Beyond the Beauty and Scent of Flowers: the Meanings of Flowers

If you loved someone and you wanted to show the person your affection, what flower would you give - a red rose or a red tulip?  I think most people would choose the red rose.  But did you know the red tulip is just as romantic, or even more, as it symbolizes your declaration of love.

Flowers are used to express feelings and emotions to one another.  Flowers are also used to mark occasions.  Our lives are touched with flowers.

Different flowers have different meanings, and the meanings behind them can be just as touching.  Beyond love, they symbolize many other things, such as reconciliation (hazel), overcoming obstacles (mistletoe), hope (iris).  The meanings also differ from culture to culture, which is why a flower can have more than one meaning.

The symbolism of flowers is seen in stories, in artwork, in poems, going back through time.  Shakespeare himself included symbolism in Hamlet, in the scene where Ophelia gives out flowers during her madness.

Here are a few books that I've checked out:

•  Flowerpaedia: 1000 Flowers and Their Meanings, by Cheralyn Darcey
• The Meaning of Flowers: Myth, Language & Lore, by Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field
• The Naming of Flowers, by Anne Halpin
• A Victorian Flower Dictionary: the Language of Flowers Companion, by Mandy Kirkby

Flowers are a significant part of our lives.  They lift our spirits, provide comfort, beautify our lives, and make the world a more beautiful place.