What Types of Flowers Should Be Taken to a Grave?

There is no easy way to deal with the death of a loved one, and visiting their grave site is a normal way of staying connected with the person lost. Bringing flowers is a wonderful way of expressing feelings you have regarding their passing. Although different flowers hold different meanings, choosing ones that bring back good memories or simply flowers you find beautiful is a lovely gesture.

Flowers are used for multiple purposes and can symbolize many things. Whether celebrating a joyous occasion, such as a birth, anniversary or promotion, or grieving the death of a loved one, flowers are a way to express how you are feeling, especially at times when verbalizing emotions may be hard. There is no longer a strict etiquette regarding flower choices, but it is nice to pick something that represents the occasion and feeling appropriately.

Flowers and their associated meanings became highly popular during the reign of Queen Victoria, known as the Victorian period (1837-1901). Because people did not feel at liberty to express themselves freely, flowers became the mode of communication. Not only were they included in bouquets, they were also worn in hair and on clothing and used as jewelery. The meaning behind individual flowers became so complex and intricate that flower dictionaries were written to provide explanations.

Love is an emotion frequently tied with death, and some of the most well-known flowers represent love. The flower most commonly associated with love is the red rose, which represents a timeless, passionate love. Along with the rose, red tulips also symbolize love, but are more delicate in form. Both the red rose and tulip would be appropriate in representing the loss of a spouse.

A wide range of flowers evoke the sentiment of remembrance. Alstroemeria symbolizes memories linked with friendship, while forget-me-nots specifically evoke positive memories. The pink carnation and the statice are also used to represent remembrance. Any of these choices would work well in mourning the loss of a close friend.

Love and remembrance are two powerful meanings behind flowers, but, depending on whose death is being mourned, these other flowers may also be appropriate. White carnations and daisies represent innocence, while gladiolas represent strength of character. The purple hyacinth denotes faith and hope, the jonquil evokes sympathy and the cyclamen is used to say goodbye.