October Birth Flowers - Cosmos a symbol of order and balance, peace and innocence

Well, after experiencing some technical/internet issues here I am  ... but I've had a good week, yes it was last Thursday since I last posted! I've enjoyed some quiet reading and lovely walks, when the weather allowed!

October has passed by so quickly and with only two days to go until November I realised I hadn't posted about the second of October's birth flowers, so without further ado here we go ... 

Marigolds and Cosmos are the birth flowers for October. Both of these popular flowers are easy to grow and provide colour in the garden until the first frost of the Autumn/Fall. Their rich history and long-held symbolism make marigolds and cosmos plants meaningful in so many ways. This post is about Cosmos, a symbol of order and balance, peace and innocence. 

You can read about Marigolds on my previous post here

The Cosmos

Cosmos bloom in a number of colours, from orange, red, and yellow to pink, purple, and white.

Native to Mexico, the annual flowers are daisy-like and sit atop long, thin stems that can grow up to 6 feet tall. The colourful petals radiate from a yellow centre.

A member of the daisy family (Asteraceae), cosmos make a great addition to flower gardens.

Cosmos Meanings and Symbolism

• The genus name comes from the Greek word kosmos, meaning order and harmony of the universe.
• The flowers have long symbolized order, harmony, and balance. Others believe it is a sign of peace, love, joy, and innocence.
• A red cosmos represents love and passion; pink means a mother’s love; yellow symbolizes friendship; white is a sign of faithfulness and devotion.
• It was once thought that cosmos could attract fairies to gardens.
• There was an element of luck associated with growing cosmos, as they were thought to repel unwanted insects from destroying other plants.
• The plants have many medicinal properties, including anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. Over the years, they have been used to fight infections, treat skin issues, improve circulation, and more.

The Cosmos in History
The cosmos was originally brought to Spain from Mexico in the 16th century, then plants were introduced to England in the 18th century. By the mid-19th century, they were common in gardens in the United States, too.

Spanish priests in Mexico grew cosmos in their mission gardens. They gave it this name because of the orderly arrangement of the petals.

It is a popular gift, including for 2nd wedding anniversaries, where its inclusion in bouquets is common.

Cosmos in the Garden
An annual, cosmos is easy to grow and will often re-seed itself. The plant can grow in hot, dry conditions and provides blooms from early summer to the first frost.

Words taken from here

I hope you found the above an interesting read. You may also like to read this post about 'Some Foods In Season During October' which also has some recipe suggestions - please see here 

I do like the Pumpkin, Kale and Goats' Cheese Frittata recipe, it is low carb and gluten free - more details here

Dear reader, you will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, and not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic (more about this here) and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter. If you have any concerns about your health, it is always advisable to consult your doctor or health care team.

All the best Jan