Sympathy Flowers

Sharing sympathy with someone in their time of grief or when someone experiences a loss can be difficult. Finding just the right words to put in a card or the right phrase to say is rarely easy, but when a friend is grieving it is natural to want to show our sympathy and support. Sharing something in words may not be easy, but sympathy flowers are an almost universal symbol of expression that can be used to share feelings at particularly difficult or emotional times in our lives.

The History of Sympathy Flowers

Sympathy flowers have long been used during funerals and at times of loss. In ancient times flowers were an important way of maintaining the dignity of the funeral and masking the odour of a body lying at rest. This practical and beautiful tradition honoured the deceased and brought comfort to the families. Sympathy flowers were also connected to some of the religious traditions of cultures around the world with flowers being used as gifts and to symbolize life and mortality.
As the science of embalming and funerals has developed, flowers are used less regularly for their practicality, but have lost none of their symbolism and tradition. These traditions can be a great comfort to those in grief and bring dignity to the occasion.

The Language of Sympathy Flowers

As the tradition of sympathy flowers has developed different flowers have become particularly popular and have even developed meanings and symbols that can add context and depth to the gift of sympathy flowers. This symbolism can be used to add meaning to a boquet of sympathy flowers and it can be a great creative outlet. There are no strict rules, but if attending a funeral for a different culture it can be useful to check if there are any flowers to avoid or that have specific meaning. Let us look at some of the traditional meanings for different sympathy flowers in many western cultures.

Lilies are one of the most popular sympathy flowers at funeral services because they often represent innocence, purity and majesty. Lilies are beautiful, graceful flowers and can be used to create stunning, dignified floral displays by professional florists like Secret Garden Floristry based in Petersfield, Hampshire. One of the most beautiful lilies to be used for sympathy flowers is the white stargazer lily.
Orchids make great sympathy flowers for after a funeral. They are an elegant plant that have a long life and can be displayed beautifully. Traditionally the orchid means ‘I will always love you’ and different colours can also have different messages attached. Purple orchids can be used for sympathy flowers as they traditionally represent royalty, respect and dignity. White orchids are also useful as they can signify reverence and humility.

Carnations are a classic choice for sympathy flowers, being commonly used to represent love and admiration. They are also excellent for sympathy flowers because they have a beautiful and long-lasting aroma.

For the very best sympathy flowers, contact Secret Garden Floristry today.