What is your Birth Flower?
You've heard of birthstones, but did you know about your birth flower?
The idea that flowers have meanings was introduced in the early 18th century by members of the literary community. Each month was assigned a flower, and it was thought that the characteristics of those would be inherited by those born in that month.
And the birth flower for February is…
The Violet!
The Violet, or Sweet Violet, is a perennial plant with a beautiful delicate scent. (For those of you who aren't gardeners, perennial means they come back every year!) And violets are perfect planted in woodlands or for ground cover in a flower bed. Not to mention they bring a lovely splash of colour into your garden.
Depending on the variety, violets will bloom in Spring or Late Winter. And as an evergreen they will keep their glossy green leaves all year round.
Interested in planting some violets in your garden? The Royal Horticultural Society has a handy guide here to tell you all you need to know.
Symoblic meaning of the Violet
The Violet has been around for millennia with their symbol scattered throughout human history.
Long associated with Mary, the violet represents her modesty and devotion. In fact, the legend states that the violets bloomed when Gabriel told Mary about Jesus.
The Greeks also used them as a symbol of fertility and love, where as the Ancient Romans thought they represented remembrance.
Attributes associated with the violet:
- Wisdom
- Loyalty
- Friendship
So why is the violet the Birth Flower for February?
Slightly more recent than the bible, modern folklore surrounding the violet says that St. Valentine used them to make ink for his notorious love letters.
For those of you with your birthday on the 14th February, you have twice the reason to celebrate the symbolic meaning of the violet.
And if you want to know even more about the Birth Flower for February, or indeed any month, the LolaFlora blog has a huge amount of information and interesting facts!
Birth Flowers for each month
- January Carnation: love, gratitude, beauty
- February Violet: wisdom, loyalty, friendship
- March Daffodil: fresh beginnings, happiness, luck
- April Daisy: happiness, joy, love
- May Lily: beauty, serenity, happiness
- June Rose: love, dedication, devotion
- July Waterlily: positivity, beauty, joy
- August Poppy: imagination, strength, integrity
- September Aster: love, affection, patience
- October Marigold: creativity, grace, elegance
- November Chrysanthemum: compassion, friendship, joy
- December Narcissus: hope, happiness, optimism
And at Bombus we have a whole range of beautiful Birth Flower gifts to choose from.
Shop here:
Personalised birth flower gifts | Birthday gifts for her (bombus.co.uk)
Next month...March's Birth Flower is the DAFFODIL!
