Some of the sentiments expressed by the flowers that are included in this bouquet express gratitude (hydrangeas), love at first sight (lavender roses) and admiration (pink roses).
People have long attributed meanings to flowers based on characteristics like their color. This is known as floriography. During the Victorian era in the 1800s, an intricate language of flowers developed. Secret admirers, for example, could send off a bouquet that would express their ardent desire in a time that was otherwise often prim, proper and reserved. Many flowers have more than one meaning and there can be many different flowers that can express a certain emotion.
You do have to be careful in what flowers you put together under this system. The recipient could get confused if you sent along red roses (romantic love) or lavender roses (love at first sight) when you merely wanted to send someone a friendly non-romantic expression of gladness. If that’s the case, yellow roses are in order.
If you are planning on sending flowers this Valentine’s Day (or any other occasion), why not send a secret message along? Many of the meanings below are taken from our sister company Yedowitz Florists, who would be happy to assist you with your needs.
Roses
One of the most popular flowers to give to those that we love in some manner is the rose. If you wish to express romantic love, send the classic red rose. Yellow denotes friendship, gladness and joy in the platonic sense. White is innocence. As mentioned above, lavender expresses that you fell in love at first sight.
Other Common Bouquet Flowers:
- Alstroemeria = Friendship
- Bird of Paradise = Joyfulness
- Carnations = Love, fascination, and distinction, depending on the color used
- Chrysanthemums = Cheerfulness and rest, with the specific colors having their own meanings
- Daffodils = Unrequited love, great regard and respect, and chivalry
- Daisies = Innocence, purity, and gentleness
- Ferns = Sincerity, confidence, and shelter
- Gerbera Daisies = Cheerfulness
- Lilies = Purity of the heart
- Sunflowers = Loyalty, happiness, longevity and many other meanings depending on where the giver lives
- Tulips = Declarations of love
Have you sent a bouquet where you chose the flowers according to their meanings?
Image by muffet under a Flickr Creative Commons Attribution License
