A Day of Love just after Pancake Tuesday, Snowdrop Mania, Love is ... 50+ years old, the story & myths about the rose & all we have grá for in the flower world we weave ...
Yes, the big day of love is next Wednesday but we have lots more for you to read besides.
This week, we bring you further along the love tunnel & discuss how The Beta Band inspired our bouquet ‘You’re the Only One’, galanthophiles (‘say what?’ we hear you say?) get a mention and then we celebrate over 50 years of the ‘Love is…’ illustrations. Of course, we suggest our favourite things finding their way into our world giving relief before we literally stop all life, hunker down & happily bind those bunches to keep love spinning around on Valentine’s Day.
NATURE STUDIES :
- where we take turns different weeks to interview our favourite folk about their botanical favourites or to switch it up & chat about current happenings in the floricultural world.
A Galanthophilic Season
Today is International Snowdrop Day/Lá Plúiriní Sneachta. It's the first time this early Spring flowering bulb has been given a day so I thought let us also celebrate snowdrop collectors as it's a great day for the Galanthophile tribe.
Ok, what is a Galanthophile you say? ... Well, these snowdrop lovers pursue annual snowdrop garden shows and track bulb growers to find and trade the most unusual bulbs. Their collective name comes from the Snowdrop Scientific Name : Galanthus.
Due to a recent explosion of interest in snowdrops, there has been a recent expansion of the galanthophile population . This community growth is now compared to the tulip mania that hit the Netherlands in the 17th century, when rare tulip bulbs cost more than a small house.
What?! ... say us who are not galanthophiles? Well the current vogue is partly due to Joe Sharman of Monksilver Nursery, Cambridgeshire, England who spotted the early potential of selling rare snowdrops on eBay. In 1997, he started an annual ‘Galanthus Gala’ that helped to kick start the market of these fragile & resilient bulbs. Galanthomania reaches fever pitch each February since as specialist nurseries and private individuals chase sought-after specimens .In 2011 his first yellow snowdrop Galanthus plicatus 'Golden Fleece' fetched a (then) record of £747. However, Joe subsequently broke his own record by selling another yellow snowdrop for £1850 in 2022. He is known to galanthophiles the world over as the snowdrop grower with the Midas touch!
He explains that the high prices reflect the time these new cultivars take to develop. “I was the first person to breed specific cultivars. I aimed to develop a yellow snowdrop but it takes over 18 years from the first seed to having enough stock to sell" (Gardens Illustrated)
These bulbs has reached such trading notoriety that nurseries and gardens with Snowdrop festivals need to have extra security to prevent plant theft & illegal trading. Who knew that such a delicate bulb would become the source for a new floral movement sensation in Spring.
Notes on The Snowdrop
In floriography, they are symbols of hope and consolation, they are the birth flowers of anyone January born & brilliantly galantamine, an active ingredient within the flower is used in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. It was the monks who originally brought them here from Rome & England and they were traditionally planted around monasteries. Adored by pollinators such as bees and butterflies, it's hardened leaves have a sharp pointed tip, allowing them to effectively break through the frozen ground in late winter.
"Snowdrop collecting in Ireland derived from naturally occurring hybrids found in gardens around the country. Once nurtured and bulked up, the snowdrops were shared among passionate gardeners and it is only recently that many of these snowdrops have become available commercially. Cicely Hall, who had a snowdrop named after her, amassed a noted collection that is now maintained by her son Robin at Primrose Hill Garden in Lucan, Co Dublin, while at Altamont Gardens, Co Carlow, Corona North enriched her snowdrop collection with snowdrop hybrids she collected from abandoned demesnes." - Sylvia Thompson, The Irish Times
Fionnuala Fallon had a lovely piece in The Irish Times about the recently passed Angela Jupe of Bellefield House who particularly loved snowdrops. She had amassed more than 300 varieties between purchasing and foraging for the bulbs over the years. These were grown in the large gardens surrounding her farmhouse in rural Offaly and she instigated both annual Snowdrop Days and the Rare & Special Plant Fair. May she rest in peace amongst the most delicate and fragrant snowdrops in the sky.
Video by The Garden Museum - London.
FLOWERS WE LOVED TO MAKE :
- a diary of events, bunches & happenings we made for this week.
You are the Only One
“She's the one for me
She's the one for me
She's the one for me
She's the one for me____” - The Beta Band
When the Scottish band, The Beta Band released ‘She’s the one’ in 1997, I had just started to work in television production. Each track resonated, I went to see any gig they played & created. This particular track was constantly used by editors to accompany programme segments too. So moving swiftly to 2007, we were trying to make an effort to inspire our Valentine customer to be more inventive in their ahem…flower choice. This track spurred us on to create the prettiest of new Spring season flowers with a select 1 x red rose as a sentiment for the day. It is still one of our bestsellers as it not only says that the giver knows you love seasonal flowers but that there still is a romantic significance with a velvet red rose plumped amongst the prettiness. As a bunch, she is definitely the one for me.
& OUR SIOPA STORIES
- all the latest in news & grooves from our flower store in Cornelscourt
- Yes, the Day of Love fast approaches
- Valentines Day is this
WEDNESDAY THE 14TH OF FEBRUARY FLOWER FRIENDS...
When did you last do it? Buy flowers ... that is!
We know it seems corny or mad, but this year we are inspired by the fact that The Beatles used the word 'love' in their lyrics 613 times so ...we're leaning in with our divine dancing blooms.
We want you to give flowers oh so pretty so that you are the reason your love smiles & walks into a pole (obviously we don't wish anyone to hurt themselves but you need to give flowers to pack a punch of love, like, lust)
HERE'S THE HOW :
From Saturday the 10th of February, we will have a shop full of flowers of love in all shapes, sizes and colours.
Deliveries to your favourite people of your heart will go from Monday 12th of February - and now the BUT!
ORDER SOONER IF YOU WOULD SPECIFICALLY LIKE US TO MAKE YOUR FAVOURITE VALENTINES BOUQUETS FOR COLLECTION OR DELIVERY SO THAT WE CAN RESERVE YOUR FLOWERS & REALLY HELP YOU SHOW THE LOVE!
HOW?
Order online HERE
Email us at cornelscourt@appassionata.ie - Call us at 01 6112444 - Pop in and chat through all you need…
AND
We will have Valentines cards, bunches, plants, gifts, bouquets, & the big boot-iful red rose bouquets in our store each day to grab & bring home to your one true love!
‘You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.’
Dr. Seuss
BLÁTHANNA GRÁ
- a gathering of all we loved this week as we work our days amidst seasonal blooms :
IN LOVE : Love is …
The love story behind Love is ...
This comic strip was originally created by Kim Grove to express her love for her husband to be, Roberto Casali. The characters and sentinments grew into the famous Love is syndicated panels of the little naked boy and girl first launched in The Los Angeles Times in 1970.
Bill Asprey was picked by Kim to take on the mantel of drawing and writing these panels after Roberto passed away in 1976. Love is ... is now 54 years old and still going. These are part of a childhood memory of comic sections in newspapers & the sweetness was always a positive thing.
https://www.artfulaspreycartoons.co.uk/
IN WORDS : Let’s fall in love with the Rose Myths & Mysteries
Unfortunately the rose as a flower especially if it is red, ruby or raspberry in hue, can be dismissed as a bloom. Reading this piece by David Crow of Anima Mundi Herbals will reignite fascination for the power of the rose through history for even the most hardened anti-rose souls.
“In the beginning, there were only a handful of species of roses, but their destiny would be to spread across the earth, evolving and hybridizing into tens of thousands of new forms, colors, smells, and growing habits. More profoundly, roses would gradually become entwined with the roots of the human psyche, adorning and symbolizing the unique paradoxes our soulful species has forever struggled to reconcile, for we are indeed spiritually erotic and erotically spiritual, embodiments of love divine yet fated to endure the ordeals of passion
What could represent the human condition better than a flower of fleeting beauty, a scent enthralling yet ephemeral, and a plant both fragile and prone to sickness yet armored with thorns and capable of thriving from the coldest forests of Siberia to the hottest deserts of India?” - David Crow, Anima Mundi Herbals
READ THE REST OF THIS SPECIAL PIECE HERE
IN BLOOMS : Sunny Florists Down Under
Gosh, we aren’t going to lie, the solid rain can dampen even the best happy daily intentions. So, it is such a brightener to see 2 of our favourite Australian florists dance & show off summer on the other side of the world. It has replaced our watching Home and Away after school to see some sun! Check these 2 studios for happy feels each day & wish our winter away.
September Studio is based in Darlinghurst, a favourite Sydney spot. It’s a part ceramics studio, part florist kind of space run by creative director Bryce Heyworth who builds sculptural bouquets for gifting and events using locally grown natives and seasonal blooms. We have flower envy at the floral & foliage stock Bryce gets to use. And then as soon as he is starting to create, Bryce dances to his floral tune to finish his display with a flourish.
And Bryce also sees Valentines as we do too :
“When I buy flowers I am not choosing flowers based on 'an occasion' but I am buying for a person. knowing what a person wants and likes is much more important than sticking to a tradition."
Spreading love is one of the core elements of Valentine's Day and giving flowers is a way to show a loved one how much you appreciate them.
"When you're choosing flowers it's always really important to know who you're buying for and taking the time to find something that would suit them — not just buying 12 roses because you think that's what you should do."
And then we cross over to Perth in Western Australia to introduce Sonny and Willow. Their sunny pink studio is where all their flowers are made daily in dreamy delicate styles.
Such botanical treats on a dark day from where we work here, we can’t wait to visit their spaces so soon.
IN LIFE : Leah Beggs at The Solomon Gallery, Dublin 2.
Leah Beggs presents a collection of new paintings which invite us to engage with the emotional and sensory impact of nature. Well known for her large abstract paintings, filled with wide, gestural brush marks, Beggs has introduced a vibrant new palette to this body of work which serves as a visual ode to nature's rejuvenation and the changes that emerge in its wake.
The show’s title is a poetic reflection of the multisensory experience that is triggered by rainfall, where the aroma of soil, flora and air undergoes a metamorphic alteration, and everything takes on a new perspective. Everything Smells Different When it Rains is an entry point to a sensory journey inviting contemplation on our connection with nature and its influence on our own emotional landscapes.
Visit the exhibition at Solomon Fine Art here
IN MUSIC: The Beta Band - She’s the One
As mentioned in our Flowers we love to make, here’s the song behind the bouquet. Enjoy!
NATURE WALKS
- Podcasts are a comfort, an entertainment, an education & a joy. There is nothing better than being out (well not this week in the sleet) with Ella, our beagle listening to people you admire & learning something … always a great start to each day.
I have listened to this episode twice as it was enthralling, emotionally sensitive & very very interesting. The mutual respect between Rick Rubin & Nick Cave and then the rollercoaster taking Nick Cave along his life story provide for an insightful listen.
“This podcast was recorded the day after the conclusion of Caves’s duo tour with Radiohead’s bassist, Colin Greenwood, in Los Angeles. A few days after recording this podcast, he used The Red Hand Files to write the following message to his fans:
“After I stepped off stage at the final show, I changed from my grey suit into a blue suit, ate some seafood with Colin, and then headed to the aftershow, where I hung out with some old friends for an hour or so before going back to the hotel with Susie. We stayed up for a few hours and then tried to sleep, but I was hyped up, so I took a sleeping pill at 4 am — which was a dumb idea because I had an interview that morning with Rick Rubin for his podcast. Anyway, when I woke up, I put on a grey suit, jumped into the car with my driver to go to Malibu, did Rick’s podcast (which could turn out quite interesting as I’m not sure the sleeping pill had completely worn off), then started back to L.A. In the car, I began to feel a bit rough, so we parked up at Zuma Beach, where I threw off my clothes and jumped into the sea in an unsuccessful attempt to restore myself; then we carried on to the hotel, where I changed from my grey suit into a blue suit before heading to Book Soup for [a] signing . . . After the signing, I returned to the hotel feeling tired and weird, sat up with Susie for a while, went to bed, woke up about 2 am, threw up in the sink and collapsed unconscious on the bathroom floor. Susie found me there and hauled me back onto the bed; my assistant was called to the hotel, some extremely handsome emergency paramedics turned up, a lovely nurse arrived and fixed me to a drip, and later, I spoke to an eighty-nine-year-old saint of a doctor who diagnosed an acute gastro event.”
UNTIL NEXT WEEK FRIENDS - OUR WEEKLY GLIMMER :
“The secret, Alice, is to surround yourself with people who make your heart smile. It’s then, only then, that you will find Wonderland”
- Lewis Carroll