The Meaning of Flowers
Flowers and their meanings have been a beautiful way of communicating emotion for centuries. Each bloom carries a story, a sentiment, and a hidden message which extends far beyond its physical beauty. Floriography (the language of flowers) has been practised for thousands of years and perhaps what makes it so special is that it spans all cultures and religions. Whether expressing love, celebrating a milestone, honouring the departed, or simply brightening someone’s day, flowers serve as important messengers of human emotion and are a poignant way of strengthening connection.
The symbolism of flowers became a popular hobby in Victorian Britain when flowers were used to deliver messages that couldn’t be spoken aloud. The way the flowers were tied, the colour of the bloom, and the manner in which they were presented all had different underlying meanings. The Victorians looked at the humanistic qualities of each flower to assign certain meanings to them, and it’s not difficult to see why they gave bluebells the meaning of kindness, peonies bashfulness, rosemary for remembrance, and tulips for passion. Many of these meanings remain today. I love the idea of this ‘silent dialogue’ using flowers to convey messages of the heart and mind.
By exploring the meaning of flowers we can discover a rich tapestry of symbolism and sentiment that transcends language barriers and crosses cultures. The magic of the natural world provides endless fascination to me, so join me as I unravel the secrets of flowers and their meanings…
The Meaning of Cherry Blossom
Cherry blossom trees produce cloud-like bursts of flowers in March and April and have long been a symbol of Spring and new beginnings. Celebrated as the national flower of Japan, cherry blossoms (or ‘Sakura’) are honoured across the country with festivals known as hanami (literally meaning ‘flower viewing’). With a fleeting bloom of often little more than two weeks, cherry blossoms are also a beautiful reminder of the delicate nature of life and a sense of mindfulness and being present in the moment. There are more than 430 varieties of cherry blossom trees, with the Yoshino variety being one of the most popular. Whilst most cherry blossom trees are pink, some are white, but all are delicately beautiful and create a spectacular show in Springtime.
Cherry Blossom Locket in 9ct rose & white gold, 18ct yellow gold, diamond and pink sapphire.
Cherry Blossom Jewellery
Cherry blossom represents renewal, hope, and new beginnings. My cherry blossom flower locket makes a perfect gift to celebrate life’s most precious moments, to be passed down through generations. Cherry blossom is also the birth flower of March so this delicate flower makes a thoughtful gift for anyone celebrating their birthday at the onset of Spring.
The Meaning of Daffodils
A symbol of Spring, hope and new beginnings, the cheerful daffodil never fails to bring a sense of warmth and joy after a long winter. Whilst the humble daffodil may seem fragile with its papery appearance, it has become a symbol of strength and tenacity as it is the first flower of the season to be able to rise up despite the frosts which often occur in early spring. The ancient Greeks associated the flower with self-love, while in Victorian England, daffodils were given as gifts to express admiration and respect. Traditionally, daffodils are also given to those celebrating a 10th wedding anniversary.
Daffodil Jewellery
With cut flowers being a go-to wedding anniversary gift, I love the idea that by giving my Daffodil Locket, the celebration of this romantic milestone is marked in a way that lasts a lifetime.
Daffodil Locket in 18ct yellow gold, 9ct white gold and diamond
The Meaning of a Rose
Known as the “queen of flowers,” roses have a rich symbolism. Over the years, roses have come to symbolise some of our strongest feelings, such as love, passion and admiration and each colour variation of the rose carries with it its own unique message. Red roses symbolise love and passion, while pink roses stand for admiration and gratitude. White roses often symbolise purity and innocence, whilst yellow roses signify friendship and joy. The unmistakable Tudor Rose is known as the “Rose of England,” and this continues to be one of the most identifiable symbols in the UK today.
Rose Jewellery
Loved by all ages, Rose Locket is one of my most popular designs and makes for the perfect birthday, anniversary or christening gift. For the wild at heart, I also make a dog rose locket. Unlike traditional cut roses, carefully grown for perfection for bouquets, these innocent-looking pink and white roses can be found adorning hedgerows and woodlands, growing tall and free in the wild.
Dog Rose Locket in silver, 18ct rose & yellow gold and diamond
The Meaning of Daisies
Daisies are simple yet charming flowers symbolising innocence, purity, and new beginnings. They are often associated with childhood and are considered symbols of loyal love and simplicity. It is thought that the daisy gets its name from the Old English phrase “daes eage,” or “day’s eye,” because of the way the flower blossoms at the first sign of dawn. This is also where the phrase ‘fresh as a daisy’ originates. In Norse mythology, the daisy is known as the sacred flower for the goddess of love, beauty and fertility. Because of this, daisies have also come to symbolise childbirth, motherhood and new beginnings, making the daisy a poignant flower to give to someone welcoming a new baby, also known as a ‘push present’.
Daisy Jewellery
The perfect piece for all ages, my Daisy Locket always receives a lovely reaction when opened up. The perfect heirloom gift for any special occasion, as a gift for April birthdays or just to say ‘I love you’! If you are looking for a unique christening gift, Daisy Locket is also available in miniature; the ideal way to cherish and remember your child’s special day.
Daisy Locket Mini in 18ct yellow gold and 9ct white gold
The Meaning of Sunflowers
Sunflowers are known as a symbol of strength, long-lasting happiness and an instinct to seek positivity. Sunflowers always follow the direction of the sun and so this cheerful, bold flower has also come to symbolise admiration and loyalty. Not only explicit in its beauty, many cultures have relied on the sunflower for its medicinal purposes with the golden oil serving as an anti-inflammatory and for pain relief. With the seeds providing such nourishment, Sunflowers are also sometimes used as a symbol of Veganism.
Sunflower Jewellery
A joyful representation of the sun itself, Sunflower Locket is the perfect sunflower jewellery gift to say, ‘you are my sunshine’ to someone very special. In this striking and eye-catching opening Sunflower pendant, 12 hand-engraved gold petals sit snugly within beautifully sculpted silver ‘sepals’. As the locket stem is pushed up, the petals unfold to shine around the iconic dark centre, sprinkled with twinkling brown diamonds.
Sunflower Locket in silver, 18ct gold and diamond
The Meaning of Heather
Heather typically blooms between July and September and commonly grows in shades of white, purple, and pink. This flower has come to symbolise protection and good luck and holds particular prominence in Scotland where it competes with the thistle to be the most iconic Scottish plant, covering many a Highland hillside. One legend about white heather is that it grows upon the resting place of a faerie, and it is said that you can attract the faeries by making an offering of Heather to them on Belthane (1st of May).
Heather Jewellery
A symbol of luck, protection and the fulfilment of a dream, Heather makes for a beautiful sentiment to commemorate change; a new career path, embarking on a new adventure or perhaps a loved one is moving away from home. In my Heather collection you will find Heather Locket as well as a pendant, earrings and bracelet; all a perfect gift to wish someone luck.
Heather Bracelet in silver
The Meaning of the Lotus Flower
One of nature’s most mysterious flowers, the lotus and its symbolism carries a lot of weight in many cultures. In Hinduism, this beautiful flower represents beauty, spiritual enlightenment, purity, prosperity, fertility, and eternity. For the Egyptians, the flower represents the universe. The lotus has a unique life- cycle quite unlike any other plant. Rooted in mud, the lotus submerges every night into river water and miraculously re-blooms the next morning, sparklingly clean. This gives the flower a symbol of rebirth, determination and achievement. A lotus seed is able to germinate after two centuries which also gives this special bloom a meaning of perseverance and hope. In Buddhism, the Lotus flower in bloom represents enlightenment and purity of the body, mind and soul – a reminder that true beauty is found above the murky waters of materialism and desire.
Lotus Flower Jewellery
Such special meanings make Lotus jewellery a perfect gift for a soul mate, or to celebrate and acknowledge a hard-earned achievement such as graduation or retirement. With the Lotus flower in bud and in bloom representing the soul before and after enlightenment, Lotus Locket is the perfect piece for a daily reminder to be grounded in your values.
The Meaning of Peonies
The beautiful bashful peony flower signifies romance, elegance, honour, wealth and abundance in the language of flowers. The peony is the traditional floral symbol of China and these breathtaking flowers are known for their lush, generous bloom. In ancient times the peony’s roots and seeds were frequently used to treat headaches and asthma, and also to relieve pain associated with childbirth.
Peony Jewellery
Often referred to as the ‘king of flowers’, Peonies are symbolic of honour, romance and happy marriage. The peony is one of the most popular flowers for summer wedding bouquets and is also known as the official flower to celebrate a 12th wedding anniversary. With its beautiful craftsmanship and heirloom qualities, Peony Locket is a gift to be passed down through generations.
Peony Locket in 18ct yellow gold, 9ct rose gold and diamonds
The Meaning of a Poppy
The iconic pop of colour, delicate tissue-like petals and much-loved rattling seed-pods make this beautiful flower a firm favourite with adults and children alike. Red poppies are a symbol of remembrance in the UK and worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community, especially on 11th November (Armistice Day). In Asian countries, a red poppy is also associated with success, good fortune, and romantic love. The poppy also has soporific powers and has come to symbolise dreaming and imagination. Many of us get caught up in the realities of day-to-day life and the humble poppy is a reminder that imagination and creativity are key to living a fulfilled life.
Poppy Jewellery
My poppy jewellery collection channels memories, healing and sweet dreams. The lockets, pendants, earrings and rings can be paired up to make a stunning gift for that special someone, or why not gift yourself? Poppy Locket and rings are made to order but the earrings, pendants and bracelets are often in stock or ready within a day or two.\
Poppy Pendant and Poppy Mini Earrings in silver
The Meaning of the Thistle
In Celtic countries the thistle flower symbolises resilience, strength, determination, protection and pride. It is Scotland’s national flower and one of the country’s most easily-recognisable emblems with its hues of purple and pink being symbolic of regal splendour. The thistle embodies the nobility of spirit and birth, and has been employed as a good luck charm not just in Scotland but also in Romania and in numerous regions all over the globe. In France, thistles were believed to offer protection against witchcraft. With their bright purple puff of colour, Thistles attract insects and are an important pollinator for bees, making this underrated beauty, often discarded as a weed, a wonderful symbol for the underdog.
Thistle Jewellery
Featuring 16 moving petal clusters and over 200 ‘prickles’ on the outer pod, my Thistle Locket is the most intricately detailed of all the lockets in the closed position. Whilst being worn, just a hint of the silver petals show at the end of this very tactile pod. Once turned upright, the stem is then pushed upwards to reveal the delicate flower into bloom. The perfect gift to symbolise bravery, courage and protection.
Thistle Locket in silver, gold plate and diamond
The Meaning of Tulips
With their cheerful appearance and bright kaleidoscope of colour, tulips are a flower which has been admired by many for centuries. Although neat, long rows of colourful tulips with a windmill alongside may be what first comes to mind when you think of this flower, tulips aren’t native to Europe and the Netherlands at all but actually originated in Central Asia. Intrinsically linked with the meaning of love, the flower itself is only part of the symbolism and much like the rose, each colour of tulip also has its own meaning. A yellow tulip symbolises good luck and cheer, pink tulips stand for congratulations, the classic red tulip is for love, white tulips are used in condolence, whilst a purple tulip means refinement, elegance and admiration. The tulip is the birth flower of the month of April and has appeared in famous fairytales, like in Hans Christian Andersen’s Thumbelina.
Tulip Jewellery
Tulip Locket was originally made for a special exhibition held at Malvern Spring Festival in 2016. The Tulip-themed exhibition was held by UCARE (Urology Cancer Reseach and Education) to raise funds for the charity and 10% of all subsequent orders for this design also go to the charity.
Tulip Locket in 18ct yellow gold, 9ct rose gold and diamond
The language of flowers is one of the most heartfelt ways of communicating, either between friends, family members, or romantic partners. Jewellery has always been one of the most sentimental of all gifts to give and with the added knowledge of what some of the flowers represent, I hope to create pieces that serve as not only beautiful reminders of the people in our lives, but the milestones and values we treasure in our lives.
