Master Gardener Ann Bartlett gives us her thoughts about choosing flowers for Memorial Day remembrances.
In every culture, flowers symbolize different emotions. For many any of us, certain flowers remind us of those who have gone before us. Consider the red poppy:
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
Thus begins the poem written by Canadian John McCrae shortly before he was killed fighting on the western front during World War I. The nations victorious in that conflict the remember those who fought and died in different ways and at different times.
In the US we honor those who gave their lives for our nation on Memorial Day, the last Monday in May. This custom began in the 1860s when it was known as Decoration Day, a day to place flowers on the graves of the fallen.
Because the corn poppy, Papaver rhoeas, spreads in disturbed soil, this red flower bloomed throughout the battlefields, and it is often used to memorialize those who fought for the European and American allies.
Memorial Flowers Around the World
Flowers have been a part of memorials since the first funeral. The ancient Egyptians and Greeks wove daffodils into funeral garlands. The daffodil was a symbol of death because its scent had lured Persephone to the Underworld. In the Greco-Roman world, the anemone symbolized mourning because it was said to have grown from tears Venus shed for Adonis.
Roman cemeteries lay outside the city walls. Romans planted flowers and herbs on the graves in memory of the departed. Tansy was believed to stop decay. Marjoram gave peace to departed spirits. Parsley was also planted because it was sacred to Archemorus, the herald of death. Rosemary, symbol of fidelity and remembrance, was carried by mourners and placed on the body.
In much of Asia, white is the color of mourning. White roses, chrysanthemums, and lilies are used as memorial flowers. In Japan, yellow chrysanthemums are also appropriate.
In France, the day of remembrance is November 1, a day leading up to All Saint's Day. The French decorate graves with potted chrysanthemums. The flower is so closely associated with this custom that it is not used for anything else.
The Contemporary Language of Flowers
Roses have a long tradition as memorial flowers. In the 19th century, roses were often depicted on headstones. Those with a broken stem symbolize a life cut short and are typically found on a child’s grave. In that era, it was common for families to place memorial plants on graves. Often these were roses cherished by the departed loved one. Today, old cemeteries are prime sources of heirloom roses. Collectors take cuttings from neglected plots to save these living antiques.
These days, carnations rather than rosemary stand for remembrance. Lilies, symbols of restored innocence and sympathy, are commonly associated with funerals. Chrysanthemums, widely regarded as symbols of grief and death, are popular along with roses.
What about forget-me-not, Mysosotis sylvatica, symbol of love and enduring devotion? Preferring partial shade, it is a perennial that blooms in early spring. It would be a perfect companion for daffodils.
Memorial flowers are a very personal choice. In decorating graves people often select flowers growing in their gardens or seek blooms that remind them of their loved one.