Flowers make people happy. They are given for gifts, used for decorations and are grown with loving care. Mother nature has given us these beautiful creations which change by the season. There are annuals, perennials, biennials and flowering bulbs. London Ontario florists can make up a lovely bouquet for your special event.

Flowering bulbs come in either summer or fall bloom times. Bulbs refer to tuberous roots, corms and rhizomes. Planting times vary and bulbs can produce flowers for years and also propagate for more of a bounty. Some areas will require that you dig up your bulbs in the winter to prevent them from freezing. In the winter bulbs are in a rest period, they require a period of dormancy and colder temperatures. When the spring thaw comes they will be the first spot of color in your garden.

Arbutus is a lovely spring flower. An Indian legend tells of a winter spirit, Peboan, who fell asleep and discarded his furs which turned to icy leaves. The summer spirit, Segun, came across the furs and put them in her hair. They came to life and she planted them in the earth breathing on them causing them to bloom into a spicy pink flower. The Pilgrims called the Arbutus the Mayflower and it is the state flower of Massachusetts. It grows along the eastern and mid-western United States down to Florida and up into Canada.

Narcissus belongs to the amaryllis family and is native to Asia and Europe. They should be planted before the end of September, 3 inches apart and covered with 4 inches of soil. Narcissus love well-drained soil of a medium texture. Some of the flowers are very fragrant and some have no odor. They make excellent house plants from Christmas through Easter. They will multiply for many years if left undisturbed.

Daffodils are a member of the Amaryllidaceae family and are related to the narcissus and jonquil. They are native to Europe and there are over 10,000 varieties. The best known variety is the trumpet narcissus. They should be planted about 8 inches deep and 5 inches apart. The bulbs are poisonous if eaten so be careful around pets. Bulbs should be planted late summer or early fall. They need bone meal but not much other fertilization. Bulbs should be divided and transplanted when clumps become crowded as this will reduce blooming.

Tulips are in the genus Tulipa in the family Liliaceae. There are 160 species of tulips. They grow wild in Europe from Italy to Austria and across to Asia. The word tulip comes from the Turkish word for turban as they look like an upside down turban. They are planted in the fall and do not like hot climates. There are three classes of tulips; the early flowering, mid season and late flowering. They range from short stems to long stems respectively. Tulips came to Europe around 1554 from Turkey where they are known to have grown since before 1500. The Dutch became so skilled with this flower that they are now the leading tulip producers in the world.

Hyacinth is a sweet smelling flower that grows well in hothouses, window boxes and flowerpots. They should be planted in the fall in well drained soil. The grape hyacinth is popular in the United States. The plant has small clusters of bell-shaped fragrant flowers in shades of white, pink, yellow, purple or blue.

Lily of the valley is in the lily family and a native of Europe, northern Asia and the mountains of Virginia to South Carolina in the United States. The blossoms are waxy white with some being pink. They do well in rich soil planted in partial shade. They are often used in corsages, boutonnieres and wedding bouquets. The leaves are poisonous if eaten and the roots are used to make a heart medicine.