The season of love is upon us. It’s a time when Katniss Everdeen puts away her bow and arrow to let Cupid have a turn, using the arrows as a means to much happier endings; a time when single girls band together in singlehood solidarity, repeating their, “We don’t need men,” mantra; and when single men applaud one another for avoiding the treacherous path of selecting the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for their beloved.
I am single, so I fall into the aforementioned “girl power” group. In fact, my plans for Valentine’s Day involve a pitcher (or two) of margaritas and a zombie movie marathon. You know, the nice, happy movies where everyone dies and the guy has to run from the undead masses rather than getting the girl. However, there are benefits to being single. Time is one of those benefits, time I would otherwise devote to a relationship is mine to do with as I please. This usually involves school, work, an internship and the occasional rendezvous with my much-neglected bed.
Recently, I’ve had an unprecedented block of free time and find myself researching the history and meanings of flower-giving during this romantic holiday.
According to Carolyn Black, master gardener at Pennsylvania State University’s College of Agricultural Sciences, the act of flower-giving dates back to the Greeks and Romans; however, it was the Victorians that linked a bouquet of flowers to emotions.
In her essay, “The Joy of Giving Flowers,” Black wrote that the “Victorians, living in an era when people did not believe in openly expressing emotions, found the language of flowers to be an acceptable form of expression.”
Victorians went to great lengths to attach meaning and symbolism to every aspect of giving flowers, from the type and shade of a flower to its placement in an arrangement, according to Black.
In this day and age, we have no problem expressing our emotions; in fact, we may do well to learn something from our prudish ancestors and keep a few of those emotions to ourselves. Because of our emotional freedom, however, we have lost the meaning of the flower and the true art of flower-giving.
Of course, the standard red rose—prom queen of the flower world—represents love and desire. If you were in a new relationship, however, you may be better off giving your lady a white clover or a blue salvia: “Think of me” is the message sent by a white clover, whereas a blue salvia says, “I think of you.” Gentlemen, you may also consider a simple bouquet of daisies for a young lady with whom you are courting, for these flowers represent innocence and hope.
Furthermore, a red salvia which means “forever mine” or a violet that represents love, devotion and faithfulness, may be the more romantic way to go for a couple in a long-term, committed relationship.
Other meaningful flowers to consider could be the edelweiss (courage and devotion), holly (hope), lily-of-the-valley (sweetness) or the red tulip (declaration of love).
As I prepare for my margarita and zombiepalooza with my other single friends, I may consider bringing a bouquet of geraniums to my friend’s house to symbolize the true friendship shared between us. Although, to be honest, I think we’ll steer clear of flowers, chocolates or anything relationship-related that day. I will, however, hang onto this list of flowers and their meanings to casually pass on to a future boyfriend just in case he feels like being more creative on a future Valentine’s Day.
