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Tuesday, May 8, 2018

For the Love of Flowers by Carrie Garczynski

Photo courtesy Carrie Garczynski
Who doesn’t love flowers?! Especially now in spring! The first sign that Mother Nature is dancing in the streets…errr...gardens, parks, flower beds, and tiny little crevices that will grow a seed. Here in Colorado we have many kinds of spring flowers: tulips, iris, daffodil, hyacinth, pansies, snapdragon, and alyssum, to name a few. And the great part is that you can help Mother Nature out a bit by planting your own colorful party. (Of course, keeping in mind, our wonderful critters – large and small – also love our flowers, and you may have to safeguard your plantings with fences, etc.).
Photo courtesy Carrie Garczynski
Not only do flowers make an aesthetic dance for the eyes, but there are many other benefits to having flowers. According to psychological studies, flowers affect us on a primal level: smell and sight. Combining these primary senses evokes numerous feelings from our past and present, happiness, and encourages a positive mood. Houseplants with their green can help reduce stress, flowers are associated with feelings of happiness, joy and a sense of pleasant well-being. They also aid in relaxation and are a memory booster, and some make tasty little embellishments to your salads and cakes! 
Why else are flowers the choice of gift for those who are ill, accoutrements for a wedding and at the center of your family dinner table? Because they not only look good to us and enhance the ambiance, but they make us feel good!
Photo courtesy Carrie Garczynski
You probably already have a plan for your flower bed and a strategy for season plantings (who doesn’t have this already in his/her head as soon as the first flake falls?!) to have flowers from spring through late fall that will continue to dance in the garden. Don’t forget about cutting a few and bringing in a bouquet inside. Cut flowers provide a visual, emotional, and mental connection with nature, which benefits our mental health and happiness.  Just think about seeing the wonderful colors and shapes, smelling the magnificent aromas and touching the silkiness of your cut bouquets ~ isn’t it so much better than seeing a boring TV screen or a pile of mail? For even more enjoyment, take a close look at each flower ~ inside and out. What a wonderous creation that only Mother Nature can create, and we can promote and showoff her amazing artwork. 
Photo courtesy Carrie Garczynski
Go flex your flower power: smell the blooms, relish in the beauty, wonder in the uniqueness and make yourself happy!
For more information on flowers for our area, check out the following fact sheets:


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