Floral Friday

 

Vibrant flowers and plants ready for passersby.

 

Floral Friday

 

Vibrant bouquets brighten a historic covered passage.

Floral Friday

 

 

A small flower shop on rue Saint Antoine displays its wares.

 

 

 

Floral Friday

A love of flowers means no shortage of florists in Paris.

 

Floral Friday

 

Winter-flowering mimosas are taking center stage at florists all over Paris.

 

1er mai

 Happy Fête du Travail 2021

Essential

 

During this latest confinement businesses deemed essentiels included chocolate shops, cordonneries, bookstores, bakeries, hairdressers, tabacs (?) and absolutely, florists.

Flower power

In France, flowers are an integral part of life and in Paris, florists are as numerous as boulangeries. They lift spirits, add color and cheer wherever they appear, and symbolize romance, nature, optimism and the persistence of beauty. - BPJ

Explosion

To all our Lebanese friends and at The American University of Beirut, all our sympathies, sadness, and prayers.

Book: "The Bitter Years" / "Les Années Amères"
Photography of Edward Steichen

***

Update 8/10/2020: This photo was taken on July 26, nine days before the explosion in Beirut. I had just been offered these magnificent lilies, no special occasion, and the first thing I thought, feeling slightly uncomfortable, was, "Um white lilies are for funerals" but didn't say anything as they were such a beautiful gesture and gift, put them in a vase and took this photo. When I looked at it I noticed that the grim coffee table book was in the shot and wanted to re-take it without it, but decided not to bother. Days later, on August 5, the world woke up to the terrible news of the explosion in Beirut, and the next day, August 6, searching for a photo to post as usual, this one almost jumped off my screen. I was struck how the overhead angle made the lilies look uncannily like an enormous explosion of some sort, while below, on the cover, a man covers (protects?) his face with his hand. Since then this post has elicited comments about its symbolism but it wasn't done on purpose, as the photo had been taken days before. - BPJ

The name of the rose

A wonderful small florist on rue Lepic sells only roses.

Touch of spring

Bright mimosas on the sidewalk in front of a Montmartre florist.

Weekend motivation

 

A florist at a covered market on the Left Bank.

Floral street

Potted flowers and plants are placed outside to take advantage of a light rain.

 

May flowers

The scent of fresh flowers wafting from this shop adds an uplifting accent to the morning.
The sheer number of florists in Paris attests to the importance of flowers.