Beautiful floral arrangements are one of the most heartfelt ways to acknowledge life’s most impactful moments. Flowers are especially engrained into sports culture, playing a prominent role in ceremonial traditions and victorious celebrations. Whether draped along podiums, thrown onto ice skating rinks, or arranged in bouquets, flowers have become a symbol of congratulations and victory.
How did flowers and congratulations become so entwined?
In Ancient Greece, elite athletes were awarded olive leaf wreathes to wear on their heads to mark their victory. But the tradition of sending flowers widely started with Charles II of Sweden in the 18th century. He would use floral arrangements as a type of beautiful code to pass on non-verbal messages, in which each flower had a specific meaning attached to it. This age-old custom has stood the test of time and today, people continue to choose flowers to express sentiments of admiration and congratulations.
Flowers are rooted in meaning. From the type of flower to the color scheme, each bouquet is capable of conveying a wide range of emotions. We’ve compiled flower and color combinations below to serve as inspiration the next time you’re looking to congratulate a friend, colleague or family member on a job well done!
Roses are most commonly associated with romance and love, but different colors convey totally unique meanings.
Yellow roses are a traditional symbol of friendship and deliver an unforgettable mood boost!
Orange roses convey unyielding energy with enthusiasm, passion and gratitude.
Irises are a symbol of hope, courage, faith and admiration – perfect to cheer on or congratulate a friend on a big accomplishment.
Peruvian lilies signal friendship and devotion.
Heather commonly means good luck, admiration and protection.
Gladiolus stand for strength, integrity and infatuation. You may find them in various hues such as pink, purple, red, yellow, green and orange.
Tulips most commonly mean deep love, but their color variations have meanings of their own.
Yellow tulips symbolize cheerful thoughts.
Pink tulips symbolize happiness and confidence
We may be biased, but we’d prefer a meaningful bouquet over a high-five any day!
