Simple pleasures

It can be so wonderful when a fabulous bouquet arrives on a birthday, anniversary or another special occasion. But more and more of us are also choosing to buy flowers for ourselves. That’s because they can cheer us up, freshen up a room beautifully or provide a welcome splash of colour in our lives.

Which flowers to choose
The great thing about buying flowers for yourself is that you get to choose just the right mix of colours and scents, tailoring the bouquet to suit your mood. You could be feeling fantastic and keen to reflect your buoyant mood with flowers you’ve always loved. Or you could need a little cheering up with something exquisite that’s just for you. Either way, a bouquet of flowers can really make your day.

Delphinium – These majestic flowers in every shade of blue are like fireworks that have left a trail of glorious colour in the sky. They can cheer you up with such bold statements or conversely provide a feeling of calm with their delicate and sweet scents.

Hyacinth – The highly fragrant bell-shaped flowers of the hyacinth have inspired the classical poets Homer and Virgil. The densely packed florets come in shades of white, peach, orange, salmon, yellow, pink, red, purple, lavender and blue, so you are sure to find a colour combination that fits your mood.

Carnations – The carnation is Britain’s most popular cut flower and for good reasons. Available as standards, with one large flower per stem, or sprays with many smaller flowers, carnations come in almost all colours save blue. Gentle shades can provide an atmosphere of serenity, while brighter, bolder hues – such as Latin shades of red, pink or orange – can boost your mood and brighten any room.

Roses – The traditional gift of love for centuries, there are more than 30,000 species of rose available in the world today. Their gorgeous scent can lift the soul, while the huge choice of colours available means you are sure to find one that suits how you feel. Remember, too, that yellow roses signify a new start, making them perfect for when you plan to take on a new challenge.

Tulips – There are more than 3,000 registered varieties of tulips and traditionally they symbolise imagination and dreaminess. So, if you are looking for a flower that can inspire or provide a sense of calm look no further than these regal six-petal blooms.

How to achieve the look

First get everything you need together: warm towels, candles, bath oil, luxury scrub
Set the mood by making sure the bathroom is sparkly clean and the lights are off (candles are so much nicer, especially scented ones)
Get the temperature absolutely right – just 2º C above body temperature is perfect
Choose bath products that contain sandalwood, lavender or chamomile for their relaxing properties
Fresh ingredients make the bath even more special, so scatter the petals across the surface of the water
If you want to really spoil yourself, have a glass of chilled wine or, to aid relaxation, a cup of chamomile tea
Chocolate in the bath is a sublime pleasure, so make sure you have a lovely box handy
Have something lovely to listen to – music, an audio book or even a podcast of your favourite radio show. Keep your iPod or stereo away from the water, though, as all sense of relaxation will fly out of the window if it gets wet
Apply a facemask – that way you get relaxation and a beauty boost all in one go
Massage your feet under the water – this is guaranteed to soothe away any residual stress
When you climb out, smother yourself in oil or lotion

Keep the feeling
Sending flowers to yourself can make you feel good, their scent and colour providing a real sense of optimism. So why not make that feeling last by also doing something creative with them. One simple but delightful idea is to press your own flowers and display them in picture frames around the house. If your passion is art, you might like to paint or draw your flowers within a classic or contemporary still life setting. Or you could use the delivered flowers to improve your flower arranging skills.

References
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/
http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/growingflowers/growingflowers/hyacinth
http://www.love-of-roses.com/Meaning-Of-Roses.html
http://www.countrygardenroses.co.uk/
http://www.theflowerexpert.com/content/aboutflowers/exoticflowers/tulips