Almost everyone will at some point in their lives either give or receive flowers. They are the perfect gift for many different occasions. However, not everyone is aware of the fact that each bloom has a specific meaning. It is possible to send a message with plants without using a single word.

This practise dated from the Victorian times when people were a lot coyer about their feelings as it was not acceptable to be too open about how you felt about someone. By sending someone a specific flower, or a bouquet, it was possible to tell them your true feelings. This was a lot easier than writing down how you felt and maybe risking rejection from the object of your affections.

Some of the meanings of flowers are very well known, such as a red rose being the ultimate symbol of love, and a yellow rose being for friendship. Others are easy to guess, as the very flamboyant Bird of Paradise is a symbol of celebration. The humble buttercup is meant to symbolise childishness; how many of us grew up playing with this plant to see if we liked butter.

Other plants are steeped in folklore, as a four leaved clover has long been regarded as a symbol of good luck. Perhaps not so many people know that a five leaved clover is a symbol of bad luck, and not as might have been thought, even better luck. The delicate blue bloom of the forget me not, as might be expected symbolises true love, hope and memories.

It is possible to send a message through plants that is not very pleasant as some have meanings that are not so nice, such as the highly poisonous foxglove which stands for insincerity, and the equally poisonous hemlock which simply means that you will kill me. It is certainly a very subtle message to send such blooms as they can look very attractive. The clue to the flowers meaning can be in the name, as the iceplant, while being very attractive, simply means rejection.

Roses almost always have a positive meaning, and most people would be delighted to receive them as they are considered a luxurious bloom. This could be because they do not always last as long as more ordinary flowers, but can have a beautiful scent for the few days that they are at their most perfect. Perhaps most people think of roses first when considering sending flowers.

Following the instructions given by the florist, such as cutting down the stems to ensure that they can get enough to drink, changing the water often, and using the correct cut flower food can help to prolong the life of beautiful blooms. Ensuring that they are placed in a clean vase is also important to prolong their life. Another thing to remember is to remove all leaves that are trailing in the water as they could cause the water to go bad.

A bouquet can be sent to celebrate a new baby, an anniversary, a birthday, or just for a special day, or even to say thank you to someone. No wedding would be complete without beautifully scented fresh flowers. They can also be used to demonstrate sympathy at a funeral as it can be comforting for the bereaved to see flowers commemorating a loved one.