The Avid Gardener: Say It with Flowers

With Valentine’s Day quickly approaching, many people are again flocking to florists, nurseries and markets to buy flowers that they can use to help express themselves to their loved ones.

Every year during this season, billions of dollars are spent on flowers ranging from elaborate and expensive arrangements to perhaps just single roses or orchids.

We, of course, are not the first ones to express feelings with flowers. For thousands of years traditional cultures around the world have found flowers highly meaningful, and this language told through the use or arrangements of flowers has actually been given a name: floriography.

Flowers have long been symbolic in art, religion, and in popular culture through songs, pictures and writings. It is difficult to say, however, how the interpretation of specific flowers as symbols came about, and today the same flower can have many different meanings.

Using flowers symbolically became very popular in both Victorian England and the United States in the 1800s. This came about because of the publication of so-called floral dictionaries that listed meanings of individual flowers and targeted genteel young ladies who associated flowers with romantic love.

At that time, people used flowers more in everyday life than we do today. Flowers and their symbolism were evident in many different occasions like social gatherings, courtship, weddings, births, and funerals.

This genteel way of life gradually faded, however, but the use and giving of flowers never went out of fashion.

The listings in the floral dictionaries are extensive, but here are two popular flowers and their symbolic meanings and uses: The lovely and fragrant rose represents affection and love in all its stages, from first love through mature, depending on its color — the darker the shade the stronger the emotion.

There were many different colored roses from which Victorians could choose. There was even a color to represent infidelity — yellow.

Orchids, as might be guessed, represent refined beauty. They were all the rage in England due to their elegance.

Today, we don’t attach such specific meaning to individual flowers, but we try to tailor our flower choices to the occasion and the recipient.

Depending on the situation, selections now range from simple and sweet to glamorous and bold. Here are some DIY tips to guide Valentine’s Day shoppers in their choices of gifts:

• Think beyond red. Red roses are great, but it can be helpful to find out which color the recipient prefers;

• Look for flowers in various places, everywhere from farm markets, to retail suppliers, to local florists;

• A gift of potted early spring blooms like pansies is appreciated for those who might like to replant them in a garden;

• Include a personalized card with the flowers;

• Make a vase a part of the gift; a mason jar, wine bottle, or stemmed glass; and

• Wrap a bouquet in craft paper or burlap with a ribbon to make it special.

No matter whether your intent is to show friendship or express undying love, it surely can be a more meaningful Valentine’s Day if you decide to, “Say it with flowers.”

This column appears in the Feb. 10-16 edition of the Centre County Gazette.