Where Did The Tradition Of Giving Flowers Started

By Mark Scott

Giving flowers or bouquets is perhaps the best way to communicate one's feelings. Flowers and bouquets have come to be used for varied purposes, from congratulating someone on the occasion of his or her birthday or anniversary to conveying an apology, or even to just see a smile on someone's face.

It is believed that this custom has roots in prehistoric traditions whose conclusive proof has been unearthed by excavators at archaeological sites. Ancient Greek mythology, Chinese stories and history surrounding the Romans and Egyptians all display that flowers had a very important part to play in their culture. Giving flowers was considered the most effective way to communicate one's feelings in these cultures. Greek mythology is replete with identification of certain flowers that were thought to be representations of gods and goddesses.

The Middle Ages saw a furtherance of this custom, and France and England were chiefly responsible for carrying this legacy down the ages. Today as we have given meaning to each flower, we are in fact echoing an old Turkish tradition brought into Europe by the French and the British.

Flower gifting gained much significance among the Victorians who greatly indulged in this tradition. Victorians, as we know, never exhibited their emotions publicly and hence the practice of gifting flowers or bouquets was regarded an excellent way to convey feelings without using a lot of words.

The present rules of giving flowers or bouquets were laid down during this era. To take an example, buying a bouquet of red roses from a florist and presenting to your beloved upside down would clearly vex her. Red roses, that otherwise depict love, can depict anger if presented upside down. In fact, a large number of books were written and circulated on the language of flowers in the 19th century.

This tradition has come down the centuries, and today people around the world participate in the act of gifting flowers to convey their feelings. Today we have arrived at a stage where meaning is attributed to many flowers, and preset guidelines in this custom are more significant than they ever were. Gifting red roses is still seen as a passionate demonstration of love, and white lilies are known to represent purity and beauty. A single marigold flower is considered to be an expression of grief, while friendship is best exhibited by a yellow coloured rose.

Any terrain can be made suitable for cultivating any flower, as a result of the progress in modern science and technology. If you are residing in Singapore, then a visit to a Singapore flower shop will definitely provide you with the best quality flowers, both regional as well as exotic varieties, guaranteed to express your emotions to your loved ones in a beautiful manner. - 29857

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