Colourful Chrysanthemums

First cultivated in China as a flowering herb in the 15^th century BC. An ancient Chinese city Xiaolan was named Ju-Xian meaning ‘Chrysanthemum city’. It is suggested the flower was introduced to Japan in the 8^th century. There is even a ‘Festival of Happiness’ in Japan celebrating the flower which was brought to Europe in the 17^th century. Linnaeus named it using the Greek for ‘golden’ chrysous due to the colour of its original flowers.  They are very easy to cultivate, provide a vibrant amount of colour and can be used in different designs and forms. Flowering in autumn they can have spirals, globes and feather like petals.