Fall flowers

This is a guest post by Sharon Naylor

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

Most people know their birthstones when it comes to jewelry, but they might not be as familiar with the fact that each birthmonth has its own signature flower. I’m a May baby, so it’s always been about the Lily of the Valley for me, even at my wedding. What I recently learned is that Hawthorn is also my birthmonth flower!

If you have a fall birthday on your calendar – specifically a friend’s, relative’s, colleague’s or your assistant’s birthday – why not skip the gift card this year and give them their birthmonth flower plant? Here are the flowers-by-month for the fall season, and I’ve also included winter so that you can plan ahead!

Traditional Birthmonth Flowers:

September: Aster or Morning Glory
October: Calendula or Cosmos
November: Chrysanthemum
December: Narcissus or Holly
January: Carnation or Snowdrop
February: Violet or Primrose Violet
March: Daffodil or Jonquil

Some of these are bulb plants, so now would be a great time to pick up some bulbs, plant them in a pretty pot, nurture them for a bit, and give your lucky recipient an all-set plant that will surprise them in bloom a few months from now. If you’ll plant bulbs, include the label from the bulb pack so that they know the plant’s needs, height and other vital details. I like to scan the label if it’s creased so that my gift presentation is a little bit nicer with the image and info on a color-coordinated card stock that matches the pot.

And here’s a new trend in Birthmonth Flowers: Weddings are getting their own birthmonths. Here’s what I mean by that: If the wedding takes place in October, the marriage gets its own signature flower! October’s Calendula or Cosmos mark the birth of the couple’s marriage, so those are the flowers of their partnership. Just print out a pretty little card explaining the symbolism, and the bride and groom will love your creativity as well as their new flower to love! [Fall is a very busy wedding season, so these may be your perfect, budget-friendly, meaningful shower gifts for each couple. That’s way better than spending $50 on a gravy boat!]

I’ll have the spring and summer birthmonth flowers in a future post, so keep visiting us here on the Farm Blogs for extra-special, ultra-meaningful ideas for your upcoming celebrations.

This is a guest post by Sharon Naylor

Sharon Naylor is the author of over 35 books on family celebrations, including weddings, bridal showers, vow renewals, and more. She is beyond thrilled to be the new guest blogger for The Farm, and she will be posting inspirations and tips for your parties, get-togethers and big family moments throughout the year. Visit her website www.sharonnaylor.net for more on her books and articles.

As the holidays draw nearer, your inbox and mailbox start filling with lots of pretty party invitations. Friends, family, and neighbors will soon start hosting festive holiday parties, uncorking their best vintages, serving baked brie, mingling under the mistletoe, opening their doors with wide smiles as they welcome you to their homes.

When you’re the party guest, it’s a lovely gesture to bring a little something for the hosts. You might immediately think that a bottle of wine is the gift to bring, and so might most of the other revelers. There is, however, a new trend in ‘little somethings’ to bring to parties: a garden gift.

That’s right…party hosts beam with delight when you hand them a ruby-red vase blooming with winter flowers. Or a stunning glass bud vase in a velvet-wrapped box. Something that adds to their holiday décor not just now but for years to come. That bottle of Robert Strong may certainly be drained during the party, but that ruby –red vase lives on and on. The roses delight the senses during the long, dark winter months. And that bud vase will soon welcome spring and summer cuttings from flowering plants and spring’s burst of daffodils and tulips.

Here are some additional Garden Gifts to bring when you’re on the holiday party guest list:

• Potted green plants: ivy and air-purifying fern are at the top of the list!

• Flat garden stones with inspirational words or quotes on them

• Tall or round glass vases filled with the new, hot décor item: small, smooth river stones in silver and slate gray.

• A gardening book, tied with a thick brocade ribbon.

• A homemade food item you’ve prepared using your own kitchen garden herbs, such as a rosemary olive oil, in a pretty glass decanter with a homemade label.