Flower gifting should hold a spot amongst the universal love languages. It is an act so commonly associated with the expression of love (be it romantic love, friendship, familial love), that if you see a person holding a flower bouquet, an immediate assumption would be that this lucky gal (or guy) is being appreciated by someone else. Unfortunately, it is also this very universality of flower bouquets that has made flower gifting seem uncreative, cliched and insincere at times. Especially with the younger generations priding themselves on innovation and uniqueness, we are afraid that flower gifting might sadly become a dying art. That would be an absolute shame because flowers and the meanings they carry are still one of the most beautiful forms of communication around. To bring back some of the former glory to this spectacular gift of nature, we have come up with some unique ways to express yourself through flowers.
Flowers and their meanings
Before we delve into the various ways flowers can be gifted, a smart move would be to first understand how flowers communicate love. Only when armed with this arsenal of knowledge can we then choose the right flower, pair it with the right presentation, and be ready to impress. It is that simple!
Any topic about romance and flowers would inevitably conjure up an image of a rose bouquet. Deemed the flower of love, the rose has definitely secured its place in symbolizing love, passion and happiness. It’s undeniably a staple in the world of romantic flowers, but today we’re not really that interested in the classics. We’re here to talk about the underdogs – less common flowers that you wouldn’t think of immediately, but would seal the deal just as perfectly.
Tulips – a symbol of perfection, elegance, grace and perfection. Giving someone a red tulip is the equivalent of you telling them that they’re the perfect lover – could a compliment get any better than this? Tulips are also iconic as the flower for a 11th wedding anniversary, further solidifying its status as a romantic flower that has withheld the test of time. To top things off, tulips are extremely value for money – they will keep growing in water after they are cut, giving you more fresh flowers than you had expected, and certainly more bang for your buck!
Carnation – on the other end of the spectrum, carnations are a great fit for young lovers. These beautiful, fluffy blooms symbolize fascination, which is a perfect emblem for the dreamy, beginning stages of a relationship. An added benefit of carnations is its lifespan – they can actually last up to three weeks after being cut.
Gardenias – these flowers are loved for their sweet fragrance, and thus also commonly found in perfume scents! The meaning behind gardenias tend to differ with their colour. White gardenias signal purity and love, a definite way to convey your devotion to a loved one. This is your flower of choice when giving to someone you deeply respect, love, and with whom you want to make memories that will stay for life. Red gardenias convey an interesting message – they symbolize the secret love between two people, likened to what you would think of in a Romeo and Juliet story. For that reason, red gardenias make for the perfect confession flower.
Lilies – the flower that signifies beauty. Calla lilies especially represent magnificent beauty, class and style, and is a show of your respect to her as a woman and an individual. Nothing can really quite beat such a powerful and uplifting message to a loved one.
Flowers that simply put you in a good mood – there’s really no purer way to celebrate love than to express how amazingly happy it makes you feel. Think bright, cheery sunflowers and the vivid hues of gerberas – these flowers are a joy to have and a definite mood lifter. Regardless of which stage of a relationship you are in, rest assured that these colourful blooms will do the perfect job of telling your partner how happy he/she makes you.
Flowers of luck – Peonies and Daffodils. Here we sourced out two flowers that also double up as good luck charms. Peonies are a delight to the eye with their luscious, full blooms, and are associated with romance, prosperity and bashfulness. Daffodils represent cheerfulness and joy due to their bright colour. Being associated with fresh beginnings, daffodils are also aptly iconic as the 10th wedding anniversary flower. These two beautiful flowers are also known as carriers of good fortune – receiving daffodils on Valentine’s day is a sign of twelve months of good luck and happiness!
If the above flowers and their romantic associations have allowed you to get excited about giving flowers again, then we’re glad we’ve started you on the right track. But sit tight, because now we’ll be showing you even more ways to take flower gifting to greater heights.
The key is in the arrangement
A bouquet of 99 roses is universally understood and can easily convey your intentions, but for the amount bouquets costs, it probably pays to choose something that comes with an added touch of personalisation and uniqueness. Bouquets are one of the easiest ways to give flowers, but if you want to stand out, there are simple ways to make the standard bouquet work for you.
Quirky bouquets are a great option for people who know their recipients well enough and want to make that known. How these bouquets turn out is essentially up to your imagination – you could request for your flowers to be shaped into a cartoon character that your loved one adores, or fill the bouquet up with a non-flower item that he/she loves. To start the ball rolling, perhaps think of a type of fruit that your recipient loves, and make a fruit bouquet out of them! Complete this ‘collection of items’ with some complementary flowers to keep the integrity of a bouquet, and you’ve got a specially curated bouquet that would definitely give you some bonus points.
If your partner does love a good old traditional bouquet though, don’t hesitate to do just that! Do not, however, give up on the prospect of personalisation. Florists often provide the option to design your own bouquet, and if your partner is someone who appreciates a traditional bouquet, chances are he/she will have their own flower preferences. Design a bouquet that caters to those preferences, and you are well on your way to success in flower gifting land.
Once again, we want to think out of the box in this article. Aside from bouquets, consider giving flowers in the form of a flower crown or a corsage. We’ve seen these beautiful accessories at weddings and graduations, but it’s unfortunately not gifted often enough in regular everyday life. It’s a real pity, given how versatile and easy to wear crowns and corsages can be. Flower crowns and corsages also serve as a perfect gift when expressing non-romantic love – a flower crown for your best friend on her engagement day, or a corsage worn with your clique at prom. Possibly the best aspect of these accessories, is how they are easily DIY-able without a whole lot of expensive materials. Making a crown or a corsage does require attention to detail though, but when completed, you will get a sense of satisfaction like no other. It probably also goes without mention that a self-made gift would be appreciated miles more than a store-bought one. But don’t let this impede you from buying a corsage or crown if time is not on your side – the uniqueness of these items is way more than enough in conveying that you’ve put considerable thought into the gift.
Practical ways of giving flowers
If practicality is your loved one’s middle name, a traditional bouquet or flower arrangement probably will not cut it. Modern day lifestyles can sometimes leave people with little bandwidth left to care for another living thing besides themselves. But that does not mean the end of the game for flower gifting! If you’re a romantic at heart and truly want the experience of gifting your loved ones with flowers, it is time to think of ways to weave practicality into flower gifting.
Gift baskets – this is the perfect way to marry the two different ideals of practicality and beauty when it comes to gift giving. While you put together a basket of food and items that you know your loved one will enjoy, you also get to satisfy your love for flora by adding flowers as a nice decorative touch to the gift. Wine hampers or gourmet hampers are great examples of such gift baskets readily available at florists. If you want to take the personalisation to another level, seal the deal by selecting the items that go into the basket yourself. Trust us, this touch of personalisation in a specially curated gift basket will definitely not go unnoticed.
Home decorations – for couples living together, the solution possibly does not get any more practical than this. Imagine preserved flowers in decorative saucers, garlands hung on walls and doors, and a vase of flowers on the coffee table top. While the effort required for this is significant, the immense appreciation you’ll get from your loved one is guaranteed to be worth it. The best part about this is the new-found beauty and fragrance that permeates the entire house, something one can definitely get used to coming home to every day.
Setting up a mini flower garden at home – here’s another one in the books for the couples living together! Though it is our duty to caution that a flower garden is not a walk in the park to maintain, it really isn’t the most difficult task in the world. If you’re someone who already has a liking for flowers and gardening, then this is the perfect gift idea. Prepare the materials you’ll need – a pot, suitable soil, and flower seeds to name a few basics – and spend quality time with your loved one as you two get the garden up in action. Once you have gotten the garden going, consistent care will reward you two with the beautiful experience of watching your own flowers bloom and change throughout the seasons. For a much-appreciated added touch, choose flowers that not only can grow in the environment you have at home, but also can convey a message to your loved one. Refer to some of the ones we named above as ideas, but feel free to scrawl the net for more!
Flower art – for those who are clever with their hands, put your creative minds to good use by creating an artwork from dried or preserved flowers. By artwork, we really mean just about anything that you can think of. A two-dimensional arrangement of dried flowers on a framed-up canvas would look gorgeous hung up on the wall above your loved one’s bed. A delicate glass dome encasing an intricate arrangement of preserved and dried flowers would no doubt sit beautifully on the study table. A terrarium-style mini flower garden with dried and preserved flowers would serve as a fresh pop of nature in an indoor living space. These are just some suggestions, make whatever you think your loved one will appreciate! The use of dried and preserved flowers ensures your artwork will withstand the test of time, so all your effort would not be negated in a few days as would be the case with fresh flowers. With the added convenience of not having to take care of the dried and preserved flowers, we are absolutely certain your loved one will thank you dearly for this gift.
By this point in time, we sure hope your mind’s buzzing with ideas on how to give flowers in a unconventional yet meaningful and timeless way. The flower bouquet is undeniably a classic, conventional form of gift-giving that has held its ground over the years. Yet while there is beauty in customs, a little twist on tradition can go a long way in making the gift best suited to modern day lifestyles and preferences.
Written by: Engracia Loh
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