A to Z ~ Flowers Types + Symbolism + Colours + More, Guide.
A to Z Flower Guide.
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Flower Types and Symbolism.
Our GiftsAfter.Life Funeral Faux Flower Guide, steeped in the rich tradition of floriography, offers guidance on selecting the appropriate blooms to commemorate a cherished loved one who has passed. Whether choosing from a range of fresh, artificial, or simulated flowers, the task of picking the perfect flowers to express your love and grief can be daunting. But with the aid of our floriographical guide, you’ll be able to navigate the vast array of flower types, colours, and their symbolic meanings with ease and grace.
Flowers play an important role in global cultures, particularly in Western cultures. A flower’s symbolism can range from something as simple as love and appreciation to more complex concepts such as respect and honour. For this reason, flowers make an excellent acknowledgment for any occasion where you wish to show your feelings or convey a heartfelt message.
Each Flower or Bloom across many cultures may have multiple meanings, so we have looked at the consensus of these meaning plus we do try to provide some historical facts. The placement of flowers at a cemetery or gravesite are a way to show your respect for loved ones who have past plus apart of flowers, keepsake is often placed. Regardless of type of flower being Faux (Artificial) or Real flowers these colour meanings represent the same meaning since Faux Flowers are a handmade, handcrafted simulation of the real flower whereas a Faux Flower has a longevity of life under extreme weather conditions whereas a real flower will only last a matter weeks or days.
The placement of flowers is integral in different cultures and religions when presenting flowers at a cemetery or gravesite. The colour, style, the number of flowers, the design and genus of flower can all depict different aspects about a loved one. As to say “A picture is worth a thousand words” For example, the placement of Red Roses at a gravesite might convey that the person was passionate, was a passionate lover or the marriage or friendship was passionate since a Red Rose possesses such a powerful message, while White Lilies might convey that the person was innocent and pure. In some cases, the arrangement of flowers can tell a stranger everything they need to know about the life of the person who has passed away.
Many may say, Wow, this person who passed was loved, look at the way the flowers are present and arranged from the colours and type of flowers arrangements and the memorabilia brings a picture to mind of the deceased even from never even meeting the person in real life.
If no headstone were to be present one could tell from the flowers or items placed at the gravesite if the deceased were young from toys or youthful objects visible or colours in the flower arrangements as to a father or mother passing.
Additionally, we should add not to judge a grave site if it appears bare due that the person who has passed may not have any family alive to attend to their grave so for that reason it appears bare, and neglected or for some other reasons since only the headstone is visible as a remembrance of your loved one.
For those who may be interested, the practice of assigning a meaning to a flower is known as Floriography, (Language of flowers). From what we understand the first published list mentioning flowers and their symbolic meanings was by Joseph Hammer-Purgstall’s, Dictionnaire du language des fleurs in 1809 and the first dictionary of Floriography in 1819 by Louise Cortambert.
Since these first publications, thousands of botanical publications are available which we list a few external links below as a reference and book publications.
Our guide below is a work in progress as we try to show the meanings of each flower based on Symbolism, Sentiments, Colour meanings and Culture meanings.
If you would have suggestions or if a flower colour does not exist, please get in touch for it to be created plus we welcome your input.
External Website Reference Links:
Reference links that may be of interest with more detailed plant descriptions and images.
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
- Plants of the World Online (POWO) by the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.
- Florabase ~ the Western Australian Flora. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions.