Bonzer Words!: Flower Sharing
Valerie Yule tells of the healing and comforting properties of flowers.
Valerie writes for Bonzer! magazine. Please visit www.bonzer.org.au
People with gardens enjoy passers-by sharing their pleasure. We could share our flower bonanzas further since flowers can be a tremendous cheer-up for people such as harassed lonely mothers, not just people in hospitals or aged homes.
It would be great if voluntary organisations could arrange so that flower-gardeners can link up with volunteers, like Meals on Wheels, who can take flowers to places such as psychiatric clinics, unemployment centres, creches and opportunity shops, where people who may be depressed, unhappy, burdened or harassed can take them to enjoy at home.
Many people cannot buy or grow flowers. Flowers can be carried in 2-litre plastic milk bottles cut-down to leave a bit of a handle, in a plastic bag, and can be kept in them too, with water, if people do not have vases or energy to arrange them. Plastic wrapping from home-delivered newspapers also make good flower-wrappers.
I often saw how much lonely or harassed people were cheered up by flowers for their own home, when I worked in clinics and the community. Many other people like myself have gardens full of so many flowers we do not know what to do with them all. I often take them to op-shops or even give them to children on the train, but it would be good for some organization to make a link so that people with flowers could give them to somewhere where those who would like flowers could have them.
For depressed or overworked people, having some lovely flowers in the home can be a sign that others care, as well as making their surroundings so much better. They can be better than pills. Children love the flowers too.
© Valerie Yule
