From the ancient ages people used the art of decorating their clothes, interior and various processions with flowers, twigs, leaves and other decorative materials. It is indicated by the patterns of applied and ornamental arts, architecture, painting and poetry.
Archaeological discoveries confirm the usage of blooms by people already in the Bronze Age. The most ancient vessel for blooms that was discovered by the archeologists, definitely belongs to the mid of Iron Age. For decoration were used different natural materials as blooms, foliage, branches already at that old time. And even nowadays you may find that persons still like to adorn their feelings with blooms, so you can send flowers to Russia using various internet shops.
In ancient Egypt flowers were widely used for decoration of churches, palaces and the processes of worship. Especially for adorning deities' statues people used various types of twigs and other plants. Such flowers as lotus were put before the statues of god. Buddhist churches still have this custom.
When English Egyptologist H. Carter discovered in 1929 the tomb of Tutankhamen, the scientist was the most shocked not by a great number of rich decorations, but by an unpretentious wreath of flowers placed by the young widow on her husband's breast. That garland was in a very good state, so everybody might see what blooms were utilized in it. There were: fruits of poppy, black nightshade and “apples of love” that are fruits of mandrake.
The head of bloom production is the Netherlands. It's true that the Dutch really like to be in the surrounding of blooms. They grow flowers in small vessels and on vast meadows. Sometimes, we may even claim that this love has developed in some type of fanaticism. Blooms are the foundation of Dutch industry. Such flowers as tulips acquired here their second home and real Eden on earth. But tulips were not growing in the Netherlands from the very beginning of their subsistence. The Caucasus, China and Mongolia are those lands that we may call native land of these blooms. So, one may still find there wild congeners of tulips. Straightly form the Caucasus they began their way to Holland. Read the rest of this entry »