April birth month flowers : The daisy and the sweet pea

What Are the April Birth Flowers?

The April birth month flowers are the daisy and the sweet pea. The daisy stands for innocence, purity, and true love, while the sweet pea is a way to say goodbye, send good wishes, or merely convey a thank you.

The Daisy

Stemming from Old English, the daisy comes from “day’s eye,” referencing the daily habits of the English daisy, with its petals opening in the day and closing at night. Depending on the species, the daisy can be one of your earliest spring bloomers or among the last to appear in the fall.

Daisy Meanings and Symbolism

• The daisy has long represented innocence, purity, and true love.
• Each colour daisy represents something different. The white daisy symbolizes purity and innocence; yellow means joy and friendship; pink represents affection; and red symbolizes love and romance.
• According to an old Celtic legend, when an infant or child died, the gods would cover the child’s grave with daisies to cheer up the parents.
• In Norse mythology, the daisy is the sacred flower of Freyja, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility. In turn, the daisy became a symbol of motherhood and childbirth, and of new beginnings. Daisies are a common gift for new mothers.
• A Roman myth attributes the creation of the daisy to the nymph Belides, who turned herself into a daisy to escape the affection of Vertumnus, the god of gardens and seasons. The Latin word for Daisy, bellis, is derived from the nymph’s name.
• It was once thought that a daisy in a bouquet was a sign of one’s ability to keep a secret.
• “Daisy” has been used in many phrases over time. “Fresh as a daisy” means someone has had a good night’s rest; “oopsy daisy” or “whoops-a-daisy” is said after a mistake or blunder.
• Daisies have been linked to the Virgin Mary because they represent love, innocence, and new beginnings.
• The daisy is a flower given between friends to emphasize the keeping of a secret; the daisy means “I’ll never tell!”

The Sweet Pea

The sweet pea (Lathyrus odoratus) is part of the Fabaceae family and is related to beans and other legumes. While it is not a crop pea, it is a close relative. Due to its similar look, it’s also commonly confused with the Everlasting Pea. While sweet pea has been used in some areas of the world for medicine and food, unlike its edible garden pea relatives, it is considered toxic to humans and animals.

Native to Italy and the Mediterranean region, sweet peas are beautiful and have a sweet fragrance—often likened to oranges, honey, and jasmine—that can brighten any room.

They are found in a wide range of colours, with hundreds of varieties having been developed over time, and bloom from spring to early summer, depending on the planting region.

Sweet Pea Meanings and Symbolism

• In the language of flowers, a bouquet of sweet peas is a way to say goodbye or thank you for a lovely time. It can also mean blissful pleasure, good wishes, kindness, gratitude, and friendship.
• Some English gardeners call them the “Queen of the Annuals.”
• In France, the flower has long been a traditional gift for brides, providing good luck on her wedding day and in the marriage.
• At one point, it was worn for strength or to reveal the truth. Sweet peas were also worn in pockets to provide a fragrance to clothing.
• In some cultures, the sweet pea was thought to have magical properties.

The above from article seen here

~ wishing you Happy April days ~

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All the best Jan