Lesson 6: Flowers – beauty and uniqueness

Wild flowers

A wild flower is a flower that grows in the wild. Wild flowers are not planted by humans. Wild flowers are native and exotic species. Some species of wildflowers are endangered.

Our homeland Bulgaria has many beautiful wild flowers. Some of them are quite rare and protected, others are more common.

Elvesian snowdrop: this is one species. The other is the Snowdrop. Snowdrops are our most traditional spring plants. They grow both in the garden and in the wild. It can bloom in January. This flower is rare and protected by law – do not tear it if you see it.

Swamp snowdrop: A close relative of the snowdrop. It blooms quite late – in April. It has a pleasant smell. Snowdrop is medicinal – it is used to make medicines. Care must be taken because the substance it contains makes it poisonous.

Yellow crocus: Bulgaria is endowed with not one, but 10 species, some autumn flowering.

Blue mountain crocus: grows on mountain meadows and meadows. This species grows naturally only in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula.

Buckthorn: one of the obligatory spring flowers. We can see it in February all over the country. This type of cornflower is highly poisonous.

Bluebell: Gentle blueberry grows from February to March, rarely until April. We can see it in fields and meadows.

Narrow-leaved peony: This flower is especially beautiful with its large bright red flowers. The species is of limited distribution, is included in the Red Book of Bulgaria and is protected by law.

Hooded Cuckoo Grape: Bright purple flower to attract insects.

Urum tulip: It is one of our most beautiful spring plants. In Bulgaria grow no less than 7 species of wild tulips. Both yellow and red. The Urum tulip is named after the Bulgarian botanist – Ivan Urumov.

Spring mustard: Its great beauty is in the large yellow flowers – with a diameter of about 5 cm. The plant is not only beautiful but also healing.

Greenhouse flowers

Greenhouse flowers are planted in greenhouses. They can be grown in the garden, and in winter the greenhouse is closed to keep the temperature moderate and suitable for growing flowers.

Greenhouse flowers are: daffodils, tulips, peonies, roses, asters, Latin, margarita, violet, dahlia and others.

Indoor flowers

We grow houseplants for pleasure and home decoration. Here are some representatives of indoor flowers: ficus, bay leaf, jasmine, orchid, begonia, agave and many others.

Exotic flowers

The great plant diversity provides an environment for the development of beautiful exotic flowers, with many different colours and shapes. They have adapted to be able to live in a certain ecosystem to achieve a balance between beauty and function.

Here are some of the exotic representatives: sugar cane (South Africa), looks like a lollipop or candy with white and black colour; in English it is called candy cane. Another representative is: the bat flower, which can be found in the rainforests of Asia. Of course – the orchid, Chinese umbrella, white heron, porcelain flower.

The language of flowers

Flowers have their own secret language with symbols that has deep historical roots. Its origins can be found in antiquity, when according to people each of the various objects has its own meaning. The language of flowers flourished in the Victorian era, when expressing feelings was considered a violation of the rules. That is why the language of flowers was used as a delicate cipher. Feelings were intimate and secret, unlike today’s ostentation. Today, this language has lost its meaning, but there are still some flowers that we all know can convey a message, such as the red rose.

Here are some of the flowers and their message: violet – devotion, dahlia – elegance and dignity, pink carnation – love, snowdrop – hope, red tulip – I love you, rosemary – memories.