Gerberas are my favourite flower (and fellow A-Z blogger lovely Laura...http://laura-hyde.blogspot.com/) and they have been since I had them as my wedding flower last August 2012.
I got married abroad in Mauritius and didn’t know what flowers I would be having until I spoke to the wedding planner at the hotel, a few days before the wedding. (It’s very relaxed getting married abroad). She gave us a few options, based on local flowers available and Gerberas were on the list. I fell in love with them and knew they would be perfect for my big day, bright and colourful...just like me! I also opted to have a Gerbera in my hair (even though I’d already bought a side tiara) and the boys had matching Gerberas in their buttonholes. The wedding arch was also decorated with Gerberas, beautiful!
My mother in law carefully took a Gerbera home with her, back to the UK and has pressed it. I’ve not seen it yet though so not sure how successful this was.
Since moving to California, I have decorated our patio with boxes full of Gerberas which I am desperately trying not to kill. I’m not very green fingered and never sure how much to water plants. So far, they are enjoying the sunshine as much as me and doing quite well. I have cut a few off and placed them around the house in the little vases I bought for our UK wedding party. They look very pretty.
My artwork based on the letter ‘G’, created with pencil and my best nail polish:
Gerbera wallpaper from one of my favourite UK shops, John Lewis..(I actually have this wallpaper in my bedroom back in the UK):
So, what are your favourite flowers and why?
Damyanti from AtoZ said you needed some attention, so I popped on by ~
ReplyDeleteI do love the Gerberas too but I hate when they wilt at the stem. I'm kinda partial to roses ...
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Hi tami, thanks for giving me some attention! I know what you mean about Gerberas wilting, so far mine are lasting a few days. I love roses too, I think most people like a nice rose.
DeleteI love Gerbera daisies, but they don't love me. I never get more than one or two blooms before I kill them. It is hard to pick a favorite flower. I enjoy gardening and love seeing results. Last hear I had some spectacular sunflowers - not just the usual yellow ones. I also like tulips, and look forward to seeing our's bloom - if they don't get damaged by the snow we are expecting tonight!!!!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first year I have grown my own Gerberas so let's hope it's a success. I tried growing a sunflower last year, for a competition at work in the UK, mine did the best in our office so I was very pleased. I might have another go at a sunflower soon, it will probably do better in the California sunshine. I love tulips too.
DeleteI love them too! Simple flowers are the prettiest and hardiest. Natural California Poppies are very pretty too along with Sunny Sun Flowers.
ReplyDeleteKaTy Did at: Life's Ride As I See It
Ooh poppies. I'm hoping to grow a few different kinds of flowers on the patio, so I think I will add sunflowers, poppies, tulips to the list. Thanks for the recommendation.
DeleteThey are so pretty! I love the idea with nail polish, never thought of that!
ReplyDeleteI basically ran out of paint and ink, the only pink I had was nail polish! Give it a try, just try not to use your best polish like I did :)
DeleteLove those thirsty little gerberas, too. A favorite is hard to pick. Right now it is all the hyacinths that I am smelling in bloom. That fragrance just sings springtime to me.
ReplyDeleteI took some lovely hyacinth pictures at the weekend, they were at a golf course I visited with hubby. They were almost illumminous! At least I think they were hyacinths?
DeleteI'm a sucker for a hydrangea.
ReplyDeleteyou could H for hydrangea!
DeleteI was just mentioning this to someone the other day. I actually do not have a favorite OR, they are all my favorite. Every time I mention a favorite, another comes to my mind. So I am quite wishy washy plus I wouldn't want to hurt any of their feelings. :-)
ReplyDeletei know what you mean, there are so many beautiful flowers.
Deletecool you are from Britain - bet you miss those January days in Nottingham..
ReplyDeleteawesome! i do miss the UK a bit, id like to nip home for the odd weekend...see family and pick up some twiglets!
DeleteI love those flowers! So pretty :) I love tulips currently- it is that time of year!
ReplyDeleteglad u like them. tulips are lovely too!
DeleteBeautiful photos and sketches! I have to be boring and say that red roses are my favorite. Not just any red though. We have red rose bushes in the back yard, and they are the most brilliant color of deep, but vibrant red. It's impossible to explain this color. It's almost a burgundy color rather than being fire engine red. But there's also another aspect to the color that cannot be described. They have depth of color, and shine in the sun. They're just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteFrom A to Z, Kristen's blog: kristenhead.blogspot.com
Your not being boring, red roses are beautiful and a sign of romance. I love the sound of burgundy red roses.
DeleteI like to draw Gerberas but one of my many favourites is lavendar. Cheers
ReplyDeleteI'd like to see your Gerbera drawings? Lavender smells beautifully, I can see why it's your fave.
DeleteThey are beautiful. I like carnations because of the scent.
ReplyDeletehttp://joycelansky.blogspot.com
good choice joyce!
DeleteI think I'm most partial to hibiscus. The nail polish flower is lovely!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the visit! Just checked out what a hibiscus is on google images because I wasn't sure, very pretty...I like the dangly bit!
ReplyDeleteWow, you made that with nail polish? How cool!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have a favorite flower. I like them all.
glad you like it cat. i only used polish because i have run out of art supplies.
DeleteMy mother loves those flowers as well. She keeps them everywhere.
ReplyDeleteReturning visit from A to Z.
Transformed Nonconformist
sounds lovely. thanks for popping by.
DeleteThere is also a song called Gerbera, it's Japanese and it comes from the movie Synesthesia (Gimî hebun).
ReplyDeleteI like jacinthe.
i will try and check the song out later, im intrigued? i need to see what jacinthe is too! thanks for taking the time to comment.
DeleteGerbera are lovely but strictly warm weather plants here in the UK.
ReplyDeleteJust returning your A-Z visit. Great blog. Lovely pictures. (great wallpaper too, I didn't realise they were gerbera)
pleased you like the blog sally. i dont think they particularly look like gerberas on th JL wallpaper but thats what its called! it looks good on my wall back in the UK.
DeleteAwesome post, Rowena. Beautiful artwork and your wedding photos are stunning - you'll have to share some photos of your patio soon :)
ReplyDeletethanks laura! not sure my patio is quite up to being shared just yet. it needs a bit more love i think x
DeleteI am quite partial to Gerbera's myself. I can't grow them worth anything, though. Too hot, too windy, too dry, too wet-- or all of the above! :) Nice photos, and I love that you were able to use them in your wedding.
ReplyDeleteHappy H Day!
tm
happy H day too! my gerberas started quite well but look a little miserable at the moment. hoping they cheer up and look pretty again for me soon.
Deletea very pretty flower.
ReplyDeleteglad you like them teresa.
DeleteI prefer all the pastel flowers in English gardens. I am very fond of cottage pinks. I have grown Gerberas but my flower garden does not normally include bright, bold colors.
ReplyDeleteGerberas grow well in your area.
English gardens are very pretty. I'm off to water my gerberas now!
DeleteHello Rowena,
ReplyDeleteA tropical ocean side wedding, I could go with that. You look lovely as do your beautiful flowers.
May God bless this marriage, Geoff.
hi geoff thank you! i definitely recommend a tropical beach wedding.
DeleteMauritius Is a favorite resort for South Africans, lots of them go there to get married. Me, I like the beaches no matter where they are. Very romantic and intimate. Time spent on the beach with someone who loves you is time well spent.
DeleteBlessings from Cape Town, South Africa.