A Brief History of Giving Flowers

You can't go wrong with giving flowers. Anyone would love to receive a big beautiful bouquet or even a humble handpicked bunch.

Flowers are perfect for the big milestones in our lives and also great "just because". It's no surprise, then, that the flower industry is worth about $105 billion globally.

There's a lot of fascinating history behind the kinds of flowers that get used in arrangements. If you want to learn something new - and find out the secret to gifting the ultimate arrangement - keep reading!

The Earliest Flower Gifts

When do you think the first flowers got used as gifts or tokens? Do you picture an advanced civilization, like the Greeks or the Egyptians?

You might be shocked to learn that some of the earliest humans used flowers in their rituals. In fact, an entire cemetery was found with bodies buried individually and decorated with flowers. These ancient graves date back almost 14,000 - 12,000 years.

Flowers are beautiful, yet temporary. It's no surprise that earliest humans were drawn to them and understood their symbolism regarding the beauty of life.

Early Civilization and the Language of Flowers

Once most early humans abandoned the life of the nomad and started settling down, their rituals were more connected to where they lived.

Of course, certain flowers only bloom in certain places. The Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and other early advanced civilizations attached meanings to different flowers.

Flowers played an important role not only in everyday life but also in their worship of the gods. Let's take a look at how different cultures used many kinds of flowers in their lives.

Ancient Egyptians

Check out any Egyptian tomb and you'll see lots of flowers and plants pictured among the hieroglyphs. While early man used flowers in important rituals, the Egyptians used them to decorate their lives as well as for religious reasons.

Egyptians attached meaning to certain flowers. For example, lotuses were a symbol of the goddess Isis. When giving flowers or using them in their home, they were one of the first to consider what their flower arrangements meant.

Egyptians were some of the first to add arrangements to their homes and give flowers as gifts, but they weren't the last.

Greeks and Romans

Ever heard the phrase "don't rest on your laurels"? That's because accomplished people in ancient Greece and Rome received laurel crowns.

While the Egyptians went for vases, the Greeks and Romans preferred to use wreaths and garlands in their homes. They also loved to give roses, so much so that dinners became known as "the hour of the rose" for the scent of these beautiful flowers.

Beautiful flowers played an important part in everyday life and in celebrations for the Greeks and Romans. Gifting flowers, however, was not unique to only the west.

Asia

China not only used flowers for decorations, gifts, and rituals but also for their medicinal purposes. They developed a rich and meaningful language when it came to giving flowers.

For example, giving someone a bamboo symbolized longevity. Orchids were symbols of fertility.
Peonies were markers of high status and called the "king of flowers". Students still give their teachers peonies on the first day of school today.

In Japan, flowers also took on various meanings. They turned flower arrangements into a meditative art form. Plus, their carefully curated bonsai trees are highly-prized gifts.

European Traditions

Most of our modern flower-giving traditions come from Europe and got refined over many centuries. Giving flowers and understanding an intricate floral language really took off in the 1700s.

At that time, the French and English visited Turkey. They learned that the women in the harems would send secret messages to each other using flowers.

From then on, floral arrangements took on a new life. The Victorian era would see the language of flowers blossom and bloom.

The Victorian Era

Victorians were very much about having everything in its place and imbuing everyday actions with meanings. It's only natural that this fastidiousness would extend to meanings of flowers.

When giving flowers, the Victorians had many rules. Everything from the kinds of flowers you chose to which hand you gave them with had a secret code.

Many books were published in this era to help people navigate these exciting new rules. To truly be stylish and succeed in society, one had to understand the language of flowers.

Let's look at some of the things Victorians used to say with flowers.

Victorian Flower Language

The Victorians were detailed in everything that they did. You might be surprised to find that several of their ideas about the meanings of flowers still apply today. Here are a few flowers and their secret codes:

• White roses - Symbols of purity
• Carnations - A solid color meant "yes;" a spotted or striped carnation meant "no"
• Daisies - Loyalty and love
• Freesia - Friendship and trust
• Gardenia - Send this to someone to tell them they're beautiful
• Pansy - Ask someone to remember you by sending this flower
• Iris - Valor and wisdom
• Mistletoe - Victorians started the whole "kiss under the mistletoe" tradition
• Red Tulip - For when you want to declare your love
• Violets - Fidelity, faithfulness, and a true heart

As you can see, several of these ideas are still in play today. Your gifts can have a little more meaning now that you have this secret information.

Giving Flowers: From the Past to the Present

Giving flowers has a history as long as human civilization itself. Although different cultures at various times have ascribed different meanings to flowers, you can't go wrong with giving them to friends and family.

Looking for the best blooms to give as a gift? From the east coast to the west coast, we're ready to meet your needs.

Our beautiful arrangements are sure to please. No matter which flower you choose, the one message you'll clearly send is that you truly care for the recipient.

We're ready to help you find the perfect gift for the special someone in your life. Contact us today!