I’m a native of Europe and Siberia.
My name comes from the Greek word meaning “Dolphin.”
My dried flowers were used to dress wounds at the Battle of Waterloo.
European settlers made ink from my dried flowers.
I was used by West Coast Native Americans to make blue dye.
I’ve been said to represent the tears of the Virgin Mary.
Who am I? My name is Delphinium.
I can be blue and I’m beautiful.
Blue is a popular color in the garden perhaps because it is relatively rare one in the plant world. In fact, blue is said to be the most rare of colors amongst flowers. Thus I am blessed to live in a place whose state flower is blue and whose landscape in places becomes covered in seas of bluebonnets for several weeks every spring. Also, though Delphinium is not a staple in our landscape, they appear in pots in the nurseries this time of year before much, if anything, is blooming outside. So I can, like I did last week, buy some to brighten the drab days of winter. Both of the ones I got this year were marked as blue, but now that the second one is opening, I see that it’s going to be purple. But hey, who am I to complain since purple is another of my favorite colors, and it too is often hard to come by in the garden. Regardless of the color, now that I know that at one time delphiniums represented Mary’s tears, I’ll have yet another way of remembering what my salvation cost Mary and her precious son, the Christ.
May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy. ~Psalm 126:5 ✝
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blue was one of the most expressive colors to produce during the Renaissance as it was actually the ground powder of Lapis Lazuli–purple as well as it was made by crushing hundreds of small mollusks—and so each were often used to denote greatness or significance—and your flowers and your ability to bring such beauty to a bleak winter world is a true gift!! Thank you for sharing your gift with this winter weary little cookie— 🙂
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I’m so glad to have brought a touch of beauty to my little cookie’s bleak winter world. Cheer up missy, it’s on 59 days now until spring. Hugs, hugs, hugs, Natalie 🙂
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This is so beautiful Natalie! The Delphinium is one of my favorite flowers. I sure didn’t know you could get them this time of year. I love what they represent in your post 🙂
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Thanks, Andy. Our climate is such that if they have to come early to our part of the world. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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beautifull flower 😀
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Thank you. I’m glad you visited my blog. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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Thanks for brightening our day with your flowers! I don’t think I have ever planted Delphiniums. They look a lot like Fox-gloves..Be blessed today!
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You are so welcome, Pete. I’m glad you enjoy them. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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I have never seen them sold in pots up here except in the growers pots in which they came. They would make a nice height focal point in a container planting if the container was large enough to support them.
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Oh they are just in grower’s pots and I usually just leave them there, but this time the greenhouse is so full that I combined them by repotting them in one of my bigger pots. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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Thank you for this beauty today; I needed the joy.
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Oh, I’m so glad my post brought you some needed joy. Blessings, Natalie 🙂
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