Here are some things that are likely to ring a bell if you were a jiving child in the 90’s:
- Clueless — “Do you prefer fashion victim or ensembly challenged?”
- Muriel’s Wedding — ”Wait! Let her finish her orgasm!”
- The Spice Girls Movie — “Spice Up Your Life” is still our fave)\
- Learning to “Never Eat Soggy Weet-Bix” at school to remember North, East, South, West.
If you weren’t born at this time, please know it was a wonderful decade to be alive! The ’90s seemed a simpler time. It was all about Take That vs. East 17, Geri Halliwell’s Union Jack dress, and running home from school for Rick Alessi (yep, people actually willingly watched “Neighbours” back then)!
Here’s another flashback for you. Remember picking up a bunch of gerberas from the local florist to give to your crush?
They look like this:
And this:
A gerbera is like a mutant daisy, with an enormous capitulum (the flower’s head). It comes in several colors — yellow, orange, pink, red, and white. Look closer, and you’ll notice that the gerbera isn’t one flower but lots of tiny flowers — and it has no scent, which is great if you suffer from hayfever!
To be honest, we’re not quite sure where we stand on gerberas these days. They were never particularly seen as the cream of the crop, even in the era of shuffle pants. However in a time rife with complicated global issues and a pandemic, we’re suddenly nostalgic for slightly simpler times so…
We’re still a bit torn.
Most people really hate gerberas. People call them “garish,” “loud,” and “common.” One journalist recommends sending gerberas to an ex because they are the “ugliest flowers ever”. However, we have a little soft spot for the daggy yet kitschy bud.
Are gerberas repulsive? Or to borrow a phrase from the ’90s, totally phat? Let us know in the comments below 👇
We’re not sure what happened to gerberas. Like Furbys, Tamagotchis, and M.C. Hammer, they kind of just vanished. They became one of the fabulous fads of the ’90s, lost in time forever. You can imagine our confusion when Vogue Australia announced gerberas are making a comeback!
Which got us thinking. All ’90s trends have a resurgence at some point. Take That got back together. (And then Robbie Williams joined them.) The Spice Girls reunited for the London Olympics. New “Friends” is coming to HBO.
Perhaps this is the gerbera’s time to shine (again) after all.
The Gerbera Comeback
The Vogue article above features an Aussie florist who’s making “uncool” flowers cool. Hattie Molloy says we shouldn’t judge old flower fads, but totally embrace them:
“I never thought I’d see the day where I would be obsessed with a gerbera… so anything is possible! The shedding of preconceived opinions about any material in a creative practice allows room to reinvigorate old ideas.” — HATTIE MALLOY
We completely agree. If flowers were “Clueless” characters, the pink rose would be Cher — the effortlessly cool Queen Bee that the boys swoon over. The carnation would be Dionne, next in line to the throne but not as popular. The gerbera would be Tai before the makeover — the slightly nerdy, but secretly cool one that everyone initially ignores.
Perhaps this is the problem! Maybe our collective perception of what’s “cool” limits our appreciation of some flowers. We think gerberas are underwhelming and daggy because we associate them with the ’90s, sitting in a vase at Grandma’s house.
Cool is outdated. Fig & Bloom is all about being strong, independent, and standing out from the crowd. Gerberas are unique. Tai from “Clueless” didn’t need a makeover, and we still listen to the Spice Girls.
Fig & Bloom’s brand values include identity, equity, and uniqueness, and so we have no problem creating a gerbera bouquet if that’s what your heart desires! Don’t limit your 90’s desires at gerberas – we could create a breathtakingly beautiful bunch from other flower varieties that were popularised in the ’90s — Anthuriums, Baby’s Breath, Birds of Paradise, you name it. Let us know in the comments if this is something you’d dig!
We’re very open minded in terms of floral design – we have incredibly talented designers that can make your floral dreams come true.
Gerbera Interesting Facts
Gerbera flower meaning
So, what do gerberas symbolise? There’s no confirmed gerbera meaning, but there is thought that gerbera daisies typify innocence, beauty, and general happiness.
Gerbera pronunciation
jur·br·uh.
Are gerberas edible?
No! But some brides do display them on wedding cakes for that added romantic appeal.
Are gerbera flowers poisonous?
No, they’re not toxic and totally pet-friendly.
What are gerbera daisies used for?
Anything you like really. Arrange them in a vase, give them to mum for Mother’s Day in May, send them to an ex. Just don’t eat them (our chocolates taste better).
OK, We Quickly Need to Talk About the Rollerblade Comeback
All this gerbera talk got us really thinking about the ’90s. And while some memories are better than others, everyone at Fig & Bloom remembers one particular trend:
Rollerblades.
Rollerblades were a massive part of our childhood, and like gerberas they died a slow death as we rolled into the 21st century.
Alas, rollerblades are back baby! One brand recently experienced a 300 percent increase in sales!
Have you got a funny rollerblading memory? Are rollerblades coming back? Leave a comment. Don’t be shy!
Unfortunately, we don’t sell rollerblades at Fig & Bloom. However we do make bouquets of flowers. All kinds of flowers. Even the ones that divide opinion. Whether you think gerberas are repulsive or rad, we’re open to creating a blooming marvelous bouquet of these old-school florals. It’s what we do best.
As always, pop into our brand-new Camperdown studio and say hello, or purchase gifts via our online store.
