For years, people have chosen flowers based on what the flower has traditionally come to mean. Some flowers are given to represent love or passion or hope. Sometimes it’s the color of a flower or the flower itself where the meaning lies. Flowers have a powerful role to play in every society and culture and it’s good to know the hidden meanings of flowers before they are given. This is especially true in matters of the heart where you never want to send a mixed message or say something you do not mean.

If you did not know about the “code” of the flower world, you are not alone. Many people just choose a flower because they like the way it looks or smells and give little consideration to how it will be received by someone on the other side. There are thousands of flower and plant varieties and many, if not all, have some meaning steeped in tradition and folklore. Take a little time to learn a bit about these and your thoughtful presentation of a beautiful bouquet can be made even more thoughtful (and you’ll avoid common pitfalls of these hidden meanings).

There are 10 popular flowers worthy of some “decoding” for the layperson deciding which to buy:
1.    Baby’s Breath – Ubiquitous and represents “Happiness”
2.    Carnation – Under-rated and represents “Fascination” — each color has its own meaning
3.    Daisy – Sweet and simple and represents “Innocence”
4.    Hydrangea – Deceptively hearty and represents “Vanity”
5.    Calla Lily – Regal and represents “majestic beauty”
6.    Orchid – Dramatic and represents “magnificence”
7.    Rose – Especially appropriate for wedding and represents “Happy Love” – each color has its own meaning (some more positive than others)
8.    Sunflower – Big and bold and represents “Devotion”
9.    Sweet Pea – Wistful and lovely and represents “Blissful Pleasure”
10.    Tulip – Charming and represents “Perfect Love”

Flowers are always beautiful but some have more profoundly positive meaning than others. Not all flowers come with a positive connotation, however, and you may want to know which represent jealousy (yellow hyacinth) or hatred and disdain (orange lily) or anger and resentment (petunia). As you can see, it’s a good idea to know the hidden meaning of flowers to send only the message you want and not one you did not mean! Your local florist is a wonderful resource and a wealth of knowledge on what flowers mean and which are best to send for each occasion. All you need to do is ask and they’ll be happy to share what they know.

What to do next? Buy your flowers from our Toronto Flower Shop.