The symbolic meaning of FLOWERS!
In Western culture many flowers represent different symbolic meanings, and assigning flowers for these different meanings is known as floriography.
Some of these many of us are familiar with – for example, which person in love does not understand the meaning of the red rose as the symbol of love, and passion? Poppies are for consoling those in times of death – red poppies are worn to commemorate the fallen soldiers of wars gone by. The resurrection of life is symbolised by Lilies and Irises. And of course daisies are a symbol of innocence.
For many centuries the wonderful variety of flowers has inspired both artists and poets alike especially in the 18th and 19th Centuries. The likes of William Wordsworth during the Romantic era wrote “Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”. Many of us had to learn this poem by William Wordsworth, which still inspires nostalgic memories for so many of us:
“ I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils;
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.”
Some of the most famous paintings from well-known artists are of flowers, such as the Sun flower series by Van Gogh, or the famed Water lilies by Monet. The Roman Goddess of flowers ,seasons and gardens is Flora and the Greek Goddess of Spring, flowers and Nature is Chloris.
Often depicted in Hindu mythology, Vishnu is depicted standing on a Lotus Flower.
At least 10% of the world’s flowering plants are found in South Africa. Unique to South Africa is that it has an entire plant kingdom right inside its borders, this being the Cape Florisit Kingdom. Some 8 600 species of plants can be found here, of which 68% of them are endemic. Ericas, proteas and restios are unique to the Cape Fynbos area, of which the King Protea is the national flower.
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The red disa orchid is one of 550 wild orchids found in South Africa, and is found in mountainous regions. Gardens and gardeners throughout the world have South Africa to thank for Indigenous flowers that have been introduced all over to the world’s most important gardens: they are the agapanthus, gladioli, and Barberton daisies.
