Today is Remembrance Day; whatever your schedule, please take a moment to remember the many men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom, and continue to do so in conflicts around the world. May we always think of them with gratitude for the freedom we enjoy today in our beautiful Canada.
I know that memorial gardens exist around the world to honor the fallen, but I learned that the language of flowers is often incorporated into these plantings. I was reading an interesting article on www.veterans.gc.ca and I’d like to tell you about it.
The article was entitled “Flower Symbolism” and talked about blooms closely connected to remembrance and commemoration. The first, of course, was the poppy, made famous by John McRae’s poem “In Flanders Fields”. The article tells us “Hand-made poppies were first offered for sale in 1920 when a French woman, Madame Guerin, used them to raise funds to support destitute children in war-torn areas of France. Following her example, the Great War Veterans’ Association (the predecessor of The Royal Canadian Legion) officially adopted the poppy as its Flower of Remembrance in July 1921. Their first hand-made blooms were sold in November 1921 with proceeds benefiting wounded Veterans. Decades later, the tradition of wearing poppies as a sign of respect and thanks for those who have served in uniform continues both here in Canada and in many parts of the world.”
Delicate forget-me-nots were also listed. Did you know that before Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada in 1949, Newfoundlanders had their own unique “remembrance day” and honored July 1 in memory of the fallen of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in the Battle of the Somme, July 1, 1916? Forget-me-nots are still worn on July 1 as a sign of respect and remembrance.
Tulips have long been a symbol of gratitude and remembrance. In 1945, Princess Juliana of the Netherlands sent Canada 100,000 tulips as a token of gratitude for Canada’s effort to liberate the Netherlands, and also for Canada’s help in giving Princess Juliana and her family safety during the war. To this day, Canada receives 20,000 tulips each year from the Netherlands in ongoing thanks.
The maple leaf was first featured as a military symbol in 1860. In World War One, it appeared on the badges of the Canadian Expeditionary Forces. When World War II began, it was used on all manner of military gear, and by 1965 when our flag was inaugurated, it became the “official” symbol of our dear country.
I also learned that the hibiscus is the national flower of Korea, and its name in Korean, Mugunghwa, means “immortal flower”. It is an important symbol to the men and women who served in Korea. Its hardiness and perseverance was symbolic as it reflected the temperament of the Korean people.
So much floral symbolism. So much to remember. Please pause today, lest we forget.
The next meeting of the Yorkton and District Horticultural Society will be on Wednesday, November 25. This is our AGM and banquet at Melrose Place, and is for members and invited guests only. Please call Liz at 782-2830 for full details.
Have a good week! Visit us at www.yorktonhort.ca
