While You're on Life's Path, Don't Forget to Stop and Smell the Flowers!

In today's world, people have found many uses for flowers, mostly enjoyed for their fragrance and beauty. All around the globe, they are used for a wide range of significant events and functions. Some of these major events include weddings, Christenings, funerals, gifts, decorations, parties, and even school dances.

You may or may not have heard the term floriography, but it refers to the practice of giving symbolic meanings to flowers, which is popular in Western culture. Below is a list of symbolic meanings behind types of flowers.

Roses - All roses have the symbolic meaning of "I love you", but the different colors also have a meaning all of their own. For example, yellow roses mean "joy"; red roses mean "passion", burgundy roses mean "unconscious beauty"; orange/coral roses mean "desire"; pink roses mean "grace and gentility"; red and white roses together mean "unity"; white roses mean "worthiness".

Daisies are symbolic of innocence and beauty.
Irises/Lilies symbolize "resurrection/life" and are popular for burials.
Apple Blossom gives meaning of hope, good fortune, and better things to come.
Blue periwinkle is symbolic of friendship.
Blue violets mean modesty and faithfulness.
Camellias mean loveliness and gratitude.
Gardenias symbolize a secret and untold love.
Forget-Me-Nots mean true love and remembrance.
Honeysuckles symbolize devoted affection, generosity
Hyacinth - Loveliness
Hydrangea - Boastfulness
Iris - Warmth of affection
Ivy- Eternal fidelity
Jasmine - Amiability
Larkspur - Laughter
Lemon Blossoms - Fidelity in love
Lilac - First Love
White Lilac - Youthful innocence
Lily - Majesty
Lily-of-the-Valley - Return of happiness
Magnolia - Perseverance
Marigold - Affection
Mimosa - Secret love
Myrtle - Love, remembrance
Orange Blossoms - Purity, fertility
Orchids - Rare beauty
Peach Blossoms - Captive
Peony -Bashfulness
Poppies symbolize a consolation in time of death. In many countries, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, red poppies are worn to commemorate veterans who died in war.
Rosemary - Remembrance
Sweet Pea - Delicate pleasures
Tulip - Love
Violet - Affection, faithfulness, modesty
Yellow Tulip - Hopeless love

Flowers even provide several important foods and spices. Flower vegetables include cauliflower, artichokes, and broccoli. Saffron, the most expensive spice, consists of dried stigmas of a crocus. Cloves and capers are two more spices. Hops are used to flavor beer. Marigolds are fed to chickens to give their egg yolks a golden yellow color, which consumers find more desirable. Dandelions are often made into wine.

Hundreds of fresh flowers are edible but few are widely marketed as food. They are often used to add color and flavor to salads and soups. Squash flowers can be dipped in breadcrumbs and fried. Edible flowers include nasturtium, chrysanthemum, carnation, cattail, honeysuckle, chicory, cornflower, and sunflower. Some of the edible variety are sometimes candied such as daisies and roses, and occasionally you might find a candied pansy.

For information on growing flowers read these pages
Butterfly garden
Create a garden
Garden fun facts
Helpful garden hints
Growing Lilac's
Preparing soil for planting

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