My Top 5 Flowers With Meaning
Flowers have many cultural meanings and scents. It becomes hard to pick a favorite when different flowers could intrigue you in different ways, for example one flower could have a better scent but the other could be prettier in your opinion. Flowers are subjective to people’s tastes such as the senses of the body. In an article by Kendall Origer named The Language of Flowers, she talks about how flowers have impacted her life and so I wanted to give my own experience before I list my top 5 flowers.
When I was a child in elementary school, my interest in science was very strong. I became interested in photosynthesis and plant growth in the name of science at the time. However, I could not keep a plant alive long enough for me to see the process at the time, so I found just researching flowers was entertaining as well. It gave me a way to expand my hobbies and interests. All the flowers in the lists are not ones I have owned before but, they are flowers that intrigue me through scent, appearance, and meaning.
Being introduced to language used to talk about flowers is not hard, especially when it comes to gift giving. A Google search of a rose or even just a sunflower for Valentine’s Day would show just how easy it is but, the harder part is remembering the meanings.
A flower carries a similarity to humans in the sense of representation due to diverse aesthetics. Flowers can color the world when they blossom.
1. Hydrangeas
These are my favorite flowers. I used to always mix up hydrangeas and hyacinths due to the first two letters of their names which is why they are both on this list. However, hydrangeas are my favorite as they represent grace, gratitude, and heartfelt emotion. They have a Victorian, modern, and Japanese meaning as they have been popular years before I was even born. In fact, many flower websites regarding hydrangeas say ancient fossils dating back to 40-65 million years ago show that the plant has also been growing in North America for quite some time. As a geologist, I found that very interesting and contributed to my knowledge of plants.
2. Hyacinths
Have you ever seen a flower petal that bends backwards? If you’ve ever seen a hyacinth, you would notice them by fragrance as they are used to create strong smelling perfumes and their petals that bends like a lily. Hyacinths represent sorrow, regret, and rebirth, and especially jealousy. However, the reason I like this flower isn’t for its meaning, it’s for its story in Greek mythology. The story of Hyacinthus and Apollo is a beautiful bitter love story in my eyes. Apollo loved Hyacinthus, but during a discus game a jealous Zephyrus blew the disc off course and killed him, leading Apollo to transform Hyacinthus’s spilled blood into the mourning hyacinth flower. Which is why this flower holds a dear place in my heart.
3. Water Lilies (Nymphaeas)
What’s the difference between water lilies, spider lilies, and regular lilies? According to Google, it’s how they are grown as water lilies are aquatic, spider lilies are terrestrial, and regular lilies are soil-based. However, in my opinion it’s their meanings that are different. Water Lilies specifically, have a meaning of rebirth, purity, and enlightenment. Purity has less of an effect on my mentality compared to enlightenment as I aim to provide my voice without fear. My voice, my words, and my name have a meaning just like everyone else and when I think about this flower’s meaning it reminds me of a life of experience.
4. Birds Of Paradise (Crane Flower)
This is one of the most unique flowers I have seen or even heard about. They look like a flamboyant bird maybe from the movie “Rio.” The meanings it was given was joy, success, optimism, and creativity. I believe this flower is connected to and represents everyone, as creativity is something everyone has, even in different forms like writing, drawing, acting, even just thinking in general. Nobody is the same. Nobody thinks the same. This flower portrays the uniqueness of everyone through blooming.
5. Carnations
The Google definition of carnation is “a double-flowered cultivated variety of clove pink, with gray-green leaves and showy pink, white, or red flowers.” They represent love, fascination, and distinction which I think is amazing, as they convey emotions to feel towards another. After playing the game “Cuphead” you would think less of these flowers because it induces rage. However, I can’t help but to adore them visually.
All this to say, if you see a flower, you have never seen before I encourage you to search up the meaning associated with this flower and connect it to your own values.