The Meaning behind Flowers, Part 2
So following on from ‘The Meaning behind Flowers, Part 1’, this week’s Wonder&Wild Blog is about the meaning of what certain flowers represent. Remember the term – floriography – the language of flowers, this is used to communicate meanings and messages, to ignite emotions and memories, so when you next send a bunch of flowers remember it could mean more than you realise.
So to avoid embarrassment, or to send that not-so-secret message to a lover, a friend or someone who needs a little pick me up or a thank you, you could ensure certain flowers are included to represent the message you are sending, and to create the perfect bespoke blooms.
Flowers that represent Love
It is no secret that roses are the most expressive flower of love, and traditionally these are the most popular choices on Valentine’s day or in a brides bouquet, they simply ooze romance. Yet, it is not just the rose, the colour but also the number of roses which can portray a message. Red roses are associated with the Greek goddess, Aphrodite, the goddess of love and passion, and the number of roses you send also has meaning.
1 rose – Love at first sight
2 roses – Love and affection
3 roses – Usually given as a gift for a one-month anniversary
6 roses – You're infatuated and want the recipient to be yours
10 roses – You want to tell them that their love is perfect
12 roses – This is a classic bouquet size to ask someone to be yours
15 roses – Give 15 roses to say sorry
24 roses – This huge bunch of roses simply says 'I'm yours'
50 roses – This is the ultimate romantic bouquet when you want to make an impression
100 roses – This grand statement suggests that your love is in bountiful supply and will last forever.
Traditional isn’t always my first choice though, so other flowers that portray love are dahlias, tulips and peonies, each portraying emotions associated with love, such as commitment. So they make for perfect wedding flower choices, but unfortunately in the dried flower world they don’t dry as well as we would like, but like I said, why be traditional? Why not choose a bouquet of flowers that represents your love!
Flowers that Represent Friendship
Although these flowers, as with the other examples, are very much related to each individual’s memories and experiences, there are some flowers which are wholly associated with friendship.
Stocks, with their variety of colour and delicate fragrance, are stunning towering flowers - that are associated with beauty, a happy life and the bonds of affection. All very much present in a true friendship, add a pop of yellow and you’ve got the perfect bouquet to bring joy and happiness to your bestie’s day.
Better yet, why not give your best friend a bunch of yellow roses, signifying joy and love. Furthermore, another perfect flower representing friendship is the sunflower, a bright and bold bloom which is guaranteed to bring a smile to your face. Sunflowers are associated with happiness, loyalty and admiration, all very much central qualities to a friendship and a life long message to a friend.
Flowers that Represent Gratitude
Nothing says thank you more sincerely than a bunch of flowers, an act of appreciation and acknowledgement for someone’s kindness, efforts or advice.
The perfect flower to accompany a gift for showing gratitude is the hydrangea.
Hydrangeas represent anything that is sincerely heartfelt, with their abundance of flowers per stem they really represent a sincerity and gratefulness. As you know, I like to look at the associations with colours also, and blue hydrangeas signify gratitude of the highest level, whilst pink hydrangeas represent more heartfelt emotions and true feelings.
And not to forget, they dry beautifully!
Flowers that Represent Sympathy
Whilst it’s not always something we’d like to think about, our lives have cycles and these come to an end, and quite often flowers are used to send a message of sympathy. Flowers which best represent this are ones associated with empathy and remembrance.
Poppies, a flower which couldn’t be more associated with remembrance, are traditionally noticeable in November, when we remember those who were lost at War.
Yet, there are also other flowers which signify sympathy – Statice. Statice represents both fond memories and sympathy, making them a go to flower when someone wants to send a bouquet to those who they are thinking about. Theses, amongst other flowers, are thought to bring a little brightness in the darkness.
Flowers that Represent Joy
Now not to end on a sad note, it’s hard to distinguish just one flower that represents joy, as I feel this is something all flowers bring. They are nature’s way of distracting us from the mundane, captivating our attention, and bringing a smile to our face.
Quite often, flowers that represent joy are yellow flowers – sunflowers reminding us of warm, summer days, daffodils reminding us spring is on it’s way, all flowers that are yellow bring a feeling of cheeriness, of joy, of good times. So simply choose an array of golden, bright flowers to send that message of joy to someone special.
Flowers represent so much more than we realise, and like I have said before – they are very much associated to our own personal journeys and experiences, yet they have that interesting history and association to feelings and emotions. So next time you are looking to send a gift of flowers, dried I hope, think a little more about what the flower, the colour, the number of stems might mean to the lucky recipient.