In Persian legend, a young prince fell so hopelessly in love with a forest nymph that he sang to her every hour, day and night, unable to stop himself. She gently declined his devotion. When heartbreak finally overcame him, he lay down in a field and never rose again. The first ranunculus bloomed from the earth where he rested — those extraordinary layered petals, one hundred of them in a single bloom, like a love letter written in flowers.
The Victorian language of flowers had a message for ranunculus:
I am dazzled by your charms. It is still the most accurate description. Hold a ranunculus up to the light and count the petals — papery-thin, crepe-textured, each one slightly different from the last. No other flower packs this much intricacy into this much smallness.
It is a seasonal treasure. Available roughly February to May, ranunculus cannot be grown year-round without losing the looseness and delicacy that make it special. When you see it here, it is at its absolute finest. It pairs perfectly with roses, peonies, and sweet peas — and when it does, it is the first flower every eye finds.
Best wishes, James Hunt MD
Any questions about this flower? Email
enquiries@flowersbyflourish.com — we love to talk about flowers.
Best wishes, James Hunt MD
