Daffodil
Daffodils are one of the happiest flowers, guaranteed to bring colour each Spring. The very first flower I designed as jewellery, I have been gathering stories about the significance of this flower ever since. To most people, it lives up to it's symbolism of Joy & Rebirth. It's a happy flower that makes people smile when it arrives.
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The Daffodil or Narcissus is also know as:
Lent-Lily, Jonquil & Daffadowndilly.
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Wales
It's the National Flower of Wales and growing up I wore a Daffodil pin each St.David's Day.
Why is it the National Flower of Wales & why do we pin it to ourselves?
One story I like to believe is that St. David suggested the Britons wore a leek in battle against the Saxon invaders so they could recognise their friends from foes. Years later and the Leek is still an emblem associated with Wales but as the Welsh word for Leek & Daffodil are very similar and the Daffodil is so much easier to wear, we adopted that too!
In Wales, it's said if you spot the first Daffodil of the season, your next 12 months will be filled with wealth.
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Myth
This story has a few versions in Greek Mythology but my favourite is:
Narcissus was a hunter and the son of river god Cephissus and nymph Liriope. He was given the gift of great beauty by the gods. One day, a sweet young wood nymph named Echo saw Narcissus by a stream and instantly fell in love with him. However, he was so absorbed in himself and his beauty that he ignored Echo, and she wasted away from loneliness until all that remained was her voice.
When Venus later heard, she decided to teach Narcissus a lesson. She led him to a stream and when he gazed down at the water and to his own beautiful reflection he became so transfixed, forgetting to eat and sleep.
Concerned that Narcissus would starve to death, more sympathetic Gods turned him into a flower, which now blooms every year in the spring.
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China
Chinese legend tells that if a daffodil bulb blooms in your garden during the Chinese New Year, it will bring good luck to the home. It is a symbol of Good Fortune.
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1953 - My Mum wandering among the Daffodils.