Walking through the garden, I cannot help but admire the beauty that each flower beholds – their bright colors and beautiful designs will undoubtedly capture anyone’s attention. But, while I am appreciative of their beauty, discovering what one each symbolizes, fascinates me. Here are the meanings of 12 of the most popular (and my personal favorite) flowers – some of which will truly surprise you!
Commonly called the Peruvian Lily or Lily of the Incas, this South American flower mainly grows in the cool, mountainous regions in the Andes. It comes in a variety of colors – orange, pink, rose, purple, red, yellow, white and salmon. Surprisingly though, this flower has no fragrance.
Meaning: This flower symbolizes friendship and devotion. The twists in the flower are said to represent the tribulations of friendships.
Anemone, comes from Greek origin, meaning ‘the wind’. It gets its name due to the wind that blows the petals open, eventually blowing the dead petals away too. It is also used in medicine to treat cramps, menstrual problems, and emotional distress.
Meaning: On a positive note, this flower symbolizes anticipation. It has a dark side however, indicating a fading hope and a feeling of having been forsaken.
Carnations are often referred to as ‘Dianthus’, originating from the Greek words, dios, referring to the God, Zeus, and anthos, meaning flower. They are therefore known as the Flowers of God. Carnations come in a variety of colors – pink, light red, dark red, white, striped, green, purple and yellow – each depicting its own meaning.
Meaning: Generally, carnations symbolize pride and beauty. A red carnation depicts love and admiration, while a pink carnation symbolizes the love of a woman or a mother. Purple carnations represent capriciousness and yellow carnations symbolize disdain, rejection or disappointment. A white carnation portrays innocence and pure love, while a striped carnation conveys refusal.
In spring, the Cherry Blossom is undoubtedly the most remarkable tree, making it a sight to behold – its flowers are almost pure white, tinged with the palest pink, especially near the stem.
Meaning: The Cherry Blossom is Japan’s unofficial national flower. In Japanese culture, this flower represents the fragility and beauty of life. It serves as a reminder that life is almost overwhelmingly beautiful – yet also, tragically short.
This popular flower is native to the Mediterranean, Northern Africaand the Middle East. It was grown extensively by the ancient Greeks and the Romans, after which it had become a forgotten flower until the 1600s, when a group of Englishmen happened across it, bringing them in favor once again.
Meaning: Daffodils symbolize regard and chivalry. It is indicative of rebirth, a new beginning and eternal life. Daffodils also symbolize unrequited love. Superstition holds that a single daffodil foretells misfortune, while a bunch indicates joy and happiness.
Freesia is one of the most fragrant flowers – its perfume having a light, sweet, soap-like floral scent. It should come as no surprise, that they are often used in perfume, scented oils and baths, and other products of the like.
Meaning: This scented flower symbolizes innocence and thoughtfulness.
Available in a vast array of colors, Gerberas, has a long vase life making it the most popular florist flowers next to only Carnations and Roses.
Meaning: Gerberas convey cheerfulness. As they belong to the Daisy family, the Gerbera assumes many of its family’s properties, symbolizing innocence and purity as well as loyal love.
Due to its sword-shaped leaves, Gladiolus is often referred to as the Sword Lily. Some parts of the plant are poisonous if ingested, and among some species, handling this flower may cause skin irritation or allergic reactions.
Meaning: The Gladiolus symbolizes strength of character,faithfulness and honor. It also signifies remembrance.
Meaning rainbow, this wonderful garden plant is the flower of the Greek goddess Iris, who is the messenger of Love.
Meaning: Iris symbolizes eloquence. Purple Iris is symbolic of wisdom and compliments. Blue, denotes faith and hope, while yellow symbolizes passion and white, purity.
It may be surprising to discover that this delicate flower belongs to the largest plant family in the world, with more than 30,000 species of orchid, each differing widely from one another – some weighing as much as a ton with huge 30-inch petals.
Meaning: The Orchid is a symbol of exotic beauty. It symbolizesrefinement, thoughtfulness and mature charm. It also symbolizes proud and glorious femininity.
These large, fragrant flowers bloom in late spring and early summer and come in shades of red, white or yellow. They are native to Asia, Southern Europe and North America.
Meaning: Peonies symbolize bashfulness and compassion. They denote a happy life, happy marriage, good health and prosperity. They also express indignation or shame.
This flower is notable for turning to face the sun – a behavior known as heliotropism. It can at times grow as large as a meter in diameter – the tallest ever grown measured 25 feet 5 and a 1/2 inches.
Meaning: Sunflower signifies pure thoughts. It depicts adoration and dedication. It is also symbolic of dedicated love
