Adonis:

Myth of the flower

Adonis microcarpa

Adonis vernalis

Adonis vernalis

Adonis annua

Adonis aestivalis

A bunch of Adonis vernalis Adonis aestivalis

Adonis is a genus of about 20-30 species of flowering plants of the family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe and Asia and is known commonly by the names of Pheasant’s Eye and Flos Adonis.

They are annual or perennial herbs with much divided leaves and yellow or red flowers. Adonis autumnalis has become naturalised in some parts of England; the petals are scarlet with a dark spot at the base.

An early flowering species, Adonis vernalis, with large bright yellow flowers, is well worthy of cultivation.

It prefers a deep light soil. The name is also given to the butterfly, Mazarine or Clifton Blue (Polyommatus Adonis).

The species grow to 10-40 cm in height, with feathery, finely divided leaves. Their flowers are red, yellow or orange and have 5-30 petals. An excellent plant for the rock garden. In spring it produces large, buttercup-like, yellow flowers that borne above finely divided fern-like foliage.

Adonis is self-seeding and pollinated by bees, flies and beetles. A fully hardy, clump-forming perennial, it thrives in an open, well-drained site, tolerating some shade, with moist, humus-rich soil.

It is an ornamental plant that is often seen in woodland settings and cultivated beds.

According to Greek mythology Adonis is a figure of West Semitic origin, a central cult figure in various mystery religions, who enters Greek mythology in Hellenistic times. He is closely related to the Egyptian Osiris, the Semitic Tammuz and Baal Hadad, the Etruscan Atunis and the Phrygian Attis, all of them are deities of rebirth and vegetation.

His cult belonged to women and the cult of dying Adonis was fully-developed in the circle of young girls around Sappho on Lesbos, about 600 BCE, as a fragment of Sappho reveals.

Adonis is one of the most complex cult figures in classical times.

He has had multiple roles, and there has been much scholarship over the centuries concerning his meaning and purpose in Greek religious beliefs.

He is an annually-renewed, ever-youthful vegetation God, a life-death-rebirth deity whose nature is tied to the calendar. His name is often applied in modern times to handsome youths.

Adonis was certainly based in large part on Tammuz. His name is Semitic, a variation on the word ‘adon’ meaning ‘lord’ that was also used, as ‘Adonai’, to refer to Yahweh in the Old Testament.

When the Hebrews first arrived in Canaan, they were opposed by the King of the Jebusites, Adonizedek, whose name means ‘lord of Zedek’ (Justice).

Yet there is no trace of a Semitic cult directly connected with Adonis, and no trace in Semitic languages of any specific mythemes connected with his Greek myth, both Greek and Near Eastern scholars have questioned the connection.

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Common Name : Adonis
Genus : Adonis
Species : Amurensis
Skill Level : Experienced
Exposure : Full sun
Hardiness : Hardy
Soil type : Well-drained/light, Dry
Height : 38cm
Spread : 45cm
Time to divide plants : From July to August
Flowering period : From March to April

Puppies for sale

A farmer needed to sell his puppies. So he painted a sign advertising the pups and set about nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the eyes of a little boy.

“Mister,” he said, “I want to buy one of your puppies.”

“Well,” said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, “these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money.”

The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. “I’ve got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?”

“Sure,” said the farmer. And with that he let out a whistle, “here, Dolly!” Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur.

The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence with his eyes dancing with delight. As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this One was noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up.

“I want that one,” the little boy said, pointing to the runt.

The farmer knelt down at the boy’s side and said, “Son, you don’t want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would.”

With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers.

In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself to a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see sir, I don’t run too well myself, and he will need someone who understands.”

Flowers for every month

Demi HEWAMANNA

Just like every four months we have a season, for every month in a year we have a special that blooms for that month itself. We begin with the first of the month that is January and the flower that blooms in glory in that month is Carnation. Carnations are a happy, good luck flower and they last up to 3 weeks in a vase.

Carnations are associated with love, admiration, fascination, and affection.

February, hmm...no being a month of love and chocolates it does not bring out roses, in fact it roots out Violet. Violets symbolize good luck, virtue, modesty, faithfulness, and yes love. To give a cut bunch of birthday violets, call your local florist several days in advance for availability.

The flower of March is Daffodil. She sends out the message of rebirth, the end of winter and welcoming spring. Daffodils come in yellow, white, pink, coral and a rainbow of these colors. Daisy is the flower of the month that begins with us playings pranks on our friends. They mean innocence, happiness and a lot of cheer to go around.

May gives birth to the Lily of the Valley and is always called in for weddings. The white Lilies send a message of purity and innocence. The Rose, is the most well known flower all over the world.

She is the most important and most popular flower in the flower industry and she is the June flower. July comes with Larkspurs that bloom in shades of blue, pink and white. Their gracefulness, airy spikes mean levity, lightness and good luck.

Gladiolus is born in August and is a name for the Roman gladiator’s swords which represents a strong character.

The Aster is names after its starry shape and light. It symbolizes daintiness, love, life and joy. They are members of the daisy family and come in shades of pink, red, white, blue and purple.

October comes with Marigold and all the colors of Autumn come with it. They are considered a sacred flower in the ancient times and the symbolize affection. Chrysanthemums come in shades of bronze, orange, yellow, red, pink, white and lavender. It means long life, health, fidelity and good luck.

Lastly and not least we come to the month of December and the flower is Narcissus, but Poinsettias have taken to the list of birth month flowers. They symbolize good cheer and perfect wishes to meet the new year.