Gardener's Yards All About Gardening 
For as long as I can remember, I have enjoyed the presence of nature in my everyday life.
Hans Christian Anderson put it best when he wrote, “Just living is not enough… One must have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
Flowers are very beneficial to us. They can improve the mood, reduce one’s stress levels, and what else not. However, no matter how beautiful, some flowers have come to represent sadness.
Here are some of the flowers that represent feelings like sympathy, grief, and sorrow:
Lilies
Lilies are known as “flowers of sadness” – they represent renewal, rebirth, and even the restoring of a person’s soul. Because of this, they are used as funeral flowers.
If you are troubled by the fact that you cannot explain your sadness with words, you could do that by taking a bouquet of lilies to a grieving family that has just lost a loved one.
There are several types of lilies – the white ones usually represent majesty and purity, while the stargazer lilies symbolize sympathy.
Roses
Roses are one of the most popular flowers. Coming in a variety of colors, they also have a variety of meanings. White roses usually represent purity and innocence; peach and pink roses indicate gratitude, while the yellow ones express support.
The good thing about roses is that you can never go wrong with them. All these different roses can be used as a sympathy gift for a grieving family.
However, if you are going to a funeral, make sure to take only one rose! Single roses express long-lasting love for the deceased.
Carnations
It is believed that this flower got its name after the latin word that means “God in the flesh”. Because of this meaning, we usually consider carnations as flowers that represent sadness.
Another meaning that is often attributed to this flower is love for the family who has lost a loved one.
As for the different colors, red carnations usually represent admiration, the pink ones remembrance, while the white ones are for purity and innocence.
If you are looking to show someone how sorry you are about something, going with a pink or white carnation will be the best choice.
Purple Hyacinth
Unlike the other color-hyacinth flowers, the purple ones are considered as a symbol of sorrow and regret. By taking a hyacinth to a funeral, you let the family know that you are aware of how tough things are for them and that you feel for them.
There is even a legend that explains how the hyacinth sends a message of apology. You can read more about it at AuntyFlo.
Chrysanthemums
In many European countries, chrysanthemums are considered a symbol of death. Such flowers are taken only to funerals, which is also the case in countries like China, Japan, and Korea.
The flowers most likely got this meaning because they bloomed at the soldiers’ graves during the war, explaining Flora Queen.
Another reason why these flowers are usually connected with the feeling of sadness is that they represent a great way to respect the deceased person while remembering his/her purity.
Gladiolus
The gladiolus is another gorgeous flower that usually symbolizes strength and character. However, it can also be used as a sympathy gift, in which case it symbolizes grief, compassion, and sadness.
If taken to a family that has lost a loved one, it could serve as a nice reminder of how strong that person was.
There are many different colors in which you can find these flowers: like white, pink, red, yellow, purple, green, orange, salmon, and others. However, it has the same meaning regardless of the color.
Forget-me-not
We can attribute many meanings to this fantastic flower- it symbolizes remembrance and loyalty, or it can serve as a reminder of all the amazing moments you spent with someone. The message that it conveys is: we will always remember your loved one.
It is often difficult to talk about someone who you have lost. However, you can always share the stories of the moments that you shared and the memories of those moments that you will always cherish.
Cyclamens
Even though this plant represents happiness in some cultures, in others, it represents the complete opposite. One should be careful when gifting this plant because it is often connected with poison and death.
The message that it conveys is that all good things must end at some point.
Because of this message, it is also considered as a plant that is appropriate for funerals. When taken as a final gift to someone you have lost, it can mean a departure to bigger things.
Chamaecyparis
Chamaecyparis, part of the Cypress family Cupressaceae, is a type of evergreen dwarf tree that symbolizes sadness, mourning, sacrifice, and even death. It is also the type of wood that is used in Christ’s crucifixion cross and coffins.
The meaning is often connected to a myth about a young boy Kyparissos who had a special bond with a mystical deer that he later accidentally killed. Kyparissos could not get over his grief and was even turned into a Cypress by his god Apollo.
Zinnia
Even though it is a very colorful and joyous flower, the zinnia has a few hidden meanings. It can symbolize remembrance for someone who was loved but is no longer around, or it can be given to an absent friend.
There are different types of zinnia – pink, purple, red, yellow, and white. Most of them have positive meanings, while the white one is often used for spiritual occasions like funerals.
Conclusion
No matter what the occasion is, flowers are always a nice gift even if the occasion is not that jolly.
Flowers can bring out a smile on anyone’s face. That is why we should give flowers to the people we love and care for.
We should all learn to enjoy their unique colors and intoxicating smell – they are nature’s gift to all of us!
