How to Choose the Perfect Flowers for May Day

May Day Origins

In just a week, May Day is upon us! I remember a fun, childhood memory of making paper baskets and filling it with notes and small bundles of yellow dandelions for the parents. But where did May Day actually originate from and why are so many flowers involved?

According to The Farmer's Almanac, May Day is a day based in agriculture and astronomy; celebrating the halfway mark between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. This was, agriculturally, the marking for the time when planted produce began sprouting, life stock was put to pasture, special bonfires were had and doors were decorated with yellow flowers.

How it's Celebrated

"Celebrations evolved to speak more to the “bringing in the May” with the gathering of wildflowers and green branches, the weaving of floral garlands, the crowning of a May king and queen, and the setting up of a decorated May tree, or Maypole, around which people danced. Such rites originally may have been intended to ensure fertility for crops and, by extension, for livestock and humans, but in most cases this significance was gradually lost, so that the practices survived largely as popular festivities," writes The Editors of The Farmer's Almanac.

For Those of Us Who Don't Have a May Pole to Decorate...   

Here’s how you decide on flowers to help you bring in the halfway mark of the Spring Equinox!

- Backyard Picks -

People who live in seasonal climates welcome spring by literally “Bringing in the May,” by gathering blooms from their own gardens! Bring in clippings from your backyard trees, pick local dandelions to create a "crown" for the kids or simply find a local florist who has a bouquet or two that catches your eye!

- Local Picks -

Heyo! Said Florist here. California is bursting with colors, fragrances and options and I listed local CA flowers to choose from below! If that's still too many options and you just want to have us create one for you, we have a "designers choice," which allows us the freedom to fit a bouquet to your style! 

- Ribbons -

- Nature -

Even if you're not able to decorate, one thing we all need to do is make sure we get outside to enjoy nature. We have our earth to thank for housing us and without it, where would we be? It's a good conversation to have (and continually have) since we just passed Earth Day. Bring nature to you or simply go to nature! Any local park will do- go for a walk and breath deeply the blooming florals of your area (and a quick thank you to the Earth).

What's Currently in Bloom in California:

Local Lilac - We have a long time local grower that brings us her beautiful lilac 

and apple blossom branches....they are so sweet and perfect! Lilac comes in many shades but those shades are the stages of the season, starting with: delicate whites (first come and first gone), then bi-colors and gentle lavender colors and ending the season strong with a vivacious and deep purple.

            

Local Viburnum - is always a must for us at The Hidden Garden all of April.  It's green to white snowball poofs are like mini hydrangeas on a stick. The flowers starts of apple green at the start of the season and then as the season comes to a close they are white snowball poofs!  You can watch the evolution of the flowers season just by watching their color!

          

          

The only hiccup we have sometimes is Mother Nature. When it gets super hot or super cold some of these beauties don't stick around too long and the season fluctuates.

   

In our  Floral Prep Foundations, we talk about how you process and prep these flowers (which is vital to prolonging them once they're in your home!). Make sure to check it out- it's a whole lot of information for just $17!

Enjoy the final week of April and make sure to tag us if you end up decorating with any of our tips for your May Day!

Amy Marella