Daphne

A brief editor's note: The flower assigned to my last blog "Stop and Smell the Flowers" is a Daphne. I took a picture of this little confection of beauty from a plant in a pot on my deck. I walk by the heavenly scent of my dear friend Daphne every time I come in and out of my house. Introduced to this floral delight by friend Laurie...my gardening guru, she gifted me the plant that acts as sentry to my home. It is a winter blooming gem that has the waxy flower quality of a stephanotis, gardenia or orange blossom; all four seem to share a similarly haunting fragrance as well. It seems to flourish when neglected, which is a boon for me. Still, I love this plant best for its name. Daphne DuMaurier, who lives in my mind in a cozy house with Jane Austen and The Brontes, is one of my favorite pioneering female authors of all time. If I ever have another girl child I will name her Daphne. In lieu of giving physical birth to a Daphne, I might just name a literary child after her....we shall see.