Daisy Daisy ... Gerbera Answer Do

A slightly whacky title to this shot but it reflects the fact that for me .... 'every day is a school day' .... and I was unaware, until I looked it up just now, that the bright and cheerful gerbera is actually a daisy!!

They're gracing both my lounge and kitchen windowsill at present and providing a graceful yet unassumingly bold decoration to the quieter corners of both rooms. I've softened this shot once again to, hopefully, bring out the contrast between the gerbera's open and smiling face and it's intricate and somewhat delicate construction. I hope you guys like it.

The gerbera daisy was discovered in 1884 near Barberton, South Africa, by Scotsman Robert Jameson. Jameson helped form a gold mining company in Barberton and whilst exploring the area, he observed the daisies growing near the mine site and took samples of the plants. In 1888, the Botanical Gardens at Kew identified the plant and named it 'gerbera jamesonii' after its discoverer.

While the flower's scientific name recollects the name of its founder, the meaning of its common name draws from German naturalist Traugott Gerber. Breeding programs that began in England in 1890 enhanced the flower's quality and colour variations and the gerbera daisy's popularity soon travelled to growers in the Netherlands which, along with Columbia, is the primary distributor of the flower's cut version today. The gerbera currently ranks as the fifth most popular flower in the world behind the rose, carnations, chrysanthemum, and tulip.

The meanings of gerbera daisies stem from those attributed to the general daisy family. These meanings include innocence and purity as well as being a classic symbol of beauty. However, the gerbera variety holds an added meaning of cheerfulness, which stems from the assortment of colours available. There are many types of flowers which can help to express our thoughts and feelings for our loved ones, but the gerbera daisy and its meaning stand out as one of the most distinctly bright and merry.