Every month has not only a star sign, but also a birth stone and a birth flower as well. One of the most perfect gifts for the person who has everything is an arrangement of their birth flowers, explaining their meanings too. Or, as most of these are natural wildflowers that grow readily in most gardens, you could give a living and growing specimen to be planted, giving many years of joy. Each flower has a significance and here are the first six months' blooms by month, along with their significance.
According to common lore and legend, the Romans first started giving and using flowers in celebrations of birth and subsequent birthdays. They do, of course, make a wonderful gift – with colour, beauty and scent to appeal on very many levels. Some people even believe there is a different flower appropriate to every single day of a calendar year. So, choose from birthday flowers as are popular in either the UK or the USA, as listed below.
January – the Carnation or the Snowdrop (US) both these delicate blooms denote love, fascination and purity. They're both delicate and charming and of course the snowdrop is seasonal and indicative of spring and rebirth to come. Carnations also signify beauty, loyalty and distinction. They come in many colours, from delicate little pinks to big and flashy oranges, with hybrids and variegated petals too. A traditional bridegroom's buttonhole, the link with love is very clear.
February – Violets or Primroses (US). Americans favour another spring wildflower: the pretty little primrose. They denote virtue, modesty and distinction. The deep, shy violet is preferred in the British tradition however, showing hope, wisdom and fidelity. Take your pick, depending on the personality, preferences and characteristics birthday girl or boy.
March – Daffodils. Both the Brits and the Yanks are unanimous on this one! Spring is celebrated again with this gorgeous yellow flower, which is traditionally on display in UK gardens by March 1st and thus just in time for the Welsh to wear it as their national flower on St. David's Day. This exuberant, joyful bloom on a single stem symbolises rebirth and respect. Slightly less positively however, it can signify unrequited love or even vanity.
April – Sweet Peas (UK), Peonies and Daisies (USA). The pretty sweet pea which grows tall as a climber of many colours almost everywhere it's planted represents simplicity and modesty. The US alternatives stand instead for innocence, express gratitude, show loyal love and even healing. All grow well in gardens and in the wild and have a playful, fun appearance.
May – Lily of the Valley (both) and Hawthorn (US only). Happiness, sweetness and humility are the meanings behind the pretty lily of the valley. This beautiful garden flower with its huge, green fleshy leaves and tiny white bell-shaped flowers makes a lovely gift. Hawthorn, unusually, is a tree with much significance in celtic lore. May is when it comes into its own, and it is sometimes known as the May tree. It's lovely white blossoms spring over the pretty fearsome looking thorns. It therefore represents unity and balance, especially between the male and the female.
June – Roses (both) and Honeysuckle (US only). The rose is, almost unanimously, the symbol of love. This perennial favourite, blooming in gardens year after year, makes a perfect gift for June babies either as a cut stem or, perhaps even better, as a plant or bush to be put in the ground and last for years. Colours give extra and different meanings, so choose carefully. It also represents appreciation and thankfulness.
