Keep love blooming with a bouquet that symbolizes your time together.
A dozen red roses are always a lovely romantic gesture. But for a more personalized gift, consider handing your partner the symbolic blooms traditionally associated with every anniversary year. Blossoms are associated with specific meaning and can speak silently, sharing your emotions (just check out the birth month flowers). If you're looking for some bloom-buying inspiration rooted in love to celebrate your time together, read on for our guide to flowers correlated with anniversary years—plus with some expert insight from florists.
Carnations have been cultivated for more than 2,000 years and their vibrant blossoms come in an assortment of hues, each representing something specific, says Courtney Sixx, co-founder of Bouquet Box, a DIY floral arrangement kit. Pink stands for gratitude and reds symbolize love and admiration, she explains, so you can really have some fun with these first-year anniversary flowers.
Carnations are also one of the most durable flowers and are unsung heroes in floral arrangements, says Lauren Hill, an Atlanta florist and owner of Full Bloom by Lauren. "They last for weeks and can symbolize the hope that exists within a new marriage," Hill says.
Cosmos are delicate flowers that have daisy-like petals. "Cosmos are extremely dainty but possess a lot of vigor, which is a lovely parallel within a young marriage," Hill says. "These represent the potential of growth and strength that is so pertinent in a new marriage."
Perhaps some of the happiest flowers, sunflowers resemble rays from the sun, Sixx says. They were cultivated by Native Americans in what's now Arizona and New Mexico about 3000 BC, according to the National Sunflower Association, and their seeds were harvested for snacks and pounded into flour and incorporated into breads. When given as an anniversary gift, sunflowers are a sign of loyalty and devotion, says Sixx.
Tender geraniums are more commonly spotted in garden beds or hanging planters, providing a pop of color to yards. But the blooms can work beautifully in a bouquet, too. They come in color options like pink, red, and white. When it comes to anniversaries, sunflowers can symbolize comfort and warmth, Sixx says.
Simple but elegant, daisies represent innocence, freshness and new starts, says Sixx. Shasta daisies, with yellow centers and white petals, are the most popular, while others like Gerbera daisies can come in shades like yellow, white, pink, red, orange, lavender and more colors.
Calla lilies have a few different meanings, but in ancient Greek culture, these tubular flowers represent magnificent beauty, says Ally Poer, an independent floral designer based in Austin, Texas. Fun fact, though: Calla lilies aren’t true lilies as they technically belong to the genus Zantedeschia, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac. They're also popular at Easter and as wedding centerpieces.
Botanist Christian P. Ecklon discovered freesias and named the funnel-shaped flowers after a friend, Poer says. "The meaning therefore became friendship, which is a key component to any relationship," she explains.
These beautiful viney blooms possess so much movement and grace, Hill says, and they can elegantly climb walls. "The vines grow together and connect which can be a symbol of two minds growing and learning life together," she says.
Poppies are a delicate flower with tissue-like petals. They can mean sleep, dreams, imagination, remembrance and hope, Poer says. Another popular option for ninth anniversaries is bird of paradise, which have a tropical vibe, and, Poer says, represent joy and faithfulness.
Also the March birth flower, daffodils symbolize love and hope, Poer says. "They are a happy flower, and one of the first to bloom during spring time," she explains, and have historically been given as gifts to evoke happiness. Just be sure to give multiple daffodils; a single one is believed to bring misfortune, according to The Old Farmer’s Almanac.
Roses are a delicate bloom with strong stems, says Hill. "A rose can grow from concrete and has a lot of life," she explains. "We love using this bloom for such a great milestone in a marriage. Long stem red roses automatically show a visual representation of strength and passion."
The just-picked-from-the-garden, wildflower aesthetic is trending in florals right now, and the easiest way to achieve that luxe look is with asters, says Cameron Hardesty, founder and CEO at Poppy Flowers. "Sometimes mistaken for daisies, they're charming, bright flowers that look lovely on a kitchen counter or window sill," Hardesty explains. When given as an anniversary flower, asters symbolize love and patience.
Named in honor of a Greek goddess who rode rainbows, irises are packed with meaning, representing everything from courage to wisdom to admiration.
"The iris comes in hundreds of shades, and many varieties, but my favorite type is the bearded iris," Hardesty says. "Its ruffled petals create texture and depth to the color of the bloom, and they often appear to last longer than other flowers because they age more gracefully as the color in the petals fades."
Lilies represent humility and devotion and are a perfect gift for couples who have stayed together for three decades. Home gardeners know there's relationship symbolism in the care instructions for growing lilies, too: They need lots of sunshine.
Interestingly, the 35th year doesn’t have an official flower, but many florists recommend coral-colored flowers like snapdragons, gladioli, or roses to signify warmth. "My favorite coral rose variety is the Free Spirit," Hardesty says. "It opens into a sunset explosion of color, lasts longer than most rose varieties, and as it blooms, expands into double its original size."
Gladioli are a part of the iris family of flowers, says Virginia Hayes, indoor plant pro and retail showroom manager at Westerlay Orchids in Carpinteria, California."They are known as the symbol of remembrance and infatuation," Hayes says. "It is a perfect flower for a 40th anniversary because it holds the symbolic meaning of faithfulness, honor, persistence, calmness, integrity, and, most important, strength of character."
Gladioli are a bulb flower, Hayes says, so you want to buy them tight and showing just a little bit of color. They make a beautiful statement all by themselves in a tall vase.
Blue Iris represents admiration, strength, hope, and good health among other things, says Hayes. "Iris is the perfect symbol for a strong and healthy marriage for the future," she says. You will want to purchase these beauties tight, when they're just showing a bit of color because the blooms will open quickly and last about two weeks in a vase.
Yellow roses are associated with friendship, joy, loyalty, and appreciation. Hayes says,"Aalsmeer Gold is my favorite variety of yellow roses. It has a very high petal count so it opens quickly but holds its shape and is very long lasting." They're also perfect for a "golden anniversary." Not a fan of yellow? Violets are also associated with 50th anniversaries and long-lasting commitment.
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