No matter what the occasion, there’s a flower you can give to someone for it. Whether it be a dinner date on Valentine’s Day or a loved one’s funeral, flowers are everywhere. Even then, there’s care to be taken. Not every flower is appropriate for every occasion, and a lot about your choice can depend on the context, the receiver’s personal taste, and the meaning of the flower being given.
Yes, you heard that right. Flowers have meanings unique to their kind, and this idea has been the basis of a whole language – the language of flowers. It has been around since Victorian times and hasn’t lost popularity even today. It might lead you to wonder what it meant every time you gave flowers as a gift to someone.
If you’re interested in learning more about the language of flowers and the meaning behind different kinds, keep reading.
The History
A lot of Victorian Era romance probably expended on flowers, given how they were used to saying things that couldn’t be said out loud. A flower handed to you in the right hand would mean yes, and a flower handed over to your left hand would mean no. At the same time, people used to keep whole books of what different flowers meant, and messages were sent using bouquets.
However, there wasn’t a set standard and the messages were widely open to interpretation. With time, even other plants began to be used in this kind of thing, like aloe vera. Even the way the bouquet was tied had some level of significance.
While the meaning of different flowers has changed over time, and no one is going to pay much mind to how the bouquet is tied and which hand the delivery man hands it in, people are still very much interested in the meaning behind different flowers, and you might even get the chance to send a message of your own with them.
Keep it Sustainable
No matter what message you wish to send, make sure you send it in the form of sustainable, local flowers that are in season. If you go looking for roses in winters, you’ll probably only get your hands on imported ones that carry a large carbon footprint. This industry, along with the makeup and skincare industry, is a great contributor to global pollution, which is a huge issue.
Make sure to buy sustainable and ethical presents for the people in your life, and be responsible about the choices you make. Nothing says “I care about you” better than flowers bought from the local farmer’s market, or ones you grew yourself.
Flowers and Their Meanings
While the language of flowers has taken up a life of its own since it was popularized in the Victorian Era, it’s still alive and thriving in a new form. Most of the popular flowers like roses still mean more or less the same thing they meant then, but others mean something completely different.
1) Red Roses
Let’s start with what’s probably the most popular flower in the world – red roses. These flowers usually mean passion and love and are very in demand around valentine’s day for the same reasons. Whether you want to ask someone out on a date or want to surprise a loved one, these flowers are a great option.
Roses in different colors represent different sentiments, like yellow roses that signify joy and pink roses that signify innocence.
2) Daisies
These flowers represent innocence and hope, which makes them a great option for anyone who is starting fresh in life or needs some support and encouragement. Unlike roses, these come in only a single color and can be part of a lot of joyful arrangements.
3) Forget-Me-Not
These flowers, as the name suggests, symbolize fond memories. If you want to give someone an adorable single flower arrangement, you can add these tiny blooms to the mix. They’re sadly not big enough to be the main attraction in any full-sized bouquet.
4) Snapdragons
Now, this is an interesting one for you – snapdragons can mean either graciousness or deception. While the graciousness part makes them a great choice for thank you bouquets, you might want to make sure they’re received as such if the receiver of your gift takes the language of flowers seriously. Who knows, maybe they end up thinking someone’s lying to them and you’re trying to warn them about it!
5) Bluebells
These flowers used to mean kindness in the Victorian era, and today that meaning hasn’t strayed that far. Now, these flowers mean kindness and humility and can be given to someone as a gesture of thanks for helping you through a tough time.
6) Tulips
Much like roses, tulips are pretty much a declaration of love. The best thing about these blooms is that they’re really easy to display around the house, or for you to make your own bouquet out of. You can even make dynamic bouquets just with tulips thanks to how many colors these flowers come in.
7) Calla Lilies
These flowers traditionally stand for marriage, but they also symbolize innocence and chastity when they’re in white. On the other hand, purple calla lilies can stand for passion, but yellow can stand for gratitude.
The Summary
While you’ll get different answers for what different flowers symbolize even today, the main theme for most of them is of love and well wishes. On the other hand, you can disregard this whole language if the receiver of your present has a personal preference.
This will make your present even more thoughtful and meaningful, as will adding some small presents or sweets between the blooms in your bouquet!
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