Those of us who are cornflower-growing gardeners know that they have just begun to burst into heavenly-blue flower. One hundred years ago today cornflowers were blooming in Melbourne but (horror!) they were the national flower of the hated Huns we were at war with. What to do?
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"Clio" of Punch reported the dilemma.
"Every party of any importance is, of course, decorated with flowers of the national colours. Farewell bouquets, tokens of esteem at patriotic concerts, table decorations at farewell banquets – all have their flowers of red, white and blue. And most of the city florists and the builders of home-made posies are dependent upon one particular flower at this time of the year for the blue in the colour scheme.
"Perhaps not everyone stops to think that this blue cornflower, so universally used to show our British Patriotism, is the national emblem of Germany! Here we are proudly wearing the emblem of the enemy. Isn't it calamitous?
"At a Red Cross meeting, not Iong ago, the proud wearer of a posy mostly composed of these pretty flowers was informed of their significance. Her face was a study. She really considered herself a traitor, or something approaching one, and tore the offending blooms from her frock as though they were loaded with German bombs."
"Clio" also reported that, with the war on, "the social butterfly has turned into a [busy] bee" who instead of sewing silken things for her to wear to wear to the Spring races was now making pyjamas for soldiers.