January Carnation |
The carnation has many contradictory meanings. According to the legend, King Louis IX discovered it in Africa and used it as a medication against the plague. In the middle ages it symbolized fertility. Later the flower became the flower of the ‘working class’ in England while the catholic church adopted it as the symbol of the Virgin Mary, and the crucifixion of Christ. |
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February |
This fragrant flower is tiny yet vigorous in its growth. It is self-pollinating, which is why in the middle ages, the church adopted it to symbolize the immaculate conception of the Virgin Mary. This flower is associated with innocent love and virtue. |
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March |
This flower is associated with vanity and death. The daffodil is in fact of the narcissus family, and is yellow in color. Legend has it that Narcissus saw his reflection in the water and fell in love with it, he leant forward and eventually fell into the water and drowned. At the spot where he had been kneeling, a daffodil sprang from the ground. |
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April |
This flower is in constant bloom, which is why it came to be associated with lasting pleasure. This flower has curling tendrils and vivid colors. | |
May Lily of the Valley |
This fragrant, delicate flower is in fact poisonous. Since it grows only in spring, it signifies the return of happiness. Many youths would await the coming of the lily in May to celebrate as it was thought to bring luck in love. |
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June |
The rose is truly the queen of flowers. In ancient Rome, youths wore them at Council of elders or into battle. The Catholic Church adopted it as the symbol of the Virgin. According to the Jews, the rose sprang from the first blood that was spilled on Earth. |
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July |
This bright flower takes it name from the Greek for ‘Dolphin’, because its petals reminded the ancient Greeks of the fins and snout of the dolphin. |
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August |
This is the flower of the gladiators, and symbolizes strong character. It used to grow freely and abundantly in the middle East. |
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September |
Aster means star and is believed to have sprung from the Earth when the Goddess Virgo spread some stardust on Earth. In Europe they were believed to have magical powers and being capable of driving away the ‘evil eye’ |
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October |
This bright yellow flower follows the path of the sun like the sunflower. It has medicinal properties and is traditionally used to treat irregular menses, but nowadays much research is being done into its anti-cancer properties. |
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November |
A noble flower in Asia: it appears on many Chinese ceramics and represents harvest, rest and ease. |
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December |
This flower is associated with vanity and death. Legend has it that Narcissus saw his reflection in the water and fell in love with it, he leant forward and eventually fell into the water and drowned. At the spot where he had been kneeling, a daffodil sprang from the ground. |