Flower Meanings: A Complete Guide to Symbolism & Colours

Flowers and their meanings carry centuries of symbolism, and knowing the flower significance behind each bloom helps you send exactly the right message every time. 

Even the colour, regardless of the flower, says something about how you feel or what you hope the recipient of the flowers will feel. For example: 

• Red: passion, love, desire, and romance
• White: purity, innocence, new beginnings, and remembrance
• Pink: grace, femininity, admiration, and gratitude
• Yellow: friendship, joy, happiness, and celebration
• Orange: enthusiasm, energy, warmth, and excitement
• Purple: royalty, admiration, respect, and elegance

Let’s run through some suggestions based on the occasion.

Romantic Occasions: Anniversaries, Proposals & Valentine’s Day

When it comes to matters of the heart, certain flowers have been associated with love and passion for centuries. 

Red roses are the ultimate flower for evoking romance, especially for Valentine’s Day or when proposing marriage or commitment. Pink roses offer softer romance, conveying grace, admiration, and sweetness – perfect for expressing affection or the gentle warmth of new love.

Peonies are the epitome of romantic luxury. With their lush, full blooms, these flowers carry a flower significance of romance and happy marriage. Pink peonies are directly associated with femininity, while red peonies convey passion and an enduring depth of love, making them ideal for celebrating significant romantic milestones.

Red tulips are synonymous with true love and passion – elegant declarations of affection. Purple tulips convey royalty and admiration, showing your partner they hold a special place in your heart. 

Orchids, particularly pink and purple orchids, add exotic romance through their sophisticated beauty, representing grace, admiration, and respect.

Weddings & New Beginnings: Celebrating Love’s Journey

White roses symbolise purity, new beginnings, and remembrance, which makes them ideal for weddings where they indicate the purity of love between two people. Their timeless elegance makes them bridal favourites.

White lilies are pure sophistication, depicting renewal and virtue with their sweet fragrance and luxurious appearance. Pink lilies symbolise prosperity and abundance – a beautiful message to send to a couple for their future together. Stargazer lilies represent ambition and wealth, also appropriate for couples embarking on their new life journey.

White peonies represent happy marriage and sophistication, creating show-stopping bridal bouquets. 

White tulips communicate fresh beginnings and the couple’s commitment to each other. 

White orchids convey purity and beauty, adding a bit of exotic sophistication to any wedding arrangements.

Celebrations & Birthdays: Spreading Joy and Sunshine

Birthday celebrations call for flowers that radiate happiness and energy – but so do times of sickness when the mood uplift of a cheerful bunch of flowers is the best medicine you can get.

Yellow sunflowers express sheer happiness, good luck, and positivity – wonderful for sending sincere well-wishes on someone’s birthday or the birth of a baby. Their vibrant-coloured petals radiate warmth and optimism, guaranteed to make anyone smile. 

Gerberas are similarly bold, fun, and charming. Yellow gerberas symbolise cheerfulness, perfect for birthdays. Pink gerberas radiate charm and beauty, while red gerberas express love and excitement. These vibrant blooms capture the festive spirit of celebrations to a tee.

Daisies embody simplicity and joy. White daisies represent innocence and love, while gerbera daisies in their many different colours are about positivity and happiness. 

Yellow roses symbolise friendship and joy. Orange roses express enthusiasm and excitement, which makes them ideal for celebrating achievements and acknowledging new adventures.

Gratitude & Appreciation: Saying Thank You with Flowers

Sometimes the most important message is simply “thank you” whatever the reason – from birthdays to Mother’s Day to… any excuse you may have!

Pink carnations are the quintessential thank-you flower, communication gratitude, appreciation, and affection. These flowers are great for acknowledging someone’s kindness or thoughtfulness, and they’re long-lasting and beautiful, just like the gratitude they represent.

Pink roses convey grace, admiration, and sweetness, which works well as a thoughtful thank-you gesture. They strike the perfect balance between elegance and warmth, showing someone you truly value them. 

Yellow tulips represent cheerfulness and friendship, wonderful for thanking friends or colleagues who’ve brightened your life. 

Yellow gerberas also symbolise happiness and positivity, perfect for imbuing your thank-you message with an uplifting feeling.

Sympathy & Remembrance: Honouring Memories with Grace

During times of loss like funerals, flowers provide comfort when words feel inadequate. 

White lilies are the traditional flower of sympathy, representing purity, renewal, and tribute to someone’s memory. Their elegant beauty and sweet fragrance send condolences while honouring the departed.

White roses also symbolise purity, remembrance, and love. They honour memories while conveying respect and reverence. 

White carnations similarly represent purity, remembrance, and love. Their long-lasting quality symbolises the enduring nature of both love and memory.

Uniquely Australian: Native Blooms with Local Meaning

At East End Flower Co., we take pride in offering native Australian flowers that carry flower significance rooted in our landscape. For Newcastle locals – especially at times of remembrance such as ANZAC Day – incorporating native flowers adds meaningful local connections.

Waratahs embody strength, resilience, and beauty. These striking NSW natives are a bold testament to the Australian spirit. 

Banksias symbolise resilience and regeneration, representing the ability to bounce back and thrive. 

Proteas represent transformation, courage, and new beginnings – excellent for celebrating milestones or life changes. 

Geraldton wax symbolises joy, optimism, and hope.

Your Guide to Meaningful Floral Gestures

We’re here to help you choose flowers whose significance matches your intentions perfectly. Our team understands the flower meaning behind every bloom in our studio, and we’re passionate about creating arrangements that speak from the heart.

Ready to send a meaningful message? Reach out today and let us help you choose blooms that say exactly what you feel.