The Meanings of Flowers

All flowers have some kind of meaning. When Ophelia threw flowers around in Hamlet, she wasn’t just talking nonsense. Learning about the meanings of all the different kinds of flowers can be intriguing, and may also be helpful if you wish to make a gift of flowers but don’t want to make an unsuitable choice.

Most people know that roses signify love, but may not know all the different types of roses and what they mean. Giving a rose signifying friendship to a lover is probably not the best idea. The meanings of other flowers are just as particular. An iris can represent inspiration and may make a wonderful gift for someone with a creative turn of mind.

Many of the meanings that people nowadays assign to different flowers come from Victorian times. It often seems that not everyone thinks of the same flowers the same way, although there are some standard interpretations. There may also be variations of meanings of flowers among different cultures.

Flowers are not just pretty to look at, but often carry with them different messages and meanings. Learning to decipher what these meanings are can help you to have a deeper appreciation for the beauty of the flowers and what they represent, and may help you to avoid an kind of faux pas in giving flowers as a gift. While most people won’t know the meanings of most flowers, it’s best to be careful and paying attention to these meanings can give your particular choice extra significance.