Valentine’s Day is for celebrating love in all its forms, and one of the most popular ways people do so is through the language of flowers. Gifting flowers has been Valentine’s Day tradition as far back as the 1800s in England, and bouquets of blooms continue to be one of the most recognizable symbols of this holiday.
But how do you know what are the best flowers to gift for Valentine’s Day? There are so many colorful and beautiful choices, and each can represent love in a unique way. But don’t worry, we are here to help with some of the most popular choices for your Valentine’s Day gifting!
Choosing the Right Valentine’s Day Flowers
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Did you know that flowers have been used for centuries to send messages and represent certain sentiments? The language of flowers is known as “floriography,” and became somewhat of a trend during the Victorian era. Every bloom, and even the color of the flowers, holds a different meaning and is used to celebrate specific occasions.
For example, lilies are often sent for funerals to commemorate death, grief, and the release of the soul into heaven. Daisies represent innocence and purity and are often gifted on Mother’s Day to represent the chaste love between a parent and child. And poinsettias are the most popular choice to celebrate the holiday and Christmas season because of their association with the star of Bethlehem.
Most of these associations stem from historical events and traditions, while others come from literary writings and other places. But no matter their origin, the language of flowers has become embedded in the social fabric of our modern society. And Valentine’s Day flowers are no exception.
There are no rules for choosing the right Valentine’s Day bouquet, but we are here to help you figure it out with some advice for your Valentine’s Day gifting!
Long-Stemmed Red Roses
Choosing a bouquet of a dozen, long-stemmed red roses is a surefire way to earn your Valentine’s affection. There is a reason the rose is a classic choice for Cupid’s holiday. Rose petals are extremely fragrant, and the Romans would scatter them across their beds to create a sweet-smelling atmosphere.
The rose also has medicinal properties and is thought to be an aphrodisiac. Not to mention the color red has a strong association with love and passion. The rose was a frequent choice of courting couples looking for a discrete way to declare their love for each other.
Colored Roses
Roses are not just red anymore and come in a wide variety of hues, each one which can represent a different kind of love. White roses are used to recognize chaste love, like that between a parent and child. Yellow buds represent friendship and affection. Pink roses mean admiration, while primroses are often used to represent newly discovered love.
Get creative when choosing the right shade of rose for your loved one. You can even mix it up and create a bouquet of multi-colored stems!
Peonies
This dense, ruffled bloom has significant meanings that go all the way back to Greek mythology. Not only were peonies used for medicinal purposes, but their inclusion in the legend of the nymph Paeonia brought along associations of bashfulness, good fortune, and compassion. Today, peonies are used to represent a happy marriage, prosperity, wealth, kindness, and romance.
Orchids
Orchids are beautiful, star-shaped blooms with exceptionally long stems. What might surprise you is that the name of this stunning flower comes from the Greek word “orchis,” which actually translates to “testicles.” The Greeks thought these petals had a similar appearance to this bit of the male anatomy. Regardless of its origin, the orchid represents elegance, love, fertility, and strength.
Amaryllis
The Amaryllis is another flower with prominent, star-shaped petals and is often mistaken for the orchid or the lily. This flower also has associations that stem from Greek mythology and another famous nymph, from whom the amaryllis gets its name.
This particular nymph chose to pierce her heart with a golden arrow for thirty straight days in an effort to attract the attention of a beloved. On the last day, a flower bloomed from her blood. The Amaryllis is associated with passion, attraction, beauty, and pride.
Hydrangeas
Hydrangeas are unique because they have their delicate petals arranged in bunches, with many little blooms making up one big bloom. This flower gets its name from the Greek term meaning “water vessel” because of the shape of its seed capsules.
Hydrangeas are associated with conveying heartfelt emotions, gratitude, sincerity, and honesty. White hydrangeas are used to commemorate a first love, as well as innocence and purity.
Carnations
Carnations are one of the most popular and recognizable flowers for good reason. They have spiky-shaped petals and come in a variety of multi-colored hues. Carnations are often used to represent motherly love because of their association with the Virgin Mary in the Christian tradition. They are also used as a symbol of remembrance, gratitude, affection, love, and admiration. The color of the carnation has a lot to do with its meaning.
Daisies
Daisies have a distinct association with springtime and sunshine. They also share an association with true love, new beginnings, purity, and innocence. You may not realize that each daisy is two flowers combined in one – the disk florets in the middle and the ray florets around the outside which look like petals.
This bloom is often associated with the “she loves me, she loves me not game,” which originated in France and involves picking the petals of the daisy off one at a time until the last petal reveals the answer.
Conclusion
There are many different types of flowers that you can choose to give on Valentine’s Day. Red, long-stemmed roses are probably the number one choice for people looking for a Valentine’s Day gift to represent love and romance, but by no means are they the only choice.
Many people choose to celebrate the love between parents and children, the love for grandparents, close friends, and even coworkers. The most important part of choosing the right bouquet for the occasion is sometimes simply going with the one the recipient loves the most! Choose the flowers that best represent your feelings and that you know your Valentine will appreciate. Happy gifting!