Let Me Count the Ways

In our first ever issue of Engaged we had a feature on flowers: what colour to choose, what bouquet shape to choose for your body shape and dress style, how to choose flowers on a budget, questions for the florist... one thing we didn’t consider in that article was the all-important meaning of flowers. How do you know that the flowers you have chosen don’t have a secret, unwanted meaning? It’s as easy as checking out this list!



So here goes...

Alstromeria: Strength
Amaryllis: Pride
Anemone: Forsaken
Aster: Elegance and daintiness, virtue, love
Bells of Ireland: Good luck
Bluebell: Humility

Carnation

• Solid colour: Yes
• Striped: No, refusal, sorry I can’t be with you, wish I could be with you
• Pink: I’ll never forget you, woman’s love
• Red: Admiration, My heart aches for you, I love you
• Purple: Capriciousness
• White: Sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love, woman’s good luck
• Yellow: You have disappointed me, rejection

Chrysanthemum

• Red: I love you, remember me
• White: Fidelity, truth
• Yellow: Slighted love, I’m sorry, I’m sad

Daffodil: Regard, respect

• Yellow: Chivalry

Daisy: Innocence, loyal love, I’ll never tell, purity
Delphinium: Ardent attachment
Fern: Magic, fascination, confidence and shelter
Flowering almond: Hope
Forget-me-not: True love, remembrance
Freesia: Trust
Gardenia: You’re lovely, secret love
Gladioli: Remembrance, I’m sincere
Heliotrope: Devotion
Honeysuckle: Generosity
Hyacinth

• Blue: Constancy
• Purple: I am sorry, sorrow
• Red or pink Play
• White: Loveliness
• Yellow: Jealousy

Hydrangea: Thank you for understanding
Ivy: Fidelity, wedded love, affection
Iris: Flame, promise, faith, hope
Japonica: Loveliness
Jasmine: Amiability
Larkspur: Appreciation
Liatris: Gladness
Lemon blossom: Fidelity in love
Lilac: Youthful innocence
Lily

• White: Purity and virginity, sweetness
• Yellow: Gratitude, gaiety

Lily-of-the-valley: Sweetness, return to happiness, humility
Magnolia: Perseverance, nobility
Maidenhair: Discretion, secret bond of love
Orange blossom: Purity, innocence, eternal love, marriage and fruitfulness
Orchid: Thoughtfulness and wisdom, love, beauty, refinement
Peony: Gay life, happy marriage
Poppy

• White: Consolation
• Red: Pleasure
• Yellow: Wealth, success

Rose

• White and red: Unity
• White: Spiritual and true love, I’m worthy of you
• Red: True love and desire
• Pink: Sweetness, please believe me
• Yellow: Friendship
• Black: Farewell, death

Snapdragon: Intrigue
Stephanotis: Happiness in marriage, desire to travel
Stock: Bonds of affection
Sweetpea: Pleasure
Tulip

• Red: Declaration of love
• Yellow: Hopelessly in love, purity

Veronica: Fidelity
Violet: Faithfulness, virtue
Zinnia

• Magenta: Lasting affection
• Mixed: Thinking (or in memory of) an absent friend
• Scarlet: Constancy
• White: Goodness
• Yellow: Daily remembrance

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