Roses
Origins
According to Greek mythology, the goddess of flowers, Chloris, created a new flower by breathing life into a woodland nymph who had died. Dionysus, the god of wine and plant life gave it a beautiful perfume, and Aphrodite, the goddess of beauty and pleasure, gave the rose its name by rearranging the letters of Eros, her son and the god of love and desire. Eros later gave a rose to Harpocrates, the god of silence, as a bribe to ensure he kept the indiscretions of the gods to himself. Hence, the rose became symbolic of secrecy, silence, and love. This story was carried on into Roman mythology, with the protagonists replaced by their gods, Flora, Venus, Cupid, and Bacchus, although Harpocrates retained his Greek name.
Overtime roses changed and adapted with the weather and other natural conditions and we got different rose colors. Of all the rose colors there is only one that is not fully natural, the multicolored (or rainbow) rose. This rose is artificially colored by its intake of water, therefore, it is not fully natural like the other rose colors.
Meanings
Each color or rose represents something different, for example, blue roses mean mystery and red roses mean love and admiration, purple roses mean passion and infatuation, burgundy roses mean devotion, lavender roses means unique love, deep pink roses means gratitude, medium pink roses means gratitude and congratulations, light pink roses means innocence and appreciation, salmon roses mean desire and excitement, orange roses mean fascination, peach roses mean thanks and gratitude, cream roses mean charm and thoughtfulness, white roses mean innocence and new love, yellow roses mean friendship, green roses mean good news and new beginnings, black roses mean grieving and mourning, and finally rainbow roses mean uniqueness, hope, and pride.
Regardless of their meanings and origins, when you give roses to someone it’s to show your care and gratitude towards them.
Irises
Origins
Like roses, Irises originate from Greek mythology too. Like with many flower names, the name of the iris comes from Greek mythology. In the Greek language, the word Iris actually translates to rainbow. And so the flower was a representation of the goddess of the rainbow, who was known as a messenger for Zeus and Hera.
The goddess of the rainbow would send messages from heaven to earth on the arc of a rainbow. And she was also a friendly companion to
female souls who were on their way to heaven. Because of this, to this day, Greeks will plant purple irises on women’s graves to help guide them to their final resting place in heaven.
Meanings
Just like roses, each color Iris means something different. Purple Irises represent royalty, respect, and knowledge, blue Irises mean faith, devotion, and trust, black Irises mean honor, pride, and change, red Irises mean passion, love, and romance, pink irises mean love, passion, and deep bonding, yellow Irises mean passion and friendship, orange Irises mean bravery and exuberance, and finally white Irises mean purity and patience.
Heliotropes
Origins
Heliotropes are one of the few flowers which have a meaning not from Greek mythology but a legend. The legend starts by a guy liking this woman but doesn’t want to tell her so every day he sends her a purple heliotrope with a letter on it until finally the flowers read “Will You Date Me?” But on the final day the woman ended up passing away. The man was heartbroken but never gave up his love for her and every day he would visit her grave and give her a white heliotrope. One night he had a dream where she appeared and told him, “My love, if only you had told me sooner it was you. I love you and I always have and always will. I’ll wait for you on the other side.” He awoke from the dream and immediately went to her gravestone to thank her for giving him a sign that she knows he loves her. Eventually, the man ended up passing away and when he did he gave her a bouquet of purple Heliotropes and they finally got the happy ending they had hoped for in the afterlife.
This legend was taught to show how patience will always lead to happiness and each time he gave her a flower, their connection only grew stronger.
Meanings
Like any other flower, each color Heliotrope symbolizes something unique. Single purple Heliotropes symbolize success and dignity although a bouquet of them show admiration and adoration (what the man in the legend was trying to show with the bouquet and letters at first), white Heliotropes mean serenity and are meant to calm worries but they can also mean intimacy and everlasting trust and happiness with each other, white Heliotropes show purity and innocence; untainted hearts, souls, and minds, and can also mean honesty, elegance, and clarity (often given at memorial services, births, or weddings to mean a new beginning and love, respect, along with loyalty), finally, pink Heliotropes are a combination of innocence, playfulness, and sensitivity. Pink is not as intense as deep red so it can be used to show the wider range of possibilities that love has to offer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, all flowers have a variety of colors and meanings along with a unique and significant origin. These are only a few of the 400,000+ flowers so tell me what flowers you’re interested in learning more about and they might be my next article.
“Every rose has its thorn and every thorn has its rose” – Unknown