Welcome to Part 2 of the Saying it with Flowers. Valentine's Day has come and gone, but don't forget, every day can be Valentine's Day and a chance to show your love for that special someone!
Special Occasions …
There are so many flowers that have deeper meanings - my Valentines collection to honour loved ones will include Pink Spray Roses - Admiration, Joy & Gratitude, White Lisianthus - Appreciation, Pink Tulips - Declaration of Love, Pink Carnations - I will never forget you, Blue Hyacinths - Constancy of Love, White Hyacinths - Beauty and Rosemary for Remembrance.
So to weddings …
What flowers should a bride choose? Ultimately brides should choose their very favourite flowers, maybe including blooms that were favourites of loved ones that can't be at their wedding. For those who haven’t thought about flowers before, your florist will be happy to help put together blooms that not only look beautiful but that send a beautiful message too. Peonies are a brides all time favourite, but I am sure most brides don’t realise the Victorian meaning was Anger , although some sources say Bashful. On the other hand, Gypsophila or Baby’s Breath has a perfect Wedding message of Everlasting Love.
You couldn’t go far wrong with a bouquet of Honeysuckle - Devotion, Myrtle - Love in Marriage, Eucalyptus - Protection, Daisies - Innocence, Lisianthus - Appreciation, Sage - Good health and long life and Sweet Peas - Delicate Pleasures. Lungwort, not the most romantic name but simply means You are my Life. A lovely small gift for the happy couple is a Stephanotis plant, wishing them Happiness in Marriage .
However, it may be best to stay clear of these messages - Yellow Roses - Infidelity, Lavender - Mistrust, Fern - Secrecy, Striped carnations - I cannot be with you, and one I use lots (well before I knew the meaning) Hydrangeas - Dispassion!
To Finish off …
I could go on and on, but have to mention one of my favourite blooms Aquilegia, delicate, proud, sculptural and stunning colours means Desertion, but this isn’t the message I get as I admire them each year as from nowhere a different colour variation appears in my garden.
And finally, wreaths sometimes get bad press and people think they are just related to funeral flowers, graves, and your door at Christmas. In fact, the circular shape of wreaths means eternal life, no beginning and no end, with evergreen wreaths meaning growth and everlasting. For the past two years I have had a wreath on my front door through all seasons and months. Usually I have just used what is in the garden or I have bought at our local market flower stall, I try to make different designs to spark comments sometimes. I sit and work in a room at the front of the house and often can see people stop and admire. It gives me joy every time I use my front door, and to see it making passers-by smile makes me smile too!. Go on give it a go yourself and see the reaction you get!
I hope you have enjoyed and found the language of flowers interesting … I would love to hear from you if you have any comments about this blog.
Warm wishes, Jo
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