Precious Impermanence: Why Flowers Captivate Us
For centuries, flowers have stirred the imagination as symbols of beauty, transience and joy. It turns out Victoria Florists aren’t the only ones with an enduring love affair for flowers!
A miracle of form and fleeting beauty, flowers are a spectacle of vibrancy and poise, their perfumes stirring both memory and emotion. However, it’s the impermanence of flowers that make them truly precious, a transitory moment in time that humans have turned to across history, geography and culture, their symbolism as rich and varied as the societies who created them.
At Victoria Florists we are privileged to share in your precious cultures and moments, ensuring every bouquet we craft is a memory to cherish.
Flowers Throughout History
It has been suggested that flowers were among the first things that humans appreciated for their beauty alone, without any utilitarian purpose. However, their role in cultural rituals quickly took hold.
The Language of Love: Valentines Day Traditions
The exact roots of Valentines Day have blurred over time, a hot mess of paganism, Christianity and medieval courtly love traditions! However, at Victoria Florists, we like the story of Saint Valentine of Rome, a priest who defied the orders of Emperor Claudius II by secretly marrying couples after the emperor banned marriages for young men, believing single men made better soldiers. While Valentine was eventually executed on 14 February, around 269 AD, he became a symbol of love and devotion.
The Art of Wabi Sabi
In the Japanese Tea Ceremony, a chabana, or informal arrangement of flowers, is placed in the alcove of a tearoom in support of the spirit of wabi sabi, a quiet celebration of the beauty of simplicity and impermanence.
Similarly, Victoria Florists capture the beauty of fresh flowers with elegance and care.
The Lotus of Rebirth
Looking further back to ancient Egypt, flowers are deeply entwined in history. The lotus flower symbolised rebirth and creation, with the Nymphaea, or Egyptian waterlily, rising from the water each morning and submerging by afternoon, an ephemeral rhythm that replicates the daily drama of life.
Like the lotus, the flowers we deliver throughout Christchurch bring daily joy and inspiration.
Flowers as Art
Fast forward to France in the early 1900s and Claude Monet was as equally enraptured as the ancient Egyptians, painting his series of increasingly large-scale and abstract Water Lilies (Nymphéas) over a period of 30 years.
At Victoria Florists, Christchurch, we take inspiration from the enduring classics, ensuring each of our bouquets reflect beauty and creativity.
Symbolism in Bloom
From the Chinese Shang to Han dynasties, flowers were a vital visual language. These vast periods ranged from 1046 BC to 220 AD, encompassing early bronze culture through to the era of the Silk Road. Throughout this time, peony, lotus and chrysanthemum formed a symbolic moral system of wealth and power, purity and virtue, and integrity and resilience.
Today, our floral arrangements continue this tradition, offering bouquets that speak louder than words.
Flowers as Symbols of Freedom
By the 1960s, flowers had become a symbol of optimism and individuality. The hippie movement bloomed and flowers embodied the era’s spirit of freedom, love and cultural change, a vibrant pulse of modern life.
Today, the beauty of flowers retains their intrinsic value, bringing life and character into every home…an ethos and spirit that Victoria Florists embraces in every bunch of blooms we deliver.
Christchurch Flower Delivery: Bringing Timeless Beauty to Your Home
Whether it’s an occasion or ‘just because’, Victoria Florists honour the history of flowers by delivering our own fresh bouquets daily throughout Christchurch.
- Custom floral arrangements tailored to your occasion and style
- Fresh, locally sourced flowers
- Same day delivery across Christchurch – perfect for last-minute gifts!
Fresh, charming and timeless, we’ve got the flowers for you.