Flowers are more than just a beautiful way to celebrate an occasion. The world’s most beloved blooms have a history attached, a language hidden in every petal, making bouquets so special! When you gift someone flowers, you’re gifting them a message and something beautiful to have in their home.
From posy flowers to corsage flowers, hundreds of arrangements have unique meanings in the world of floristry. Below, the Flowers After Hours experts will explore some of the most popular flowers in the world. We’ll reminisce on their meanings and beauty and even take a tour through our very own collection.
Flowers Around the World
Which flowers are sold the most?
The top flowers sold worldwide are roses, tulips, and lilies! As staples in the floristry world, these stunning blooms can anchor a bouquet for any occasion. They’re especially popular around Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and graduation. Interestingly, these are also some of the most highly produced flowers in the world, meaning they’re more accessible for arrangements (and therefore very popular).
But here’s the question: what do they mean? Flowers meanings vary depending on their colour, so here’s a translation of some of the most popular flowers for bouquets:
- Roses. While red roses symbolise passion, yellow roses are for friendship, and pink roses speak of gentle admiration or gratitude.
- Tulips. Red tulips are for deep love, but white tulips symbolise forgiveness and respect for the recipient. Purple tulips, on the other hand, are a symbol of nobility or royalty!
- Lilies. Fragrant and elegant flowers and lilies are as variable as the others. White lilies mean purity, while stargazer lilies symbolise wealth or ambition. Tiger lilies represent prosperity and strength. Daylilies, though, mean flirtation!
If you want to work with us to build a bouquet with a specific meaning, these are wonderful blooms to anchor the arrangement.
What flower combinations are the most popular?
Not many people know that certain flowers' meanings can change when incorporated into a posy or bouquet with others. The combination of flowers adds another layer of meaning! For example, while yellow carnations are beautiful, they usually symbolise disappointment. So, if you pair them with red roses, this can imply that you're disappointed in the relationship you have with someone.
Of course, not all bouquets and posies are meant to carry meaning. Some are simply designed to be beautiful to the eye, and that’s wonderful! That said, some of the most popular flower combinations (and their meanings) are:
- White lilies and pink roses are very popular for wedding bouquets and symbolise a commitment to admiration, gratitude, and love.
- Yellow tulips and white daisies. Bright and cheerful, this combination implies happiness and new beginnings. These also use some of the most popular flowers for bouquets!
- Pink peonies and blue hydrangeas are a bold and beautiful combination that represents prosperity, romance, and heartfelt care.
What blooms can someone expect at Flowers After Hours?
At Flowers After Hours, we take pride in sourcing the best, freshest blooms the season has to offer. Our floral range varies depending on seasonality, which means you can enjoy a unique bouquet depending on the time of year, the occasion, and your specific needs. Some of our most popular options include:
Florist's Choice
In other words, you allow us to build a stunning themed bouquet using the seasonal blooms we have at our disposal. Each one is uniquely designed by our expert in-house florists, ensuring it will look stunning no matter where you decide to showcase it.
We break our ‘Florists Choice’ selection down into two distinct categories:
- Vivid – The brightest and boldest of the bunch, our vivid range might include all manner of varietals. The name of the game is colour, so we might include anything from the classic tulips or gerberas to sprays of daffodils or sunflowers.
- Soft and Pretty – Pastel and delicate, our soft and pretty range is the perfect ‘welcome home’ decoration. We prioritise delicate hues and soft shapes for these bouquets, so our expert florists might rely on roses, hydrangeas, sprays of foliage, or stunning wildflowers.
Keep in mind that availability will largely depend on the season. If you’d like more specifics about what’s available right now, please call in and our in-house florists will happily guide you through our selection.
The Marshmallow Bloom Bag
This soft and sweet bunch is presented in a lovely bloom bag, making it a luxurious (yet convenient) gift for any loved one. We use a carefully curated selection of blooms to echo the pillowy texture of a marshmallow, calling on pastels and delicate white florals to complete the picture. While seasonality plays a big role here, some of our favourites to call on include Stock, Snap Dragons, Lillie’s, Peonies, Hydrangeas, Roses, Dalias and Chrysanthemums.
Corsage Flowers
Nothing but a beautiful white orchid will suit our corsage flowers. These stunning blooms are popular for a reason—they symbolise purity and innocence on someone's special night! These corsages come with three different wristband options, ensuring the spray of miniature orchids will blend seamlessly into your recipient's outfit.
Posy Flowers
Finally, this list wouldn't be complete without paying homage to our stunning posy flowers range. Posies have a long history. Women carried these small bouquets in the Middle Ages to fend off unpleasant odours. Aside from adding a beautiful decorative spray to their ensembles, the flowers could also be held up to their noses when they needed something to mask the odours of the streets of olde!
These days, posies are small, portable bouquets shaped into perfect little domes. They're a wonderful way to add colour and whimsy to a space and the perfect gift for someone who loves blooms. The goal is to include varietals that smell as good as they look, making roses, tulips, and even hydrangeas popular in these arrangements. It's no wonder that posy flowers have stood the test of time as some of the most popular flowers in the world.
At the end of the day, flowers are appreciated for how they appear and for what they mean to us. With something as simple as a bouquet or posy, you can send a caring message to a loved one or celebrate their special day. Above all else, this is why we love what we do at Flowers After Hours.
Stunning bouquets, posy flowers, and more delivered Auckland-wide.
Our beautiful Parnell and Botany branches are always bursting with fresh blooms. We pride ourselves on bringing in the best, freshest flowers for many occasions. If you're searching for a bouquet of the most popular flowers in the world, we'd love to build you an in-season bouquet tailored to your needs. Learn about our Auckland-wide deliveries from early until late!