A bevy of Flowers

What is it about May and flowers? During the April rains we are reminded that "April showers bring May flowers." One of the biggest business days for florists is Mother's Day. Nurseries are full of all kinds of annuals and perennials to buy to beautify the yard and garden. And for the photographer all these blooms entice us outside to catch images of anything and everything that has a flower "attached" to it. Those of us living more to the south have been enjoying blooms for several weeks. But May, I guess, officially is the first month of the year when almost all areas of the northern hemisphere can begin to be thrilled by flowers in all their many manifestations. Shirley J. Vick, a content writer for "Nature" has this to say about the power flowers have for humans. "Their beauty combined with their fragrance has the power to make anyone's day." She adds that there are five benefits of giving them to others: to reduce stress, to express love, to apologize, to show sympathy, and to bring happiness to the sender as well as the recipient. Clark Center, a florist, adds that flowers also serve another purpose beyond being purely decorative. "Flowers are a great example of both functionality and beauty. They are more than just pretty faces." So for the next several days I am going to share with you some of my favorites ...up to now anyway. I hope that you will enjoy my gifts of flowers.