Giving Meanings Of Flowers With The FlowerFlowers and herbs of all shapes and beauty have circled the earth for over 200 million years. With a history like that, it is no wonder that we have an affinity for them. Apart from their beauty and the meanings of flowers, flowers hold many medicinal properties. 
Sunflowers are an interesting flower, for when they see the sun, they turn their heads to face it. Originating in Central and South America they are not only radiant but their seeds are said to be enriched with all the body needs: healthy fats, protein, fiber, minerals, and vitamin E. It is everything a body needs to ensure a healthy diet. The Sunflower beams with adoration and sunshine.
The Calendula is a member of the marigold family which traditionally is a herb however its bright yellow blossoms make it shine like a flower. The Romans used Calendula mixed with vinegar to season their meat and salad dishes. The Calendula blossoms mixed in with wine were also thought to soothe indigestion. The petals were used in ointments which cured skin irritations, jaundice, sore eyes, and toothaches. Early Christians called this flower Mary's Gold. Being associated with religion and healing, Calendula is said to be of the most sacred flower to ancient India.
The Daisy is prominent in many cultures and holds a substantial history. Marguerite is the French word for daisy. It comes from a Greek word meaning ‘pearl’. Francis I affectionately referred to his sister as Marguerite of Marguerites. She wore the daisy as her symbol. The actual name of the flower was given by the English, day's eye. It refers to the way the flower opens and closes with the sun. Because of this, primitive medical men concluded it must be an intended cure for eye troubles.The Daisy makes an appearance in an old Celtic legend which states that the spirits of children who died during childbirth, scatter daisies on the earth to soothe their grieving parents. 
In Assyria, Assyrians took a more youthful look at Daisies. Crushing them, they would mix in oil to turn gray hair dark again.King Henry VIII used daisies to relieve stomach-ulcer pain. During that era, the remedy for insanity was to drink crushed daisies, in small doses, for 15 days steeped in wine. In old England, a saying was born: spring will not come until you can set your foot on twelve daises. In Britain, the stem of the Gladiolus was used as a poultice for drawing out thorns and splinters. They also mixed powdered corms (bulbous part of the root) and goat's milk as a remedy for colic. 
Well over a thousand years ago, Tulips grew wild in Persia. The Persian poets would sing its praises and the artists would sketch and paint its beauty. Due to the Tulips wide popularity, Europe considered the tulip the symbol of the Ottoman Empire.
The Tulip phenomenon flourished between 1634 to 1637. It was like the California gold rush of 1848 to 1855. People abandoned everything: businesses, jobs, homes, and spouses to become tulip growers. Rapidly infecting Europe and lower laying countries, the Tulip took on a monetary value: a small bed of tulips would range in price from 15,000 to 20,000 francs. Their value was actually quoted like stocks and shares.
The population was obsessed; reason was left on the back burner to boil over. Records indicate a buyer paying twelve acres of land for a seemingly small amount of bulbs. A favorite story I read involved a cobbler and baker. After paying for a bulb in gold, the baker heard that the cobbler had the same variety. The baker then bought the cobbler’s bulb for the same price. Upon receiving the bulb, the baker crushed the cobbler’s bulb to increase the value of his own.
The Lily does not possess any true medicinal value; however, during Elizabethan times, Lilies were a key ingredient to the existence of many cultures. Some cultures used Lilies in combination with different medicines to treat a wide range of ailments, with a belief that Lilies broke fevers, relieved sores, comforted burns, cleaned wounds, and cured depression. In Europe Lilies were used as a remedy that fought against many diseases and relieved symptoms such as rheumatic and arthritic pain.
In Greek poetry, the Lily stood for loving tenderness. It was called the voice of the muses. Lilies have made an appearance in many ancient myths. One Greek myth states that the lily was dedicated to the goddess Hera, the wife of Zeus. The myth begins with Zeus fathering Hercules with the mortal woman Alceme. Wishing that his son be full with divinity, Zeus brought Hercules to Hera after he drugged her, so that she would fall asleep. He then placed baby Hercules at her breast and Hercules nursed. Awaking suddenly, Hera was horrified. She cast Hercules from her breast. The milk Hercules had been nursing on dripped from the heavens, forming the milky way. A few of those drops fell to earth. The drops became the first of the Lilies.
The Lily has been written into the Old Testament as well as the New Testament. In Christian and Pagan traditions the Lily stands for fertility, symbolizing chastity and virtue. At one time, Lilies were a symbol for death, they surrounded graves of the innocent and young children.On a side note, Lilies can be poisonous to cats. Owners of cats should be wary of this keeping their loved ones away from nibbling on this beautiful flower. I saved the most commonly recognized flower for last, the Rose. With a history dating back 200 million years, the Rose has been in existence the longest apart from the Buttercup, but its nutritional value supersedes that of the Buttercup. Here are the popular meanings for the colors of roses:
Red: Love, Beauty, Romantic LoveRed (Dark): Unconscious beauty Red (Single): I desire you Red Rosebud: Purity, Loveliness Red and White together: Unity Red and Yellow together: Happy Feelings White: Innocence, Silence, Reverence Yellow: Joy, Gladness, Friendship, Delight Yellow with Red Lining: Friendship, Falling in Love 
Pink: Appreciation, Admiration, GentlenessLight Pink: Sympathy, Grace, Sweetness Lavender: Enchantment Blue: Impossible, Unattainable Peach: Closing the deal, Sincerity, Gratitude, Modesty Orange: Enthusiasm, Fascination Black: Death, Departure White Rosebud: Girlhood Thornless Rose: Love at first sight But how did the art of flower giving begin?
To give a flower to a women is pretty much fail safe. To my fellow brothers, you cannot go wrong by buying your special someone a bouquet or a single stem of her favorite flower. Role Reversal? Giving flowers to men can be hit or miss. Some guys welcome the gift and appreciate the sentiment, while others would feel insulted. Sad but true! Consider what you know about your partner. If you have doubts, don't buy him flowers. There are other options. If you decide to give the gift of flowers, it will have a stronger affect if you're familiar with some of the meanings behind them. Imagine giving Daisies, Sunflowers, Dahlias, or even Tulips to your special someone and being able to share the meaning of your special sentiment. Have you considered making a flower? I don’t mean growing one, but hey here’s an idea if you have time. Below are step by step instructions with pictures and a description; you can fold a flower and leave a paper memory. Click here to move from meanings of flowers to romance 101
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The Dahlia is the national flower of Mexico. In ancient times, the Aztecs used Dahlias to treat epilepsy. Before the use of insulin for diabetics, a sugar was made from Dahlia tubers. Even today, chemicals derived from Dahlias are used in clinical tests for the treatment of liver and kidney disease. Its popularity didn’t mount until the mid 19th century when it was brought to Europe. Once the Dahlia reached Europe, it was cultivated and bred for distribution. The significant meaning of the Dahlia is dignity and elegance.
In Latin, the word gladius means ‘sword’. The Gladiolus took on its named for the shape of its leaves. In ancient Greece, the Gladiolus was called ‘xiphium’ which is derived from the Greek word xiphos, meaning sword. Many have said that the Gladiolus, which we call it today, once represented the Roman gladiators.
Today over 600 species of Asters circle the globe. The most popular is the Monte Casino. Ancient societies thought that the odor released from its leaves, when burnt, kept away serpents. Although it may not be widely accepted today, this connotation holds weight. Some would say that to give Asters is to imply, “I believe your faithfulness is in question.” 
The Rose hips or rose haw, pomaceous fruit produced from flowering plants, was once used for the prevention of scurvy. Today it is primarily used to make rose hip teas. When we want vitamin C, we usually think of oranges which contain 49 mg per 100 grams of pulp. Whereas, Rose hips from the species, Rosa rugosa, contain anywhere from 2,200 mg to 6,980 mg of vitamin C per 100 grams of pulp.
