Flowers – The Meaning of Flowers – Springtime Joy
Traditional Flower Meanings
If you’re thinking about ordering a bouquet of flowers as a gift for a loved one, you can make it even more special by choosing flowers that have a relevant meaning. Ever productive guest writer Floral De-Signs explains what flowers mean.
Attaching meanings to certain flowers is believed to have developed in Turkey during the seventeenth century, but it became an extremely popular practice in the UK during the reign of Queen Victoria and was known as “florography”. The Victorians produced many flower dictionaries giving meanings for different types of flowers.
There isn’t a universally agreed set of meanings for different flowers today, but here are some examples of flowers and the meanings commonly attached to them.
Whether you are looking for a gift for a particular occasion or just want to treat someone you love, sending someone a bouquet of flowers is sure to brighten up their day. Ordering flowers with an appropriate meaning will add an extra something special to your gift.
Roses
Roses are frequently associated with love and are popular flowers to give to loved ones on Valentine’s Day, although they are perfect for any occasion. However, roses are available in a range of colours and each of these is associated with a different meaning. Whilst red roses are traditional symbols of love and therefore traditional valentines flowers, deep crimson roses are often associated with mourning. Light pink roses are usually associated with perfect happiness, whereas dark pink roses mean “thank you”. A yellow rose can represent friendship, whilst an orange rose is a symbol of fascination.
White roses traditionally represent innocence and purity, but presenting your loved one with a bouquet that consists of red and white roses traditionally means that you are sending a message that the two of you are united.
Mixed roses traditionally mean “You’re everything to me”, making a bouquet of mixed roses the perfect gift for a parent, child or partner.
Image – http://www.flickr.com/photos/fmc550uz/2610024873/
Tulips
As with roses, tulips come in a wide range of colours. Traditionally tulips represent love and passion, with red tulips representing a declaration of love, white tulips representing that the bouquet giver is worthy of the recipient and yellow tulips meaning either that there is sunshine in the recipient’s smile or that the person giving the flowers is hopelessly in love with the person receiving them, depending upon the source used.
Image – http://www.flickr.com/photos/devosdelphin/3148479880/
Lilies
The lily is another popular choice of flower and, as with flowers such as roses and tulips, a lily’s meaning depends upon its colour. White lilies traditionally represent sweetness, innocence and purity, so they are perfectly suited for inclusion in a bouquet to celebrate the birth of a new baby, whilst yellow lilies send the message that you are “walking on air”. Tiger lilies traditionally represent prosperity.
Image – http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmountmaniac/2638093748/
Elderflowers
The popular bush blooms in May and June – an opportunity to remember to link to the ever popular how to make elderflower champagne page.
A popular belief held in some cultures – Elderflowers ward off evil influences and give protection from witches. If an elder tree was cut down, a spirit known as the Elder Mother would be released and take her revenge. The tree could only safely be chopped when singing a chant to the Elder Mother
Carnations
The general meaning for carnations is devoted love, particularly in respect of a woman, so a bouquet of carnations is a great gift to buy your mother on Mother’s Day, on her birthday or just as a treat. Different coloured carnations also have their own meanings. Pink carnations say that you will never forget the recipient, whereas red carnations can either represent admiration or send the message “My heart aches for you”. White carnations represent sweetness, innocence and pure love.
Peonies
Peonies are available in several shades, including pink, peach and white, but whichever colour you choose, peonies traditionally represent prosperity, luxury and a happy marriage, making them the perfect choice for a wedding or anniversary gift.
Well what do you know. I was certain that tulips represented friendship or somethin neutral like that. I guess I was wrong.
You can imagine the many feelings that flowers will create, shock, disbelief, amazement and pride for mothers around the world.
I can’t live without flowers. As a matter of fact, I’m planning to have a garden of different flowers and a garden exclusively for veggies. I didn’t know that there are meaning for each flower. I only know of rose to be the simple of love. Great info…
Flowers are the most traditional but also the most wonderful way to greet, propose or say sorry to someone. Watch the smile that flowers bring to people’s faces. Flowers say a lot of things in a silent way.
I really like the idea of a mixed bouqet of red and white roses to symbolize unity between two people. Every year I always send my wife a bouqet of red roses and baby’s breath. she loves it!
-Jack
I love flowers and the way they smell
I’m a serial spammer and I pride myself on contributing less than 10 words in a comment – sometimes the old fashioned way is the best.
I, for, one would love receiving flowers. I never knew there were so many different meanings to the colors and types of flowers being given. I definitely learned new stuff from this! Thanks!
how to grow them but one thing we have discovered is that if you buy some fish emulsion and pour it around their roots they will go crazy..they also like the epsom salt. I find the Old English much easier to raise than the teas plus they do not create nearly as much waste and are much more disease resistant.The way to keep them happy is to prune them regularly and sometimes harshly.
Good review))
I don`t know who is the blog author, but it seems to me, that article was written by woman (girl actually) – It is very easy and interesting to read, thanks! Flowers are my passion!
I recently came accross your blog and have not been reading along.
I will try to get a link from this comment but I am crap and will FAIL
Very informative website?
I thought I would leave my first comment.
I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed not reading.
Wow, it is finally good to find a good page with some relevant information.
ravisingh.yogibotanicals@gmail.com
Nice blog.
You can imagine the many feelings that flowers will create, shock, disbelief, amazement and pride for mothers around the world.
As we know that the white rose have the feelings of innocent and true love but It always gives priority to the red roses.
wow i really did not know the meaning of the flowers but everything sound interesting i was planing to have my owne garden this year and have some luck with the veggies
Though flowers have same importance at every occasion but the value of the flower gift goes high if we select the flowers according to the occasion. Indeed a very useful information.
Flowers are used almost all the important occasion like – birth, birthdays, wedding and death. The right selection of flowers makes the gift more precious not the size or price.
Wow, I didn’t realize that flowers each have a special meaning. That is really neat. It will definitely make me think different of flowers, as each one will now have a meaning to me. Thanks for a great post. I learned something today.
After reading this excellent post, I will now always give my wife white lillies, since those flowers mean sweetness. This post will allow me to give beautiful flowers to my wife, and tell her why I chose them. perfect. Thanks.
Great post. Flowers by zodiac sign is another interesting read.
My wife loves tulips, but I never knew they had a specific “meaning”. I asked her. Thanks for sharing!
I didn’t know flowers had so many meannings! If you’re shy to express something, maybe flowers is the best choice for you.
I like tulips.There are many tulips in the park in spring.Tulips are not loyal but amiable.I usually have a walk enjoying the fresh tulips in morning.
I am sensitive to the flowers.Although I like roses,I can not get near to them.Otherwise I shall see the doctor as soon as possible.
Flowers make our lives more livelier. Just think of a garden full of blooming flowers, isn’t it we feel wonderful and at-eased inside out. And for it to have meaning is another avenue of our gift giving. We just have to take care of our environment so we can still see these wonderful flowers till the next generation and so on and so forth.
I didn’t know dark pink roses were a symbol of “thankyou”.. interesting.. I always thought that roses were always just about romantic love!
I always thought flowers symbolize something, but actually knowing its symbolism is much better..
Good post I must say. 
i thought 3 yellow tulips mean friendship..but i was totally wrong..now,i rather choose tulips than roses.hehe
Considering I know absolutely nothing about flowers this post was REALLY helpful. About the only one I had an idea of the meaning was Roses but now I know much more. Thanks a lot!
Great post on flowers! Flowers must have been created when god might be in highly artistic mood