Celebrating love by celebrating the beauty and wonders of nature

In Japan there is an art of communicating figuratively through flowers, known as hanakatoba, which has its roots in Buddhist ideology, in which attention is paid to the small but important things in life. By giving flowers of a particular kind, colour, height and overall appearance, we send a particular message (of purity, passion and even hatred). Because flowers are short-lived and fragile, the very act of giving them can symbolise fragile relationships that we need to nurture because they are fleeting.

Sending gardenias means we are sending secret love, yellow camellias longing, and if the reply received in the form of flowers were a bouquet of tulips, it would mean the love is one-sided (unfortunately), orange lilies would signify hatred, while red roses would express love and tender feelings. A branch of cherry blossom is a symbol of tenderness and transience. The white lotus, which grows in mud, signifies purity, perfection and spirituality. Violets represent sincerity and devotion, so a message sent with them means it is genuine.

But there is one more plant for those in love, which you can also find in Plitvice Lakes National Park, close to our Camping Plitvice. The park has as many as 60 species of it, out of a total of 150 known in Croatia and 30,000 in the world. Elegant just like a rose and exotic like a lotus, the orchid is the queen of flowers and a symbol of love, romance and beauty. The well-known vanilla is, for example, one species of orchid, also known for being expensive. The reason is that its flower blooms once a year for a very short period, with only a short window for pollination, and only after that, after 9 months of the fruit ripening, does it turn into the pod we know from cooking.

As orchids come in pots, by giving one you also send a message of environmental awareness. It is better to give flowers in a pot than cut flowers with a short lifespan. That, too, sends a certain message. And if we also know that plants produce more oxygen than they use (and absorb carbon dioxide), you should know that the orchid does not need that much sunlight to produce precious oxygen through photosynthesis. So it is good to keep it in the bedroom because it promotes good air flow and allows for better sleep.

Orchids are not that difficult to grow, either. This is confirmed by their wide distribution from South-East Asia and the Americas to Australia, as well as the many different species, sizes (the largest orchid, known as the “tiger” orchid, is 3 m tall and has 10,000 flowers) and ways of growing (they can grow on trees, in cracks in branches, above or at ground level). Although the most suitable temperature for them is between 10 and 30 °C, they have even been found in the Andes (which are gripped by snow at night and bathed in sunshine in the morning). The orchid is also considered a powerful aphrodisiac (more precisely, its tubers).

As the root is the most important part of the orchid, it is cared for by soaking the whole plant in water (rainwater or water that has been left to stand) for 30 minutes, after which it should be dried well. The roots also need enough ventilation, so it is a good idea for the pot you keep your orchid in to have holes. The leaves also like moisture, which you can give them by spraying them.

We don’t celebrate love on just one day, but all year round. If you have wished that Valentine’s Day lasted longer than one day, we can make that possible with a romantic getaway at our Camping Plitvice whenever you like.

And since orchids bloom from March to November, we suggest that as soon as spring knocks at the door you visit Plitvice Lakes National Park and enjoy their beauty, and drop by our campsite, surrounded by many wonders of nature and biodiversity, and book accommodation in luxury mobile homes for a truly romantic atmosphere.

What would life be without love, nature or flowers!