“’Twas EasterSunday. The full-blossomed trees filled all the air with fragrance and with joy.”— Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

The beauty of the garden at Easter is perfectly captured by 16th century theologist and religious reformer Martin Luther who wrote, “Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection. Not in books alone. But in every leaf in spring-time.” The symbolic, glorious blooms of Easter bring joy to the heart, restore faith, inspire hope and ignite a spirit of renewal within bodies and minds which may have been wavering due to the demands and uncertainties of the year before.

Enjoy some Easter cheer courtesy of Lauren Dear.

A delightful beginning

Bringing with her the beauty, charm and positive vibes of Montego Bay along with the art of style from the heart of New York’s bustling city, Lauren Dear’s L House Events & Florals is a notable addition to offerings of the capital.

Lauren explains, “I started L House Events & Florals with a focus on events, and added flowers because of the simple fact that I couldn’t find a place that I could grab flowers to enliven my home. I also was unable to find modern rare blooms, imported or local, for floral arrangements and for special occasions.”

With the establishment of L House, Lauren ensured that she would not only be the solution for the lack of diversity within the market but also that she would enhance industry standards by bringing a little new age to what some on the Rock may feel is a little passé.

“After dealing with the pandemic and not being able to be 100% sufficient without importing we have made it our goal to see what range of flowers we can grow here in our very own backyard working with local farmers. This will hopefully lower our import rate in the future,” she shares.

Lauren’s grow local initiative, if successful, could be a blueprint for enterprising purveyors and growers alike. If practised successfully the initiative could be impactful for local floriculture which for decades has been a dwindling industry despite its potential.

Easter’s floral heart

During this time of year, there is a spiritual breeze that blooms a host of flowers from the gerbera daisy to the hyacinth to hydrangeas, azaleas, mums, kalanchoes, and many others. However, most prominent in arrangements is the lily, more specifically, the Easter lily.

A symbol of Christ’s resurrection, the Easter lily signifies purity, grace, hope and rebirth. Some historians are of the view that the lily first bloomed in the Garden of Eden, watered by the tears of repentance shed by Eve due to her sin as she departed the garden for the sullied world.

Locally, the plant can be hard to find even when in season. “The main farmers who grow lilies are the coffee farmers up in the Blue Mountains. The problem is to get them to bloom for Easter week, which can be a tricky process that involves the vernalisation of the bulbs,” informed agriculturalist Ashley Christie. “This is especially important when Easter is early. Vernalisation is the process that initiates the bulb to bloom. This happens in nature by the cold temperature which occurs at the same time every year while the date of Easter changes. That is why we find lilies coming from the Blue Mountain farmers. You can trick the bulbs to bloom precisely for Easter.”

Lauren, who secured this season’s beautiful blooms from farmers in the hills of St Andrew, also shared that “Queen’s Lace is also popular at this time, as it has a very refreshing daintiness to it.”

The peace of Easter

To Lauren, “Flowers are full of life and energy. Most spring flowers come from bulbs which, they say, represent the resurrection of life…Easter is about renewal and spirit. So, I keep our arrangements very springy and colourful and fresh…maybe adding a butterfly or some moss.”

If you need a little cheer, floral rejuvenation or just something bright to enliven that special vase at home, stop by L House and you won’t be disappointed.

An Easter Blessing

May the glory of the resurrection with its symbolic renewal surround your lives and be reflected in all of your hopes and dreams at this time. Have a blessed Easter.