WQ - A Bouquet of Pink Flowers

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Despite this being titled "Wednesday Quotes", my posts usually show up on another day of the week, and it's Thursday this week. I'm participating in the Wednesday Quotes link-up hosted by Marsha at Always Write. The theme this week is Flowers and the color Pink. 

I almost never wear pink, myself, and I don't decorate in pink, but I do love pink flowers. I won't try to identify what kinds of flowers are in my photos, because for many of them I've forgotten. I wasn't sure how many photos I'd find in my collection, so I was prepared to offer a selection of quotes about flowers and a few photos of pink flowers. Once I started glancing through my online photo albums, I realized that there were many more photos of pink flowers than I'd anticipated! So this post may be longer than I'd originally expected . . .

There are always flowers for those who want to see them. ~Henri Matisse

If you take a flower in your hand and really look at it, it's your world for a moment. ~Georgia O'Keeffe

Pink Tulip, Georgia O'Keeffe
Baltimore Museum of Art

Cup of Silver Ginger, Georgia O'Keeffe
Baltimore Museum of Art

My daughter's O'Keeffe styled chalk art from a co-op
class when she was in grade school

Flowers have spoken to me more than I can tell in written words. They are the hieroglyphics of angels, loved by all men for the beauty of their character, though few can decipher even fragments of their meaning. ~Lydia M. Child

Did you know that pink wasn't classified as a color name until the 1700s? The color came into fashion in the late 17th century when artists began using brighter colors. Madame du Pompadour particularly loved pink in her dresses, and contributed to the color's growing popularity, but it was seen as a color of luxury, rather than of femininity, at the time. In fact, pink was considered a 'genderless' color or even a masculine color as recently as the mid-20th century. That might come as a surprise to many of us that are so used to gifts and clothes for baby boys being blue and for baby girls being pink. But that particular trend became widespread in the 1980s when it became common for parents to find out via ultrasound whether they were having a boy or girl! Who knew?! In Eastern countries such as India and  Japan, pink is still very much associated with masculinity; while in China pink flowers mean good fortune and in Thailand they mean trust.

It was the Victorians that really began assigning meanings to the colors of flowers. This 'language of flowers' (floriography) was used to express sentiments that were harder to put into words. So generally, pink flowers symbolized virtue, innocence, devotion, and love. More specifically, pink roses and sweet peas mean gratitude; and pink peonies mean prosperity. Pink carnations mean loyalty and devotion, and are especially popular for Mother's Day.

Tulips bloom early in spring, so they are associated with the season and with Easter. Pink tulips often mean confidence and happiness. Orchids are associated with courtship and with a woman's beauty, and pink orchids in particular are associated with fertility. A pink lily, such as the Stargazer, means prosperity and abundance as well as innocence and purity. 

Earth laughs in flowers. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Where flowers bloom so does hope. ~Lady Bird Johnson

What sunshine is to flowers, smiles are to humanity. ~George Eliot

If I had a flower for every time I thought of you . . . I could walk through my garden forever. ~Alfred Lord Tennyson

A flower does not think of competing to the flower next to it. It just blooms. ~Zenkei Shibayama

The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all. ~Walt Disney

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest? 

Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, you of little faith!

But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

~Luke 12:25-28, 31~

Wednesday Quotes is hosted by Marsha at Always Write. This post will be linked at #WQ #24: Flowers/Pink

This post will also be linked at Pictorial Tuesday, hosted by Peabea Scribbles.

Pictorial Tuesday

Sources for this article include: Art & Object, Houseplant Central, Petal Republic

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