Flowers are not mere gifts, they are symbols to be decoded

Flowers have played an important function all throughout the history of mankind. For a great part of history the charming and fragile beauty of flowers has engrossed people regardless of age. Flowers have been cultivated for their decorative beauty and their healing properties. Flowers have been the favourite topic of verse and ancient myths, and have been associated with religious symbols, too. A lot of girls are named after flowers. Some types of flowers were and are still used as food until today; others have are used as natural cures. Prehistoric man also recognised the artistic role of flowers. In fact, some ancient cultures thought that they could propitiate their ancestors' spirits by ornamenting their tombs with a certain type of flowers. The major role that flowers have, however, is their power to express genuine human emotions and thoughts the way no other item can. Whenever your feelings are too intense to verbalise – be it affection, sorrow, felicity, or gratitude - try to demonstrate them by means of flowers. The flower that holds the most evident meaning is the rose, the immortal symbol of romantic relationships and desire. During the Renaissance, roses were associated with Venus's eternal beauty, while scratches made by the rose's thorny stem symbolized the wounds of affection. According to Christian symbolism, the red rose is the symbol of love and the blood of a martyr. White roses symbolize innocence and inborn charm, while pink roses stand for happiness. Along with holding messages, flowers can also influence our mood and emotions. According to a recent behavioural study performed by the State University of New Jersey, the presence of colorful flowers results in happy emotions and memories and impacts on social behavior in a positive way. The healing properties of flowers have also been proved by scientific research. Environmental psychologist Dr. Roger Ulrich discovered that when hospital patients saw flowers, their need for pain killers decreased, their strain levels dropped and they became much more optimistic. Perhaps, the positive effect flowers have on hospital patients also have something to do with the meaning they hold - they are visible and tangible proof that somebody cares about them and wishes them well. Flowers, consequently, have an immediate impact on our emotional state and a long-lasting positive influence on our mood.