The theme of floral traditions is very diverse. It is customary for many people to give flowers for all kinds of holidays. This is everyone’s favorite attribute, which is the key to a good mood, drawing a smile on the face of the hero of the occasion, be it a young lady or an old grandfather – a veteran. Today we want to talk about cultural traditions associated with flowers in different parts of the world.
Asia
UAE
56 million flowers are planted in Dubai every year, can you imagine? This country is drowning in bright color combinations. Therefore, the custom of giving bouquets of absolute flowers for any occasion is very common here. At the same time, there is a huge selection of shops everywhere where you can buy a birthday flower bouquet or beautiful flowers for home decor. Moreover, when planting flowers in a garden, the gamma and color are selected following the surrounding environment, since the color palette has a huge psychological effect. For example, along roads where there are traffic jams, colors are specially selected that calm, relieve tension, and charge with positivity. On highways, a range is selected that can energize drivers.
China
Unlike Dubai where yellow flowers are the most popular, in China the most popular flower is the pink peony. In China, this flower symbolizes material and intangible benefits. It is believed that peonies will help preserve love, happiness, and well-being in the family. Since 1982, Henan Province has traditionally held a flower festival, during which the Chinese decorate the banks of the Jian River with flowers and hold public weddings.
Islands
Hawaii
A wonderful ritual that everyone dreams of participating in at least once in their life exists in Hawaii. The fact is that as a sign of hospitality, Hawaiians put a lei – a flower garland – around the necks of guests. How I want to try on this fragrant miracle of orchids. Yes, on a tanned body.
Tahiti
The islanders simply adore the symbol of their land – the Tahitian gardenia flower, or tiare. The plant has several medicinal properties, which is why it is used in medicine and aromatherapy. The people of Tahiti also love tiare perfumes. From 1985 to the present time, once a year, in December, these days are celebrated magnificently. During the holiday, florist competitions are held in which all interested women, men, and even children freely participate.
Europe
Finland
In Finland, ready-made flower bouquets can only be bought in a large flower market. There are no small flower shops or kiosks there. Finns give both bouquets and ikebana, but not often. Honoring mothers, on the holiday of the same name, they are presented with beautifully decorated orchids. At Easter in Finland, it is customary to give each other yellow tulips.
Belgium
You should visit Belgium in August. This country has such a beautiful flower tradition that several other countries have already borrowed it into their culture. It consists of the fact that during the celebration of Flower Day, Brussels is covered with a living, fragrant carpet of flowers. On the central square, there are enchanting flower displays in various variations, in unique colors and themes. We must pay tribute to the imagination of artists – florists and professional gardeners, who work in their hundreds on this holiday, like bees.
Türkiye
Warm, hospitable, and multifaceted, Turkey is perhaps the leader in the number and variety of traditions, including floral ones. Emotional Turks love to pamper their beloved, close, and dear women with orchids, gerberas, and roses. Young girls are given flowers with unopened buds as a sign of respect for their chastity and innocence. Generations adopt floral traditions from their ancestors and carefully carry them on for centuries. Turks present floral tokens of attention by generally accepted floral etiquette:
- red flowers as a gift symbolize friendliness and wishes of joy to the recipient;
- with a blue and white bouquet, Turks express their participation, grief, and sympathy for a person who has experienced a loss;
- Turks love tulips very much and give them to each other with or without reason, as a sign of sympathy, respect, and friendship.
England
Strangely enough, England is the trendsetter of world floral fashion. The Royal Society of Chelsea hosts an annual flower festival featuring the latest floral trends, which traditionally become fashion trends for the following year. Chelsea destroys all the established flower stereotypes and traces all the fashionable and interesting trends, deciding what is worthy of continuation and what can be consigned to the forgotten dusty drawers of consciousness.
Flowers are extremely important in the culture of many countries. Moreover, we must not forget that they are also very beautiful and have a beneficial effect on the psyche, which is why they try to decorate streets and houses with them.