painting by Jean Benner
Today I will be looking at the Apple Blossom Flower.
'Look up'
Look up, look up, at any tree!
There is so much for eyes to see:
Twigs, catkins, blossoms; and the blue
Of sky, most lovely, peeping through
Between the leaves, some large, some small,
Some green, some gold before their fall;
Fruits you can pick; fruits out of reach;
And little birds with twittering speech;
And, if you’re quick enough, maybe
A laughing fairy in the tree!
There is so much for eyes to see:
Twigs, catkins, blossoms; and the blue
Of sky, most lovely, peeping through
Between the leaves, some large, some small,
Some green, some gold before their fall;
Fruits you can pick; fruits out of reach;
And little birds with twittering speech;
And, if you’re quick enough, maybe
A laughing fairy in the tree!
- Mary Cicely Barker
apple blossom fairies by Mary Cicely Barker
For those of you not familiar with Mary Cicely Barker and her incredibly beautiful flower fairies, let me introduce you to a true delight!
Plate series, Flower Fairies based on Mary Cecily Barker
Traditional meanings of Apple Blossom,
in the Language of Flowers:
Promise, or Preference
The Apple Blossom is the official State Flower for Michigan.
It was adopted on April 28,1897.
Part of the resolutions' wording includes
"apple trees add to the beauty of Michigan's landscape",
and that "Michigan apples have gained a worldwide reputation."
Up in the tree we see you, blossom-babies,
All pink and white;
We think there must be fairies to protect you,
From frost and blight,
Until, some windy day, in drifts of petals,
You take your flight.
You'll fly away! But if we wait with patience,
Someday we'll find
Here, in your place, full-grown and ripe, the apples
You left behind-
A goodly gift indeed from blossom-babies,
To human-kind!
- Mary Cecily Barker
All pink and white;
We think there must be fairies to protect you,
From frost and blight,
Until, some windy day, in drifts of petals,
You take your flight.
You'll fly away! But if we wait with patience,
Someday we'll find
Here, in your place, full-grown and ripe, the apples
You left behind-
A goodly gift indeed from blossom-babies,
To human-kind!
- Mary Cecily Barker
apple blossom fairy by http://www.mountainhearth.etsy/
by thegoddesstree.com
trivia from thegoddesstree.com:
The apple is known as the fruit of love.
According to thegoddesstree,
Apple and Apple blossom means Love & Trust,
Health and Garden Magick.
Isn't it interesting to hear different interpretations?
made as a likeness of Mary Cecily Barker's flower fairies, found on ebay
fabric series designed by Michael Miller
Arkansas adopted the apple blossom
as their 'state flower emblem' in 1901.
I'm not sure why they call it a 'State flower emblem' as opposed to State Flower.
Must be an Arkansas thing.
apple blossom gnome by www.forestmother.etsy.com
trivia:
In 19th Century Lower-Saxon Germany,
the first bath water used by a newborn baby
was poured over the roots of an apple tree
to ensure that the child would have red cheeks.
apple blossom Hat by: http://www.heartsomehalos.etsy.com/
available on amazon, ebay, etc.
This next image is copyrighted, so please just enjoy the art!
found at 3-b-s.eu
I hope you have enjoyed my second blog on the meaning of flowers.
I love the look of the apple blossom.
So, have an apple blossom day
full of beauty, Promise and Preference!
inkspired
