Plot
Complete stories from the Flower Story Series. Including:
The Lady of the Daisies
Flower: Daisy
The Queen of Belrovia is a harsh ruler and banishes a girl called Delza for making a daisy chain, which the Queen deems a form of idleness. A witch punishes the Queen with a curse that causes nothing but daisies to grow in summer, but even this does not move the Queen to change her mind about Delza. But then the daisies come in useful when enemies invade. They mistake the daisies for snow in summer and retreat, fearing the land is bewitched. The Queen finally relents and gives Delza the title of Lady of the Daisies.
Five Flowers for Fleur
Flower: Dandelion. The pansy, rose, orchid (imitation) and unknown tropical flower (possibly stinking corpse lily) that gives off a terrible stench when it opens also feature.
Four princes claim the hand of Princess Fleur. To decide her groom, she tells them to bring a flower they think is worthy of her and she will cherish. All four fail the test because their choices reflect how unsuitable they are. But then there is a surprise fifth gift of flowers for Fleur, from Hugo-of-the-Great-City. Not realising she is a princess, he offers her a bouquet of dandelions, which he says matches her hair. Fleur realises that it is not so much the flower but the thought behind it and comes to cherish the “humble dandelion as a symbol of love and compassion, and virtues of a true and noble prince and worthy lord for his princess.” Hugo and Fleur are married, much to the consternation of the four failed princes.
The Legend of the Water Lily
Flower: Water lily
In ancient China, Lily-Blossom and her family are devoted to gardening. Lily’s brother Lin is called up for war. Lily is distraught as she has no idea if Lin will return. She consults a fortune-teller, who says that if her brother will live, she will receive a sign. The sign will be a strange lily, unlike any other, that will bloom in the garden Lin made for her. As time goes by, there is no sign of the strange lily, and the family begins to doubt it will appear. Lily keeps weeping by the pool Lin constructed in the garden. But then she is surprised when something starts growing in the pool. It is the water lily, and it is the strange lily in question. Lily’s parents say the lily is an enchanted flower that grew from the tears Lily shed into the pool. Lin returns a year later and gets married beside a pool full of water lilies.
The Happiness Plant
Flower: unknown, but is dubbed “the Happiness Plant”
In the year 1900, Maggy Mayce becomes intrigued by the devotion Miss Bird gives to her plant, although she does not know its proper name. They strike a friendship, with Maggy calling in on her way to work to see Mrs Bird and her plant. But then Miss Bird’s nephew takes her away and Maggy has no address to follow up. Miss Bird has left Maggy the plant, which Maggy cherishes by the window, as Miss Bird had done. Then Maggy loses her job and cannot find another. She is just about at the end of the line when Miss Bird arrives. She had tracked Maggy down through the plant. Realising Maggy’s plight, Miss Bird offers her a job as a companion, and Maggy is happy to accept. She dubs the unknown plant “the Happiness Plant”.
Notes
- Various Artists
- There were several series of these complete stories
- Each story had an individual title.
- Flower of Freedom (Debbie #211)Reprinted and translated to Dutch as “Bloem van de vrijheid ” – Debbie (Holco Publications, 1976 series) #2 (“Debbie’s groot verhalenboek”).
Appeared
- Flower Stories – Debbie: #155 (31 January 1975) – #170 (15 May 1976)
- Flower Stories – Debbie: #183 (14 August 1976) – #185 (28 August 1976)
- Flower Stories – Debbie: #203 (1 January 1977) – #223 (21 May 1977)
- Flower Stories – Debbie: #248 (12 November 1977) – #253 (17 December 1977)
- Flower Stories – Debbie: #483 (15 May 1982)
List of Stories
- The Lady of the Daisies – Debbie: #155 [Art: David Matysiak]
- Five Flowers for Fleur – Debbie: #156 [Art: Jesus Redondo]
- Flowers in the Rain – Debbie: #157
- Rosemary for Remembrance – Debbie: #158
- The Tell-Tale Blossoms – Debbie: #159
- Tiny-Tell-Me-True – Debbie: #160 [Art: Jesus Redondo]
- The Legend of the Water Lily – Debbie: #161 [Art: Giorgio Giorgetti ]
- Angie and the Red Rose – Debbie: #162
- The Flowers of Hope – Debbie: #163 [Art: Terry Aspin]
- The Mystery of the Vanishing Flowers –
- The Happiness Plant – Debbie: #166 [Art: Maria Barrera ]
- Snowdrop Rock – Debbie: #167
- Who Says Flowers are Useless? – Debbie: #168
- The First Flight Of The “Marigold” – Debbie: #169
- A Posy To Remember – Debbie: #170
- Lily of the Valley – Debbie: #183 [Art: George Martin]
- The Flower That Saved A Life – Debbie: #184
- Little Lilac Wedding Bells – Debbie: #185 [Art: George Martin]
- The Blue Flower of Truth – Debbie: #203
- Flowers of War – Debbie: #204
- The Sweet Scent of Honeysuckle – Debbie: #205
- The Songs of the Forest – Debbie: #206
- The Curse of the Orchid – Debbie: #207
- The Flowers of Hope – Debbie: #208
- The Magic Blooms – Debbie: #209
- Queen for a Day – Debbie: #210
- Flower of Freedom – Debbie: #211
- The Rose of Happiness – Debbie: #212
- The Princess and the Dragon – Debbie: #213
- Poppies of Pompeii – Debbie: #214
- The Flower of Light – Debbie: #215
- Outcasts in the Snow – Debbie: #216 [Art: George Martin]
- The Mountain Rose – Debbie: #217[Art: George Martin]
- The Waif without a Name – Debbie: #218 [Art: George Martin]
- The Mystery of Oak Lodge – Debbie: #219
- The Tree Sprite – Debbie: #220
- Lavender Blue – Debbie: #221 [Art: Norman Lee]
- The Blooms of Hope – Debbie: #222
- The Sweet Blooms of Summer – Debbie: #223
- The Shoemaker’s Gentians– Debbie: #248
- The Prize Winner – Debbie: #249
- The Bride’s Posy – Debbie: #250
- Daisy Chain – Debbie: #251
- Precious Almond Blossom – Debbie: #252
- Bad-Tempered Daisy – Debbie: #253
- The Girl Who Hated Flowers – Debbie: #483
Some further information, Lorraine.
160 – Tiny-Tell-Me-True.
164 – The Mystery Of The Vanishing Flowers [not 166 as you have it listed].
165 – No story as four new serials started in that issue.
167 – Snowdrop Rock.
169 – The First Flight Of The “Marigold”. (* see below)
170 – A Posy To Remember
171 – 182 – No flower stories.
184 – The Flower That Saved A Life.
185 – Little Lilac Wedding Bells. **
* The “Marigold” in this story is a hot-air balloon named by Marigold Lacey’s father.
** This title was trailered in issue 184 as Little Alpine Wedding Bells.
Just a query, Lorraine. As it is very difficult and eye-straining to read words printed in red on a black background, would it be relatively straightforward for you to change the background colour on your ‘Recent Posts’, ‘Recent Comments’ and ‘Links’, to sky blue?
Thanks for the information. As for the colour it was the automatic one that came with theme, I will experiment and find better contrasting colours. While it’s never bothered me, glad you pointed it out as of course I want to make sure you and others aren’t straining their eyes trying to read it. Edited to add: Not as straightforward as hoped, but still looking into it.
Thank you. Keep looking into the matter, please.
#211’s Flower of Freedom was translated into Dutch as “Bloem van de vrijheid” and published in Debbie (Holco Publications, 1976 series) #2 (“Debbie’s groot verhalenboek”).
Regards,
Ramon