The History of Giving Flowers (2024)

Written By Bloomaker

The practice of giving flowers is a societal way to express love, compassion, and thoughtfulness. This custom is so powerful it can even help us communicate in times when we don’t know what to say. But, where did this tradition come from? It turns out, humans have been using flowers to express emotion for a very long time. In fact, we can trace this tradition all the way back to ancient Egypt.

Imagery from ancient Egypt depicts flowers being offered to the dead and laid in tombs. The Egyptians made bouquets, wreaths, garlands, floral headdresses, and more for these occasions. The Greeks and Romans also believed flowers could be used to express emotion and status. The ancient Greeks gave floral crowns to the winners of contests and competitions to signify success and victory. In Ancient Rome, lovers often conveyed their feelings by giving each other flowers, especially in the form of hair wreaths.

The Middle Ages saw the rise of plant symbolism, and flowers were given and used to convey particular meanings. This tradition continued through the Renaissance and eventually into the Victorian Era, where it blossomed into floriography (cryptologic communication through flowers). The Victorians were so fascinated by this practice that they even had floral dictionaries to decode the messages they received through flower arrangements.

The History of Giving Flowers (2)

Today, the art of giving flowers is a fusion of its intricate past. Similarly to the Egyptians, we find that flowers are a touching way to express condolences. We hope to brighten the day of our loved ones through floral gifts, just like the Greeks and the Romans. And, we associate certain flowers with particular emotions and meanings, just like those in the Middle Ages and the Victorian Era (think of the red rose). Just as our ancestors did before us, we continue to let flowers help us better connect with and speak to others. Bloomaker bulbs are a beautiful gift of living and growing flowers that can often be replanted to bloom again and again.

The History of Giving Flowers (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of giving flowers? ›

The earliest dates of gifting flowers go back to the time of Ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and the Roman Empire. These three societies often used flowers in religious traditions. They based their personal use of flowers on their beliefs. The Greeks used them as props for storytelling.

What is the significance of giving flowers? ›

The biggest reason we give flowers as gifts is to connect with an emotion. Whether its love, joy, affection, appreciation, sympathy, romance or apologies; flower giving communicates the deepest feelings in the most elegant manner.

What is the tradition of giving flowers after a performance? ›

Nothing makes dancers smile more after a performance than showering them with bouquets of flowers. Whether it is their first or last dance recital, gifting them with flowers after a flawless performance is a traditional gesture to express how proud you are of their dancing achievements.

What does it mean to give someone their flowers in slang? ›

So, what does it mean to 'give someone their flowers'? No, we're not just talking about a bouquet of roses here (though that's always a nice touch). The phrase is metaphorical, suggesting we should express our love, gratitude, and appreciation to those we care about while they're still alive.

What do flowers symbolize? ›

What Do Flowers Symbolize? With their colorful and beautiful blooms, flower meanings are often synonymous with joy and pleasure. However, different types and colors of flowers bring unique meanings. Some flowers are seen as symbols of friendship and purity, while others are tied to forgiveness and death.

Did hippies give out flowers? ›

Hippies embraced the symbolism by dressing in clothing with embroidered flowers and vibrant colors, wearing flowers in their hair, and distributing flowers to the public, becoming known as flower children.

Why are flowers important to God? ›

Judeo-Christian traditions consider flowers among the most beautiful and pleasurable of God's creations and symbolize the glory of the Garden of Eden before man's fall from grace.

What is the metaphor of giving flowers? ›

A Symbol of Love

Giving someone a bouquet of beautiful blossoms can be seen as an expression of deep affection and care, conveying tender emotions that can sometimes be difficult to put into words. Other flower meanings associated with love include carnations, daisies, and sunflowers.

What is the main purpose of flowers is to provide? ›

Answer : The function of a flower is to carry out sexual reproduction in plants through the formation of male and female gametes. Flowers ensure that the gametes fertilise to form seeds that further help in reproducing plants.

Why should you never give a performer flowers before a show? ›

Like many of the superstitions that have been previously explored on our blog, fate has an influence. As flowers indicate a successful performance, giving an actor a bouquet of flowers before the curtain falls could tempt fate for accidents and mishaps.

Who traditionally pays for the flowers? ›

Like we said before, the bride's family traditionally covers the bulk of expenses associated with the wedding ceremony — including renting a venue and purchasing flowers and decorations.

Why give flowers to a woman? ›

Flowers are a sign of appreciation and admiration. When a man sends flowers to a woman, he conveys the message that he admires and appreciates her. Flowers are the perfect way to make a woman feel special and loved! Flowers are a tangible symbol of love and admiration, so women enjoy getting flowers!

What is the true meaning of giving flowers? ›

By giving flowers to our loved ones, we're expressing emotions like gratitude, respect, appreciation, and love in tangible ways. Flowers not only bring beauty into our lives, but also provide comfort during difficult times and celebrate life's special moments.

What is the quote about giving people their flowers? ›

Do anything that will let them know that they are not along. Give people their flowers while they can smell them. In closing, the journey through life can be tough.

What do you say when someone gives you flowers? ›

It was so kind of you. The beautiful flowers were such a wonderful and unexpected surprise. Thank you for being so thoughtful and making my day extra special. I am truly grateful for your generosity in sending such a gorgeous bouquet my way.

Why are people giving out flowers? ›

The Meaning Behind Flowers

Other than love, people give out flowers to express sadness, gratitude, remembrance, and joy. Nonetheless, it can be difficult to keep track of all these different meanings. You can thank your ancient relatives for starting this practice.

Why did brides originally carry flowers? ›

The custom of having a bridal bouquet dates back to ancient times when woman would carry strong herbs and spices from reasons such as warding off evil spirits to creating lust and fertility. Flower girls and brides maids would carry sheaves of wheat which symbolized growth.

When did flowers start having meaning? ›

The idea that flowers had different meanings grew in popularity in France and England in the first decades of the 19th century. During this period, many books were published, each claiming to translate the 'language of flowers', and known collectively as 'floriographies'.

Why do we give flowers to the dead? ›

First, they do it as a means of expression. Since it can be difficult for those in mourning to put their feelings into words, flowers can act as an expression of love, comfort, sympathy, and respect. Flowers also create a background of warmth and beauty, adding to the dignity and consolation of the funeral service.

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