Guest Column

Kathy’s Gardening Guide: Flowers of Gratitude and Friendship

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As we celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, we reflect on the many blessings in our lives.

Our friends are often not only an important part of the celebration, but they are also one of our greatest blessings. Flowers are a wonderful way to celebrate the holiday and our friends. Keep these flowers in mind when looking for the perfect bloom!

A gift of flowers is a popular way to express gratitude, particularly when the following varieties are included:

  • Hydrangeas: In Japanese society, the hydrangea flower means “thank you for understanding.” Specifically, blue hydrangeas are most often considered a flower of gratitude while pink hydrangeas represent sincere feelings.
  • Lilies: Yellow lilies are especially suited for expressing appreciation. These blooms naturally evoke happiness with their large, brightly colored petals.
  • Roses: Although roses are often considered a romantic flower, blooms in a peach color are traditionally thought of as a way to say “thank you.” It is also acceptable to express appreciation and/or admiration with a dark pink rose.
  • Maranta (“prayer plant”): Maranta is commonly known as the “prayer plant” because of the way its leaves fold up at night as if in prayer. As prayer often shows gratitude, this plant represents appreciation and thankfulness. Maranta is an ideal choice for saying “thank you: because it can thrive as a low maintenance houseplant and features leaves with unique colors and patterns.
  • Sweet Pea: These plants are perfectly suited to show appreciation for an invitation, but sweet pea flowers can also be used in bouquets for any expression of gratitude.

Flowers are also a beautiful expression of friendship. Consider the following blooms when showing a friend how much they mean to you:

  • Geranium: Available in red, pink, purple, white and lilac, geraniums represent the positive feelings of friendship, happiness and good health. These plants are the perfect gift to celebrate close friends, but they are also ideal as an offer of friendship, such as a housewarming gift for a new neighbor.
  • Roses: Yellow roses feature a bright, sunny hue that brings out happiness and positivity. They are, therefore, a cheerful, warm expression of friendship.
  • Daisies: In any color, daisies symbolize happiness. Specifically, however, yellow daisies represent a positive connection to another person. They are the perfect flower to demonstrate the happiness that a true friendship brings.
  • Alstroemeria (“Peruvian lily”): The most prevalent meaning of alstroemeria, or Peruvian lily, relates to friendship and companionship. The blooms have six petals that are thought to represent the values of a true friendship — empathy, patience, humor, respect, commitment and understanding. Remember Alstroemeria when selecting a flower to celebrate a friend.
  • Zinnia: Available in many colors, zinnia blooms are a wonderful gift of friendship. Yellow flowers recognize a newer friend, magenta blooms symbolize a deeper friendship and white zinnias represent a pure relationship.
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We hope you enjoy a very special Thanksgiving with your family and friends!

Flower of the Week: Geraniums

Please email Kathy at kcg.pvr@gmail.com for any questions or gardening tips you would like to see in the future. For more information & ideas, visit Kathy’s Creative Gardens & Nursery, 196 N. Roscoe Blvd. The phone number is 904-655-7373.