Page 17 - North Haven Magazine Issue 19 Summer 2021

Cornflower, an ancient flower, but it is associated
with anticipation.

are considered to represent a new beginning. Daffodils are one of
the earliest flowers to appear in the spring and symbolize rebirth
and renewal. If forced to bloom during New Years, the Chinese
believe it will bring good fortune into the home.

Anticipation is a good feeling of excitement about something that
will happen soon. This feeling can be shared with a choice of three
flowers, the anemone, the cornflower, and forsythia. All three of
these are early blooming flowers, perhaps in anticipation of the
summer season. The genus name for cornflower is centaurea. The
cornflower may also be known by the common name bachelor but-
ton. These flowers have been around for centuries and were found
in Tutankhamun’s tomb in a garland around the mummy. Much of
their color was still present even though they were over 3000 years
old.

Use iris to represent wisdom and trust.

Wisdom is represented by 8 flowers, with the most well-known
being iris, Solomon’s Seal, and lilac. In Greek, the word iris means
“rainbow”, which is well-suited to this group of flowers as they
come in a rainbow of beautiful colors, and forms. Many artists have
been inspired by these flowers, but Van Gogh’s painting “Irises” is
one of the most expensive paintings ever sold, at a price of 54 mil-
lion dollars Irises can be shared when you want to recognize an
individual’s wisdom and trust.
Learning a little about the symbolism of flowers may motivate you
to explore this topic in more depth so you can share your feelings
and messages with friends and family in a fun and beautiful way.
There are a variety of resources on the Internet, and you may find
that some information differs from that presented here because
sources come from different regions and cultures. Also consider
learning about the meaning of the colors of flowers which was not
included in this article but will give added depth to your meanings.

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