An Abecedarian of flowers

Dear Heather

A lovely vase of flowers brought to you today in picturesque beauty

To brighten your day and fill it with sunshine, joy and laughter

May garlands of beautiful shades and magnificent light and color

Effuse your senses with never ending gardens of sensuous delights

Here in the 'Garden of Z to A', are the generous floral gifts of mother nature

Gifted to you to remind you that:

"When troubles come, and our hearts burdened be

Then friends with love will stand with you in the shadows

Bringing newness, abundance, innovation and novelties

Of new beginnings which opens your heart to the wonders

Of the many approaching, unexpected blessings which await your tender heart"

Z begins the flowery story

Zenobia, Zygopetalum and Zinnias

Yellow archangels, Yellow roses, bells and coneflowers

Xeranthemum, xylobium and Xanthoceras Sorbifolium

Water lily, Watsonia, Wedelia and White evening primrose

Valerian, Viola x Wittrockiana, Veronica Incana and Vinca Minor

Umbrella draecena, Umbrella sedge, Ulat kambal and Upas

Thunbergia (Black-eyed Susan), Tiger lily, Tea rose and Tulips

Sage (Salvia), Sand phlox, Scabious and Sea holly (Eryngium)

Roses, one of the most popular flowers in the world

Ranunculus, also known as Persian Buttercup

Rhododendrons, also known as Azalea

Rudbeckia, also known as Black-eyed Susan or Coneflower

Rafflesia, the largest flower in the world

Quaker ladies, Queen Anne’s lace, Queen of the prairie and Queen's cup

Pansy, Painted daisy, Pale yellow-eyed glass and Pale purple coneflower

Orchid , Oriental Lily and Poppy, Ornamental Onion and Osteospermum

Narcissus that persistent devil, ever present, doubling trouble

Narcissus, Nasturtiums, Nemesia, Nepeta, Nerine and Nettle

Maiden Pink, Mammillaria cacti, Magnolia, Mallow and Maltese Cross ...

Laburnum, Lady's bedstraw, Lady's-eardrop, Larch and Larkspur

Kaffir Lily, Kalmia latifolia, Kangaroo Paw and Knautia Macedonica ...

Jaborosa, Jacob's Ladder, Jamesia Americana and Japanese Bellflower

Impatiens, Indian paintbrush, Iberis, Iceland poppy an Ice plant

Hibiscus, Heavenly bamboo, Helenium, Hebe and introducing, lovely HEATHER

Gaillardia, Galanthus (Snowdrops), Gaura, Gardenia and Geranium

Fairy Duster, False Indigo, False Rue Anemone, and Fern Leaf Yarrow

Ear-leaved Tickseed, Eastern purple Coneflower and Echinacea ...

Dalmation Bellflower, Daffodil, Dahlia, Daisy and Daphne

Calendula (Marigold), Calla Lily, Camellia, and Campanula (Bellflower)

Baby’s Breath, Bachelor’s Button, Balloon Flower, Bee Balm, Begonia ...

African Daisy, Aster, Amaryllis, Anemone and Azalea

AND NOW FOR POETRY TO RELAX YOUR MIND

Poem by William Wordsworth

I wandered lonely as a cloud

That floats on high o'er vales and hills,

When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host, of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,

Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine

And twinkle on the milky way,

They stretched in never-ending line

Along the margin of a bay:

Ten thousand saw I at a glance,

Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they

Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:

A poet could not but be gay,

In such a jocund company:

I gazed—and gazed—but little thought

What wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie

In vacant or in pensive mood,

They flash upon that inward eye

Which is the bliss of solitude;

And then my heart with pleasure fills,

And dances with the daffodils.

– William Wordsworth (1802)

The Flower by Alfred Lord Tennyson

Once in a golden hour

I cast to earth a seed.

Up there came a flower,

The people said, a weed.

To and fro they went

Thro' my garden bower,

And muttering discontent

Cursed me and my flower.

Then it grew so tall

It wore a crown of light,

But thieves from o'er the wall

Stole the seed by night.

Sow'd it far and wide

By every town and tower,

Till all the people cried,

"Splendid is the flower!

Read my little fable:

He that runs may read.

Most can raise the flowers now,

For all have got the seed.

And some are pretty enough,

And some are poor indeed;

And now again the people

Call it but a weed.

Love and friendship by Emily Bronte

Love is like the wild rose-briar,

Friendship like the holly-tree—

The holly is dark when the rose-briar blooms

But which will bloom most constantly?

This poem compares love to a wild rose-briar and friendship to a holly-tree. The holly-tree is dark when the rose-briar blooms, but it will bloom more constantly than the rose-briar. The poet acknowledges the value of having just one faithful and trustworthy friend, considering it a blessing.

Yet friendship can be found in numerous and diverse places. We have proved that true by our meetings and connections on this writing platform. We have proved that it is possible to form long distance, yet lasting interconnectedness by the written words and the willingness to support one another through the good times and the not so wonderful times.

Long may our mutual willingness to create and support each other remain a blessing.

Regards!

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ABECEDARIAN means 'arranged alphabetically'.

Heather's Challenge

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