#atozchallenge, S is for Sweet Pea…

Did you know each month has a birth flower associated with it, just like each month has its own birthstone?   One of April’s flowers is the sweet pea, pictured above.  While sweet peas signify blissful pleasure, on the other hand they are also used to say good-bye.

But one good-bye aspect of the sweet pea is desirable, as their fragrance repels flies!

Sweet peas have been noted in history as far back as 17th century Italy when Franciscus Cupani, a Sicilian monk, sent sweet pea seeds to England.  Although the original sweet pea bore little resemblance to the flower we know today, when Harry Eckford, a Scottish nurseryman, crossbred the original flower, he created the colorful, sweetly scented sweet pea we now see.

Sweet peas come in many shades of pink, scarlet and lavender.

The other April flower, the daisy, conveys innocence, loyal love, and purity.  Yet, it is also a flower given between friends to keep a secret; the daisy means “I’ll never tell.”

Daisies are believed to date back about 4,000 years and the name derived from Day’s Eye, because of the way the flowers open and close with the sun.  Colorful blooming daisies are definitely associated with the arrival of spring.

Not an April baby?  Find all the birth month flowers and their meanings here.

 

~Diane D.                                                  Photo from almanac.com

(My A to Z challenge theme is birthdays.)