| Millions of people buy flowers for people they love daily – both on red-letter days or particular dates, and just to surprise the people they love. This simple element of our everyday life still represents one of the longest traditions in our history.
Flowers have been on the first place all throughout the history of mankind. Proofs of their usefulness are presented in different myths, folk tales, and religious texts. Different kinds of flowers were used for food and continue to be applied for food until the present day; others are known for curing properties and are used in medicine. They were used by Greeks and Romans several centuries ago because people then considered that the fragrance of flowers clears the atmosphere and reduces intoxication. Even notorious commanders known for their brutality and mercilessness while at war kept gardens of exotic plants at home.
Because of the high valuation of flowers by people they became symbols of numerous nations. Thus, a rose represents the national emblem of England, Honduras and Iran. Italy in its turn is represented by a lily, Brazil by a Cattleya, Japan by a chrysanthemum, Russia by a sunflower etc.
The most significant function of flowers, however, is their capacity to arouse profound human feelings and thoughts the way no other thing can. These plants miraculously embody beauty and tenderness. They are able to raise the spirits or to inspire on high-minded actions. A small bunch of flowers in the center of a table is a symbol of comfort. That is why women, and in particular housewives, always include fresh flowers in their planned expenses.
But flowers are symbolic not only in the mentioned way. Each flower has its own significance, and in such a way it can help to express people's feelings. Flowers have been used for centuries to send different messages. For instance, the red carnation used to mean “my heart aches for you”. The recipient in her turn could send a moss rose back (which means “I confess my love”) or a dried up white rose which in flower language means “you leave me cold”.
At present time the most popular way to say about the feeling is sending a designed floral composition of 3 long-stemmed red roses to the woman you like. |
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