Any nurse, or someone who works in the medical profession, who has worked in a hospital or clinic for even one single day has most likely seen numerous bouquets of flowers being sent to patients to brighten their room, or sent to the staff as a token of gratitude for their outstanding care. While flowers are simple, natural and beautiful just as they are, did you know there is actually a meaning behind those flowers? After you read this article you may never look at flowers the same.

Who Decided What Each Flower Meant?

It is really hard to define exactly where the definitions and meanings of flowers come from. Unfortunately, no one really knows. Many say that the meanings evolved from simple local folklore. For example, the Thistle flower is the national flower of Scotland. During the reign of Malcom I, a Danish army tried to invade Scotland in the middle of the night. As the army approached the Scottish camp, one of soldiers stepped on a Thistle with his bare foot. He screamed and the Scottish army woke up and ran the Danish army off. The Thistle became a symbol of independence and retaliation that day. Today some Scottish brides choose to have a Thistle in their bouquets as a symbol of national pride.

The meaning of flowers has been followed for centuries. Meanings evolve and some flowers may have more than one meaning depending on the country they are grown in. Still, discovering the hidden messages is fascinating.

Unraveling the Hidden Messages in Bouquets

It is a fact that during Victorian days the ladies would carry small hand-tied bouquets with flowers and ivy woven together. Think they were chosen to match their dresses and look pretty in paintings? One would think so, but the bouquets, called tussie-mussies, actually had hidden messages. If a lady carried a bouquet containing Gardenias, she was secretly telling someone that she loved him. If she combined Gardenias with Forsythia, she was expressing anticipation for the next time she would be alone with the one she loved. Did the lady want to tell another lady she hated her without causing a socially unacceptable and unladylike scene? A bouquet of orange lilies sent to the poor victim would say it all, without a word or a whisper.

Today the red rose is the well known symbol of passion and love. In fact, some say that a single red rose is a message of "you are the ONE". Others people feel that unless the bouquet contains a dozen roses, the message is simply "I love you, but I don't want to spend a lot of money on you." Is either message accurate? No one really can tell, but the speculating is fun. Even the common ferns and baby's breath that are included in rose bouquets have meaning. The fern is a symbol for sincerity, while the baby's breath means everlasting love. Perhaps this is why choosing the right flowers for wedding bouquets means so much. Beyond matching the dress, the flowers do need to convey the right message!

Even a simple thank you message can be conveyed with flowers. Thank-you bouquets sent to nurses and hospital staff often contain white bellflowers, which is symbolic for gratitude. Dark pink roses are also the symbol of thank-you, with pink roses symbolizing admiration. Imagine this beautiful pink and white bouquet arriving at the nurses station; so pretty and saying so much!

Let the flowers speak for themselves!

Here is our glossary of flower meanings (more here). You may be surprised that some of the prettiest flowers have the strangest meanings. Should this stop you from creating or sending a bouquet of your favorite flowers if the meanings don't match up with your tastes? Of course not. The meaning of flowers is fun and interesting, but unless you are planning a bouquet with special hidden messages and the person receiving your bouquet understands the meaning of flowers, what they will be seeing is a simple, but beautiful bouquet.

Allspice – Compassion
Aloe – Wisdom and integrity
Amaranth – Fidelity
Amaryllis – Pride, Poetry
Ambrosia – Your love is reciprocated
Anemone – Forsaken and Refused
Aster – Symbol of Love
Azalea – Fragile and Ephemeral Passion
Baby's Breath – Happiness, Everlasting Love
Blue Bell – Humility
Cactus – Bravery
Camellia – Excellence
Chamomile – Initiative and Ingenuity
Carnation, Pink – I will never forget you
Carnation, Purple – Capriciousness
Carnation, Red – Admiration
Carnation, White – Pure, Sweetness
Carnation, Yellow – Rejection
Chrysanthemum, Red – I love you
Chrysanthemum, White – Truth
Chrysanthemum, Yellow – Rejected love
Clover – Fertility
Clover, Four Leaf – Good Luck
Clover, Five Leaf – Bad luck
Cornflower – Delicacy
Crocus – Cheerfulness
Daffodil – Unrequited Love, Regard
Daisy – Gentleness, Innocent, Loyal love
Dandelion – Happiness, Faithfulness
Fennel – Strength
Forget-me-not – Faithful love, Memories
Forsynthia – Anticipation
Gardenia – Secret love
Geranium, Pink – Affection
Gladiolus – Sincerity
Hyacinth, Purple – Please forgive me
Hydrangea – Thank you for understanding
Iris – Faith, Your friendship means a lot
Ivy – Wedded love, Fidelity, Friendship
Lilac, Pink – Acceptance
Lilac, Mauve – Do you still love me?
Lilac, White – My dream love
Lily, Calla – Majestic beauty
Lily, Orange – Hatred, Wealth
Lily, White – Purity, Virginity
Magnolia – Dignity
Mistletoe – Love and Affection
Pansy – Thoughtful memories
Peony – Healing, Happy marriage
Petunia – Anger, Resentment
Poppy – Eternal sleep
Rose, Dark Pink – Thank you
Rose, Light Pink – Admiration
Rose, Red – Love, Desire, Courage
Rose, White – Innocent pure love, Charming, Reverence
Rose, Yellow – Remember me, Gladness, Welcome home
Sunflowers – Good luck
Sweet Pea – Goodbye and Thank you for our time together
Thrift - Sympathy
Tulip – Perfect Lover
Tulip, Red – Declaration of absolute love
Violet – Simplicity
Yarrow – Healing
Zinnia – Absent friends

How You Can Speak the language of Flowers

Flower arranging is actually quite easy with a little practice. With what we now know of the meaning of flowers, here are some ideas for bouquets for special people:

Sick patients – Yarrow, Peonies, Crocus
A co-worker leaving – Sweet peas, Zinnias, pink Carnations
Special birthday for a co-worker – Daisies, Iris, light pink Roses
Thank you to a special caregiver – Dark pink Roses, Yarrow,
Sympathy for a loss – Thrift, Yarrow, white Roses, pink carnations, white carnations

Sending and receiving flowers is always special. Whether you are sending flowers to someone for a special occasion or just to let someone know you're thinking about them, why not take a minute to look at the list and see if you can create your own hidden message in your bouquet!

Article © 2009 My Nursing Uniforms.com / Young Lion Incorporated
Image courtesy of Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's .