Daisies have already helped millions of lovesick romantics settle the eternal question: does this person actually like me, or are they just being nice? (Spoiler: the flower doesn’t know either, but at least it looks pretty while lying.)

Recited solemnly while engaged in the delicate art of aggressive petal plucking—because apparently, we decided flowers could predict love better than therapy ever could.

He loves me,
He loves me not.
He loves me,
He loves me not.
He loves me,
He loves me not…

(Narrator voice: “The flower had no opinions on the matter.”)

Watercolour painting of a flower plume of daisy petals—captured before they could escape the romantic nonsense being projected onto them.

Giverny. With the arrival of spring, the first flowers appear in Claude Monet’s garden—hyacinths, daffodils, pansies, and daisies all staging a botanical fashion show that makes the rest of us look bad by comparison.

Giverny is a small village in Normandy where the home and garden of the famous impressionist painter Claude Monet is located—basically the botanical equivalent of a celebrity mansion, except the residents are flowers and the paparazzi are just a bunch of very serious garden enthusiasts.

Watercolour painting: a bird’s-eye view of daisies—painted from the perspective of someone who probably should have been working, but got distracted by flowers instead (relatable).

#workfromhome goals: We are dreaming, planning future vacations around the world, and learning other languages. In my example, French—because nothing says “I’m productive” like avoiding actual work by becoming weirdly fluent in compliments and croissant-related vocabulary. :)

You might visit the Foundation Monet website to learn more about Giverny—or you could just stare at it longingly on the internet for free like most of us mortals do. http://fondation-monet.com/en/giverny/

Giverny address: 84 rue Claude Monet
27620 Giverny

(GPS is optional; just follow the trail of art students and disappointed daisy pluckers.)

Bon voyage! Until the next travel adventure—may your daisies be abundant and your romantic outcomes less dependent on flower petals. :)

All paintings belong to the author. No image is to be copied without permission—unlike the daisies, which are free to be plucked and interrogated by anyone with questions about their romantic future.