When we give a bouquet, we are not just giving flowers but a symbol and message of our feelings for the recipients. But what do the different types actually mean? What message are we actually sending with our blooms? It can be one of love, of sympathy, compassion, happiness, friendships and well wishes. Buying yourself flowers can be a powerful thing too, treating yourself to a beautiful bouquet is a real act of self care and shouldn’t be underestimated in its ability to lift the spirits.
Giving a bunch of red roses is an obvious one, it shouts about love and passion but there are more subtle messages in flowers too. For Christmas and holiday times, amaryllis and poinsettia spring firmly to mind. Fistfuls of wildflowers, picked by a child are typically associated with Mother’s Day. While a cheery bright rainbow bouquet of gerbera and iris flowers are a lovely birthday gift. Then for more sombre occasions, white flowers and particularly lilies are associated with sorrow.
Flowers can also be used as a form of therapy in many different ways, as humans have been doing for centuries before us. Not just in a bouquet to give to a person but by using the essential oils and petals to make potpourri and balms and salves, each one having a different healing power. For example, dandelion flowers steeped in oil create a renowned pain reliever and muscle relaxant perfect for rubbing into sore joints.
- Calendula flowers have been used for many years for their wound healing properties as it has wonderful anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal and anti-biotic properties and there have been amazing results trying the cream on sores, eczema, cuts and grazes. You can even eat the flowers to aid in digestive issues. Not when pregnant though, as they can bring on labour!
- Saint John’s Wort or Hypericum Perforata is widely used for treating depression and low mood, although make sure to consult with your gp first as it can react with other medicines. The oil is also great for wound healing and treating scars.
- And who can forget lavender. Renowned for it’s ability to help us sleep, it may be in just about every pillow spray, baby bedtime bath and night time bath bomb, it is also calming, relaxing and can aid with digestion when drunk as a tea.
So there you have it, flowers can not only symbolise feelings and emotions and be therapy in the form of a gift, flowers have so many powers and properties to give us healthy and well, both physically and mentally.
Also having houseplants is excellent for brightening your mood and your oxygen levels. It is a great feeling to have something blossom under your care and they give so much back to the atmosphere too, it’s win win. Pop into our Cheltenham store and see what we have available.
