The Silent Language of Flowers

As the strapline “Say It With Flowers” goes, most people would identify that they are professing their love and passion with red roses.  However, would you recognise the significance of sending tulips, alstromeria or dare we say a single daffodil?

Flowers are with us throughout many of our important stages in life and some have cultural or religious significance.  Indeed, colour combinations or even the way in which bouquets are tied and presented have associated meanings. Floriography (the language of flowers) has developed over thousands of years and was a particular passion of the Victorians who were said to communicate emotions through the exchange of flowers. 

A Moutan bridal bouquet with a subtle message. Image courtesy of Jason Allen Photography

The silent language of flowers will give a subtle importance to your wedding flowers, interweaved throughout your day from bouquets, button holes, table arrangements and even your cake in sugar form. Purple lilac speaks of first love, peonies of compassion and pink roses of happiness.

There are many flowers which represent and signify purity and innocence, none so much as the white calla lily which have traditionally been used in bridal bouquets.

A Moutan bridal bouquet. Calla lilies signify purity and innocence.Image courtesy of Studio Rouge

It’s not just the significant moments in life when the meaning of flowers can be important.  A bouquet with alstromeria or gladioli is the perfect choice to present to a friend, anthurium as a thank you for a dinner or over-night stay and freesia to give to someone convalescing.

Colours also have their significance with roses having one of the most varied ranges of languages. For example; red for romance, yellow for happiness, cream for thoughtfulness, and mauve for erotica (ooh-er!). Superstition states that red and white represents blood and bandages which makes some avoid the combination however, pretty much everything else goes! We work on visual impact and love to add lime to mixed bright colour combinations which really brings the colours together no matter what the colours together are ‘saying’.

Some of our favourite flowers that you will find in our shops with their meanings:

And the significance of the single daffodil?  Given as a bunch these identify new beginnings and chivalry whereas a single stem foretells misfortune.

Ultimately, we follow the philosphy that if you like a flower or if it has a personal meaning to you then the traditional sentiment does not matter. After all, different cultures associate their own meanings to flowers and may completely contradict our interpretation of their silent language.   Just one word of warning though, never give a Russian our ‘Buttercup’ hand-tied bouquet!