August Facts
Birth Flower: Gladiola
Also Know As: Sword LilyBotanical Name: Gladiolus spp.
Pronunciation: glad-ee-O-lus
Availablity: mid spring through fall
Decorative Life: 6-10 days
About This Flower:
The long, pointed leaves of gladioli inspired both its botanical name, derived from the Latin for sword, and at least one of the flower's meanings--"You pierce my heart!" This flower from Belgium, where it was first introduced in 1841, is sensitive to the earth’s pull. The growing stems will curve upward no matter in what position they are placed, so care must be taken to keep them displayed upright at all times to protect the stem’s intended shape! In arrangements, they will last up to 10 days.
Birth Stone: Peridot 
A gem variety
of the mineral olivine, this wonderous stone is the product of volcanic
action. Tiny peridot crystals can be combed from the black sands of
the Hawaiian shoreline. Peridot should be a lively lime-green.
Favored by pirates who believed it would glow in the dark whenever it was near buried treasure, peridot was considered a powerful amulet against all evil, and when set in gold, was said to protect the wearer from the terrors of the night. Cleopatra was a great admirer of the stone and by Renaissance times, peridot had become a love-stone, worn to attract romance.
Originally mined on St. John's Island (also called Zebirget) in the Red Sea, today's most important source of peridot in the world is the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation near Globe, Arizona, where it is mined by native Americans. Other sources include Mexico, Norway, Kenya and Burma.