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Flowers have been a staple of both high and low culture for hundreds of years. From painters and poets to paupers and peasants, flowers have enchanted people from all walks of life. They are appreciated for their stunning beauty but also have been used in tinctures, beauty treatments, and teas. Accessibility, usefulness, colour, meaning and more will determine how a flower is perceived by the public. Here are five most commonly known flowers and a few things you didn’t know about them.
1. Roses
After becoming the UK’s national flower, roses blossomed in popularity. In poetry, the rose is a bittersweet metaphor for love and suffering. This is captured best by the English expression ‘every rose has its thorn.’
The colour of a rose can dramatically alter its meaning. Red roses famously symbolise love and desire, but the lesser-known varieties express an array of complex emotions: yellow for happiness, white for purity and grace and black for grief. This ubiquitous bloom is perfect for all occasions and is gifted all around the world.
2. Tulip
Tulips were first introduced to Europe around 1563 and were considered a luxurious gift. The tulip was originally a wildflower that grew in regions across Turkey. Once botanists introduced the species to the Netherlands and western Europe, they began to experiment with cross-breeding and hybridizations. This experimentation started a tulip craze across the Netherlands. At one time, some tulip varieties were worth more than a house!
Today, tulips are a symbol of ‘perfect love.’ As with roses, each colour has a distinct meaning: white for forgiveness, pink for self confidence and yellow for happiness. If you’re looking to change up your usual rose bouquet, tulips are a dignified and delightful option.
3. Lily
You may know lillies as mourning flowers, but these timeless blooms boast a more complex history than you may realise. Greek mythology claims that lilies were formed when the goddess Hera dropped some of her breast milk onto the earth, associating them with motherhood and fertility. By contrast, in the Chinese tradition they can represent 100 years of love or good luck. Ancient Babylon, similar to the Greeks, associated the lily with fertility. These illustrate that the lily has a rich cultural heritage and that its meaning is more contextual than inherent. Lilies are a perfect gift for any occasion as they are long lasting and accessible.
4. Carnation
It’s debated how the carnation got its name. It’s theorised that the word comes from coronation as they were used in Greek ceremonial crowns, or that it comes from the Latin word carnis meaning flesh due to the vibrant pink colour and texture.
In the Christian tradition they are associated with the motherly love of St. Mary and in the Netherlands they are worn as a commemorative flower for the losses of World War II. The colour of the carnation determines its meaning: pink is for gratitude, yellow for disappointment, purple for capriciousness and dark red for love. Their unique meanings means you can use a bouquet of carnations to express an array of complex emotions.
5. Sunflower
Sunflowers are stunning, long-lasting annual flowers that, like their name, have a straightforward and unambiguous meaning. These golden blooms are often gifted as expressions of platonic love between friends and family members. As these flowers are phytokinetic (follow the sun’s movements) they are associated with positivity, strength, nourishment, joy and good fortune. Sunflowers, though native to North America, have spread across the world through exports and are one of the most commonly recognised flowers in the world. Try gifting a bouquet of Sunflowers and baby’s breath blooms to someone special to show how much you appreciate them.
Why is Floristique the best place to buy these flowers in Singapore?
If you’ve been enchanted by these flowers, browse Floristique’s range of special bouquets. As one of the best florists in Singapore, we pride ourselves on providing a large range of bouquets for all your floral delivery needs. We offer same-day flower delivery throughout Singapore so you can get your flowers to their destination as soon as possible. Find your perfect bouquet today at Floristique today!
