Some of the most common garden flowers have fascinating histories and symbolic meanings. Flowers have been associated with symbolism for thousands of years. Flowers are an important part of our lives from birth to death. Many popular garden flowers, such as foxglove, lupines, poppies, sunflowers, sweet peas, tulips, and zinnias, are associated with a trove of stories and mythologies.
Foxglove flowers have both positive and negative symbolic meanings. It is said that sometimes they hurt and sometimes they heal. In the language of flowers, foxglove flowers are associated with insincerity. On the bright side, the common name is said to come from “folk gloves,” and “folk” refers to helpful fairies.
In medieval gardens dedicated to Mother Mary, foxglove was called “Gloves of Our Lady” or “Gloves of the Virgin.” The scientific name is digitalis, a reference to the presence of powerful chemicals that can cure heart disease if taken correctly, but can kill if taken in large quantities.
Foxglove thrives in soils rich in iron and carbon. New coal deposits can sometimes be located by finding masses of foxgloves growing together. Foxgloves are perennial plants that thrive in temperate zones and like shade, partial shade, and full sun.
Foxgloves come in white, yellow, pink, pink, red, lavender, and purple. Foxglove can be grown through seed or divisions of clumps of plants. Plants range from 2 to 6 feet tall depending on the variety.
The flowers look best in the back of a garden and bloom in a pyramid shape with the lowest flowers opening first and the buds remaining closed at the top. Add some foxgloves to your garden this year to invite fairies to take up residence in your garden!
Lupines are a symbol of the imagination. The name “lupinus” actually means “of wolves” due to the mistaken belief ancient peoples had that lupines stole nutrients from the soil. The fact is that lupines add nitrogen to the soil. The Romans used lupines as fertilizer and ate the protein-rich seeds.
In the United States, lupines grow well in the Pacific Northwest, the West Coast, New England, and other northern states. Both are cultivated and wild flowers. Lupines also grow abundantly throughout Europe as far north as Norway.
Lupines come in blue, pink, white, yellow, and purple. The flowers are useful for dyeing fabrics. The seeds are said to aid digestion and have been used in skin care to remove blemishes from the face. The Romans used the flat seeds as theater money.
Lupins are the only food for the caterpillar of the Karner’s blue butterfly. The larvae climb the stems of wild lupins to feed on new leaves in mid-April.
The scent of lupine flowers is like that of honey, a nice addition to any garden. The magnificent flower spikes can be anywhere from 36 to 60 inches tall. Lupines need full sun, rich soil, and plenty of moisture. They can grow in poor soil if the soil is not too alkaline. Add some imagination to your garden with a whole variety of colorful and majestic lupines!
Poppies are a symbol of beauty, magic, comfort, fertility and eternal life. The Egyptians included poppies at funerals and in burial tombs. The Greeks used poppies in the sanctuaries of Demeter, goddess of fertility, and Diana, goddess of the hunt. Poppies denote sleep, rest and rest. In modern times, poppies have been associated with the fields of Flanders as an emblem of those who died in World War I.
Poppies grow best in cool climates. They are both a cultivated flower and an abundant wild flower. Although poppies are perennial, they are often grown as annuals. Poppies grow in Europe, the Orient and America. Poppies are the state flower of California.
Poppies have been used for centuries in seasonings, medicines, and health tonics. Poppy tea has been used for its calming effect. The oriental poppy is the only poppy that contains opium, but other poppies also have mildly sedative effects. Poppy water is said to remove wrinkles and refresh the skin. Poppies can also be used for dyeing to add flavor and texture to breads and cakes.
Poppies should be watered moderately and kept in full sun. Poppies grow 2′ to 5′ tall with flowers up to 12 inches wide. Colors include scarlet red, deep orange, light orange, white, yellow, purple, and pink with black centers. There are single-leaf and double-leaf forms. For a bright and eye-catching addition to your garden, add a border of bright poppies.
Sunflowers are a symbol of worship. Sunflowers turn their heads toward the sun, which is the origin of their common name. Sunflowers belong to the genus helianthus, a reference to Helios, the god of the sun.
Sunflowers are native to the Americas and are the state flower of Kansas. The sunflower generally grows in bushes and dry areas. Sunflowers vary widely in size depending on their adaptive genetic makeup, but can reach maximum heights of around 10′.
Sunflowers have recently been bred to produce shorter varieties for garden use. The petals were originally quite small and irregular, so efforts have also been made to increase the size and number of petals. Some double-petaled varieties have also been created, as well as variations in the color of the center (brown to black) and even of the petals (honey, buff, cream-pink, soft yellow, pale reddish).
Sunflower seeds are packed with healthy fats, vitamin E, protein, fiber, and minerals. Sunflower oil can be used for cooking. Sunflowers also serve as animal feed, primarily for livestock and birds. Native Americans have also used the seeds of sunflowers to dye blue or black and the petals to dye yellow. Smaller sunflower varieties are often used as cut flowers for bouquets and floral arrangements.
Try planting sunflowers along a fence or at the back of your garden for a beautiful and very useful addition to your garden.
The language of flowers associates the following meanings with sweet peas: blissful pleasure, delicate pleasure, goodbye, departure, adieu, and thanks for a lovely time. Sweet peas were very popular in the late 19th century and are often considered the floral emblem of Edwardian England. Sweet peas are the flowers most closely related to the month of April.
Sweet peas come in more than 250 varieties. Annual varieties prefer full sun, regular watering, and soil with plenty of humus. Perennial sweet peas survive in average soil with moderate watering. Sweet peas are wonderfully fragrant and were originally grown in the fields of Sicily. Most types grow from 1 to 5 feet tall, although some can reach 6 feet.
Sweet peas can be used successfully as cut flowers and in corsages and boutonnieres. The most famous, and perhaps the most important, use of sweet peas was the extensive genetic studies conducted by Gregor Mendel.
Tulips are generally a symbol of fame and perfect love. The symbolic meanings also change with the color of the tulips. Red tulips mean “believe me” and are a declaration of love. Variegated tulips mean “you have beautiful eyes.” Yellow tulips mean “there is sunshine in your smile”. And the cream-colored tulips mean “I will love you forever.” Tulips are the main national symbol of the Netherlands, rivaling wooden shoes and windmills.
Tulips originate from Persia and were brought to the Netherlands in the 17th century. Approximately 150 varieties of tulips grow in the wild, especially in cold, mountainous regions. Once the tulip was hybridized, a wide range of colors and petal shapes were created.
The tulips name comes from the headdress worn by many Middle Eastern peoples known as a turban or taliban. In Latin, this translates as “tulipa”.
In the years 1636-37, tulip mania reigned in the Netherlands. Tulips were a symbol of wealth and status and were traded as currency. A bed of tulips could buy a small house. Some highly prized tulips were even more valuable and a single bulb could be exchanged for a large house and all the land, furniture and other accessories.
When the tulip market crashed, it was similar to the stock market crash of the 20th century. Thousands of entrepreneurs went bankrupt when the bubble burst.
Today, the tulip is still the favorite flower that announces spring. Almost any garden can be graced with this beautiful and easily recognizable flower.
Symbolic meanings associated with zinnias are thoughts of absent friends, lasting affection, constancy, kindness, and daily remembrance. Zinnias are Indiana’s state flower.
The original zinnias were found in the early 16th century in the wilds of Mexico. They were so boring and unattractive that the Aztec name for them meant “monstrosity.” When they were introduced to Europe, they were equally despised and called “the flower of all” and “the flower of the poor.” The zinnia got its name from Dr. Gottfried Zinn, a German whose hobby was growing wildflowers.
The common name, Garden Cinderella, indicates the level of further transformation of the zinnia. In the late 19th century, a French botanist produced the first brilliantly colored double zinnias. In the early 20th century, Luther Burbank created the first dahlia as a zinnia. Today, the number of flower colors and shapes available is staggering.
Zinnias thrive in hot climates and will not grow in cold climates. Zinnias shouldn’t be overwatered and they don’t like mold. A wonderful characteristic of zinnias is that the flowers that open first stay fresh as new flowers open and begin to bloom.
The next time you decide which flowers to plant in your garden, keep in mind the amazing symbolism of flowers!