Who does not enjoy receiving a bouquet of flowers? Well sometimes the gift may not be as welcome as you had hoped. Over the years the different types of flowers have acquired a meaning of their own and if you choose the wrong variety or color you may find that your gift causes offence? rather than pleasure.

A bouquet of flowers has been a traditional gift since time immemorial but over the years individual flowers have acquired meanings of their own.

It is important that you should have at least a nodding acquaintance with the language of flowers to ensure that your gift does not convey an unintended message. To complicate matters it is not just the variety of flower but its color and the number of blooms in the bouquet which affect the meaning.

Perhaps one of the best examples is the rose. A red rose signifies love, “I love you”, but a white rose indicates the opposite “I love you not”. Again a yellow rose shows misplaced affection “I love another”.

Bachelor’s Buttons point to devotion, hope, love. These flowers were carried around by young bachelors who were in love. If the flower faded quickly, it was a sign that their sweethearts did not love them. If the flower did not fade, everything would go well with their love affairs.

With the Camellia colors only shade the meaning. Pink – I’m longing for you. Red – You’re a Flame in My Heart. White – You’re Adorable. However with Carnations it is a different matter. Pink – I’ll Never Forget You. Red – My Heart Aches For You. Purple – Capriciousness. Solid color – Yes. Striped – No, Refusal, Sorry I Can’t Be With You, Wish I Could Be With You. White – Sweet and Lovely, Innocence, Pure Love. Yellow – You Have Disappointed Me, Rejection. A Pink Geranium shows doubt,”Please explain yourself”, but scarlet is uncompromising “I do not trust you”. Color is not always significant. A Gloxinia of any shade declares love at first sight.

Read the rest at The Garden Supplies Advisor

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