What is the language of flowers?

Throughout the centuries, the language of giving fresh flowers has been used in mythology, sonnets, folklore, and plays. People have always been obsessed with finding meaning in everything, and flowers are no different. Fortunately, there’s almost no feeling, expression, or event that can’t be expressed with flowers. You just have to know which ones to use.

While most of the symbols have been forgotten, you can use this guide to help find the perfect flower for your Valentine, whether they’re a lover, a friend, or family. There are way too many flowers and their meanings to cover here, so we’ll go over some of the most popular and most appropriate for this time of year. It might even be fun to explain these meanings in the card you give along with the flowers.

• Aster is a symbol of love
• Calla lilies mean beauty
• A red camellia says, “you’re a flame in my heart”
• A white camellia means “you’re adorable”
• Pink carnations mean “I’ll never forget you”
• A red chrysanthemum says, “I love you”
• Daylilies are the Chinese emblem of motherhood
• Edelweiss is a symbol of courage and devotion
• Gardenias are for a secret love
• Grange lilies stand for hatred in case you need something for your ex!
• Pink roses mean happiness
• Salvia flowers say “forever mine”
• Red tulips mean passion

What kind of flowers should you not give on Valentine’s Day?

Not every flower’s meaning is something lovely and sweet; some flowers have nasty and nefarious meanings. Naturally, you’ll want to avoid giving these types of flowers to your Valentine, so here is a list to keep you out of the doghouse!

• Daffodils should be avoided, even though they’re probably popping up everywhere this time of year. You’ll want to steer clear since these flowers mean vanity or self-absorption.
• Yellow carnations are another flower to avoid giving your Valentine. They are pretty little flowers but are associated with disgust and rejection.
• Lavender is a great flower for relaxing after a long day. Still, your significant other won’t want to receive them on Valentine’s Day, since they usually signify mistrust. If your loved one enjoys the scent of lavender, but you want to avoid the negative meaning, why not give them some homemade lavender-scented gifts?
• Yellow chrysanthemums mean sorrow and regret, which are more than a little inappropriate during this time of year.

Of course, if these flowers happen to be a favorite of your loved one, they’ll still appreciate receiving them! Flower meanings are fun to explore and use, and can even be an entertaining way of passing codes back and forth, but many people aren’t aware of them. Flower meanings can even vary from place to place, and some have changed over time. So unless your loved one is passionate about flower symbolism, you shouldn’t worry too much about the negative meanings of some flowers. Instead, focus on picking flowers that they’ll love!

What gifts besides red roses are often given on Valentine’s Day?

Need some gift ideas that aren’t roses or other flowers? Here are some of our favorite gift ideas for Valentine’s Day that aren’t flowers.

• Who doesn’t love candy? Instead of a bouquet of flowers, get your significant other a bouquet of candy! This is also a great Valentine’s Day gift for your friends or family.
• Everyone has a wine friend, and if you don’t have a wine friend, you probably are the wine friend! Either way, while flowers are nice, wine is a tasty way to send someone you love a gift they’ll enjoy. Of course, it might not last in their house as long as flowers will, but at least they can enjoy it with a good meal or dessert.
• Buy them a gift card for a massage, facial, pedicure, or manicure; nothing says I love you or I appreciate you more than the gift of self-care.
• Another fantastic gift to give would be a house-cleaning service; nothing says pamper yourself like letting someone else do the cleaning for a day. This is especially nice for anyone who works long hours or is busy with their kids all day! They’ll be sure to appreciate a day of rest.
• Many of our significant others love flowers, but those only last about a week. So instead give them a plant! A succulent is easy to care for and lasts for years and years, just like your love. There are even some heart shaped succulents!

If the idea of getting your soulmate the wrong flower on this critical day is too stressful, stick with our non-flower gift suggestions. You can also ask a florist for their opinion; they’ll be able to guide you through the flower-buying process expertly. Stop by a small shop and get an expert opinion and you’re sure to delight your loved ones!

In this beginner’s greenhouse guide, we’ll talk you through the basics, and at the end, we’ll list some of the easiest plants you can grow in a greenhouse.

Why you should have a greenhouse

First, let’s talk about why you should have a greenhouse. There are several reasons a greenhouse will help you on your gardening journey. Greenhouses allow you to get a jump start on the gardening season and grow more robust plants to transplant once the weather warms up. The indoor environment also gives the baby plants a safer place to grow. In a greenhouse and a controlled environment, the tiny plants don’t have to worry about diseases, insects, or rodents coming along and killing them before they get a chance to grow.

Additionally, growing in a greenhouse allows you to grow plants you might not otherwise be able to grow in your climate. For example, in zone 4 and 5, it’s tough to grow tropical plants; with a greenhouse, you might finally be able to grow your dream plant that likes warmth and high humidity.

For those with flourishing flower gardens during the summer, you likely miss those colorful blooms in the middle of winter. Luckily, greenhouses provide the perfect place to grow gorgeous cutting flowers all year round. You could also grow herbs in your greenhouse for fresh spices for your cooking!

Consider this before you choose which plants to grow

There’s a lot to consider before choosing which plants you’ll want to grow in your greenhouse. Here’s what to keep in mind.

Care requirements

What plants need greatly determines if they’re a good fit for growing in a greenhouse. So, research the plants in question and find out what lighting, soil type, and moisture level they thrive in. If those requirements can’t be met within your greenhouse, we suggest avoiding growing those plants. While you might be able to keep the plants alive, they won’t flourish and will probably only end in you being frustrated and wasting your time and money.

Temperatures

One of the most significant aspects of a greenhouse is having a warm place to grow plants for more extended periods. However, this can only go so far and there’s a certain point where even a greenhouse can’t keep out the cold. So be sure that the plants you’re planting will be able to survive the temperatures that your greenhouse can provide.

Alternatively, during the summer, the greenhouse will be much hotter. Many plants may suffocate and die. We don’t often think about it being too hot to grow certain plants, but this is a concern when growing in a greenhouse. Plants that like it hot are tropical plants and peppers! Hot peppers love the heat and taste better if exposed to scorching summer temperatures.

Transplanting

When growing veggies for the garden, you can use a greenhouse to get a head start on your seed starts. However, a bit of math is required to ensure your plants are at the proper development stage to be transferred to the outdoor garden. This simply means looking at their seed to transplanting dates and backtracking.

First, find out what your last frost date is; that’s when you’ll be able to transplant most of your plants out of the greenhouse and into the soil. Second, check on the seed packets to determine how many days it takes those seeds to germinate and grow to be ready for the soil. Third, take that number and count backward from the frost date. Now you know when to start your seeds in the greenhouse!

Additionally, some plants are sensitive to the stress caused by transplanting. Plants with delicate roots, especially root vegetables like beets or carrots, often fail to thrive when transplanted. That doesn’t mean you can’t grow them in your greenhouse, though! You’ll just want to grow them in pots that you can move out of the greenhouse without disturbing their roots.

Plants that grow well in greenhouses

With the proper setup, most plants can grow in a greenhouse. If you want to give yourself an easier time starting out, here are a few of the easiest and most popular greenhouse plants:

Vegetables

• Lettuce
• Broccoli
• Peas
• Carrots
• Cucumbers
• Tomatoes
• Squash
• Peppers

Flowers

• Geraniums
• Impatiens
• Petunias
• Salvia
• Caladiums
• Ferns
• Poinsettias
• Chrysanthemums
• Pansies
• Coleus
• Gazanias

Exotics 

• Orchids
• Venus flytraps
• Cacti

Getting a greenhouse is an excellent way to take your garden to the next level. Luckily, there are many different options and many unique setups depending on what you’re looking to grow. So do some research on what type of greenhouse you might need and get started producing some big, luscious, and healthy plants!