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By Donna Russet! Florists have a slogan. "Say it with flow- ers!" People are urged to congratulate. commiserate and sentimentalize with flow- ers. Everyone seems to like flowers. but they especially delight women; note the profiCient African violet grower. the woman who keeps her kitchen cheery with a blaze ofgeraniums. and the many who grow ferns. vines and other windowsill brighteners, Let us consider garden flowers and how they relate to our members. Have you ever thought of comparing flower characteristics with human ones? Flowers. like people. come in varied shapes. sizes and colours. Also. like humans. some flowers are hardy. some are fragile and delicate. and some bruise easily. Others Flourish anywhere and are not readily discouraged. Just as the many nationalities which live in Ontario have adapted and adjusted. so have flowers. Ontario gardens brighten the land- scape as petunias. morning glories and nastuniums from South America grow side- by~side With zinnias and marigolds from Mexico and snapdragons from Europe. Gladioli from Africa grow beside ehrysanâ€" themums from Asia and strawflowers from ‘.Australia. And those heralds ofspring r tulips . emerge from bulbs from Holland, What can we learn from flowers? The rose in its queenly beauty seems drawn from above: it is so fair. Yet we know a seed has died before there was growth. budding and flowering. There has been a fight too. against drought. chill and insects. and in spite of the struggle. beauty has prevailed. True beauty radiates from within. Let us emulate the queenly beauty of the rose. A small brown bulb. drab. dry. without promise of beauty. is left to the elements - the wind. the sun and the min - yet yellow sun shine blooms in early springtime. The daffodil radiates cheer. We too can blossom forth and radiate cheer. especially when there seems no apparent reason to believe cheer can come from Situations. The daffodil has a mighty lesson to teach - be of good cheer! Violet blossoms lie against the cold. damp breast of spring, They grace the vase on the kitchen table and dress up May baskets. They never tower on tall stems. but their simple. little bloom nestles deep in springtimc's grassy beds. There are people like that who go their modest. unassuming way. humbly doing their best. and never towering high so others become consetous of their greatness. Tulips: from the death oftheir brown bulbs :ornes life and a splash of colour and beauty inthe blooming season. While snow still spreads a thin blanket on the ground. shoots. valiantly. peep through the chilly earth. ln a few weeks the bell-shaped blossoms opt-n. re- minding us that the seeming death of u inter always bloomsintuncwlife whensprtngttnie comes. There are those people who hate Ll spirit of perennial springtime. always ready and eager to testify of new hopes. The daisy in its Whllt' dress. n-ith hetirtrtitr gold. is the simple flower of the countryside. giving of itself in fnetidly fashion Without guile. artifice or pretense. The daisy reminds us of heart-of-gnltl llltlli‘ttludl's, who in \lllt~ ple. honest. dependable \\ay\ labour \t‘itliiitit thought of reward. We need many daisies in life's garden plot. The appealing ltlllL‘ pansy with its velvety facets another lovely Ilou er The pansy reA minds us of those who have an abundance of inner richness because they hat e sown seeds of goodness. kindness and truth in lltt.‘ heart's garden. These people have ltii room for gossip or malice. but are ever kind anti lorbcziriiii: "Plant these liit Uiltitir through heat and drought." urge the nurseries. "A small packet of seed produces a blii/t' ill ml- our." Our late summer gardens :ire“sa\'ed"bylht~ Iiiiniii Don't you admire /inni:ipeop|e"'l1iey are unruffled hy heated. hiixty words. They remain resistant to tears of sell-pity, They stand aloof from pettiness They ltrL' real towers of brightness and sturdy faith. Charming sprays HI skyuhliie ftirgetiine‘notx bring to mind a story of a Scottish shepherd who saw a scientist studying a bluchell “What are you do. tng'l." the boy asked "Stomp down and look." the scientist invited. as he handed the boy the magnifying glass The boy was ama/ed at the beauty revealed "And to think." he “11d. “1 have been trampling them under my feet'" Forgetme-not people he- stow charm A close scrutiny til their lives reveals they rcrnt-n-i her the lonely, the sick and the sorrowmg. in addition to their Cll‘Clc of friends, Snapdragotts' I'TUII‘I the early days of sum- iiier until frost. they splash their clustered. coloured stalks in flower borders \\‘llil cott- tititiotis lilootii. Tilt‘V bring at not of (liver into .i sick room or gun. :I lioul lorti lestiye touch to it tilllllt‘t lilhlt‘. Snapdnigoiis give lllltl give and pin: lllt‘lt lmglit petals :iic lliu' grateful people going lllllllh\ him we Itt‘ teddy to row graciously in our lllllt‘ and our talents that out ll\t'\ too may lilmitn lll iirtit'iotisnesx .iiiil L‘tll'hlllllL y Yt'\. tlti' titt‘ssngt' of flowers {All )[lilt'l' iiiir diiily l|\’L‘\ l’lll\\t'l\ lt‘l'lti brightness tll sun or \llli\\t't I'Ionerx mm for litt‘ \iiii's tune“ :ind warmth l‘iti\\L'l\t.'lt':IlL'll.|llllt|ll) .iiiilliviitity. l-..it‘lt \lll'lL‘|\ lilouins ll.l|‘|1ll\ .ittoiilitig to its t|\\ll llllllltt‘ Sonia) ne' IlHVIIIIl Kiiui'll It Ihi' Pil'ili/r'lll u/ l/lr‘ I'i‘ilr'lrili'ii' ii'rimrn ‘i ’Illllllllr’\ u] Uri/ruin Mamba!- af m Pllfllm Brunch In tho Frontenac District Wham. ‘Tullp Trlbm. "Along with the Grade 6 and 7 lludlnll. tl‘tOy planted bulb. at Hlncfllnbmako Public W In honour urn-It WI members who worked on the Item Iran! during World War II. For every tulip planted In malty Mann. 1 llmlllr number was planted In ma- marlal pad: In Ottawa, bringing in number a! blooms in Mr imam for din camdlitn Tut/p Festive] In May. 1?!- W EM“!!! and the Royal Nollie/landa Em- hluy W lh't‘ Tuba». Pictured above from left to ‘ right are I Madam; - Shari Bavaria. ErIn y and Damon Howey. Prui- miarincflrthr‘n aim .. demanmme-o mu? W“ T I Worm-rheo- Emma: DilMcl‘. Homo 6 Country. Spring '95 3