Gardenias

/ɡɑrˈdeɪniəz/ noun

Definition

Plural of gardenia; fragrant tropical flowers with thick white or cream-colored petals that are often used in corsages and perfume.

Etymology

Named after Alexander Garden, an 18th-century Scottish botanist and naturalist, using the Latinized suffix '-ia' to honor him; the plant became culturally significant in Southern and Asian floristry.

Kelly Says

Gardenias have an incredibly strong, almost intoxicating scent despite being one of the most delicate-looking flowers—so much so that a single gardenia bloom can fill an entire room with perfume, making them prized in cultures that value fragrance as part of beauty.

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