All About Flowers: flowers

Throughout history, lovers have given flowers to each other as a token of their longing, devotion, and love. The language and meaning of flowers has evolved through the years.
When choosing a flower as a gift, consider how special the flower is to your lover and what message it communicates. Use our guide to the language and meaning of flowers to make sure your meaning is crystal clear.
"The flowers of Yorkshire are like the women of Yorkshire. Every stage of their growth has its own beauty, but the last phase is always the most glorious. Then very quickly they all go to seed." - From John Clarke's (John Alderton) ungiven speech in the movie, "Calendar Girls."

ACACIA: Concealed love, chaste love.
AGAPANTHUS: Love letters, love.
ALIUM: Strength.
ALMOND, FLOWERING: Hope.
ALLSPICE: Compassion.
ALSTROMERIA: Wealth, prosperity, fortune.
ALYSSUM: Worth beyond beauty.
AMARYLLIS: Pride, beauty.
AMBROSIA: Love is reciprocated.
AMERICAN ELM: Patriotism.
ANEMONE: Forsaken, expectation.
ANTHURIUM: Lover.
APPLE BLOSSOMS: Good fortune.
ARBUTUS: Thee only do I love.
ASH TREE: Grandeur.
ASPARAGUS FERN: Fascination.
ASTER: Variety, elegance, daintiness. This purple wildflower was once burned by the ancients because they believed the resulting smoke would drive away evil. It was named for the Latin word for "star." Also known as the birthflower for September.
ASTILBE: I'll still be waiting.
AZALEA: Love, romance, first love, fragile passion, temperance. It is also the Chinese symbol of womanhood.
BABY'S BREATH: Innocence.
BACHELOR'S BUTTON: Single blessedness, felicity, celibacy.
BALSAM: Ardent love.
BAMBOO: Strength, loyalty, steadfastness.
BASIL: Best wishes.
BAY WREATH: Merit reward.
BEECH TREE: Prosperity.
BEGONIA: Be cordial, fanciful nature, beware.
BELLS OF IRELAND: Good luck, gratitude, whimsy.
BIRCH: Meekness.
BIRD OF PARADISE: Magnificence.
BITTERSWEET: Truth.
BLACK POPLAR: Courage.
BLUEBELL: Humility, constancy, grief.
BLUEBERRY: Prayer.
BOUVARDIA: Enthusiasm.
BROOM: Humility, neatness.
BUGLE: Lovable, cheers the heart.
BUTTERCUP: Childishness, riches, ingratitude.
BUTTERFLY WEED: Let me go.
CACTUS: Endurance, warmth.
CALENDULA: Grace, grief, jealousy. Also the birthflower for October.
CALLA LILY: Magnificent beauty. Associated with the sixth wedding anniversary.
CAMELLIA: Gratitude, loveliness.
CAMELLIA, PINK: Longing for you.
CAMELLIA, RED: You're a flame in my heart.
CAMELLIA, WHITE: You're adorable.
CARNATION: Fascination, distinction, divine love, woman, yes. Also the birthflower for January.
CARNATION, PINK: A woman's love, I'll never forget you, mother's love.
CARNATION, PURPLE: Capriciousness.
CARNATION, RED: Alas for my poor heart, admiration, my heart aches for you, friendship, pride, fascination.
CARNATION, STRIPED: Refusal, No, sorry I can't be with you.
CARNATION, WHITE: Innocence, faithfulness, sweet and lovely, pure love, ardent love, good luck. These lovely flowers have lasting qualities, and are often handed out on Mother's Day to symbolize the purity and strength of motherhood. They were handed out at the first Mother's Day service in 1908.
CARNATION, YELLOW: Disdain, rejection, you have disappointed me.
CATTAIL: Peace, prosperity.
CEDAR: Strength.
CHESTNUT TREE: Justice, luxury.
CHRISTMAS/LENTEN ROSE (HELLEBORE): Beautiful year ahead.
CHRYSANTHEMUM: Cheerfulness, optimism, rest, truth, long life, joy. Considered to be a noble flower in Asian culture, mums are used as an object of meditation per a suggestion by Confucius. Also the birthflower for November.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, RED: I love.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, WHITE: Truth, loyal love.
CHRYSANTHEMUM, YELLOW: Slighted love.
CLEMATIS: Clever, intellectual. Associated with the eighth wedding anniversary.
CLOVER, FOUR-LEAF: Good luck, be mine. Faith, hope, love, and luck are represented by the four leaves. If you give your lover a four-leaf clover that you found, you belong to each other.
CLOVES: Dignity.
COLUMBINE: Salvation, strength, wisdom.
COREOPSIS: Cheerful.
CORN: Riches.
CORNFLOWER: Delicacy.
COSMOS: Modesty. Associated with the 2nd wedding anniversary.
COWSLIP: Grace, beauty.
CRANBERRY: Heartache cure.
CROCUS: Cheerfulness, gladness, abuse not.
CYCLAMEN: Resignation, good-bye.
CYPRESS: Mourning, death.
DAFFODIL: Regard, rebirth, new beginnings, unrequited love, you're the only one, chivalry, eternal life. Associated with the tenth wedding anniversary. Also the birthflower for March.
DAFFODIL, SINGLE: Misfortune.
DAFFODIL, SEVERAL: Joy, happiness.
DAHLIA: Instability, dignity, forever, good taste. Associated with the fourteenth wedding anniversary.
DAISY: Innocence, loyal love, I'll never tell, purity, love that conquers all. Associated with the fifth wedding anniversary.
DANDELION: Faithfulness, happiness, love's oracle.
DAY LILY: Coquetry, Chinese emblem for mother. Associated with the twentieth wedding anniversary.
DELPHINIUM: Big-hearted, fun.
DOGWOOD: Durability.
ELDER: Zealousness.
ELDERBERRY: Zeal, kindness.
ELM: Dignity.
EREMURUS: Endurance.
EUPHORBIA: Persistence.
FENNEL: Strength, praise.
FERN: Sincerity, magic, fascination, confidence, shelter.
FEVERFEW: Good health.
FILBERT: Reconciliation.
FIR: Time.
FLAX: Domestic symbol, fate, kindness.
FLEUR-DE-LIS: Flame.
FLYTRAP: Deceit.
FORGET-ME-NOT: True love, hope, remembrance, memories.
FORSYTHIA: Anticipation.
FOXGLOVE: Insincerity.
FREESIA: Innocence, thoughtfulness.
FUSCHIA: Taste. Associated with the third wedding anniversary.

Visit for more meanings of flowers:

http://marriage.about.com/od/flowers/a/flowermean.htm

Most floral arrangements last 4-7 days or longer, depending on the flowers used and the care they receive. The Society of American Florists provides these tips for longer-lasting, more vibrant flowers:

For floral arrangements

• Keep the vase filled (or floral foam soaked) with water containing a flower food provided by your florist. Flower foods make flowers last longer but it is important to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet. Most packets are to be mixed with either a pint or a quart of water. Flower foods should not be diluted with more water than is specified on the packet.
• If the flower food solution becomes cloudy, replace it entirely with properly mixed flower food solution. If possible, re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Be sure to use a sharp knife or clippers that will not crush the stems. Immediately place the stems into solution.
• Keep flowers in a cool spot (65 to 72 degrees Fahrenheit), away from direct sunlight, heating or cooling vents, directly under ceiling fans, or on top of televisions or radiators. (Appliances like televisions give off heat, which causes flowers to dehydrate.) Most flowers will last longer under cool conditions.
For loose bunches or boxed flowers
• Keep your flowers in a cool place until you can get them in a flower food solution. Don't forget how important it is to follow the mixing directions on the flower food packet.
• Fill a clean (washed with a detergent or antibacterial cleaning solution), deep vase with water and add a flower food from your florist.
• Remove leaves that will be below the waterline. Leaves in water will promote bacterial microbial growth that may limit water uptake by the flower.
• Re-cut stems by removing one to two inches with a sharp knife. Place the flowers in the vase solution you've prepared.
Selecting Flowers
• When selecting flowers, look for flowers with upright, firm petals and buds beginning to open. Yellow, spotted or drooping leaves are signs of age.
• When using woody stems and branches (such as quince, forsythia or lilac), cut the stem with sharp pruning shears. Place them in warm water containing fresh flower food to promote flower opening.