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Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus) are herbaceous perennial plants thought to have originated from the Mediterranean region – however, over two thousand years of cultivation has made it almost impossible to know their true origins for sure. Some believe that carnations date as far back as Greek and Roman times, where they were used for garlands and [...]

Quince, or Cydonia Oblonga, is a small deciduous tree which grows natively in southwest Asia from 5-8m tall. The leaves of a quince tree are covered in tiny white hairs which grow from 6–11cm long. Once the leaves have blossomed in spring, the tree flowers with pale pink to white petals. When these flowers die, [...]

Hyacinths are perennial flowering plants originating from the East Mediterranean. As well their characteristic bell-shaped flowers with reflexed petals, they can also be recognised by their highly fragrant scent. Hyacinths once formed part of the Liliaceae family but now belong to a separate family called Hyacinthaceae. There are three species within the genus Hyacinthus: the [...]

The anemone, commonly known today as the ‘windflower’, was named after the Greek word meaning ‘wind’. This beautiful little flower originates from the Mediterranean and Asia Minor, but today is widespread across Europe. They decorate woodlands, grasslands and gardens with their vibrant whites, purples, blues, greens, yellows, pinks and reds, which encircle a jet black [...]

Calla lilies have many names. They are commonly known as the arum lily, calla, Easter lily, trumpet lily and pig lily, but the botanical name is ‘Zantedeschia’ – named after Italian botanist Giovanni Zantedeschi. Ironically the plant is not a lily at all. When it was discovered, it was thought to be so closely related [...]