In honor of the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012 I thought I would do a little research into the meaning of flowers. We’ve often heard that roses have different meanings depending upon their color so it follows that other flowers would have meanings attached also. If you do a search for New Years flowers, you will most likely come across a ton of arrangements featuring combinations of silver and white; this I’ve come to discover is mostly for aesthetic purposes rather than symbolic ones. What if we put a little more thought into the meaning behind the flowers we choose?

    If you are going for symbolic meanings with your flowers then a good one to choose for saying good-bye to the past year would be a Cyclamen. This flower contains twenty species that are available in a vast array of colors. They grow wild mostly in the Mediterranean, as well as select parts of Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Most species will not do well in a place prone to frost though they can be planted in pots. The Cyclamen is often given when people retire or who enter a new chapter in their life.  What a fitting way to say goodbye to 2011.

  As for welcoming in the new year a perfect pick would be the daffodil. A bright and cheerful flower, the daffodil has long been acknowledged as a symbol of new beginnings. As the first flower to bloom in the spring it signifies a fresh start. As it blooms during Lent it is also known as the “lent Lilly.” What better way to welcome a new year than with a flower that symbolizes what so many crave; a new beginning?

I hope this New Year finds you, dear reader, happy and healthy. Enjoy the memories of the year that has passed and eagerly await the one that is about to begin!