Earth laughs in flowers - said Ralph Waldo Emerson. Sigmund Freud said that "flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts." The flower is the most important part of plants as it produces seeds and fruits to reproduce itself for the perpetuation of species etc what would have been the life had there been no flowers and fruits at all. It is the most exquisite creation of the Mother Nature.
Flowers are winsome, most exciting, relaxing and have the power to change the moods of a distraught person to their sweet self. The pleasant smell of a flower is enthralling. The flowers herald the advent of the spring. They are valued for their aesthetic qualities colour, texture, fragrance and form etc. They give the tiding of happiness and sorrows. On getting dried, they are used as a constituent of eastern medicine for cures. Flowers love seasons. The summer flowers cannot grow in winter season and vice versa.
The flower of narcissus (gul-e-nargis) is used by our national Poet-cum-Philosopher Dr Muhammad Iqbal in his famous couplet "hazzaronsalnargisupnibenooripey roti hai" to say that the "nargis plant weeps for thousands of years on its pathetic condition." William Wordsworth - a famous English poet penned a poem on daffodils.
Nectar collected by the honey-bees from the various flowers is turned by them into honey that forms and item of breakfast all the world over. Even the grizzly bears in the jungles look for the honeycombs to get at their favourite food of honey. Modern medical practitioners recommend honey to be taken by their recuperating patients other than the diabetics.
Flowers like lotus grow in ponds, lakes in residential water tanks and the rest are terrestrial that grow in flower beds, on ridges and also in earth-filled pots for their easy portability from one open place to another facilitate their arrangement and rearrangement for better looks. Cut-flowers and bouquets are given by friends, relatives on festive occasions and are thereafter kept in glass jars, metallic and ceramic vases to last longer for their odour, bouquets of flowers are laid on the tombs of the VVIP's by the visiting dignitaries from a country to another country to strengthen their ties and good relationships. Bouquet of flowers, is presented to retiring person at the farewell. Wreathes of flowers are laid on the "Mazars" of the national heroes, founders of a state, saints and sufis to commemorate them on their death anniversaries. Patients on getting well are garlanded by their near dear ones on their home-coming to show their joy. Sunflowers with big heads are not considered as a garden plant. It is primarily planted as a field cropfor its seed that yields oil, which is widely consumed as cooking oil in the east. The salted and roasted seeds of the sunflower are widely eaten by the people.
Sweet-smelling "motia/mogra" flowers are worn by women in hair and hands to look attractive in functions. Rose is reckoned as the "King of the flower" for its majestic beauty and widely applauded adoration. The brides and the bridegrooms are garlanded, on their wedding day and showered by rose petals. Rose petals are also showered by the people on visiting a grave of their 'kith and kin' out of reverence, love and affection for the deceased.
Each flower enjoys the status of being given as a country's national flower. The United States of America, the United Kingdom, the Maldives, Cyprus, Bulgaria and Czech Republic have rose as their national flower. Lily is adopted by Bangladesh as its national flower. The national flower of Japan is chrysanthemum and Maple leaf is the national flower of Canada. China has plum blossom as its national flower. Daisy is the official flower of Denmark. Egypt and India have chosen Lotus as their national flower. Syria and Pakistan have Jasmine (chameli flower) as their national flower. Turkey and Holland have chosen Tulip as their national flower. Many of the countries have no national flower.
The flowers not only appeal to the eye, but warm the cockles of one's heart. They make a tangible impact on our life. Flowers tend to give a message of joys and sorrows that shadow our lives. A person should be fully aware, which flower to be offered on which occasion avoid ones personal embarrassment by giving a wrong flower. Each flower is attached as much significance as three to four meanings. Aster symbolises patience, elegance and daintiness; Daffodil means regard, chivalry and unrequited love. Pansy signifies remembrance. Carnation symbolises pride and beauty. The white pansy symbolises innocence and pure love. Chrysanthemum is for fidelity, joy and long life. Daisy symbolises innocence and purity. Rose signifies ones love, but a black rose give the massage of death. Cut-flowers and other related horticultural material is exported and imported briskly by one country to another. Space and lack of water are the limiting factors in big cities that retard the passion for flowers and their utility and majority of the cities in Pakistan. For this condition, it is considered as the hobby of only the well-to-do persons who can afford flowering plants in their home-gardens. Flowers show are arranged by the Pakistan Horticultural Society, Karachi in the month of February to encourage gardening in Karachiites.
The synthetic plastic plants with leaves, flowers and fruits are purchased by the housewives, who have no room or resources to keep even a flower-pot in their apartments. The synthetic flowers are made so artistically that are deceptive even to an avid plant-lover. But the plastic flowers and plants are just for show. They cannot grow, have flowers-odour or a fruit even after their best craftsmanship. Artificial flowers are no match to the real flowers and their attributes that they possess. Life without flowers and fruits would have been very unattractive and unimaginable.