How to make a mindful indoor flower display using Narcissus Paperwhites to banish the January Blues
January can feel like the longest month ever after all the excitement of Christmas and the pressure to make this year 'the best yet!'
Statistically Blue Monday (always a Monday in the middle of January) is the most depressing day of the year.
Why not give this scented indoor floral arrangement a try, to remind you that warmer days are coming, Mother Nature has so many delights in store for you this year and it’s ok to look forward to them with hope and excitement instead of feeling blue.
Follow these simple steps to make your own.
Take a large tall vase and fill it a quarter to a third full with large clean stones from the garden or that you've collected out on a walk. The taller the better with the vase, as the long stems of your Paperwhites will need support as they grow.
Fill in the gaps between the large stones with pea shingle or small gravel. As you do so, notice the feel of the gravel on your skin. Are the stone smooth or sharp? Do they feel good against your skin or not so good?
Taking your bulbs in your hand, turn them over gently noticing the sound and feel of their papery skin against your skin. What do they remind you of?
Place your Narcissus 'Paperwhite' bulbs on top of the gravel nestling them in by wiggling them. What can you hear?
Hold the bulbs in place by placing some more gravel around them.
Pour water into the vase until it reaches the bottom of the bulbs. What can you hear as you pour? Do you notice any colour change in the gravel?
Now we wait. Check your bulbs every day. I like to do this while I have my morning cuppa.
Ask yourself:
Is the water still touching the bottom of the bulbs?
Can you see any green shoots starting to emerge?
Do the shoots look different from each other or the same?
If different, why might that be?
As the flower stalks grow, turn your attention to the buds opening.
What colour are the flowers? Are they all the same colour or are parts of the flower different?
Close your eyes and inhale deeply. What can you smell? Does it jog a memory?
The patient waiting and anticipation of watching your bulbs grow and then flower helps to give hope to the start of the new year, give you that warm glow in your tummy and leaves little time or space to feel blue.