What do flowers mean to you? To me floristry means we can surround ourselves with nature’s beauty wherever we are, indoors or out, be it in a hospital bed or a grand hotel or your own home. But when it comes to specific meanings for specific flowers many people look to the symbolic meanings that were made popular in the Victorian era when ladies would send each other complex coded messages with flowers.
Today there is no need to worry too much about any possible implied meaning from your flower gift – remember the person you are giving the flowers to is not likely to know the flowers meaning either. However some of the old symbolism has survived – red roses, for example, are still largely considered a romantic gift and it is a good idea to carefully consider your relationship with someone before sending them red roses in case they get the wrong message. Traditionally yellow roses are for friendship, while white roses symbolise peace which makes them a good choice for sympathy.
A more important consideration than old fashioned meanings of particular flower varieties is the symbolism of the colour, as the colour of flowers has the most impact. For example if you wish to have flowers delivered to a man, bold, strong colours like red or autumn tones would be more suitable than pretty, feminine pinks and mauves. Of course, it does depend on the individual – many ladies do not necessarily like pretty and frilly and would be much happier with bright colours. As with sympathy or funeral flowers – some may prefer a bright, cheery arrangement to reflect the deceased’s personality or as a celebration of life, while others may like white (symbolising peace) or other subdued colours to reflect the mood. Personally I love white flowers and will use them for any occasion.
So while choosing a gift that is suitable to the personalities of the sender and receiver and is appropriate for the occasion is important, it is perfectly acceptable to choose an arrangement, bouquet or plant just because you like the way it looks.
