There are myriad ways that we can communicate with one another. We have the complexities of language, of gesture, of facial expression and so on – so why is it that so many of our social occasions and most devout expressions of emotion and intent are entrusted to the giving of flowers
People use flowers to celebrate, commiserate, romance, and worship. They have done so for years, across all countries and cultures. Flowers can be found in religious parables and in ancient mythological stories.
Perhaps such long-term reverence has been hardwired into us – some subconscious realisation that flowers, being part of the plant life that provides oxygen for us to breath, contribute to our very existence. Or maybe it is because of their healing properties (echinacea, for example); their part in pollination and fertilisation; their alluring fragrance.
Or maybe it is all of those things combined with the simple fact of their beauty. The characteristics, uses and symbolic meanings of flowers are all part of what a course in Floristry teaches participants. Then there is the presentation – how to make bows, hand-tied bouquets, wreaths, button holes and corsages, wiring and taping and so on.
Floristry is important to a lot of people. It is an enjoyable activity, certainly; but understanding it just might be the difference between merely saying things with flowers and saying them well.
