Is it true? A flower can make you happy? Can lift your mood and reduce your stress? The happiness and enjoyment flowers can bring to our lives is something we all need with our never ending to-do lists and schedules of places to be.
I think one of the most exciting times of the year is when the flowers start to bloom. I impatiently wait for the early spring bulbs and trees to show their flowers. The feeling I get is undeniable happiness. Flowers, I believe, can have a very powerful and positive effect on our emotions. Think of how many special occasions in our lives are filled with flowers. And how we feel when we give or receive a bouquet of flowers.
White Peonies
The Earth laughs in flowers. ~
Ralph Waldo Emerson
I did a little reading on this and found that everyone, no matter what age, benefits from having flowers around. Flowers can reduce stress, depression, and anxiety. They promote happiness, have a calming effect and create a positive environment which in turn makes us more social. They also can increase our creativity and productivity. What a great reason to keep a flower bouquet on our desk at home or at work.
So, why wouldn’t we surround ourselves with flowers? It seems like a no brainer!
There are easy ways to enjoy flowers with little effort on your part. Flowers are everywhere. All you have to do is notice the flowers in your neighbor’s yard or when you are running errands. I have a neighbor who lives across the street who told me last spring that she loved seeing my soft pink spring tulips in my yard from her house.
Soft Pink Tulips
I perhaps owe having become a
painter to flowers. ~Claude Monet
If you want to go dig in the dirt, you can plant your own flowers in your yard. And using window boxes, planter boxes and clay pots are a great way to add even more flowers to our outdoor areas. You can add your own personal touch by planting your favorite flowers and this will translate into creating a welcoming feeling to your yard.
Lavender Lilac
When you have only two pennies left in the world, buy a loaf of
bread with one, and a lily with the other. ~Chinese Proverb
No matter how much or how little space you have (you may only have room for one flower pot) make sure you fill your world with flowers. Treat yourself to a trip to your local garden center. I always make an event of it. I go to a nearby coffee shop, get a latte, head off to the garden center and get lost in the sea of different colors and flower types.
Choosing flowers for your yard can be simple. Select ones that are easy to take care of and do well in sunny or shady areas of your yard. I love impatiens for my flower pots on my shady front porch, and geraniums for my sunny side porch. And for my flower beds I plant petunias for their old-fashioned feel and for reminding me of my childhood. The rest of my yard is filled with lilacs, roses, dogwood, honeysuckle, peonies, and various other perennials. And yes, I’ll have to admit, there are times when I walk around my yard and can’t help but smile.
Soft Yellow Rose
We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice
because thorn bushes have roses. ~Abraham Lincoln
And when the weather gets cold, treat yourself to a simple cut flower bouquet from the grocery once a month. It is an easy, inexpensive way to keep a bit of spring all year round.
Our sister-in-law told us once that she and our niece where out running errands and our niece, who was around 3 years old at the time, stopped to smell a rose. She turned to our niece and said ‘Come on, we don’t have time for that’. She said she stopped herself realizing the significance of the flower our niece was smelling. She thought to herself – Yes we do have the time, Yes we will make the time!
So, they took a moment and they ‘stopped to smell the roses’!
