Happy Birthday Blooms

(NAPSA)—Everyonehasa birthstone, but did you know that weall havea birth flower? Birth flowers originated during the 1800s, when it was customary for calendars to depict each month with a specific flower or plant. Eventually, each month cameto be represented byits own “birth flower.” Nothing celebrates individuality, or says “You’re one of a kind,” like a bouquetof birthday flowers. To help get you started, here’s a list of birth flowers by month from 1-800-FLOWERS.COM: January: February: Carnation Violet April: May: Daisy Lily of the Valley March: June: July: August: September: October: November: December: Daffodil Rose Sunflower Gladiolus Aster Marigold Chrysanthemum Narcissus How do you keep beautiful birthday blooms looking fresh? These flowers take the cake. Actu- ally they are the cake and a beau- tiful way to say HappyBirthday. Floral expert Julie McCann Mulligan of 1-800-FLOWERS.COMrecommends keeping cut flowers in a cool location, away from drafts and heat sources. Recut the stems on an angle and add warm water and plant food to the vase every other day. Flowers should last approximately five to seven days if properly cared for. You can visit 1800flowers.com on the Web for beautiful selections of birthday flowers, includingits signature Birthday Flower Cake.