Flower Care And Symbols
Care tips for the delivered bouquets or floral arrangements
No matter what flowers or plants you should receive, make sure you cut the wilted and injured leaves and flowers. They release a substance called ethylene that will make your flowers bloom and wilt faster. Ethylene is a gas that acts as a growth hormone and is used as such in the production of flowers, vegetables and green fruits because it speeds up parching and therefore wilting. Also try to keep bouquets and floral arrangements away from places with strong air currents (air conditioning, permanently open windows or doors) and away from direct sunlight. direct sunrays, warm or cold air currents will dehydrate flowers and leaves faster.
Here's what to know if you want to enjoy as much as you can of the bouquet that you received. Choose a suitable vase for its size. Wash the inside with dishwashing detergent. Fill about two-thirds full with warm water and if you have flower preservative, add it and mix. If not, you can add a half teaspoon of sugar to 0.5 l water. Hold the bouquet just above the conjunction, cut the ties and clean any crushed leaves or sprigs left on the stem so the portion of stems that will stay under water is clean. Take some garden tons or sharp scissors, cut the stems about 2 cm, on the diagonal and place them in water quickly, avoiding prolonged contact with air. Repeat the procedure every 2 days.
If you received a floral arrangement just add water in the bowl or basket in which you received so that vessel is full.
Symbolism of flowers
For those of you who enjoy learning about the symbolism of the flowers and their stories, we've chosen a few beautiful legends about the most classical flowers and the meaning of flowers.
The Legends of the Rose
In a Greek legend, the rose was created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. It was just a lifeless seed of a nymph that Chloris found one day in a clearing in the woods. She asked the help of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, who gave her beauty, Dionysus, the god of wine, added nectar to give her a sweet scent, and the three Graces gave her charm, brightness and joy. Then Zephyr, the West Wind, blew away the clouds so that Apollo, the sun god, could shine and made this flower bloom. And so the Rose was born and was immediately crowned the Queen of Flowers.
In the Roman Empire, the story goes that there was an incredibly beautiful maiden named Rhodanthe. Her beauty drew many zealous suitors who pursued her relentlessly. Exhausted by their pursuit, Rhodanthe was forced to take refuge from her suitors in the temple of her friend Diana. Unfortunately, Diana became jealous. And when the suitors broke down her temple gates to get near their beloved Rhodanthe, she became angry turning Rhodanthe into a rose and her suitors into thorns.
In a Celtic folk legend, a wandering, screaming spirit was silenced by presenting the spirit with a wild rose every new moon.
According to some Biblical legends, the original rose growing in the Garden of Eden was white, but turned red as it blushed with shame upon Adam and Eve's fall from grace.
In German folklore the soul is supposed to take the form of a flower, as a lily or white rose.
To the Arabs, roses signify masculine beauty, and the white rose was often associated with Mohammed.
In Switzerland roses were associated with death, and cemeteries were sometimes called rose gardens. However, the rose also symbolized rebirth and resurrection.
Roses were considered the most sacred flowers in Ancient Egypt and were used as offerings for the Goddess Isis, goddess of motherhood, magic and fertility.
If a maiden had more than one lover, it is believed in one mythology, she should take rose leaves and write the names of her lovers upon them before casting them into the wind. The last leaf to reach the ground would bear the name of the lover whom she should marry.
The Legend Of The Lily-Of-The-Valley
The flower is also known as Our Lady's tears, since, according to Christian legend, the lily of the valley came into being from Eve's tears after she was driven with Adam from the Garden of Eden.
According to another legend, lilies of the valley also sprang from the blood of Saint Leonard, who was a brave fighter and a close friend of King Clovis of 6th century France (of the iris legend). Leonard found life at court unappealing and preferred to live in the woods as a recluse among trees and flowers communing with God. The dragon was not happy having to share his woods with St. Leonard, and in a fierce three day battle which ensued, a lily of the valley appeared wherever St. Leonard's bloods that fell.
The lily-of-the-valley was considered the sign of Christ's second coming, so is often called 'ladder to heaven' of 'Jacob's tears.'
Mary's tears is another name for lily of the valley; legend says that when Mary cried at the cross, her tears turned into this flower.
In Germany and Scandinavian countries, it was thought to be good luck to go to the woods and pick “Virgin's tears” in the spring.
The Legend Of The Forget-Me-Not
In a German legend, after the earth was created, God went to each plant and animal and gave each a name. As God finished and was getting ready to leave, he heard a little voice at his feet saying “what about me?” He bent down and picked up the little plant whom he had forgotten, and said “Because I forgot once, I shall never forget you again, and that shall be your name.”
A Christian legend tells of Christ Child that was sitting on Mary's lap one day and said that he wished that future generations could see her eyes. He touched her eyes and then waved his hand over the ground and blue forget-me-nots appeared, hence the name forget-me-not.
In another legend, the little flower cried out, "Forget-me-not!" as Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden.
Another story suggests because the leaves taste so bad, once you have eaten them, you will never forget them.
The Legend Of The Daffodil
According to the Greek mythology, Echo was a mountain nymph who fell madly in love with a beautiful young man, Narcissus-- a vain youth who cared for nothing but his own beauty. He spent all his time looking at his own reflection in a pool of water and spurned Echo's love until she finally faded away, leaving nothing but her voice. The gods, angry with Narcissus because of his vanity, changed him into a flower who was destined always to sit by a pool nodding at his own reflection.
Venus, god of beauty, governs all daffodils except the yellow, and that belongs to Mars, god of war.
Narcissus was also sacred to to Persephone, embodiment of the earth's fertility and Queen of the Underworld.
The Meaning of Flowers
Lovers have always given flowers to each other as a token of their devotion, and love. The language and meaning of flowers has evolved through the years. This is a guide to the meaning of the flowers that you can consider when you chose your bouquet.
Alstroemeria- friendship & devotion
Amaryllis- pride
Blue violet- modesty, faithfulness
Buttercup- riches