Lavender Meaning — Symbolism, Colours & Gifting
What do lavenders symbolise? Their meaning in the language of flowers, colour by colour, plus when to give them — a florist's gifting guide.
Lavender is a woody Mediterranean sub-shrub prized for its slender spikes of tiny purple flowers and unmistakable aroma. Florists use it fresh for its soft violet-blue haze and again dried, when it holds both colour and scent for months. It brings a rustic, sun-warmed feel to bouquets, favours and boutonnieres. A little goes a long way as a fragrant filler among roses and garden blooms.
TL;DR. Lavenders stand for calm, devotion, serenity, purity and grace in the language of flowers. Colour shifts the message — red for love, white for purity, pink for gratitude.
What Lavenders symbolise
In the language of flowers lavenders carry meanings of calm, devotion, serenity, purity and grace. A bouquet is never only decorative — the flower you choose, and the colour you choose it in, is a message. That is what makes lavenders such a considered gift: they say something the card alone cannot.
For the botany, varieties and full profile, see the Lavender encyclopedia entry.
Lavenders by colour — what each shade says
Lavenders come in several colours, and each one tilts the meaning:
- Purple lavenders — admiration, dignity and enchantment.
- Lavender lavenders — grace and refinement.
- Blue lavenders — calm, trust and the rare and hard-to-find.
Browse arrangements and pairings by shade in the flowers by colour guide.
When to give Lavenders
Lavenders are a natural fit for weddings. Match the colour to the sentiment — love, thanks, congratulations or comfort — and the bouquet does the talking. For seasonal timing and what pairs well, see the Lavender entry.
Lavenders in a meaningful bouquet
Meaning works best when it is intentional. Choose the colour for the message, keep the number of stems in mind (in many traditions odd numbers are for joy), and let the recipient know what the flowers say. Then give them the care they deserve — see how to keep lavenders fresh — so the message lasts as long as possible.
From the Lacy Bird studio. This guide is written by our florists. We deliver seasonal flowers across the UAE — see flower delivery in Dubai — and we teach floristry, from a first bouquet to running your own shop, at the Lacy Bird Academy.
Related reading:
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