Flowers in my Window Trivia Quiz

Answer: Haiti (Hibiscus)

The Haitian Revolution started as a slave revolt in 1791. It wasn't a peaceful one and involved at some time the help of Britain and Spain against France. On January 1st 1804, Jean-Jacques Dessalines declared the new independent state of Haiti and himself an emperor for lifetime. On the good side, slavery was abolished, and on the bad side atrocious massacres of the French people still living on the island happened. The emperor himself was killed in 1806. He didn't have his lifetime title for long.

Haiti isn't a rich country that can make gigantic celebrations, but there is dancing and renditions of the national anthem. The celebrations in Haiti include a special beef and pumpkin soup named soup joumou. Before independence, it was only allowed for the colonialists. I did read the recipe, it resembles more a thick hearty stew than a soup. So it's a happy new year, happy independence day, and bon appétit to wish others on that day.

Hibiscus is the national flower emblem of Haiti. It is said to represent "Life, courage and rapid growth of the nation".

Answer: Australia (Golden Wattle)

In 1788, the first fleet arrived at the Australian coast, just where the city of Sydney is now. Colonial Governor Arthur Phillip rose the British flag without asking the local population about their opinion of this takeover. They call this day Invasion Day.

In 1988, at the bicentennial, the arrival of the ships was re-enacted. On other Australian days sporting events happen and barbecues are lit. Most Australians love to color sausages. They can watch boat races in Sydney Harbor as well as fireworks. The Australian prime minister announces the "Australian of the Year"; in its first year 1960 the award went to Sir Macfarlane Burnet, a co-recipient of the 1960 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Australian Day is also a day of choice for becoming an Australian.

The golden wattle has been the official floral symbol since 1988. It grows up to 8 meters and has little golden flowers. It is native to Australia.

Answer: Tunisia (Jasmine)

After some decades of Tunisian struggle, which got more violent with the time, France preferred to let its protectorate go. On March 20th in 1956, papers were signed, and Tunisia became independent.

Habib Bourguiba was the first president after the independence of Tunisia, a job he kept until 1987. Three more presidents followed until the 2014 Jasmine revolution.

Independence Day is a celebration with official speeches and the laying of wreaths in remembrance of the people who died in the process of reaching it. Parades and other kinds of public events like concerts take place. Families gather, and if they can afford it, they stay in resorts.

As well as being a beautiful adornment, jasmine is also an expensive ingredient in perfume.

Answer: Bangladesh (White Water Lily)

East-Pakistan, as it was known then, declared its independence on this day in March 1972, but it took some time and a huge loss of life to get it. Pakistan was against independence; the following war included a genocide on the Bangladeshi people. After Pakistan's old enemy, India, joined the Bangladeshis in the conflict, Pakistan surrendered on 16 December 1971.

The day is celebrated with speeches, parades, public and private events. The day starts with a 31-gun salute. The victims are also remembered, with the laying down of wreaths. TV and radio deliver fitting patriotic programs. In 2020, the public was informed that celebrating would happen on a very low scale due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Water lilies are abundant in the many rivers of Bangladesh. They are also represented on the national seal.

Answer: Yes

Quite right. Israel declared its independence from the British Mandate for Palestine on May 14th in 1948, the Hebrew date was 5 Iyar in that year.

One thing is that the Gregorian and Jewish calendars count differently. Another reason is, that the Sabbath has to be honored which adds to some extra motion of this independence day.

In 2020 the independence day happened to start on Tuesday evening, April 28. The state flag was raised on Mount Herzl and 12 torches were lit. Celebrations, which usually include outside picnics and other kind of gatherings had to be cancelled. It was time for some home cooking and TV. That virus again....

In 2013, Anemone Coronaria won in a national poll hold in Israel. Which is easily understood, looking at pictures of beds with mostly red anemones blossoming in the northern Negev region!

Answer: Russia (Chamomile)

After the break up of the USSR, the national day of Russia moved from October Revolution Day to this date, which remembers the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist Republic. This happened on June 12th, 1990. Considering that the weather is much better in late spring, it's a really good idea!

On this special Russian day, the streets are packed with people. Huge celebrations are held, including concerts, fireworks and the unavoidable political speeches and giving out of awards to some important citizens. If you don't like masses, the Red Square in Moscow isn't a good choice. Going to a smaller town might be sensible.

Chamomile was declared the national flower in 1998. But its benefits have been known there for centuries. But one does have to like the taste; it reminds me of youth hostels.

Answer: Denmark (Marguerite Daisy)

You could have started celebrating in Denmark even 10 days earlier because of Constitution Day on June 5. But can there be too much enjoying Danish delights?

Let's celebrate the day of Valdemar. Valdemar II, King of Denmark, lived from 1170 to 1241. While on an unfriendly visit to Estonia, the red and white flag Dannebrog fell from the sky as a godly sign. He won. In 1920, after WWI, there were two plebiscites about the area called Southern Jutland. It was divided between Germany (Northern Schleswig) and Denmark (Southern Schleswig).

It's reveled with a lot of flags waving and pageants re-enacting the story of the flag falling from heaven. The Danes always find delight in showing the flag and I suspect you will also get something nice to eat that day. In 2019, Danish Queen Margarethe visited Tallinn to celebrate the 800th birthday of the flag.

I couldn't find if the Marguerite daisy was ever officially declared as state flower. But it is listed everywhere as holding this position, together with the red clover. After all, red and white do make up the color of the flag, Dannebrog.

Answer: Canada

Canada Day on the first of July, formerly known as Dominion Day, celebrates the effective date of the Constitution Act in 1867. On this day three separate colonies of the Province of Canada, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick united and became one.

Canada Day celebrations equal, in a way, the ones happening across the border in the USA a few days later: parades to watch and picnics and barbecues to fill your belly. And nice fireworks when it's getting dark. The main events are in Ottawa, but other places are active, too, just with a local touch. It is also an appropriate date to become a Canadian.

The maple leaf has been used as a Canadian symbol since the 1700s. French Canadians along the Saint Lawrence River used it as a symbol. From there it propelled from a local symbol to a national one. I used propelled, because that is the way maple seed moves, and I love to watch this.

Answer: Belgium (Red Poppy)

In the year 1830, the Belgian Revolution resulted in a part of the Netherlands splitting from it. On July 21 of the following year, Leopold I was installed as the king of this new country.

Their national day starts in Brussels with a church visit by the royal family. A military parade with a flight overhead can be watched. There are parties on the street, and you can dine on delicious moules frites while listening to brass music. A musical fireworks show will end the day. That's what Belgium's tourist board says on the homepage and I intend to believe them.

As the weather isn't always nice on this day, it is also called the "National Downpour".

Brussels has the iris, the wallonia, and the gaillardia as their national flowers. The latter sports the Wallonian colors. For Flanders, it is the poppy. It might not been officially declared, but is widely seen as a symbol of Flanders. This leads us to World War I. Some of the worst battles happened in Flanders. Up to this time, poppies hadn't been there in abundance, the soil being too poor. The plowing of the soil through military action, nitro from the explosives and the dead men and horses buried on the spot acted as fertilizers and helped the poppies to bloom.

"In Flanders fields the poppies blow//
Between the crosses, row on row,//
That mark our place; and in the sky//
The larks, still bravely singing, fly//
Scarce heard amid the guns below.//
John McCrae

Answer: Ukraine (Sunflower)

Let's end the row of national days with the one of them shortest in existence. After the collapse of the USSR, some of its former parts divorced mother Russia.

Ukraine declared their independence on August 24 in the year 1991. August 23 is the national flag day, by the way.

Normally the day has the usual military parade. In 2016, there was a march remembering the people killed in the ongoing Donbass conflict and in the Maidan uprising 2013/2014. In 2019, the military parade was dropped to give the servicemen some extra money. Added to that was that 2019 was a very hot summer in Europe, which isn't good weather for parading. Another smaller march was performed by war veterans. I suppose the regular folks of Ukraine enjoyed their national dish borscht, danced the national dance hopak and got more or less drunk on their national alcoholic beverage horilka.

Sunflowers are symbols of the sun and her benefits. The huge Ukrainian sunflower fields are also a source of income in form of the seeds and sunflower oil.

On 17 July 2014, Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 crashed down in Ukraine, a result of the military conflict in some areas in this country. Everyone on board perished. The debris of the plane ended up between masses of blossoming sunflowers.

I hope you enjoyed the quiz, even if some dark shadows fell on my flowers like in this last question. Admittedly I am not a botanist; the pictures are just an illustration and a help in getting the right answer. I hope you gathered a whole bouquet of them!