Send a gift of flowers ... but take a look at what it means first.

Roses are red; violets are blue,

These flowers are the ideal gift to give to you.

MAYBE...then again, maybe not. It all depends on who is giving and who is receiving the flowers. Red roses are symbols of love and passion, while violets are symbols of faithfulness and virtue. These may be wonderful messages to send to your betrothed, but to your mother-in-law? To your boss's wife?

Think again! Yellow roses to signify joy and friendship, deep pink roses that send a message of thankfulness or dahlias, those symbols of good taste, might be more appropriate choices to express your sentiments.

Flowers are wonderful gifts to give provided they are given with thought — thought to the meaning and the colour, to the culture of the person receiving them, to the occasion and the way in which they are presented.

Flowers have a wonderful language all their own, and web sites abound to provide anyone with Internet access a list of this language of flowers.

About the "meaning of flowers"

It is wise to remember, though, that while many flowers have traditional meanings, they can mean something very different to the recipient.

The most common errors are in giving flowers of passion, like red roses, when no passion was intended or of giving flowers that have funereal connotations. For example, white chrysanthemums traditionally signify truth, but the Japanese associate them with funerals just as frangipani blossoms have that connotation in India.

While lilies of the valley are given for good luck on May 1 in France, white flowers have funereal associations in other cultures besides the Japanese. In China, white flowers and gladioli are reserved for funeral sprays. In the United Kingdom, white lilies are used at Easter or for funerals. In Germany, Calla lilies and heather are funeral flowers, while chrysanthemums are inappropriate in Belgium, Italy and Switzerland for the same reason. One also does not give white asters or carnations in Switzerland. In fact, carnations, with their spicy fragrance, are looked down upon in several cultures because they are considered cheap.

And, while yellow roses may traditionally mean joy and friendship to us, in Peru or Iran yellow flowers would not be welcome because they represent "the enemy" and send a message of hate. In Mexico, yellow flowers are perceived negatively because they are associated with funerals.

The number of flowers given can have an impact on the message too. In most European cultures, it is considered bad luck to give an even number. An uneven number, except 13 in Germany, is always preferable. In Germany, one should always unwrap the flowers before presenting them to a hostess.

While it is may seem appropriate to bring flowers to a hostess, I usually advise against it. When you bring do so, your hostess has to find a vase, fill it with water, trim the stems and arrange the flowers when she should be focusing on her guests. It is much better to send a bouquet with a note of thanks the following day.

There are other times when it is inappropriate to give flowers. One should not give cut flowers to the Chinese, nor would one ever send a funeral arrangement to their home or place of business. The Japanese only give a gift of flowers when courting or in the case of illness or death. Traditional Arabs in Egypt, too, only use flowers for weddings and funerals.

Personally, I love flowers. I love growing them, giving them and receiving them. I send flowers for special occasions or as a thank you. I send them for no reason if the mood strikes me. I send them to men and women. and, while some people might find that shocking, I've found that many men are absolutely charmed at receiving an arrangement of flowers ... in masculine shades, of course.

However, I try never to send flowers thoughtlessly. To a friend with severe allergies, I've sent a watercolour of flowers rather than the real thing. To a friend in the terminal stages of cancer, I sent a basket filled with pots of brightly coloured primrose, tulip and daffodil plants with no thought to their meaning — inconstancy, perfect love and unrequited love — except that they were cheerful spring flowers on a gloomy winter's day, would brighten her day and would outlive cut flowers.

Potted orchids, too, are wonderful when you want your gift to last for weeks and months ... or when you want to send a message of magnificence, beauty and refinement. When in doubt about what to send, don't hesitate to ask your florist for professional guidance.

As with any gift you give, a gift of flowers should be given with the recipient in mind. By making sure that the message of the flowers, the number and the way they are presented are appropriate to the recipient, to the occasion and to the culture, you will send a thoughtful and loving gift that will be appreciated.

source: www.etiquetteintl.com