Dec 1, 2009
Ladies, what do different kinds of flowers mean to you?
Like this post?
Yesterday, a friend told me that, to her, red roses are sorry-I-cheated-on-you flowers.
What about for you? What do other flowers mean?
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© 2012 Abuyo. All rights reserved.
red roses are expensive, showy, and sort of cliche. so yeah, i could see where she was coming from (maybe).
all i can think of, otherwise, is that the more the flower looks like a daisy/wildflower, the sweeter (and possibly more “friendly” rather than romantic, but not necessarily). also, carnations say “i wanted to get you flowers, but then my frugality got the best of me.”
Haha – love that bit about carnations. So true.
That is exactly what I was thinking about carnations! :) Only, I actually like them so my husband kinda lucks out there…
I’m a man… I tend to think in dollar figures.
Red Roses tell me that you’re rich, while carnations tell me you’re frugal.
I’m a woman… I tend to think in dollar figures, as well.
I’m a brat and do not care for flowers.
Flowers die and require little creativity on the giver’s part. I’d rather a handwritten note or homemade gift any day. Something I can tuck away in a box and keep forever.
Also true that they die. I LOVE handwritten notes. Something to hold onto and re-read over and over again.
Ali-
I agree. I like notes as well, but my Tech geek husband trembles in fear at writing notes. He prefers to do stuff for me. That said- I know I’m loved when my husband cleans up my hardrive. But my favorite is when he volunteers to clean the microwave. Thats how I know I hit the jackpot.
I totally agree… rather give me a note or something… http://thepittfamily.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/8-small-things-that-will-rock-your-wifes-world/
Flowers?! You so don’t know me. Where’s the chocolate?
Yeah! Where is the DARK CHOCOLATE?
Hungry to eat His Word,
‘Guerite ~ BoldLion
Agree on the red roses-too overdone.
Carnations remind of me of flowers I’d get from boys when in Junior High.
I love the exotic, different varieties that show “I wanted to get you something as unique and special as you. Not just what was on sale, or what every other man gets for his lady.” But I am also a sucker for bluebonnets freshly picked from a field in the spring. Fresh wildflowers of any kind say “I was just out and about, saw these beauties, and thought you’d enjoy them.” They don’t have to cost a lot of $$.
I don’t mind $5 grocery store flowers…I just like getting flowers.
Red roses are pretty typical, though. If you’re going to go to a flower shop and spend a chunk of money, I’d prefer tulips or lilies.
I was instructed in this by several of my old girlfriends years ago. But luckily someone has laid it out:
http://www.proflowers.com/flowerguide/rosemeanings
Agreed… red roses are predictable and easy. They’d put me in a worse mood than no flowers at all.
The best flowers are the ones with a story – “I got these for you because…” “they are bright and cheerful, like you,” “they remind me of that one time we…” “I saw them at the farmers’ market and couldn’t resist bringing some of that wildness home…” or whatever.
The dollar amount isn’t significant, except if you want to use flowers to show a friend or rival how awesome *your* partner is compared to theirs. Not that I’ve ever, ever done that.
“They’d put me in a worse mood than no flowers at all.”
-Wow!
My boyfriend surprised me with an arrangement of gerbera daisies for my birthday–because they made him think of me :-) I always think they are special because they only grow one at a time on the plant.
I love all flowers, because the fact that they showed up at all means someone was thinking of me. Both of my sisters had red roses in their weddings, but they need to be the deep crimson ones to really be special.
White roses always say “funeral” to me…
i love any kind of fresh flowers! red roses are gorgeous!! all the roses are just amazing! my favorite is when i receive flowers in a vase- then i can just set them down and enjoy them. i don’t think there is any consistent connotation related to the color or type of the flower. most ladies will happily tell you their favorite flowers.
I’m with you Alexis!
Right on!
Wow. The comments are surprising me…I’ll take red roses any day! Although I agree that lillies or tulips or even a pretty mix are more creative. I guess I’d just be thankful for the someone who thought to send/bring me flowers.
Yes! Me too!
My mom was a florist, so I have all kinds of superfluous info here. Traditionally, red roses mean “I love you,” pink mean “I have a crush on you,” and white or yellow mean friendship.
Carnations mean hate.
But nobody really obeys those rules anymore, so I think any flowers are better than no flowers. But since you can now buy single red roses at gas stations, it would probably do you better to get something a little different. I love the bouquets my husband brings me from Trader Joe’s.
Ditto on flowers from Trader Joe’s!
My husband gets me yellow roses – to represent our love for the asians. As in the song “Jesus loves the little children…red, yellow, black…”
Funniest. Comment. Ever
I couldn’t care less about the color. I’m just happy when I get them!
I’m surprised by the negative comments about red roses! I love any kind of flowers, but red roses (especially if they are long-stemmed!) are one of my favorites. They are an expensive option for flowers, but whenever my husband gives them to me I feel loved!
Speaking for my wife, she yawns over red roses for many of the reasons mentioned here.
She FLIPS any time I pick out 2 or 3 things and put them together myself. It has everything to do with time/effort/thought put in (although my arranging skillz aren’t bad, if I do say so myself).
I think the male should know your favorite flower and tend to buy that flower (but not always, its nice for a surprise to get something else). Brian knows I love red roses, so he has bought them for me… however, there are times that he’s bought me awesome orangey-pink roses, bright pink, and sometimes he’ll get other flowers that are beautiful – and a totally different kind!
In other words to me it doesn’t matter the cost or the kind, and it doesn’t matter what they “mean”… its just about the thought and the gesture and the male knowing the female and her tastes.
i probably contributed nothing to this lol…
According to wikipedia, red rose means true love. But thistle supposedly means nobility, so what does it know.
Um I just got some today so I hope they don’t mean that.
okay, so if this is bff/pa danielle, i was HOPING you weren’t the friend who said that!!! i saw your tweet and this post and wondered…
Nope, blame Karla.
but not her husband.
I prefer grocery store flowers…it’s usually a nice mix of various blooms. They make a room happy and the price is right. It’s gross to spend 50+ dollars on flowers…the money could go toward something that has a little more longevity; like music downloads… I’ll take a dozen downloads any day!
I would love red roses. They aren’t my favorite flower, but I can definitely say that if my husband gave me red roses, the first thought that would go through my mind would never be that he cheated on me. Probably that he’s taking me out on an expensive date night! I’d be pretty excited about that. Any flower from my husband is special. He was thinking about me when he bought them.
I too do not like red roses… I think they’re sort of sleezy. Reminds me of a cheap vegas wedding.
I’m lucky to live in the land o’ day lillies, and well, really all types of wildflowers (Oronogo, MO. It’s totally a real town.) Poppies, thistles, daisies, and my favorite, horsemint. Any type of handpicked wildflower is absolutely my favorite gift. Every season brings different varieties, and the thoughtfulness and time it takes to assemble a bouquet is truly the gift.
Ouch! I got married in Vegas. We were dirt poor and in love and it was the perfect spot for all of our friends from California and Arizona to converge. Hotel rooms and flights are cheap and everyone had a blast.
As for flowers I love an overfull monochromatic arrangement of any type. Carnations done that way are actually quite stunning.
Gerbera Daisies and Sunflowers are the best. So bright and cheery. They say, “YOU are the BEST!”
Carnations, baby’s breath and fern leaves are lame. They say, “I’m out of ideas and money.”
Roses are nice, but a little…overdone. They say,
“Roses Are Red,
Violets weren’t at the store
I thought I’d get flowers
I’m kind of a bore”
Delphiniums and Hydrangea are delightful. They say either, “I asked the florist.” or “I’m in touch w/ my metro self.”
Seriously Jenna…just audition for SNL already…I know they would hire you:)
hahahahaha to the Delphiniums and Hydrangea’s “message” LOL
all I can think is that if the guy cheated, it’s going to take a HECK of a lot more than a dozen red roses to make it better.
I’m also not a big fan of flowers… they die and stink after just two days, then I have to *do something* with them (and the nasty water they’ve been rotting in).
Even still, I do have to admit that there is something very sweet about my man coming home with a bouquet, or even just a single bloom. Oh, and I don’t care what kind it is.
BRUCE: What if God was one of us…Just a slob like one of us…Just a stranger on a bus…Trying to make his way…
Grace reacts a bit surprised by Bruce’s happy tone, she gets up, opens the door and there stands BRUCE, beaming smile, holding a very unique BOUQUET OF FLOWERS.
BRUCE: (finishing song) …home.
GRACE: (re: the flowers) Oh, my God.
BRUCE: You can call me Bruce.
GRACE: Where have you been? You’re so…happy.
BRUCE: Who wouldn’t be on a night like this? (holding out the flowers) For you.
Grace takes the flowers, gives Bruce a kiss, still sizing up his mood.
GRACE: These are amazing. What are they?
BRUCE: It’s a totally new breed. A cross pollination between tulips and Daisies. I call them Todayzees.
GRACE: Todayzees? Okay…
let’s hope not, as my husband brought me a single red rose today after work. haha! i don’t think they’re cliche at all. it’s nice to get something like that every once in a while. :)
My wife prefers a latte from the buck over a bouquet of flowers every day of the week. If I’m really in trouble, I will get her a piece of banana nut bread as well.
I was just going to vote for coffee. Glad I’m not the only one out there. :-)
Let’s make that at least 3 of us who vote for a latte!
Unless it’s February and I haven’t seen color for 4 months or so. Then he can bring whatever flowers he wants to & be the hero :) (wildflowers being tops).
I love to receive random fresh flowers. When flowers only come as a result of bad behavior, not so great.
Any kind of fresh flower, no matter how cheap or small, means that my SUPER-practical husband went over the top to do something so contrary to his instincts. Flowers are fleeting, why spend $?
I’m not a huge flower person because they ARE fleeting, so it works out fine….but the 2 or 3 times in 6 years of marriage my husband has brought home flowers (that he cuts and arranges himself b/c they’re cheaper than the pre-made vase arrangements!) have been really special, especially last time when one of the roses was for our 2 yr old daughter :)
So any kind of flower = a whole lotta love
I love fresh flowers. The fact that they’re costly and don’t last is what makes them rare and special. (Although I wouldn’t want my hubby throwing a lot of money in that direction.) I love it when he gets me white flowers because he knows they’re my favorite. They don’t mean anything particular, just that he remembered what I love. I don’t get flowers often so it’s always significant whether it’s along with a really sincere apology or for a holiday or birthday. Surprises are always best though!
I agree. The life expectancy of fresh flowers is what makes me stop, smile, and breathe them in when I see them. They bring new beauty to a room, and you have to be present to enjoy them…
I also agree that two or three really gorgeous flowers are MUCH better than a whole bouquet of say, carnations.
Someone once said it’s much better to give 12 single red roses over time than a dozen at once. Men tend to think the dozen is a much more efficient way to give and makes a larger impact.
Evidently efficiency doesn’t triumph over frequency.
If my husband bought me red roses I wouldn’t think he had cheated on me, but I’d wonder what was up. Particularly because this is the man that only ever took me out to eat twice in the year we were dating and engaged! (And one of those times was the night he proposed to me!)
I love any kind of flowers. I would take any kinds but it got to include Dark Chocolate and greeting card or note from him. They do lifted me up. We all need encouragement every day. I can live without the flowers but can’t live without encouragement with one another.
BTW, I am still single. I do remember that one of my daddy’s best friend gave me a dozen roses and I love it.
As a kid, I remembered getting flowers along with stuffed animal. I did enjoy that.
Hungry to eat His Word,
‘Guerite ~ BoldLion
I LOVE FLOWERS! I think red roses are pretty, however I think they are an easy way out, they are everywhere and given for everything it seems like. I love daisy’s and I also like the more exotic flowers!
I heart lilies…but I don’t know what message they send.
Jon sent me fake flowers for Valentine’s Day when I was in 11th grade. I thought he was pretty cheap, til the card read, “I will love you til the day they die.” yep. many kudos to my now husband. :)
okay, THAT is really sweet!
Red roses are cliche and too expensive.
Pink roses mean you like the person.
Yellow roses mean you’re just friends.
Personally, I like tulips. They mean, “I’m thoughtful and found out what you’re favorite flower was before I bought these.” If I had my choice, though, I’d rather have pineapple pizza.
Peonies are definitely my favorite. When they’re in full bloom, they’re so big and heavy and delicious looking. They smell very nice too! I never received peonies, but we grow a few in our front yard. Peonies say to me, “I’m full of love for you. From: God”
I love when my husband gives me any color of roses. But I love it even more in the spring when he buys me a new rose bush instead, that way I’ll be able to enjoy roses all the time. We now have close to 12 rose bushes, so I have bouquets for months!
My husband knows me well enough to buy me roses with the roots still on! Then they last for years! (Or at least until the deer decide to snack on them…)
Holy Moses, there are a lot of opinionated women (and men) on this topic! I agree with the “I’ll take fresh flowers any day” crowd. It’s such a happy, unnecessary perk. Even better if they come out of your own garden. My husband got me 30 red roses for our 5th anniversary and I almost swallowed my tongue I was so happily surprised! FYI: re:”white flowers always say funeral” comment…it’s my understanding that white flowers are supposed to symbolize purity. Pre-marriage my husband always chose a single white rose, post-marriage, red for passion! ;)
To the ladies who are picky about what kind of flowers your hubby brings home: I trust there are precious few areas in your person, your house, and your kids that your husband would critique. If I started telling my wife “why isn’t my steak a tri-tip cooked exactly medium rare?” instead of “thank you for cooking a steak honey!” I had better be a superior husband, provider, lover, dad, etc. Otherwise I would expect a big eye roll from my wife for being a jerk.
Lavendar roses-hard to find-(and white-not so hard to find:) were what we had in our wedding…they remind me of our love and commitment we made to each other that day and every day we have been married. I LOVE any kind of flowers, but these remind me of our ‘special day’ Thanks for asking this question:)
I’m also one of those who loves and appreciates any flowers that are brought home by my hubby. I can’t imagine feeling critical of his choice. I’m really surprised that some women are so adamently against red roses. “Sleezy”? I mean, come on now!
My husband always picks the prettiest bouquets of flowers and the best part is that they’re usually from Cub! (Thrifty is my love language.) I like whatever he gets me, red roses included!
Orange flowers means they really know me (orange is my favorite colour)
Roses means they don’t know me at all (hate roses)
Baby’s breathe means they put no thought into it, and just got the florist to do it all.
I’m perfectly happy when Kyle brings home a $5 bouquet from the grocery store.
I’m not sure what that means.
I’d rather have bamboo…now you tell me what that means.
No superstitions about rose colors for me.
My favorites are red and pink, so when my sweetheart gives me those, it just says that he loves me.
Or any kind of flower because they are all beautiful…
carnations say “i stole this off the table at Wendy’s on my lunch break”
ha ha! I don’t know that I’ve ever seen carnations on any Wendy’s table, but this made me laugh.
At first I thought I agreed with the over-all negativity on red roses (even though they were our wedding flowers).
Then I realized I disagree because I do feel loved by and love for my husband when I see them sitting on my table.
I think I am thrilled with any floral manifestation of his affection, but I also think it’s true that roses are not usually “me”.
What flowers are “me”? That’s for me to know and him to find out.
When he comes home with a bouquet of these mystery posies; I’ll know we’ve have come a long way in knowing each other.
This is a great question.
Forget the roses…but yes, please bring flowers. Any sort of arrangement will do. Roses don’t last so I find them disappointing.
Flowers! Flowers! Flowers!
I like flowers! I love them!
Carnations! Wow!
Have you ever felt them with your hands and nuzzled them to your face? Have you experienced their scent? Ummmm. They may be over used, but they are certainly under appreciated or over looked for their many attributes. (That was the commenting on comment bit.)
As for your question Abraham: Flowers with scent are sensual and could mean that the giver took time and was pleased to enjoy God’s gift.
And may I quote a Led Zepplin song?
“So dancing days are here again,
As the summer evenings grow.
You are my flower,
You are my power,
And you are my woman who knows.”
Wow, that’s shocking. Any flowers are better than no flowers, in my book. When did being high maintenance ever benefit anybody?
I know, right? I’m single and have never had a significant other to give me flowers. So, maybe I’m not qualitified to answer.
But, I’d be pleased for the thoughtfulness. The heart is what matters. :)
The only boyfriend to ever buy me flowers bought me a pink Gerbera daisy on Valentine’s Day. (My favorite color.) I was overjoyed.
i sure do hate the mixed grocery store bouquets that say, “last minute convenience”
prefer salmon or peach roses, or something fragrant and lasting like alstromeria or hydrangeas
My wife made no beating around the rose-bush to let me know that she’d always enjoy any kind of flowers, but roses were her favourite by far. She has a a few favourite colours which I know of too, red is one of them. Knowing this is good for me, and it works well for her, because she had a somewhat frequent supply since I know they’ll always be appreciated.
I’ve gotten her red roses several times. I’ve never cheated on her.
I guess that
daisy’s = simple, sweet, honest, everyday beauty
pink roses = delicate, feminine, ‘you matter’
1 single red rose = love
But I would much rather him spend time with me, doing things I (we) like to do, and just sharing life together, than to have him throw $ on flowers that will die and be thrown in the trash.
Wow– I ove to get flowers of any type and any color! I can’t imagine being in a worse mood AFTER I received red roses than BEFORE. God bless someone’s husband!
That being said (and I do love red roses– or roses of any color), I know a man who just recently cheated on his wife. After the elders met with him, and he repented (oh joyous day!!!!), he gave his wife a huge bouquet of…
red roses.
Maybe there’s something to it.
I totally got the best of every world in both frugality and a continual stream of roses…
My husband, an avid gardener, found a sale on knock out roses for something like $5 each a while back and planted about 15 of them in our yard. He revived them and they’ve done beautifully. Down here in Mississippi, they bloom about nine months of the year–and are still in bloom–so when one vase of blooms goes bad, he goes out to the garden and grabs a fresh batch. It’s absolutely wonderful. And it’s great to take to my daughter’s teacher, as hostess gifts, etc.
On a related note, his Christmas wish list included a worm compost bin to make fresh compost for the yard……and also worms for the bin.
Oh, so to answer your question, what it means to me? I love getting roses, tulips, peonies are my fav, but I also love to craft, so I’m apt to turn the dried petals into something.
But planting a flower garden to make our backyard more beautiful and to supply our house with flowers? That totally takes the cake.
how about Orchids?
My husband got me a dozen red tulips in the dead of winter when he proposed to me about 6 years ago. Now that is sexy! I like that he had to go through some trouble to get them. HA!
I don’t care what other people say, roses are awesome. Red roses don’t mean your guy cheated on you. When I read that, I said, “WHAT?” I carried ivory roses in my wedding. They are so classic and pretty.
Too bad I can’t have flowers at home anymore because our cat knocks over the vase and likes to munch on the petals.
Flowers don’t make me flip out with ecstasy, but I love when hubby surprises me with chocolate or jewelry. To each her own, right?
For me, red roses remind me of my grandfathers funeral. So red roses mean death.
I like the one stem flowers from the buckets in the grocery store, they’re cheap, simple, and make my kitchen feel just a little bit brighter for a week.
We’re on a tight budget and I would rather enjoy $5 flowers for a week then spend $50 going out for dinner one night!
The most enthusiastic response I’ve gotten from flowers I’ve given over the years came from an arrangement of wildflowers I’d had a florist create for me, which I wanted to include a few dandelions. The florist tried to tell me dandilions were out of season-this was July in Minnesota- but I said if they couldn’t find a few I would. To their credit, they found several, which resulted in a nice tip for them.
I think the best thing for guys to do is keep being creative! Not that it’s helped me, as I’m still single…
I used to dislike crimson roses (kinda overdone), until I married my husband, and to him, he *means it* when he gives me red roses. So they are now welcomed on our anniversary and on Valentines Day as an expression of his devotion. I *heart* him!
I value the flowers that say that my husband knows what I like. For me, bright colors or tulips are top priorities.
The fact that flowers die make them even more valuable to me. They are brief extravagant beauty that God chooses to create even though they die quickly.
Thankfully, I have a wife who thinks that flowers are a waste of money. So I don’t have to worry about it.
Anticipated objection: “Oh she’s just saying that, she really wants flowers.”
Answer: I know her, she actually doesn’t want flowers.
I guess the answer comes from having tried?