With Mother's Day taking place this Sunday, we're shining the floral spotlight on seasonal scented blooms and greenery currently available at the Flower Market.
How often when someone's given flowers do they immediately put their nose close to check out the flowers' scent? So, why not feature some of these wonderfully fragrant spring flowers and foliage in your Mothering Sunday bouquets this coming weekend?
You'll be spoilt for choice if you decide to include Narcissi in your designs, as there's a wide range of different varieties currently available. And if it's British blooms you're particularly interested in, then head to Pratley, where you'll find boxes brimming full of this variety above called Golden Dawn.
Background
Back to Nature...
In nature, many flowers use scent to attract insects to them in order to pollinate. When an insect lands on a flower, it picks up pollen from pollen-rich stamens. And when it lands on the next flower, it leaves some behind while taking away new pollen.
In order to attract the right pollinators, each flower produces the scent that their specific target is drawn to. For example, bees are attracted to sweet smells, which is why they're naturally enticed by roses!
Often produced in a flowers’ petals, the combination of chemicals present gives off a certain smell when released by the plant.
The Power of Scent...
Our sense of smell is one of the most powerful evocative senses we possess. It's strongly connected with emotional feelings and memory.
The merest hint of something familiar can evoke a particular nostalgic memory or wonderful moment in our lives that we treasure forever. And the reason for this is simple. It’s because there is a direct scientifically proven link in our brains between memory and smell.
That's why the slightest hint of perfume can instantly trigger memories from childhood days. For example, the scent of sweet peas may transport someone back in time to when they were a child, entranced as they watched their grandfather cutting the flowers in his garden. The exquisite fragrance of narcissi could remind someone of when they used to enter church on Mother's Day and as part of the service, the children were given a bouquet featuring these spring blooms to present to their mum.
Types
FLOWERS
Narcissus Tazetta Ziva
White O'Hara Roses
Polianthes tuberosa
Maiden's Blush Lilac
Pale Pink Genista
Stocks
Bohemian Freesias
Sweet Peas
British Hyacinths
Waxflower
Top White Hyacinths
Oriental Lilies
Yves Piaget Roses
FOLIAGE
Eucalyptus nicholii
Eucalyptus cinerea
Eucalyptus stuartiana
Choisya
Rosemary
Design Inspiration
Here are some examples of gorgeous arrangements featuring scented flowers.
Bouquet by McQueens featuring cream sweet peas.
Bouquet by Rebel Rebel featuring Norma Jeane roses and lilac
Bouquet by Hayford & Rhodes featuring lilac and waxflower
Bouquet by Urban Flower Co featuring genista
Bouquet by Wild at Heart featuring waxflower
Bouquet by Pulbrook & Gould featuring lilac
Bouquet by Pesh Flowers featuring narcissi
We'd love to see photos of designs that you've made using scented flowers and foliage from the Flower Market. Simply send an email to hello@cgma.co.uk, stating your company name and website address. Or if you prefer, you could post your photo on Instagram or Twitter and tag us with @MarketFlowers. We'll then upload your photos into this section.
I hope you've enjoyed reading this month's florist's guide. Please do ask away below if you have any questions or would like to make any general comments. As always, we'd love to hear from you...
P.S. Did you know that it's National Fragrance Day this Saturday, 21st March?
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