Flowers of Passion - red roses
On Valentines Day, if you are lucky, you may receive a bouquet of flowers. For hundreds of years flowers have held hidden meanings derived from mythology, folklore, religious and historical symbolism. Traditionally, red roses are given on Valentines Day as the red rose is the ultimate symbol of love and passion.
As Valentines Day falls in February red roses are not in season and will have to be imported from abroad. However, there are some lovely British grown alternatives which are in season, many with their own poetic symbolism.
Anemone coronaria are available in early spring and the red ones give red roses a run for their money in terms of vibrancy and colour. The meaning associated with the anemone is dying love or forsaken, which perhaps is not the message you may wish to convey, but there are also messages implied when a gift of a particular flower is given. Giving a gift of anemones means 'I trust in my love', which is much nicer!
Similarly, narcissi also available in February, can have a double meaning. Vanity is associated with the flower (oh dear) but a gift of narcissus means 'Don't forget me'. The meaning of daffodils (I know they are all narcissi but you know what I mean) is desire.
Camellia flowers are lush and blowsy with the glamour of roses and a gift of red camellias means 'you are very beautiful' (many brownie points will be earnt with this one) and a gift of pink camellias means 'I am proud of your love'.
Violets mean secret love and modesty, snowdrops mean purity and hope, heather means solid love, and hellebores mean a lively mind.
These messages of love are perhaps a bit more subtle than the red rose, the meaning of which is very clear, but maybe it is more romantic for your loved one to decipher the poetic meaning of your gift of flowers and you may just find that it was worth the effort!