Send flowers . . . exquisite and enchanting sampaguita flowers with pictures and clip art!

Sending flowers to loved ones on special occasions- birthdays, anniversaries, etc. - (or no occasion at all) is an endearing gesture. It never fails to touch the heart of a woman. Fresh flowers deliver the message of affection, care and the love by the giver to the recipient.

Flower also symbolizes beauty, freshness and elegance. Natural is always beautiful. Flowers are among nature’s reminders that life is indeed beautiful. It can unite us with the good and the beautiful inside us and when we see the good and beauty within, it will be easier to see the good and the beauty that surround us. Then, we feel good, afresh, graceful, whole and happy. Flowers demonstrate the creativity and magnificence of the creator, whoever or however we conceive the creator to be.

I love fresh flowers, especially exquisite and enchanting ones. There are varieties of flowers, thousands of them, but I will take exception to three as my favourites- roses, sampaguita and orchids.

"Take time to smell the roses" is an invitation to pause, live and enjoy life to the fullest! Who wouldn't be captivated by the beauty of roses and by life itself?

I love roses because of their beauty, meaning and colors.

"The purest and thoughtful minds are those which love color the most." - John Ruskin from the Stones of Venice

Red rose means everlasting love, while white rose means purity and heavenly. Deep pink rose means gratitude and appreciation while light pink rose conveys sympathy. Purple rose message is enchantment and love at first sight while a blue rose exudes mystery. A peach rose is also attractive and says that a deal has been reached and that something has gone well. A yellow rose signifies friendship, gladness, new beginning, freedom and joy. Orange rose means passion, desire and enthusiasm while a black rose could mean farewell to old and welcome to a new beginning.

Rosebuds symbolize young and innocent love as compared to full blooming roses suggesting more mature love.

A single rose means simplicity of intention and one single red rose says “You are the one.” Three red roses imply the message “I love you.” Ask her “Be my steady” with twelve red roses. A bunch of roses of varying colors invite fun and enjoyment.

These are the normal and traditional meaning of colors for roses which can serve as a guide. Yet, I truly believe, meanings are very personal. As such, anyone should feel free to assign their personal symbolism and meanings to their favorite roses.

Sampaguita flowers suit me well because it can be stringed into a necklace or chaplet and has sweet fragrance. As Jeffrey Stepakoff (The Orchard) aptly swears: " A good fragrance is really a powerful cocktail of memories and emotion." Anything that conjures up sweet memories and emotions must be really good!

The flower is known as sampaguita in the Philippines, kampuput or puspa bangsa in Malay and Indonesia, or pikake (in Hawaii) because of its white purity and sweet scent. It belongs to jasmine specie and is also found in Myanmar and Sri Lanka. It is the national flower of the Philippines (since 1937) and Indonesia (since 1990).

Sampaguita is an evergreen vine or tall shrub and the flowers are produced in clusters of three to twelve together, with white corolla of 2-3 cm diameter with 5-9 lobes and strongly scented. The buds open at night and close in the morning. Yet, full blown sampaguita flowers remain open and fragrant the whole day.

The delicate flowers are gathered and strung into leis, crowns and corsages. In the Philippines, the sampaguita garlands are used to welcome guests; leis are given to congratulate graduates during closing ceremonies or school graduations; or as an offering or adornment in religious altars. Its oils can also be distilled and sold separately. In Indonesia, It is used to make garlands to adorn women's hair.

Sampaguita has also a variety of uses other than for adornment. In China, the flower is processed and used as the main ingredient in jasmine tea. In the Philippines, the flower is sometimes used to cure headaches.

I love orchids because of their exquisite beauty and stunning blooms which vary from one species to another. Orchid is the flower of elegance.

Orchids are now one of the most popular cut-flowers, According to Wikipedia, it is the largest family of the flowering plants. The Royal Botanical Gardens of Kew list 880 genera and nearly 22,000 accepted species, but the exact number is believed to be more since there are 28,000 known species. Orchids are the most rapidly (genetically) changing group of plants on earth and more new species have been discovered over the last few thousand years than any other plant group known.

A majority of orchids grow anchored to trees or shrubs in the tropics and subtropics. Orchids have become the favorite of hobbyists. Usually when you mention the word "orchid" most people immediately think of the purple-flowered Cattleyas, and rightly so as they have long been the most popular in the trade. However, the genus Cattleya contains a mere 50 species of the 28,000 known. Many, many other orchids do wonderfully in the home. Hobby growers are encouraged to try growing hybrids of Phalaenopsis, Paphiopedilum, Dendrobium, Oncidium, Vanda and Epidendrum

The Philippines has reputedly the richest collection of orchids in the world. Of the total number of orchids species known, about 944 species in 130 genera were identified in the Philippines. But Thailand is the country famous for its many beautiful orchids or Gluay Mhai in Thai.

To be able to build even a small orchidarium is one of my fondest dreams. And why not? But I have to start with few pots available from nearby garden store now.

"When two friends understand each other totally, the words are soft and strong like an orchid's perfume." - Martin Luther King, Jr.