, I have found the meaning for Acacia blooms is Beauty in Retirement. I would not describe Mother as retiring but she is most definitely a beauty so a sprig of mulga shall be added. This bouquet is becoming quite a handful, also apt, and I feel it needs pulling together.
I shall pick some of the salvia species, all blooming away in clouds of blues. Salvia is for healing; we all have a need for that. I would like to add some Magnolia foliage for Love of Nature, she has always instilled in us her strong love of animals and an inspired love for our landscape. I think this bunch needs some silver to tone it down so will pop in some Olive for peace and some Rosemary for remembrance of course, how could we forget you Ma? Then some Goosefoot Saltbush, Atriplex lindleyi, that grows in wonderful clumps in unattended spots of my garden (so there is plenty) and as it has always stuck by me, shall henceforth mean constancy. Constancy and kindness, two words that may now be underused and undervalued but not by my Mother.
I always like to add some sticks to these arrangements, especially for an autumnal feel. Pussy Willow stands for Motherhood; however, I have none here in the garden. So, I shall poke in some twisted willow stems, stripped of their leaves so we can admire their russet sheen.
Finally, I shall swirl around some stems of Grapevine for freedom and re-birth, to thank her for always encouraging us to follow our own path and for the original birth, we are not expecting another go.
We send this to you dear Ma with our love as ever and thank you for always being the bouquet of joy and brilliance in our lives,
The Moble Gardener and her dear Brother.
| Camellia (White) | You’re adorable, Perfected loveliness |
| Carnation (Pink) | I’ll never forget you |
| Honeysuckle | Generosity |
| Lemon Leaves | Everlasting love |
| Magnolia | Love of nature, Nobility |
| Morning Glory | Affection |
| Olive Branch | Peace |
| Parsley | Useful knowledge |
| Pink | Pure affection |
| Pomegranate Flower | Elegance |
| Pussy Willow | Motherhood |
| Rose (White) | Charm, Innocence |
| Rose (Pink) | Perfect happiness |
| Rose (Pale Pink) | Grace |
| Rose (Yellow) | Friendship, Joy, Gladness |
| Rosemary | Remembrance |
| Wallflower | Fidelity in adversity |
| Zinnia (White) | Goodness |
