Birth Flowers Meanings…
To celebrate the launch of the new Birth Flower collection I thought I’d do a little research into the flowers for each month and their meanings. Now I’m not a huge believer in things like star signs etc, unless they say what I want to hear of course! And there are various interpretations of the flowers for the different months and their meanings but I do think there’s something romantic about having a flower associated with your birth and the attributes to boot.
January - Carnation - devotion, loyalty, love.
An overlooked flower in my opinion the Carnation is a real beauty, good for those on a budget, long lasting in a vase and will always remind me of my Nan, namesake of the business, as she always had them in her garden. It is said that those born in January make loyal and dependable friends. The colour also holds meaning, pink as a sign of affection, red for love and yellow indicating rejection or disappointment so choose wisely!
February - Violet - virtue, modesty, humility.
These miniature beauties have been around for centuries with the ancient Greeks first using them in herbal remedies and even to sweeten wine. With their heart shaped petals it’s fitting that they are the flower for the month of love and representing the values of modesty and humility it’s also where the term ‘shrinking violet’ comes from too.
March - Daffodil - new beginnings, prosperity, happiness.
The best month of the year in my opinion, which of course has nothing to do with the fact it is my birth month! I love that the Daffodil is a sign of new beginnings and prosperity because what better way to start another turn around the sun. In Wales they are celebrated as the national flower and in China they are seen as a sign of good luck as they bloom around Chinese New Year.
April - Daisy - purity, innocence, loyal love.
April’s flower, the Daisy, is associated with loyal love, hence the game of ‘he loves me, he loves me not’ you might have played when you were younger. It’s name comes from the term ‘days eye’ as daisies actually close at night and open again when the sun comes up, hence the term ‘fresh as a daisy’!
May - Lily of the Valley - hope, purity, sweetness.
The exclusive Lily of the Valley is the birth flower for May. Popular in bridal bouquets because of their dainty appearance, sweet fragrance and association with purity and humility and is a particularly popular choice for royal brides. According to the Victorian language of flowers it represents a ‘return to happiness’ and unlike others its clear why Lily of the Valley is the flower for May as its Latin name ‘Convallaria majalis’ literally translates to ‘May valley’.
June - Rose - love, beauty, humour.
One of the most popular blooms, especially to give to someone you love, is the Rose, birth flower for June. The ancient Greeks and Romans first associated roses to love and passion when they were associated to the goddesses Venus, Isis and Aphrodite. The meaning of Roses varies depending on their colour with red representing romance and love, orange associated with passion and yellow for friendship.
July - Delphinium - positivity, dignity, joy.
One of the true blue flowers the Delphinium, birth flower for July, is associated with positivity and joy which makes it the perfect flower to give to someone who needs a bit of a positive pick me up. It gets its name from the Greek word ‘delphis’ which means dolphin, in reference to the shape of the closed flower buds looking like the nose of a dolphin and they can grow to 6ft tall!
August - Gladiolus - strength, generosity, integrity.
The name Gladiolus is derived from the Latin word ‘gladius’ meaning sword. Back in Ancient Rome gladiators would fight to the death in the arena and it was tradition for the victors to be showered with gladiolus, hence their association with the qualities of strength and integrity. They are part of the Lily family and there have been medicinal uses of the flower, mashing the seeds to draw out splinters and mixing with milk to treat colic.
September - Aster - wisdom, faith, valour.
September’s birth flower, the Aster, is named after the Greek word for ‘star’ reflecting their star shaped flower head. A wildflower, there are more than 600 species and a range of colours. The ancient Greeks believed that Asters were created when the Greek god, Astraea, cried one night about the lack of stars in the sky and as her tears hit the ground they turned into the star-shaped Aster flowers.
October - Marigold - passionate, creative, driven.
Known for their vibrant autumnal colours, Marigolds open when the sun comes out and are native to the Mediterranean. As one of autumn’s hardiest flowers they are often associated with a stubborn determination to succeed. There is a long tradition of using Marigolds medicinally to heal skin problems and inflammation.
November - Chrysanthemum - friendship, joy, happiness.
Chrysanthemums were first cultivated in China but in Japan the flower is so celebrated that it has a special day dedicated to its honour, Chrysanthemum Day or the Festival of Happiness, celebrated on September 9th each year. They come in a whole host of varieties and colours, red typically representing love and passion, white for pure love and yellow for neglected love or sorrow. Although they are often associated with friendship they are also believed to bring joy and good luck.
December - Narcissus - rebirth, faithfulness, prosperity.
Narcissus, the birth flower of December, is most often associated with rebirth and renewal because it is one of the earliest bulbs to sprout. The Narcissus is most commonly affiliated with Greek mythology where the young man Narcissus became obsessed with his own beauty. He was punished by being cursed to look at his own appearance in the river & then falling in and drowning and Narcissus flowers are often found growing on the banks of rivers and lakes.
So there we have it, all 12 birth flowers and their meanings. I’ve loved sending out all the birth flower prints and cards so far and there have been some lovely personalisations. Still a few weeks left of Aster for any September birthdays!
I have a new collection launching soon too so if you want to be the first to see the newbies and grab a cheeky discount make sure you sign up to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!
