Singer Mariah Carey all but disappeared from the music scene only to return a bigger star than ever in late 2005. But, in terms of comebacks, fragrant flowers just may make an even bigger comeback.
In the past, flowers were frequently valued for their heady scents. They were used to woo a lover, mask scents that were less than desirable, and create expensive perfumes. Their fragrance has been described in great literary works by notable authors like Shakespeare. But, over time, the fragrance of flowers faded and how a flower smelled became much less important than how it looked.
Flowers have been crossbred to create bigger, brighter, and longer lasting blooms with great commercial appeal. Typically, when people call their florist to order flowers they are most concerned with how long the arrangement will last and choosing those flower varieties that will stay fresher longer. That's perfectly understandable. When you spend your hard earned money on a gift for a family member or friend, you want them to be able to enjoy that gift for as long as possible. For that reason, flower breeders have toiled to create hybrids that live for long periods of time when cut and placed in a vase or arrangement.
Recently, though, flower enthusiasts have begun to request flowers with more fragrance to appeal not just to the eye, but also to the nose. Perhaps that's because the human nose is capable of discerning over 10,000 different scents. Lightly scented flowers bring a breath of nature's laughter to a room. Having foreseen a swing back toward a desire for scented flowers, renowned English rose breeder David Austin, began crossbreeding hybrid tea roses with their lovely colors and long-lasting blooms with the Old Roses that existed prior to 1867 and were abundantly fragrant. The result is a rose that has the best of both worlds - a long lasting, beautiful bloom with a delightful scent.
David Austin's rose isn't the only flower with a lovely fragrance. There are many other blooms that have retained their fabulous scent, such as the lilac, hyacinth, and honeysuckle to name just a few. If you're interested in ordering a flower arrangement that delights not just the eyes, but also the nose, contact your florist and ask for assistance. He or she can choose blooms to match the colors and looks you want to achieve while also providing a scent that is sure to please.
