Celebrating April Birthdays With Meaningful Flowers

Do you know someone with a birthday in April? Are you planning on giving them some flowers? An easy way to make your gift extra special is to choose flowers that create a meaningful message.

With knowing just a few things, your floral gift can be personalized specifically for someone with an April birthday.

Birth month flower:

Every month has one or two flowers associated with it - its birth month flower.

The flowers for the month of April are:

Sweet peas: meaning ‘blissful pleasures’ and ‘thank you for a lovely time’

Daisy: meaning ‘innocence’ 

Zodiac:

Every zodiac sign has a flower that represents it.

Aries (March 21-April 19):

Honeysuckle: meaning ‘pure happiness’

Taurus (April 20-May20):

Poppy: meaning ‘remembrance/restful sleep’

Colour:

I’ve chosen colours for this month that are a reflection of its birthstone and that represent this time of year.

Birthstone:

Diamond: colour ‘white’. An array of flowers come in the colour white. A few are roses, carnations, alstroemeria, tulips, daisies, sweet peas.

Seasonal Colours: 

Pink: symbolizing the buds in bloom. Flowers - tulips, sweet peas, spray roses, gerberas.

Pale blue: symbolizing the spring sky. Flowers - hydrangea, delphinium, tweedia.

Seasonal Flowers and their meanings:

Year-round availability:

There is an abundance of  flowers that are available all year long:

Roses (love), carnations (admiration/affection), lilies (beauty), alstroemerias (friendship/devotion), gerberas (cheerfulness), lisianthus (appreciation/gratitude), chrysanthemums (cheerfulness), and snapdragons (graciousness/strength)

Seasonal flowers:

Combine flowers that are available all year long with those that are in bloom during the month of April:

Sweet peas (blissful pleasures/thank you for a lovely time), tulips (perfect love), freesia (friendship), daffodils (new beginnings), and anemone (anticipation)

Personal touch:

Consider the person you’re giving the flowers to. Try adding into your bouquet flowers in their favourite variety or favourite colours.

Top tip:

You don’t need to include all these options. Pick what works best for the message you want to send and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky April birthday person.

My Suggestion:

If I were to give flowers to a friend with a birthday in April, my bouquet would be a big bunch of seasonal blooms.

White freesia to represent friendship, white anemone for anticipation for the year ahead, and pink and white sweet peas to wish a year of blissful pleasures. The white represents April’s birthstone and the pink a seasonal colour.

Happy birthday to everyone with a birthday in April! x

PS - If you’ve ever wanted to get a tattoo of your birth flower (like I have), check out THIS article.

Meaningful Flowers for March Birthdays

Do you know someone with a birthday in March? Are you planning on giving them some flowers? An easy way to make your gift extra special is to choose flowers that create a meaningful message.

With knowing just a few things, your floral gift can be personalized specifically for someone with a March birthday.

Birth month flower:

Every month has a flower associated with it - its birth month flower. The flower for the month of March is the daffodil. The meaning for daffodils is ‘new beginnings’.

Zodiac:

Every zodiac sign has a flower that represents it. The signs and flowers for March birthdays are:

Pisces: February 19 - March 20: Your flower is the water lily. The meaning for water lilies is ‘purity of heart’.

Aries: March 21 - April 19: Your flower is the honeysuckle. Honeysuckle is a symbol of ‘pure happiness’.

(Water lilies and honeysuckle would be difficult to give as a gift, but perhaps you could incorporate them into your gift by getting a card with a picture of a water lily or honeysuckle on it.)

Colour:

Aquamarine: March’s birthstone - a light bluish-green colour. To create a flower arrangement that reflects an aquamarine birthstone, choose light blue flowers mixed with greenery.

Flowers you could use: Hydrangea, tweedia, eryngium, delphinium, and hyacinth.

Yellow: Yellow is another great colour choice for March. It’s a cheerful colour and you’ll easily be able to represent it with March’s flower, the daffodil. (Bonus - a mixture of blue and yellow flowers make a striking combination.)

Seasonal:

March is abundant with flowers that are available all year long, (lilies, alstroemeria, gerberas, lisianthus, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, snapdragons), as well as with spring flowers that are just beginning to burst into bloom.

March flowers: Daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, iris.

Top tip: You don’t need to include all these options. Pick what works best for the message you want to send and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky March birthday person.

Suggestion:

If I were to give flowers to a friend with a birthday in March, I would create a very cheerful and seasonal bouquet with a mixture of daffodils (to symbolize the start of a new year) and tweedia (to represent the aquamarine birthstone). 

(You can learn about meaningful flowers for February birthdays HERE.)

Meaningful Flowers for February Birthdays

Do you know someone with a birthday in February? Are you planning on giving them some flowers? An easy way to make your gift extra special is to create a meaningful message with your choice of flowers.

With knowing just a few things, your floral gift can be personalized specifically for someone with a February birthday.

Birth month flower:

There are two birth month flowers for February. Neither are used in bouquets, but both are widely available in plant form.

Violet: Violets signify loyalty and faithfulness. Giving an African violet plant is a way to say, “I’ll always be here for you.”

Primrose: The most popular meaning for primrose is “I can’t live without you’. 

Zodiac:

Every zodiac sign has a flower that represents it. 

Aquarius: January 20 - February 18: Your flower is the orchid.  The meaning for orchid is ‘refined beauty’. You could add cut orchid stems to a mixed bouquet, or buy an orchid plant.

Pisces: February 19 - March 20: Your flower is the water lily. The meaning for water lilies is ‘purity of heart’. Fresh water lilies would be difficult to give as a gift, but perhaps you could incorporate it into your message by giving a card with a water lily on it.

Colour:

Pink and red are big colours for the month for February, because of Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. I have two other colour choices to recommend:

Purple: The birthstone for February is amethyst. Purple flowers would be a great way to represent it.

Yellow: February is a rather dreary month. Yellow flowers are cheerful and would brighten any room.

BONUS: Purple and yellow work well together is a mixed bouquet.

Seasonal:

February is abundant with flowers that are available all year long, as well as early spring flowers that are just starting to make an appearance. Some to consider:

Lilies, alstroemerias, gerberas, lisianthus, ranunculus, roses, carnations, chrysanthemums, snapdragons, iris, daffodils, and tulips.

Personal touch:

Consider the person you are giving the flowers to. Try adding into your bouquet, flowers in their favourite variety or favourite colour. 

Top tip:

You don’t need to include all these options. Pick what works best for the message you want to send, and you’ll have created a unique and meaningful gift for that lucky February birthday person. 

Suggestion:

If I were to give flowers to a friend with a birthday in February, my bouquet would include:

• Purple alstroemeria: Purple to represent February’s birthstone and alstroemeria for it’s meaning of ‘friendship’.

• Yellow gerberas: Yellow is a cheerful colour and the meaning for gerberas is also ‘cheerful’.

• White tulips: Tulips are just coming into season and white represents ‘honour’ - an important quality in a friendship.
  

Four Facts About Marigolds - October's Birth Month Flower

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of October is the Marigold.

I’ve always thought of marigolds as those little flowering plants you put in your garden to keep the insects away – at least when I was growing up that’s what we used them for. I never once thought of them as a decorative flower. But I’ve learned a lot recently including the symbolism and meaning marigolds have and how they’re used in different cultural celebrations. Here are four interesting facts about marigolds - and one important lesson.

1 - If we look at marigolds in the language of flowers, traditionally they’ve had the rather negative meaning of despair and grief. Thankfully, over time that has changed. These brightly coloured little flower balls that look like rays of sunshine now symbolize optimism and success.

 2 - In Mexico, marigolds are one of the main flowers used during their ‘Day of the Dead’ celebration. This is when it’s believed the spirits of the dead visit the living. Marigolds adorn special alters and it’s believed their scent and bright colours attract and guide the souls to them. This is a happy occasion and the cheerful looking marigolds certainly help to create the right celebratory atmosphere. 

3 - In India, marigolds play a role in festivals and rituals. One of the special occasions they're used in is weddings. Couples getting married use garlands of vibrant marigolds to brighten up their wedding venue. And while great as a festive decoration, marigolds also have religious and devotional significance making them extra special and important. 

4 - Marigolds are edible. The petals can be used in sweet or savoury dishes and make a colourful garnish on a salad.

While researching ‘October’s birth month flower’, I learned a lot of new things, but there’s one thing I’m still not really sure about. Since marigolds are mostly a summer flower flourishing best in full sun, why are they the flower for the month of October? Whatever the reason is, I hope that if you have an October birthday you’ll take some joy from the fact that you have a bright, cheerful, and meaningful flower to represent you!

PS And if you know the answer to why marigolds are the flower for the month of October, please let us know in the comment section below.

9 Fun Facts about September's Flower - the Aster

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of September is the aster.

Asters have never been a flower I’ve swooned over, but lately, I’ve been won over by their autumnal charm. More and more I’m drawn to flowers when they’re blooming locally in season, and asters are a bright spot in gardens and arrangements in early fall that you just can’t miss. I’m not a gardener, but if I was, I imagine this flower would be on display in a prominent location. 

All about asters:

• The name aster comes from the Greek word ‘star’, which is very fitting as and it certainly shines brightly as an autumn flower. 

•  Asters are also known as Michaelmas daisy, starworts, and frost flowers.

• While available all year long at the florist, this flower tends to bloom locally in late summer and early autumn. 

• Asters are often mistaken as part of the daisy family as they do have a ‘daisy-like’ look, but they are in fact a member of the sunflower family. 

• Asters come in an array of colours, but the most common are purple, lilac, pink, and white. 

• Asters are one of the last flowers of the season for pollinators like bees.

• In the language of flowers, the main meanings for asters are love, daintiness, and patience. 

• Asters make great cut flowers. Their vase life is 7-14 days. They look great on their own, but they also pair well with chrysanthemums or roses. 

• As well as being the birth month flower for September, asters are the flower associated with the 20th wedding anniversary. 

If you know someone with a September birthday or celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary, why not pick up a bunch or two of asters to give as a gift. They look great displayed in a pitcher-style vase on their own, or if they’re mixed in with a variety of other flowers they’ll add a dainty wispiness to the arrangement. 

Gladiolus - The Flower for August

Every month has a specific flower assigned to - it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of August is the gladiolus.

Gladiolus is a dramatic, striking-looking flower. Its tall, elegant stems are topped with multiple flower blossoms with frilly, ruffled edges. ‘Glads’, as they’re fondly referred to, come in a multitude of colours – white, pinks, purples, oranges, yellows, and reds. They make superb cut flowers and are often used in memorial arrangements, as a tribute to loved ones.

The fun thing about gladiolus is its name. It means ‘little sword’ in Latin, and in fact, is sometimes called ‘the sword lily’. It’s also associated with the Roman word for gladiators. Legend has it when someone gives a gladiolus as a gift, the giver is ‘piercing the recipient's heart with love’. In the language of flowers, the meaning for gladiolus is ‘strength of character’ – another reference to their connection with gladiators. 

Gladioli’s vase life is one to two weeks depending on how you care for them. To get the best results, the first thing you need to do is make sure you select straight, strong, fresh stems with flower buds just starting to open up and show their colour. Once you get them home choose a heavy vase that is one-third the height of the flowers. This flower arrangement will be top-heavy. If you feel the base of your vase isn’t heavy enough to be stable and could tip over once the flowers are added, put some pebbles or decorative glass beads into the bottom of it. I also choose a wide-mouthed vase so the gladioli have room to fan out, letting the bottom florets be seen, as well the top. Then all you need to do is keep your vase topped up with fresh water to keep these flowers looking bright and fresh for as long as possible. 

Note: As well as being the flower for the month of August, Gladiolus is the flower associated with a fortieth wedding anniversary.

Larkspur - July's Flower

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of July is larkspur.

Larkspur may not be one of the most familiar flowers, but never the less, it is the flower for the month of July. For me, larkspur is quite fitting for July, as it represents the strong bonds of love and I have two daughters who were born in this month; it’s a wonderful symbol for the feelings I have.

Larkspur is a tall, linear flower hosting dozen of little blooms along its strong stem. Even though it’s capable of growing up to eight feet, it still has levity and lightness to it. Larkspur has a crisp, refreshing fragrance and comes in hues of pink, purple, blue, and white. 

While in general, it’s meaning in the language of flowers is ‘an open heart’, the symbolism changes with the colour of the blossom. Pink symbolizes contrariness, purple strong bonds of love, blue dignity and grace, and white a happy nature. It’s interesting to note that all the colours have positive meanings except for pink. I wonder why?

As with all flowers, the best time to buy larkspur is when they are locally in season. They generally bloom from early spring into late fall. They make a beautiful display just on their own, or as a part of a mixed bouquet. The key to displaying them is to use a tall vase. I prefer one with a wider mouth so the larkspur has space to spread out allowing you to see the florets lower down on each stem.

Something I just recently learned is larkspur is a great flower to dry. Hang them upside down in a warm, dry room for a couple of weeks and they’re ready for you to use as a more permanent display.

Top tip:  The best time to cut larkspur for drying is when the blossoms are open about halfway up the spike and before any petals have started to drop off.

Roses- Part 2

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of June is the rose.

This is part two of “Getting to Know Roses”. Part 1 looked at how roses get their names and their meanings in the language of flowers. Now we’re going to compare ‘standard’ roses to ‘garden’ roses, and I’ll share tips and tricks on how to buy and care for them.

When buying roses as a cut flower, there is a world of difference between ‘standard’ roses and ‘garden’ roses.

 Standard roses: Standard roses are probably what you will find when you go to buy flowers at the grocery store, corner shop and even your local florist. They have one stem per bloom and their petals are almost a pointed shape that rotate around a tight center. They don’t open up a great amount and they likely have no – or very little – fragrance, but they do come in a wide range of colours.

Most rose farms in the world grow standard roses because they’re able to get many blooms per acre planted. These types of roses are a staple in any florists cooler as they have a long vase life (up to two weeks) and are reasonably priced. 

Garden roses: Garden roses are what you imagine when you think of a traditional rose. They have dense layers of petals around a rosette center and waft an unbelievably nostalgic fragrance. Their beauty is undeniable and their romantic nature makes them a very popular choice for weddings and events. There are fewer farms that grow garden roses, and those plants tend to be less productive, yielding blooms that only have a 5-7 day vase life. The difficulty in producing this delicate bloom, combined with the high demand for them, makes them more expensive than standard roses. 

Buying and caring for roses:

There are an endless variety of roses. They make wonderful gifts, are perfect decoration for a special occasion and enhance the beauty of any surrounding. 

When you’re going to purchase some roses – either standard or garden – there are some things you should know to ensure you get the healthiest product available and get the longest possible vase life from your purchase. Here’s what you need to know:

1 – The first thing you should do is ask the florist or shop owner when they received the flowers. This will give you a good indication of their freshness. The more days they’ve been in the shop, the fewer days they’ll be in your vase.

2 – There’s something called a ‘bullet rose’. These are roses with the petals so tight together that they’ll never open. To make sure it’s not a bullet rose, check the petals at the top of the flower and make sure they are a little bit loose.

3 – Make sure the petals aren’t ‘too loose’. If the rose is fully open, it’s not going to last much longer. 

4 – Check there are no brown spots on the petals. If there are, give them a miss as this means they were either unhealthy to begin with, or are dying rapidly. 

Now you have your roses, here are some tips on how to care for them:

1 – When you get them home remove all the leaves that will be below the water line once you put them in a vase. Leaves will add bacteria to the water causing them to perish quicker.

2 – Re-cut the stems at an angle and place them directly in a vase filled with fresh clean water.

3 – Keep the flowers out of direct sunlight, heat sources, and drafts. 

4 – Every 2-3 days, re-cut the stems and put in fresh water. 

5 – If you put garden roses in warm water it will help the rosebuds to open. 

If you shop knowledgeably for roses and put a little bit of time and effort into caring for them, you’ll be able to enjoy them day, after day, after day. 

We already know that the rose is the birth month flower for June. Here are some other fun facts:

• It is the national flower for the UK and the USA.

• It is the official state flower for New York, North Dakota, and Georgia.

• There are over a hundred species of roses.

• A ‘Black Rose’ is not actually black but a dark red.

• Roses are edible. Just make sure no chemicals or pesticides have been used on them.

And in finishing, I share with you again one of my all-time favourite quotes to reflect on:

“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.” – Abraham Lincoln 

How Does a Rose Get its Name?

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. The flower for the month of June is the rose.

The world has a love affair with roses. Their beauty mesmerizes us. Their shapes - classic, spray, garden, ruffled, sweetheart; their colours - reds, oranges, yellows, greens, purples, pinks, white; their meanings - love, friendship, joy, admiration, enthusiasm, adoration (all those beautiful positive feelings); and their fragrances - sweet, spicy, musky, fruity, fresh and intoxicating. Roses are truly the Queen of all flowers! 

Let’s get to know roses a little better. In fact, I’m going to make this a two-part blog post! This first part will look at how roses are named, along with their meanings in the language of flowers. The second part will compare ‘garden’ roses to ‘standard’ roses, and I’ll share tips and tricks on how to buy and care for them.

How roses get their names:

Bella Rosa, Coral Seas, Golden Angel, Lovely Lady, Tranquility –the names for roses are diverse, descriptive, imaginative, and just plain fun to learn. I was thrilled to find out there is a ‘Mary Rose’, and not only is it a lovely shade of pink (my favourite colour), but it’s a garden rose full of loose petals with a delicious fragrance. What could be better than that!

So where do roses get their names? The simple answer - the breeder gets to name the rose. Historically the breeder chose a name that described the flower’s heritage, or named them after family members. That evolved to using the names of royalty and then famous people. In today’s world, the name of the rose is quite important, as marketers want a name that is memorable and will sell. 

Are you wondering if you can name a rose? Well, you can, but that’s actually a very expensive process. However, for a more reasonable price, what you can do is name a single rose bush. What a great gift for a loved one! There are places in Canada and the UK where you can inquire about this.

Rose meanings in the language of flowers:

Now let’s move onto the meanings of the different colours of roses in the language of flowers.  While it’s universally known that the red rose symbolizes love, the meanings of the other colours are not as well known . Here’s a list:

• Pink (dark): Gratitude

• Pink (light): Admiration and joy

• Orange: Enthusiasm

• Yellow: Friendship

• Green: Rejuvenation 

• Purple: Enchantment

• White: Innocence

Using the colour and meaning of the roses together is a great way to customize a gift for a friend or loved one.

Coming up next, all about garden roses, standard roses and tips and tricks on how to care for them.

If there’s anything in particular you would like to know, put it in the comments below and I’ll get back to you.

Five Facts About Lily of the Valley

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’.

 There’s one flower that truly represents the month of May - lily of the valley.  Where I live in Vancouver, at this time of year, lily of the valley is just starting to pop up in people’s gardens. It’s small and sweet and when I’m out for a walk and spot it, I feel as though I’ve come across a little treasure.

Here are five fun facts about this dainty, delicate, fragrant bloom:

1 – Lily of the valley isn’t actually part of the lily family, but part of the asparagus family;

2 – Lily of the valley is the birth month flower for May, the flower for second wedding anniversaries, and the national flower for Finland;

3 – In the language of flowers lily of the valley’s meaning is ‘return to happiness’. They’re also said to bring ‘luck in love’, making them a very popular flower choice for wedding bouquets;

4 – On May 1st, the French give small bunches of lily of the valley to family and friends to symbolize good luck;

5 – Lily of the valley has a delicate, spring-like scent that is fresh and clear. If it’s distinct fragrance is something you just can’t do without, you’re in luck - many perfumes use this scent. Two to try: ‘Lily of the Valley and Ivy, ‘ by Jo Malone, and ‘Lily of the Valley’, by Penhaligon.

Five Facts About Sweet Peas

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’.

It’s April, the time when spring flowers really start to bloom. The flower for April is one that I’ve never actually seen blooming during this month – at least not where I live - but it does happen to be one of my favourite flowers. It’s the delicate, fragrant, sweet pea.

My first memory of any flower is of sweet peas. When I was 6 years old, we had a trellis at the end of the garden where they grew. To this day, whenever I get even a whiff of the fragrance of sweet peas it takes me right back to that garden of my childhood. 

Part of the appeal of sweet peas is they combine an old-world charm with a simple, contemporary look. They were a favourite during the Victorian era and their popularity has never wavered. Here are five facts about sweet peas:

1 – They’re a very satisfying flower to grow. They look great in the garden but also make a wonderful cut flower;

2 -The vase life for sweet peas is about 5 days. Keeping them in a cooler place, changing the water every other day and re-cutting the stems may give you a few extra days;

3 – Don’t be fooled by their name – sweet peas are not edible;

4 – In the language of flowers, sweet peas mean thank you, appreciation, farewell or delicate pleasures. These meanings, combined with it being the flower for the month of April, means you have many gift-giving opportunities for sweet peas;  

5 – Sweet peas have a slender stem. The best way to display them is to put them in a vase with a narrow neck to support them.

The fragrance of sweet peas can provoke strong memories, so why not pick up a bunch and take a trip down memory lane. And if sweet peas aren’t part of your past, make them a part of your future and start that memory connection today.

A Host of Daffodils

Every month has a specific flower assigned to it – it’s ‘birth month flower’. 

Many flowers start to bloom in the early spring, but one of the most symbolic for this season is the daffodil – the flower for the month of March. 

Everyone who knows me knows I go for a walk every single day, no matter if it’s the hottest day of summer or the coldest day of winter. As I walk through the neighbourhood, I love to watch the seasons change. One of the first hints that spring is on the way is when the daffodils start popping up they’re like little rays of hope reminding us that warmer, lighter days are ahead. Nobody has captured this annual sighting of daffodils better than William Wordsworth when he said:

“I wandered lonely as a cloud. 
That floats on high o’ver vales and hills, 
When all at once I saw a crowd, 
A host of golden daffodils”

When my Mum was growing up in England, the village children worked in the daffodil fields during spring break. They started with picking the flowers, and then moved on to bundling them. This involved wrapping an elastic band around 12 stems of daffodils. My Mum remembers the elastics cutting into their hands and how all the sap from the stems would run into the open wounds stinging like crazy. I cringe at the thought of it, but in true British fashion, my Mum just says ‘We soon toughened up.’

Daffodil bulbs are planted in the autumn. Because of their ability to survive harsh winter conditions, and then bloom brightly in the spring, they represent hope and new beginnings. The Canadian Cancer Society has taken that sentiment to heart and uses the daffodil as their symbol to represent the difficulties that those affected by cancer experience, and the courage that carries them through.

Daffodils really are best when they are locally in season, but the season is short, so keep your eyes open for them and treat yourself (and others) to these springtime delights while you can.

To note: You may have heard that you can’t mix daffodils with other flowers because of the toxic sap they have being harmful to other plants. While this is true, if you soak the daffodils for 24 hours first, you can then add other varieties of flowers into the vase. (Just don’t re-cut the daffodil stems as this will re-release the toxins.)