Find Your Local Florist:Everything you want to know about flowers!
Each year on the first Sunday after Labor Day, we celebrate some very special people in our lives: our grandparents! This year, Grandparents Day falls on Sunday, September 11th, and it’s the perfect time to show your grandparents some love and let them know you’re thinking of them! [Read more…]
Valentine’s Day happens every year on February 14th, and it’s one of the most popular times to send flowers to your loved ones! But what is Valentine’s Day really all about? Keep reading to learn more about its history and about the best flowers to send on this special day.
There are many varieties of lilies, and Stargazer lilies have become one of the most popular. They are commonly used by florists and gardeners, despite the fact that they are a recent addition to the lily family. With their faces turned towards the sky, these beautiful flowers make a wonderful gift for any occasion. Keep reading to learn more about their origin, meaning, and some interesting facts: [Read more…]
Whether you’re falling for someone new or you’re madly in love with your lifelong partner, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to let them know how you really feel. Choose the perfect blooms this year to express your love! [Read more…]
Whether it’s going to see The Nutcracker together or opening a gift a day early, Christmas traditions are important for every family who celebrates the holiday. Traditions are the way of Christmastime, even with flowers! Celebrate Christmas this year by sending flowers traditionally associated with Christmas. [Read more…]
Let’s start the summer off by learning about the fourth most popular flower in the world, lilies. Lilies are popular for their large trumpet-shaped petals and strong scent. This flower comes in a variety of different shapes, sizes and colors. With over 100 genuses in the Liliaceae family there is much to learn!
Origins and Symbolism
Lilies are native to the Northern Hemisphere in Asia, Europe and North America. In the Victorian Era lilies earned the meaning “majesty,” due to their unique shape and long-time association with the Virgin Mary. People during this era would wear lilies in their hair and pinned to evening gowns.
The lily symbolizes purity and refined beauty. Each color of the lily though represents a different meaning. White lilies symbolize purity and modesty, orange lilies symbolize passion, and pink lilies symbolize wealth and prosperity.
When thinking about which flower to spotlight for April, there could only ever be one choice. Which flower is most synonymous with April? Like Valentine’s Day is to the rose so Easter is to the Lily.
Lily OriginsThe fact is, nobody knows where and/or when the lily was discovered. Because it grows in the northern hemisphere in Asia, Europe and North America, it is very possible that the lily has been part of human society as long as such a thing as human society has ever existed. And since humanity and the lily share similar geographical origins, it should come as no surprise that it has cropped up as a symbol in both religious writings and myth that date back to ancient times.
The lily was believed by the ancient Greeks to have been created when a drop of milk fell from Hera’s breast while unwittingly feeding the baby Hercules. (Zeus put her to sleep for the event because she would never have allowed it otherwise. Hercules was the result of one of Zeus’ byblows and as Zeus’ wife, she would be unsurprisingly reluctant to allow the result of that affair to nurse and thus become a god.) The Greeks saw it as a symbol of birth and motherhood. Because of the pistol in the center, they also saw it as a masculine symbol of high eroticism and sexuality.
In Roman mythology, Venus, goddess of love was jealous of the flower’s beauty and thus forced the pistol to rise from it’s center in an attempt to mar its perfection. It was sacred in Minoan society, and a painted image was found in Crete which dates back to ~1580 B.C.E.
The Lily and ChristianityThe lily is mentioned in both testaments of the Holy Bible, and has become associated with the Virgin Mary as a symbol of purity and chastity. It was also considered representative of death and was adopted as a symbol for the loss of children and the martyrdom of saints.
The Easter lily, a flower most Americans recognize on site and associate with the religious holiday, are native to Japan and did not even in exist in American greenhouses until after WWI when a soldier by the name of Louis Houghton brought some bulbs home after his stay in that country. The American-grown version exploded in popularity during WWII when the Japanese supply was cut-off. It’s popularity has remained and it is the face of the holiday for many families.
The lily has many different meanings. Here they are in no particular order:
The lily is a flower rich in history and symbolic meaning. It is beautiful and loved throughout the world by people of all cultures and creeds. It is a popular flower and one that you should have no trouble locating at your local florist.
So send a friend or loved one a bouquet or arrangement with meaning, send them some lilies!
What type of flower is this? Its an outdoor flower…that’s all I know. – Aubrey
Flower Shop Network Plant Expert Reply:
Aubrey,
It looks like a type of lily, most likely an Asiatic lily. When the bloom opens, we maybe able to give you a more definitive identification. Hope this helps.
With Easter just around the corner, we had to highlight the holiday’s favorite flower – the Easter lily!
The lily has long symbolized purity, virtue and faith for Christians. Medieval depictions of the Blessed Virgin Mary often show her holding these flowers and even in King Solomon’s Temple there were designs of lilies on the columns.Lilies were also found growing in the Garden of Gethsemane after Christ’s agony. Tradition has it that the beautiful white lilies sprung up where drops of Christ’s sweat fell to the ground in his final hours of sorrow and deep distress. For this reason, you will see Easter lilies on decorating pulpits, alters and more in churches all across the world.
The regal, white lily is a fitting symbol of the greater meaning of Easter. Gracing millions of homes and churches, the flowers embody joy, hope and life. Whether given as a gift or enjoyed in your own home, the Easter Lily serves as a beautiful reminder that Easter is a time for rejoicing and celebrating.
By Louise Lewin Matthews, this poem captures the spiritual essence of the Easter Lily:
Easter morn with lilies fair
Fills the church with perfumes rare,
As their clouds of incense rise,
Sweetest offerings to the skies.
Stately lilies pure and white
Flooding darkness with their light,
Bloom and sorrow drifts away,
On this holy hallow’d day.
Easter Lilies bending low in the golden afterglow,
Bear a message from the sod
To the heavenly towers of God.
-Louise Lewin Matthews
Whether you’re tending an Easter lily from years past, buying a new one for yourself, or sending a lily as an Easter gift, always always always use a real local florist when you buy plants and flowers. You can use Flower Shop Network’s handy florist finder to find a florist near you!
This month’s favorite flower arrangement is simple, yet perfect for this season. Lilies and April go together like peanut butter and jelly. These soft pink blooms are long-lasting and full of character. Blushing Beauty is the perfect name for this arrangement. You can see these blooms look like they are blushing with shyness. If pink isn’t your style, you might also choose white, orange or whatever other color lily your local florist may have. Just give them a call!
