While it’s always a treat to receive a bouquet of flowers for Valentine’s Day celebrations, a plant would be even better.

The longer lifespan means you won’t be forgotten any time soon.

Especially with peonies – you’ll be thought of for decades!

Here’s some ideas on what plants to bring into your or someone you love’s garden or home to send the message of love:

Amaranth

Symbolism:

• Unending love/immortality
• Said to cure a broken heart

Facts:

• Annual or perennial depending on the variety
• A long history of medicinal use

 

Aster

Symbolism:

• Grow it to wish for love
• Carry it to win love
• Love, patience, elegance, good luck and gained wisdom

Facts:

• Majority are perrenials, while some are annuals and biennials
• They bloom from late summer to first frost so are popular in autumn and winter flower arrangements
• Also referred to as ‘Starworts’ or ‘Michaelmas’

 

Chrysanthemum

Symbolism:

• Red ones say ‘I love you’
• Rose-coloured ones say ‘in love’

Facts:

• They are perennials but if you buy them from a nursery, treat them as annuals
• For centuries the oil extracted from the flowers of certain species has been used in insecticides
• The plant’s petals are actually florets with both sexual parts

 

Crocus

Symbolism:

• Their fragrance is thought to inspire love
• Apparently you can attract love into your life by growing crocus

Facts:

• An early-blooming spring bulb-like structure called a corm
• Their leaves and petals are insulated by a waxy layer helping them weather occasional frost and even a bit of snow
• Saffron is the product of Crocus

 

Carnation

Symbolism:

• Pink carnations symbolize a mother’s love
• Red symbolizes a deeply romantic love or pure love

Facts:

• Also known as ‘pink clover’
• There are 3 main types of carnations: large flowered, spray, and dwarf
• They are edible and delicious as part of a dessert or on their own

 

Dahlia

Symbolism:

• Love, inner strength, beauty, kindness
• A way to say ‘I’m forever yours’

Facts:

• All dahlia are edible
• In Mexico, Dahlia tubers are roasted and made into a drink (in place of coffee)
• The ‘Little Dorit’ variety was named after the Charles Dickens novel

 

English Lavender

Symbolism:

• purity and devotion
• a lavender scented note or clothes scented with lavender are thought to attract love

Facts:

• an evergreen perennial shrub
• lavender comes in other colours other than lavender – white, yellow and pink

 

Peonies

Symbolism:

• Red peonies symbolise love, romance and passion
• Pink peonies communicate lasting love, good fortune and prosperity

Facts:

• They come in every colour except blue
• Bees prefer the ‘single’ form
• Their petals are on the dessert menu in China
• They can live on for more than a century!

 

Yarrow

Symbolism:

• Having yarrow in your home will bring you love for 7 years!
• They’ve been said to find your one true love

Facts:

• A hardy perennial
• Make good companion plants
• Birds love them - apparently used by Starlings in their nests as they stop the growth of parasites
• Attract bees and other beneficial insects

 

If you already have a few of these in your garden or home then you’re well on your way to love.