Pick Perfect Funeral Flowers
April showers bring May flowers. So, we want to dedicate our April blog post to an important element in any funeral or memorial service: flowers. Although it’s trendy to ask grievers to donate “in lieu of flowers,” that instruction usually applies to flower home delivery instead of floral arrangements for the service, such as bouquets and sprays. These remain an important element in most memorials. So how do you select the perfect blooms to celebrate your loved one’s life?
Funeral Flower Types
- Altar Flowers
- Casket Sprays
- Wreaths
- Casket Lid Swags
- Decorative Arrangements
- Live Plants
Popular Funeral Flowers
We try to encourage mourners to celebrate the deceased the same way he or she lived life. And it only makes sense to choose flowers that have special meaning to you or your loved one. For instance, if the deceased loved the great outdoors, consider ordering baskets of rustic wildflowers. If she always wore yellow, select daisies, sunflowers or daffodils. Was your loved one into gardening? If so, stick with live plants, as potted plants symbolize life. Purchasing these for a funeral subtly suggests that your loved one’s legacy will live on.
Funeral Flowers with Meaning
Before ordering funeral flowers, check out the meaning of a few popular blooms, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. If your florist doesn’t carry herbs, ask if they’ll include the stems that you provide. For example, rosemary, which is available in most home improvement and grocery stores, is not only fragrant and affordable, but symbolizes remembrance – so it’s appropriate for funerals and memorials.
Carnations:
- Red: heartache, admiration
- White: innocence, pure love
- Pink: I’ll never forget you
- Chamomile: patience
Hyacinths:
- Blue: constancy of love
- Purple: forgiveness
- White: loveliness, prayers for someone
Roses:
- Coral: friendship, modesty, sympathy
- Dark Red: unconscious beauty
- Hybrid tea variety: I’ll remember you
- Light Pink: admiration, sympathy
- Orange: desire and enthusiasm
- Pink: grace, happiness, gentility, beauty
- White: purity, innocence, reverence, silence
- Yellow: joy, friendship, promise of a new beginning
Tulips:
Red: declaration of love
Yellow: sunshine in a smile
Other Varieties:
Apple Blossom: better things to come
Daffodil: high regard
Daisy: innocence, hope
Edelweiss: courage, devotion
Fern: sincerity
Geranium: true friendship
Goldenrod: encouragement
Honeysuckle: bonds of love
Iris: a message
Ivy: eternal fidelity
Jasmine: sweet love
Lavender: devotion, virtue
Lemon Balm: sympathy
Lilac: joy of youth
Lily of the Valley: return of happiness
Lotus Flower: purity, enlightenment, self-regeneration, rebirth
Morning Glory: affection
Oak: strength
Pansy: thoughts
Peony: happy life, happy marriage
Rosemary: remembrance
Sage: wisdom, immortality
Sorrel: affection
Thyme: courage, strength
Willow: sadness
Zinnia: thoughts of absent friends
Funeral Flower Colors
Apart from flowers having meaning, your mortuary director may suggest you carefully consider the meaning behind the colors of flowers you choose. For instance, white flowers represent peace and reverence. Choose blue to communicate comfort and calm. Try to avoid green flowers, since these celebrate health and good fortune, which is probably not appropriate for a remembrance.
Additional Color Meaning:
Black: power, elegance, death
Brown: masculinity
Gold: illumination, wisdom and wealth
Orange: joy and sunshine
Purple: nostalgia and royalty
Red: passion and love
Yellow: joy, happiness, intellect, energy
For client convenience, Foothill Funeral & Cremation works directly with the online florist, The Sympathy Store, by Life Tributes. Click here to order through them. Or, better yet, call or stop by the FFC office and order directly through us. We have teamed up with Grand Florist and informally, with Glendora Florist. If you opt to use a different florist, provide them with information about the deceased, including the name and the date, time, and location of the funeral service.
Mortuary Tips
Before placing your order, decide where you want the flowers to be sent. While most floral arrangements can be delivered directly to the funeral home of your choice, you may wish to send flowers to the family home.
Foothill Funeral & Cremation is one of very few funeral homes that are certified by the Green Burial Council. Located at 402 West Baseline in Glendora, Foothill Funeral & Cremation proudly serves the San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles Basin, Orange County and the Inland Empire. With years of experience in the mortuary industry, we have worked hard to build a reputation of quality, sincerity and trust. We would be honored to help you at your time of need or in the future. Call today (626) 335-0615 or drop by our showroom.
