Floriography 101: The Language of Flowers
Flowers make the world go round, but not many people speak the language of flowers. There are different types, shapes, and colors of flowers each with its own meaning. Whether you need a meaningful gift for someone special or you just want more knowledge about what message the white roses in your backyard communicate, you’re going to want to brush up on floriography.
The Meaning Behind a Flower’s Color
There are thousands of flowers out there that come in a variety of colors, each with a different meaning. For this reason, before you go on to understand the best flowers to gift to someone on any given occasion, you’ll first want to know the basics of what each color means.
Red
Red flowers often signify passion, respect, love, and romance. This is part of why people associate red with Valentine’s Day.
Yellow
When a flower is yellow, it signifies friendship, jubilance, and new beginnings.
Orange
An orange flower is representative of fascination, enthusiasm, and desire. These flowers are also strongly associated with the fall season.
Pink
A pink flower might signify admiration, sweetness, or grace. Sometimes this color, like red, is associated with love.
Lavender
Lavender flowers represent enchantment, charm, and wonder. In some cases, people view this color to symbolize luxury as well.
White
White flowers symbolize purity, innocence, and humility. These flowers are commonly used for weddings, occasions of sympathy, and funerals.
Expressing Yourself With Flowers
Flowers are versatile as a tool of expression. Bouquets with carefully chosen flowers can make a meaningful gift to your partner to show your love. Alternatively, you could spice up your journal with pictures of colorful flowers that signify your mood for each day. You could even press flowers into a personalized letter to show a friend how much you cherish the bond you two share.
To help you get started, we’ve outlined suggestions of flowers to use for every situation.
Flowers for a Reliable Friend
Fun times with friends make for a joyful life. When you have really great friends, it means you can relax and be yourself around them. This is something special that calls for celebration.
Here are some flowers to show your friend you care:
Freesias
This flower represents thoughtfulness and trust. These flowers pair well with a sentimental gift.
Yellow Roses
Yellow roses signify joy and friendship. They are great to give to your best friend.
Alstroemerias
The alstroemeria symbolizes friendship and devotion. People also refer to these flowers as Peruvian lilies.
Personalizing Your Message
Sometimes the best way to show a friend you appreciate them is to write out how you feel. With the card below, consider writing about the best moments of your friendship. Press a yellow rose or an alstroemeria to your letter to compliment your message.
Flowers for Romance
When you want to show your partner you care, flowers are a go-to. Whether it’s for your anniversary or out-of-the-blue, here are some flower options that make for a great romantic gesture.
Dahlias
Dahlias express a strong bond between two people. This flower signifies commitment.
Red Tulips
This flower symbolizes true love and romance. This flower is especially good for the celebration of an anniversary.
Red Roses
Red roses are flowers that represent endless love and desire. They are perfect for any romantic occasion.
Personalizing Your Romantic Gift
Flowers and handwritten love notes go hand-in-hand. For a special gift, print out the romantic card below, tape a pressed dahlia to the card, and gift it to your partner.
Flowers for Expressing Gratitude
Chances are, there’s a variety of people in your life who are there for you when you’re down. They might be a reliable friend, mentor, or family member that either gives you advice when you need it or lends their ear when you need to vent out your frustrations. These people often go under-appreciated.
Here are some flower options you could give to those people to show them you’re grateful to have them in your life.
Lathyrus
These flowers represent joy and gratitude. They are perfect for expressing your thanks.
Peach Roses
The peach rose signifies thankfulness and sincerity.
Hydrangeas
This flower symbolizes understanding and gratitude.
Personalizing Your Gift of Gratitude
Print the card of gratitude below for an opportunity to detail why you’re appreciative of someone. Press a lathyrus to your letter and gift it on its own or along with a bouquet.
Flowers for Congratulations
Sometimes there’s no better way to say congratulations than through an arrangement of carefully chosen flowers.
Below are some of the best flowers for celebrating an achievement.
Pink Stargazer Lilies
This flower symbolizes abundance and success.
Daffodils
Daffodils represent rebirth and new beginnings. You might use these flowers to celebrate a big move or a new job.
Peonies
These flowers signify a life filled with joy and prosperity.
Personalizing Your Gift of Congratulations
When you write a card congratulating a loved one, don’t be afraid to make a big fuss over them. Oftentimes, we downplay our achievements, which is why it’s so nice when others acknowledge our success. You may also press a peony or a daffodil to your letter to add significance to your note.
Flowers to Show Your Condolences
While it’s more exciting to gift flowers under happier circumstances, it’s also important to show support for loved ones going through a tough time.
Here are flowers to show someone your sympathy and support.
White Roses
These flowers signify reverence and humility. If someone is in mourning, you may want to send them white roses to show you’re there for them.
Poppies
Poppies represent remembrance and peace. For those who have experienced a loss, these flowers are appropriate.
Orchids
The orchid represents strength. When you want to tell someone to keep their chin up in the face of something sorrowful, orchids are appropriate.
Personalizing Your Gift
To really show your support to someone, writing a well-thought-out letter can do wonders. Acknowledge their pain and let them know you’ll be there if they need you.
Keep in mind that while this outline is a good start, there is much more to know about floriography. There are so many different types of flowers out there that we couldn’t possibly fit into one guide. For more information on the subject, check the floriography guide created by FTD.