 | Gerbera Daisies: These lively, festive flowers originated in Africa
and are now cultivated in a dazzling array of cheerful colors.
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 | Gladioli:
Pliny the Elder, a Roman scientist of the first
century A.D. named these stately flowers. Struck by the resemblance
between the sheath of the flower and the weapon that was carried by Roman soldiers, he called
the flower “gladiolus” from the Latin word “gladius” which means sword.
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 | Lilies:
These striking trumpet-shaped flowers are one
of the oldest known to man and are thought to have originated in the Orient.
Throughout the ages, they have been popular motif in both secular and religious art.
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Snapdragons: These old-fashioned favorites with the whimsical
name are native to the Mediterranean. Their Latin name is Antirrhinum,
meaning like a snout. Other common names for these flowers are calves’ snouts, lion’s lips,
toad’s mouth and rabbit’s mouth.
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Tulips:
The tulip, a symbol of life, love and immortality,
actually dates back to the time of Confucius. By the late 1600’s in Holland,
bulb prices often exceeded the price of precious metals. A single bulb is said to have sold
for more that $2,000.
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