The use of sympathy flowers to express condolences is an ancient custom that dates back hundreds of years. Flowers symbolize life and offer comfort to the grieving. Their beauty will dress up any funeral home or church for a memorial service. There is a wide variety of flowers to choose from for a funeral bouquet. The type of flowers used and the style or bouquet typically will depend on your relationship to the person who has died. Styles can vary from a casket spray, to a standing spray or wreath, traditional bouquet or plant.
Caskets sprays are traditionally made of a combination of roses and carnations. These types of sprays usually represent those closest to the deceased. Often times, a ribbon is added to the spray saying mother or wife. Roses are the universal symbol of love and red roses are appropriate for a spouse. White roses are often used if the victim is a child because they symbolize innocence and youth.
Lilies are very popular flowers that are used in casket sprays or bouquets. The white stargazer lily is recognized as the symbol of sympathy. Often times, the lilies are mixed in bouquets with pink or red carnations; the red carnation represents admiration while the pink carnation stands for remembrance. Any flower can be appropriate to use in funeral bouquets. If you know that the deceased had a particular fondness for a certain type, ask your florist to include those with your sympathy flowers. Gladiolas and Chrysanthemums are often included in funeral baskets and are available in a wide variety of colors.
Plants are becoming a popular way to express your condolences. Family members can take the plant home after the service and they become a lasting reminder not only of the person who died but of your kindness at this difficult time. The peace lily is a popular plant to send when someone dies, there are also a wide variety of ferns and evergreens to pick from. To dress up the planter, cut flowers can be included with your sympathy flowers. This way you have a colorful arrangement for the funeral home and a living plant that the family can hold onto for years.