Friday Flowers Club #37~A Belated Imbolc

Hello Friends.

Whilst the marketing machines distract our gaze to the fourteenth and the inevitable slew of reds. I still have one eye on last week and the passing of Imbolc, marking the midpoint between the winter solstice and the spring equinox.

Imbolc is a key point in the Wheel of the Year, a Gaelic festival traditionally dedicated to Brigit (later Saint Brigid), and it represents the first stirrings of life within the frozen earth. While winter’s chill remains, Imbolc is the promise of renewal and the quickening of the year.

Flowers are (of course!) central to this celebration, acting as the Earth's first messengers of hope. The most iconic is the Snowdrop, the "Fair Maid of February". These resilient blooms are the first to pierce through the ice crusted soil and snow, symbolising purity and the courage to thrive in harsh conditions.

Traditionally, many gather other early blossoms such as Daffodils and Croci to decorate Brigit’s Crosses or place them on windowsills to welcome her blessing. Imbolc reminds us that even in the depths of dormancy, growth is happening beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to bloom. I can think of no better analogy for so many in this group that I have spoken to in recent weeks. And so to you all I wish a belated but prosperous Imbolc.

Flowers this week will continue to bring some colour into the drab and dreary days with some cherry, pink and lilac hues.

Have a lovely week and as always, “Bringing the Outdoors In”.