Flower Speak and May Day!

May Day Bouquet: Tulip, Pansies, Rosemary

As we approach May Day and Mother's Day, I started wondering where those customs came from and what their traditions entailed.  May Day, as it turns out, traces it's roots all the way back to the pagan traditions (Beltane - ancient New Year) of the Druids in the British Isles, prior to the birth of Christ.  During the Roman occupation of Britain it was combined with their celebration of Flora, the goddess of flowers, which occurred at the same time of year.  Under the Puritans, the pagan celebrations were discouraged and eventually May Day became a celebration of joy and flowers, it's popularity carrying on more strongly today in Britain than in the US.  The idea of giving flowers as gifts to others is probably the most common expression of May Day within the US today.  As the ancient pagan traditions celebrated the new life of the year, fertility rituals were also a significant part of those celebrations.  Thus, as practices were incorporated together, Mother's Day, the celebration of Motherhood, became an expression of the pagan celebrations, carried on in modern times.  In the Victorian era, the "meanings" of flowers took promenance.  Courtships were to be carried out very discreetly and lists of flowers and their meanings were circulated, so that a bouquet "said" something to the person it was presented to.  Back to present day, with a nod to yesteryear, what a fun concept, to give "meaningful" floral gifts this May Day and Mother's Day.

So, what do flowers "mean"?  As I began researching the language of flowers, one thing became very clear...floral language is NOT!  The biggest consistency is inconsistency, (with only a very few exceptions).  The more sources I sought, the more variation I found regarding the meanings of various flowers.  So, while giving a "meaningful" bouquet is a fun and creative gift, one would be advised to also express one's thoughts clearly in words, just to prevent any meaning-mix ups!

That being said, the three most consistent flower meanings I ran across were: Red Rose - "love, deep and passionate", Forget-Me-Not - "true love forever", and Red Tulip - "declaration of love".  For the sake of this article, I am sourcing primarily from "The Meaning of Flowers: Myth, Language, & Lore" by: Gretchen Scoble and Ann Field.  As I went through flowers and meanings, my thoughts went to what I could find around me at this time of year.  There are, of course a multitude of flowers available through florists.  However, I wanted to see what I could give as meaningful gifts that might already be in bloom, in season, locally, (as original May Day bouquets would have been compiled).  Here's what I came up with, (some are not in bloom yet here in April, though will be later in the summer).

For a Love:
Red Rose - love, deep and passionate
Red Tulip - declaration of love
Pansy - thoughts lovers share prior to speaking a word
Violet - faithfullness
Forget-Me-Not - true love forever
Heliotrope - devotion
Rosemary - remembrance
Dogwood - endurance/enduring
Honeysuckle - represents the bonds of love

My bouquet (pictured above), of currently available flowers includes Red Tulips, Pansies, and Rosemary.  Later in the summer perhaps Red Roses, Violets, Rosemary, and Honeysuckle.  As a side note, I love the meaning of Pansy!  There is something so romantic, poetic, and beautiful about thoughts of the souls communicating prior to words.  I've never previously paid much attention to pansies, however I think I'll be planting some from now on.


For a Friend:
Periwinkle (vinca) - to know one a long time or know well
Alstromeria - friendship
Ivy - friendship
Snapdragon - invitation to be impetuous or plucky
Peony - ability to keep a secret (trustworthiness)
Jasmine - good luck
Dogwood - endurance/enduring

For a friend, I like the idea of Peonies, Ivy, and Periwinkle.  However, for those good friends, (you know, those last minute road-trip, where's this go, I got your back, let's go explore, what happens stays between us friends)... perhaps Snapdragon, Peony, Ivy, and Jasmine?  Road trip?  lolol


Frenemies?:
Lavender - distrust
Narcissus - egotism

I will admit, these caught me off guard!  I love lavender and how often do we give our friends lavender sachets, bunches, plants ...they're lovely gifts...unless someone knows the meaning and then they might just wonder what you're telling them. lol  Same goes for those lovely Narcissus bulbs - not quite so nice a house-gift after all!  You might want to think twice before giving Narcissus bulbs or a Lavender gift to your Friend, Mother, or Mother-In-Law, unless of course you mean it and are counting on them not knowing the meaning...  OUCH!  Frenemies perhaps? Yikes! Moving On...

Let's end on a happy note!  Gardenia!!  In the south, Gardenia is a symbol of hospitality - I love this.  And, as I love gardenias and grow them all along my front walk, I was very happy to hear of this particular meaning!  The perfect house-gift perhaps?

As mentioned before, there are many meanings for flowers and many types of flowers to research.  Have fun, look around, and see what you can find, grow, and express through flowers!  I love the idea of even creating a meaningful garden spot - friendship garden, welcome garden, etc.

Have Fun, Play in the Dirt, Stop and Smell the Flowers!
Cheers,
Christine