The Delicate Art Of Floral Arrangement

We give floral arrangements for many reasons and occasions. We acknowledge achievements and milestones, such as a big promotion or a graduation. We celebrate a new life brought into the world and another year survived on birthdays. We send a token of remembrance when a loved one passes away. We send flowers to our sweethearts on anniversaries and Valentine's Day so our beloved will know that they are in our minds and our hearts.

We send flowers to say “get well soon” when our friends are laid up or “welcome to the neighborhood” to new neighbors. Poinsettias send a cheerful Christmas greeting. Indeed, floral arrangements make a welcome gift for just about any holiday imaginable. Sometimes we send flowers just because we miss someone or are thinking of them.

Sometimes flowers speak a secret language of sorts. Everyone knows red roses represent love, yellow tulips represent hopeless love, violets mean faithful love and forget-me-nots are for true love. Basil stands for hatred and butterfly weed means let me go. Daisies represent innocence and ferns represent sincerity.

The most elaborate floral arrangements are usually reserved for formal occasions such as weddings. We decorate the church and hall, centerpieces sit on every table and the bride carries a beautiful bouquet as she walks down the aisle to meet her husband-to-be. After the ceremony, it's customary for the bride to toss her bouquet among the unmarried women at the wedding in order to pass along good wishes for another woman to experience marital bliss.