Flowers have had different symbolic meanings in many cultures worldwide since ancient times. Floriography is the name given to the custom or practice of assigning meanings to flowers.
In many ancient religions, there was an important element of Flower symbolism. Deities like Jupiter, Venus and Apollo all had established links to flowers. Flowers were recognized as being a physical reflection of the divine.
Red roses have perhaps the most widely recognized symbolism worldwide, representing romantic love, passion, and beauty in literally hundreds of cultures. In the ancient world, the goddesses Isis and Aphrodite were strongly linked with roses. This association between roses and romantic love continues to be reinforced in the modern day secular ceremonial occasion of Valentine's Day ? albeit in a ceremony that is closely tied up with commercial concerns in the gift industry.
Poppies have been associated with both death and sleep. Walt Disney was well aware of this symbolism - and incidentally, was very interested in symbolism generally, filling many of his films with hidden symbols. The Wizard of Oz, for example, sees Dorothy and her companions fall into a deep sleep as they pass through a poppy field outside the walls of the city of Oz. This link between sleep and poppies is due in no small part to the fact that Opium that is produced from poppies.
In both ancient Greece, and Rome, blood red poppies were offered up to the dead. Similar symbolism continues in the modern world, as military Remembrance Day ceremonies are accompanied by the wearing of the poppy
Both Irises and Lilies are also associated with the process of death, as part of burial rituals ? this time as symbols of life after death, or resurrection.
The cheerful Daisy is known as an expression of innocence, perhaps most perfectly expressed in the childhood pastime of making daisy chains.
Flowers continue to be symbolic, expressing a range of emotions and messages - from a simple thank you, to an apology, to an expression of love ? that are often hard to express in speech, or with the written word. Nowadays, you need not look far to find flowers to convey that special message thanks to the Internet. Have a look at the sites of the big suppliers like Interflora to get an idea of how to find the best flowers online.
Maricruz Tennill, the author of this article, has worked in the flower industry for many years. Interflora is the best service that allow you buy the best flowers online.
