flowers in history, art and culture

If you're looking for a comprehensive look at the subject, there is the excellent piece: Flowers in Art History: A Comprehensive Guide Through Different Eras — Ellermann Florist and Flower Delivery

In Europe the 'craze' for a particular flower started with the Tulip mania which swept Holland in the 1630s: Tulip mania (Dutch: tulpenmanie) was a period during the Dutch Golden Age when contract prices for some bulbs of the recently introduced and fashionable tulip reached extraordinarily high levels... The introduction of the tulip to Europe is often attributed to Ogier de Busbecq, the ambassador of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, to Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent, who sent the first tulip bulbs and seeds to Vienna in 1554 from the Ottoman Empire.

[picture from Wikipedia: A tulip, known as "the Viceroy" (viseroij), displayed in the 1637 Dutch catalogue Verzameling van een Meenigte Tulipaanen ("Collection of a Crowd of Tulips"). Its bulb was offered for sale for between 3,000 and 4,200 guilders (florins) depending on weight (gewooge). A skilled artisan at the time earned about 300 guilders a year.[1]

Staying in Holland, the Dutch Golden Age produced some fabulous paintings of flowers - such as this: Dutch flower painting: In detail | Dutch Flowers | National Gallery, London.

And the most famous flower painting of them all was painted by a Dutchman: BBC Four - Painting Flowers, Sunflower, Van Gogh's Sunflowers and Van Gogh’s Sunflowers: The unknown history - BBC Culture

But what about flowers in other cultures?

In communist China, the sunflower was the symbol of the people always turning their heads to the sun that was Mao: Ai Weiwei – Sunflower Seeds | Artist Interview | Tate - YouTube and Sunflower Seeds by Ai Weiwei Explained: Art, Activism, and Symbolism.

In Ukraine, it is the symbol of their country - and is the yellow of their sunflower-and-sky flag: The Meaning Behind Ukraine’s National Symbols - PostcodeUkraine.org

There's also a whole lot of culture behind cut flowers - and it's quite a big thing: What Are Cut Flowers: History, Meaning, and Arranging Guide - Plant Grower World.

If we are looking for the most exquisite tradition in arranging cut flowers, then we must turn to Ikebana: Ikebana (生け花, 活け花, 'arranging flowers' or 'making flowers alive') is the Japanese art of flower arrangement.[1][2] It is also known as kadō (花道, 'way of flowers'). The origin of ikebana can be traced back to the ancient Japanese custom of erecting evergreen trees and decorating them with flowers as Yorishiro to invite the gods.

You can (in English) Learn the Basics of Ikebana although it does need years of study. Here's something a bit more: IKEBANA, Japanese style flower arrangement (English Version) 〜生け花〜 Japan Vlog - YouTube and Ikebana Explained: 7 Essential Principles of Japanese Flower Arrangement - YouTube

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read, read, read!

Yes, it's national storytelling week!

READING IN THE UK

We're trying to get more young people to read in the UK - because not many are reading: low literacy levels in Britain and education in the UK - high university intake - low literacy rates

Yes, it's quite a problem here: the decline in reading in the uk - and ways to reverse it   

    What are the literacy rates in your country? Are people reading books?

Reading is good for you: reading broadens the mind

    Why should we be reading, then?

Here's something politically controversial: should immigrants be encouraged to use their mother tongue?

    What's the policy in your country for teaching migrants to read?

Because, if you're good at reading in your own language...'first language literacy skills enhance second language learning'

    Do you like reading in your own language - and in English?

Indeed, if you like reading, that's a good start: "children who read for pleasure are better at english"

    Indeed, do you enjoy reading?!

Finally, a bit more politics from the English-speaking world: does wider literacy make for a wiser electorate? and Brexit, Trump and dumbing down

READING IN THE ESL/ESOL/TEFL CLASS

Reading is about communicating, not learning grammar rules or lists of words: the communicative approach in the esl/esol/tefl classroom

    Is this how you were taught English?

It's about reading 'real' stuff: using authentic materials in the esl/esol/tefl classroom

    Do you use only course books in your language classes?

There are some great places to go on the internet to do some reading: great online resources to improve your english

    What are your favourite websites for reading?

There are very specific resources for language learners: the key language learning benefits of graded readers

    Have you tried 'easy readers'? Have you read these together with listening to the text?

There is the AntiMoon website: pause and think: or, how to improve your language skills

    Have you given much thought to how you should be reading?

There are specific methods and approaches: Krashen and the comprehensible input theory and from narrow reading and listening to fluency: part two

    Have you tried focussing on just one author or genre?

And finally, there are different levels, different styles, different ways of saying the same thing: code-switching: jumping between different registers, different voices and different languages

    Can you recognise different 'registers' when you read? And can you learn from this, to integrate them into your own active language?

WHAT TO READ

We read for the story, or not: what makes a good detective story - it's not the plot And we read the classics, or not: reading detective stories from the 1950s

    What sort of things do you like to read?

Some things are better than others: banning books, the school curriculum and critical race theory in the United States

    Are certain books not allowed in your country?

We see books in different ways: books, libraries and librarians

    How many books do you have and where do you keep them?

We see bookshops in different ways: sections in a bookshop...

    Do you like to spend time in a bookshop?

ENGLISH LITERATURE

We need a definition: English literature and English literature and reading in English: a summary

    What do you understand to be the literature of your language and your country?

We need to be careful about how we see English - and 'the danger of a single story' about language and culture: what we think about the British empire - 70 years after the partition of India

    What do you understand about the 'status' of your language?

There is certainly a sense of place in writing: English literature in the south west of England

    Are different parts of your country famous for particular books or writers?

And there is a sense of time and place: Jay Doubleyou: english literature and english society

    What different 'eras' and 'styles' of writing are there in your language?

READING AND PRONUCIATION

There are issues around 'phonics': how to teach/learn reading and a critique of phonics and 

    Do you have issues with pronouncing what you read?

There are different accents in written language: the English-speaking world: Devon in England and the English-speaking world: west Africa

    Can you read in English and still hear the accents?!

Dictation can be a great way to work on both reading skills and pronunciation: practical dictation > online texts and audio and dictation can be fun

    Do you really hate dictation?!

Finally, reading out loud is considered a bit of a no-no; using difficult texts in the esl classroom

    Do you like to read out loud?!

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the lexical approach with the lexical lab

This blog is very keen on the lexical approach - which involves seeing language working in terms of chunking and which can really help us understand how to learn a language.

The excellent lexical lab has lots of online resources on offer - but the founders Hugh Dellar and Andrew Walkley also put on courses at their HQ: English Teacher Training in London - Upgrade Your Teaching Skills.

With more from their latest newsletter We made it through the longest month:

One of the things that has helped me get through this dreary days is looking forwards to brighter things to come – and I'm clearly not alone as we've already had our first few bookings for the TEACHING LEXICALLY course we'll be running in north London this summer. Over two weeks in July, we look at the theoretical view of language that underpins the lexical approach and then unpack the implications of this view for classroom practice.

And there's more in their newsletter, which looks further at the lexical approach and, following from that, the communicative approach:

Finally, here's an excellent overview of some of the most recent large-scale studies into the degree to which AI is helping or hindering education. A word of warning: it makes grim reading for the hardcore tech evangelists out there.

And here's a great video on the way Gen-Z online slang owes a huge debt to the linguistic creativity of Black America.

Oh, and here's a piece on the degree to which what are often thought of as 'Americanisms' have permeated everyday English here in the UK.

Finally, if you get a chance to watch this wonderful BBC drama, do so. It's based around a guy with chronic OCD who's opted to teach Philosophy in a prison. It's warm, human, hard-hitting, very funny and highly original.

Also, in light of the recent appalling events in Iran, this documentary about female singers inside the Islamic Republic seems particularly pertinent.

To finish, don't forget their great Blog.

Enjoy - as both teachers and learners of English!

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it's national storytelling week!

Next week is National Storytelling Week 2026!

In 2026, we will be celebrating National Storytelling Week from Monday 2 February to Sunday 8 February with FREE online events running on Tuesday 3 and Wednesday 4 February 2026. The events will be live-captioned Created by Society for Storytelling, this fantastic annual event is a joyful celebration of the power of sharing stories. Stories teach us about the world; they allow us to step into someone else’s shoes and feel empathy; they help us to relax and escape and they can help develop essential literacy skills.

And this year, they're making it musical:

Our research highlights that exploring stories through lyrics can be an effective way to re-engage young people with reading for enjoyment and writing for pleasure. Slightly more than 3 in 5 (60.7%) children and young people age 8-18 regularly read song lyrics digitally.

All of which can be adapted to the ESL/ESOL/TEFL classroom.

There are lots of things to discuss around storytelling...

Should we allow AI to make up stories for us [see: trurl's electronic bard vs chatgpt]

When it comes to new people among us, especially in our schools, should immigrants be encouraged to use their mother tongue?

When it comes to storytelling, it's often difficult to see what's next...; there are often specific themes, such as creating narratives around money and debt; some stories, such as blockbusters, don't have to be stupid; and look out for the political narratives...

Finally, beyond the UK and the school system, there are lots of writing activities for the ESL class and beyond...

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carl rogers and communication

We seem to forget that people matter! Psychologist Carl Rogers put them first:

The person-centered approach, Rogers's approach to understanding personality and human relationships, found wide application in various domains, such as psychotherapy and counseling (client-centered therapy), education (student-centered learning), organizations, and other group settings.

Looking at his person-centered therapy:

Person-centered therapy emphasizes the importance of creating a therapeutic environment grounded in three core conditions: unconditional positive regard (acceptance), congruence (genuineness), and empathic understanding.

And in education:

PCT has also been applied in educational and youth counseling settings. Its emphasis on empathy, acceptance, and authentic communication makes it particularly effective for adolescents and young adults who are navigating identity development, interpersonal challenges, and emotional regulation. Additionally, the non-directive nature of PCT allows it to be used across cultural contexts where traditional therapist-led approaches may not align with community values or client expectations.

He's quite important, with his Humanistic Approach and Psychology:

In the landscape of 20th-century psychology and education, few figures loom as large as Carl Ransom Rogers. His person-centred approach to therapy and education has left an indelible mark on how we understand human growth, learning, and interpersonal relationships...

These ideas have had a profound impact on our understanding of child development and learning. They have influenced educational practices, particularly in Early Years settings, by promoting child-centred approaches that value each child’s unique perspective and potential for growth (Rogers, 1969).

Rogers’ work has not only shaped the field of psychology but has also had far-reaching implications for education, counselling, and even international diplomacy. His emphasis on empathic understanding and unconditional positive regard has influenced approaches to conflict resolution and peace-making on a global scale (Kirschenbaum, 2007).

From the Infed website, we go deeper into Carl Rogers, core conditions and education:

The strength of Rogers’ approach lies in part in his focus on relationship: "We cannot teach another person directly; we can only facilitate his learning".

Carl Rogers was a gifted teacher. His approach grew from his orientation in one-to-one professional encounters. He saw himself as a facilitator – one who created the environment for engagement. This he might do through making a short (often provocative, input). However, what he was also to emphasize was the attitude of the facilitator. There were ‘ways of being’ with others that foster exploration and encounter – and these are more significant than the methods employed.

He was particularly interested in Experiential Learning:

Rogers distinguished two types of learning: cognitive (meaningless) and experiential (significant). The former corresponds to academic knowledge such as learning vocabulary or multiplication tables and the latter refers to applied knowledge such as learning about engines in order to repair a car. The key to the distinction is that experiential learning addresses the needs and wants of the learner. Rogers lists these qualities of experiential learning: personal involvement, self-initiated, evaluated by learner, and pervasive effects on learner.

Here are a couple of (short!) videos:

The Humanistic Theory by CARL ROGERS - Simplest Explanation Ever - YouTube

Carl Rogers: Meaningful Learning and the Role of the Facilitating Teacher - YouTube

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trurl's electronic bard vs chatgpt

BBC Radio 4 does a 'bedtime story' most evenings - and this week, it's been The Cyberiad by Stanislaw Lem - Trurl's Electronic Bard.

As the BBC blurb says: Stanislav Lem's comic parables The Cyberiad, first published in the 60s, anticipate nanotechnology, our ambivalent relationship with the internet and debates around AI and creativity.

Published 60 years ago, The Cyberiad is indeed very relevant to today's 'debates'...

Especially in the last couple of years, there's been a lot of commentary:

Stanisław Lem’s The Cyberiad: I started on the part of the work called “The First Sally (A) or Trurl’s Electronic Bard,” and it hit me! The Electronic Bard is basically Lem’s prediction, from 1965, of ChatGPT. The Twenty-Third Sally, or How ChatGPT, The Electronic Bard, Created a Cacophony of Digital Storytelling in a Literature Class

"Have it compose a poem--a poem about a haircut! But lofty, noble, tragic, timeless, full of love, treachery, retribution, quiet heroism in the face of certain doom! Six lines, cleverly rhymed, and every word beginning with the letter s!" The Lippard Blog: Trurl's Electronic Bard vs. ChatGPT

The science-fiction writer didn’t live to see ChatGPT, but he foresaw so much of its promise and peril. Thinking About A.I. with Stanisław Lem | The New Yorker

Rather creepily, one of Google's AI things is named after the story - as discussed on this Google Group's pages: Trurl's electronic bard

And here's a service which calls itself a Google bard ai detector AI Detector – Trusted AI Checker for ChatGPT, GPT5 & Gemini | JustDone AI

And to finish this bit, here's the full story - in digital format of course: Trurls-Electronic-Bard.pdf

AI news: Artificial Intelligence absorbs of Shakespeare’s sonnets to create original poem | Science | News | Express.co.uk [from 2020]

Finally, though, today's news from the BBC shows that it's not just poetry that AI is producing but pop divas: Sienna Rose: AI suspicions surround mysterious singer - BBC News

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what is 'enshittification'?!

A recent piece in the New Yorker on The Age of Enshittification looked at an interesting word: “Enshittification” was named the word of the year by the American Dialect Society in 2023 and by Australia’s Macquarie Dictionary in 2024. The embrace of the term reflected a sense of collective frustration.

And a recent piece on this blog also looked at the term: 6-7 or parasocial or enshittification - what makes a good word of the year?: “The gradual deterioration of a service or product brought about by a reduction in the quality of service provided, especially of an online platform, and as a consequence of profit-seeking.”

Back to the very beginning and end of the New Yorker piece:

Sometimes a term is so apt, its meaning so clear and so relevant to our circumstances, that it becomes more than just a useful buzzword and grows to define an entire moment. “Enshittification,” coined by the prolific technology critic and author Cory Doctorow, is one of these. Doctorow came up with the phrase, in 2022, to describe how all the digital services that increasingly dominated our daily lives seemed to be getting worse at the same time. Google Search had become enshittified, showing ads and product links instead of relevant website results. TikTok had become enshittified, artificially “heating” specific videos so that some would go viral, inspiring copycats and goosing engagement while frustrating creators whose output didn’t get the same treatment. Twitter would soon become royally enshittified in its reincarnation as X, losing its status as a global town square, as it tipped into Muskian extremism and rewarded grifters and meme accounts over legitimate news sources. Spotify, iPhones, Adobe software, e-mail inboxes—it was hard to think of a platform or device that wasn’t seeing a decay in user experience. Wasn’t technology supposed to endlessly improve in the long run? ...

The book stops short of fully extrapolating enshittification to national politics, but the term is certainly also relevant in that realm. If the playbook Doctorow describes involves promising benefits to people only to erratically renege on, and degrade, existing services, then Donald Trump is the enshittifier-in-chief. Under his second Administration, scientific research, diplomacy, corporate watchdogging, and social services have all gotten worse. The beneficiary, of course, is largely Trump himself. Perhaps the worst outcome of enshittification is that it drives us to expect things to be bad, and to assume that they will only get worse.

Which is where the piece by the inventor of the word comes in, in a piece which Cory Doctorow wrote for the Guardian this week: Trump may be the beginning of the end for ‘enshittification’ – this is our chance to make tech good again - or: The US president is weaponising tech, but his tariffs and Brexit provide a surprising opportunity to gain back digital control of our lives:

We adopted laws – at the insistence of the US trade rep – that prohibit programmers from helping you alter the devices you own, in legal ways, if the manufacturer objects. This is one thing that leads to what I refer to as the enshittification of technology. There is only one reason the world isn’t bursting with wildly profitable products and projects that disenshittify the US’s defective products: its (former) trading partners were bullied into passing an “anti-circumvention” law that bans the kind of reverse-engineering that is the necessary prelude to modifying an existing product to make it work better for its users (at the expense of its manufacturer). But the Trump tariffs change all that. The old bargain – put your own tech sector in chains, expose your people to our plunder of their data and cash, and in return, the US won’t tariff your exports – is dead.

With lots more here:

Enshittification - Wikipedia

'Enshittification' is coming for absolutely everything | FT [February 2024]

What Is Enshittification? Definition, Effects, Mental Health Risk [November 2025]

What Does 'Enshittification' Mean And When Does It Happen? | HuffPost UK Life [November 2025]

Finally, for a look at this from two years ago when the term first came out, see this piece: Jay Doubleyou: controlling ai - part two: how chatgpt is ruining the internet:

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