Uncovering the Meaning of the Daisy
Daisy flowers are commonly associated with whimsy, joy, and peace. Their simple nature and uncomplicated petals add a bohemian flair to any arrangement. Daisies make for excellent cut flowers but are just as good when grown in the garden. No matter where they are being used, they give off the essence of summer, sun, and pleasure.
Fittingly, the daisy flower means pure and innocent. This makes them appropriate to include in arrangements for celebrating a new baby‘s birth. They are also excellent for a baby shower bouquet or decor. While this is a traditional use, it is not wrong to include them in other bouquets. Think of a child giving their mother a bouquet on her birthday or Mother’s Day. A child’s innocence and love for their parent can be expressed through the gift of daisies.
In this article, we are going to discuss:
* Daisies in history
* The symbolism of daisy
Some brides also use daisies in their wedding flowers. This works very well for simple summer weddings. More and more brides are choosing rustic or outdoor wedding venues. Consider using daisies here to accent your decor. The use of the daisy flower here can represent the purity of your love. In addition, Daisies are actually double flowers or composite flowers. This means they are two flowers in one. Some say that the perfect blending of two flowers can be used to represent the pure love of a marriage union.
Daisies in History
Daisies have been popping up in history for a very long time. Like many other flowers, their exact origin is somewhat contested across different times and cultures.
There is an ancient Celtic legend that says daisies were sprinkled on Earth by God during times of tragedy. These tragic times were usually when an infant suffered an untimely death. God would spread daisies to help the parents heal.
In Roman times, the daisy came about from a myth about Beldies and Vertumnus. Beldies was a nymph who attracted the attention of Vertumnus, who was the god of seasons and gardens. Belides rejected his continued advances by becoming a daisy and hiding the garden. It is said that the botanical name Bellis originated because of this myth.
The symbolism of daisies for childbirth comes from Norse mythology. In these legends, Freya, the goddess of love, beauty, and fertility, chose the daisy as her scared flower. This is why we commonly use daisy to send congratulatory messages to new parents.
The word daisy means ‘day’s eye’ in Old English. During the dark of night, a daisies petals close over the center of the flower. The next day, the daisies open again in the sunlight. Hence the name, day’s eye. It is said that the saying ‘as fresh as a daisy,’ which means someone has a good sleep, derives from this process.
Daisies in Color
We often associate daisies with the simple white flower with a yellow center. Excitingly, daisies are actually available in many different colors. The gerbera daisy is a specific variety that comes in many colors. Therefore it is used in a variety of bouquets. While gerberas technically means purity and innocence, it is quite easy to use the different shades of gerberas to send the message of how you are feeling. Do not lock yourself into the basic message. Gerberas are versatile cut flowers, so use the meaning of specific colors to send your emotion through flowers.
The Symbolism of the Daisy
In underlying color meanings, red represents passion and love. This makes red gerberas a great way to send this message early in a relationship. Daisies are much more cost-effective than roses. Roses can also come on very strong because everyone knows what red roses mean. Send your message of love in a subtle but fresh way with a red gerbera daisy.
Orange gerberas are a great way to send the message of energy and vitality. Think of using orange gerberas for a bouquet for a bridal or baby shower. These are times of spreading joy and happiness. Orange is also considered a gender-neutral color, which can be helpful if you don’t know the gender of the baby.
Yellow daisies are the perfect flower for giving a friend hope. In flower terms, yellow generally represents friendship. In color terms, yellow presents hope and happiness. When a friend is going through a tough time, consider giving them yellow gerbera daisies. Gestures like this go a long way in providing hope to a person who is struggling.
Though not as common, green flowers also have their own meaning. Most people think that flowers are any color except green. This is simply not true. Green flowers are not often included in the bouquet because there is so much green foliage already. This is too bad, though, because the color green has excellent symbolism. Green means new beginnings, abundance, and nature. Try giving green gerberas to someone who is starting a new job, moving to a new house, or starting over in their life.
Blue flowers are unique. We don’t often think of sending someone blue flowers. This may be a good thing because the color blue represents sadness. However, blue gerberas may be appropriate if you know the person simply loves the color blue. There are not many flowers that come in true blue, they are much closer to purple. So, giving the gift of the unique blue flower may just be the perfect gift for that particular person in your life.
The color purple is often associated with royalty and wealth. Though most of us do not know people of royal descent, the purple gerbera can still be a nice flower to give someone. Think of times when you are hoping to wish wealth on others. This may be when they graduate from college or university. Or perhaps when a friend is getting married or starting their career. These are both times we tend to wish wealth for others. Purple also happens to be a favorite color of many people. Bright purple gerberas make an exquisite birthday bouquet.
No matter the occasion, there is likely a perfect daisy available. So next time you send a bouquet, consider including daisies.
