Flowers

2001: Cactus of Peru

These could be two little eyes popping up from the cactus and having a look around. The genus Cleistocactus live in the mountains so there will be fine Peruvian views.

1963: Flowers (Design - Pierrette Lambert)

Hibiscus always make me think of holidays in the sun. The artist is the prolific Pierette Lambert, a designer of over 1,300 stamps and many bank notes. Appropriately for this week's theme her first stamp designs for Saint Pierre et Miquelon in 1962 were also of flowers

1961: May Day (Design: Adam Cziegleny; Engraver; Melynyomat)

A red rose for May Day in Hungary.

1981: Europa - Folklaw (Designer - Regina Marxer)

Liechtenstein's national flower is the yellow lily but as their National Day is August 15th sunflowers take centre stage on this stamp design.  I believe there may be a flower pageant as part of the day.   For one of the smallest countries in the world and a population of 37,000 the day will also be filled with beer and wine, free buses, a large fair in Vaduz and fireworks at the castle which is the subject of the other stamp of this set.

The stamp artist, Regina Marxer, was in 1981 one of the instigators of the votes for women campaign - 'Action Sleeping Beauty'.  A male only referendum on the question of women's suffrage took place in 1984 and by a narrow margin women were given the vote.  Liechtenstein was the last European country to introduce female suffrage in national elections.  Being stunned by that date I can only say well "Let a Thousand Flowers Bloom"  Happy National Women's Day.

Port Sunlight village, Merseyside in Summer.

Sunday Stamps II theme this week is - flowers - more are blooming on See It On A Postcard