Today is International Nurses Day, so in celebration of all the wonderful NHS nurses working in the Queen Elizabeth National Spinal Injuries Unit, patients, volunteers and Head Gardener Sallie Sillars tasked themselves with creating traditional tussie-mussies in Horatio’s Garden Scotland.
Tussie-mussies are essentially small posies of flowers, but the tussie-mussie term emerged in the reign of Queen Victoria (1837 – 1901) when the dainty bouquets became a popular, wearable fashion accessory. Typically, tussie-mussies include floral symbolism from the language of flowers, therefore they could, and indeed can, be used to send a message to the recipient.
In this case, the flowers featured were of course thoughtfully considered by our makers, featuring blue forget-me-nots for loyalty, narcissi for rebirth and renewal, pink roses for gratitude and grace, rosemary for remembrance and lavender for purity, silence, devotion, serenity and calmness.
Patients and volunteers alike embraced the activity and were thrilled to not only be basking in May sunshine, but to be taking part in a horticultural therapy session that would bring joy to both themselves and others too. Everyone also liked to idea of the nursing team being surprised by the new arrivals, with the little collection ready and waiting today for them to take, wear and generally enjoy!
In a year when we’ve all learned to love and appreciate the little things, tussie-mussies feel like the perfect gift; whilst it may only be a small gesture, it’s one which bears a great deal of gratitude and a heartfelt ‘thank you’.
