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Our relationship with flowers is deep and long-standing. Their beauty has inspired every culture throughout millennia – the bright blossoms and sweet fragrance of flowers have always been at our side as we commemorate life’s important moments. Flowers are so intrinsic; they offer us a way to communicate emotions where words do not suffice.
In Victorian times, when it was impolite to convey emotions, flowers were used to communicate feelings and most households owned a flower dictionary according to About Flowers. Known as floriography, the language of flowers in the 19th century was as rich and multi-hued as the petals themselves. Not only did each flower symbolize a feeling, tiny gestures shown by the recipient who received the bouquet would communicate acceptance or rejection.
In our modern, world of open communication, the language of flowers may have faded, but their power is palpable. Flowers, says Psychology Today, boost our moods by creating a release of dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin and a study from the George Morris Centre in Ottawa Canada, showed they reduce stress and improve our health.
Tap into the rich, “emotional-inducing” world of flowers to express your feelings, cheer up your loved ones and connect with the sunshine of our souls. Try using flowers to express the following phrases. Be sure to watch for the sweet smile you will create; one study showed that receiving flowers can lift a person’s mood for up to three days!
Here are five flowers that can express our emotions in ways that words alone cannot:
You’re elegant
This is best said with the delicate, daisy-like aster. Named after the Ancient Greek word for star, where the tears of the goddess Astraeas touched the earth, the aster flower blossomed. Aster flowers, according to Flower Meaning, were believed to have magical powers by many cultures. Today, the aster has many beautiful meanings including daintiness, elegance, and patience.
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You’re adorable
Say this with a white camellia. But be careful of these nuances: the red camellia means “you’re a flame in my heart,” while the pink camellia means “I long for you.” The dramatic, showy camellia is so admired, it was grown in the secret gardens of the Chinese Emperors and was used in Japanese sacred ceremonies as it symbolized the divine says Flower Meanings. When you send this flower, you are expressing the beautiful emotions of refinement, faithfulness, perfection and passion.
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I admire you
This is best expressed with a red carnation. The Latin name is dianthus, meaning flower (anthos) of the gods (dios). It is the most popularly used flower in Chinese weddings while in Japan, the red carnation is the favorite flower for Mother’s Day. According to Flower Meanings, If you were a Victorian suitor and your admirer was answering a question secretly posed in the form of a bouquet, a solid-colored flower meant “yes,” a yellow carnation spelled out rejection and a striped carnation meant “no.” Choose your carnation colors carefully: a red flower declares deep love, a white expresses good luck or purity, a pink is for a mother’s love or for showing gratitude – and we now know to avoid the yellow and striped varieties!
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I appreciate you
The uplifting, bright yellow daffodil says this best. One of the first spring flowers, the daffodil is associated with renewal and new beginnings. If you want to revive a waning relationship, celebrate a new start, a birth or a housewarming, this is the flower. In China, Flower Meaning said, daffodils represent good fortune and are the symbol of the Chinese New Year, while in Japan it means joyfulness. The daffodil represents hope to the French and in Wales, legend says that the first one to gaze on a spring daffodil will become wealthy.
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I love you forever
The rose is the best-known flower to express love. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is depicted with a garland of roses. Also associated with secrecy, in Roman times a wild rose was put on a door to mark privacy during a confidential discussion according to The Language of Flowers. During the Renaissance period, the number of rose petals was significant: eight petals meant renewal while seven petals indicated order.
As roses come in every color except for blue and true black, each hue has its own story according to Flower Meaning. A red rose expresses eternal love, while a purple rose means enchantment. As white roses symbolize pure love and innocence, they are the choice color for weddings. Orange roses denote congratulations or fascination while a peach rose signifies modesty. In Victorian times, yellow roses were sent when a suitor was jealous, while today they represent warmth and friendship. Feeling romantic? Sending a pink rose means “meet me by moonlight.” If your loved one holds the bouquet up and pulls it to the heart, you have a date!
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