10 Flowers That Represent Love to Give to Someone You Adore

Dating apps have made us well-versed in emoji language, but before we relied on pictures to explain how we felt, we used far more creative and subtle ways to show our love.

You've probably given a few roses to some special people at least once or twice, but roses aren't the only flowers that represent love. From passionate romantic love to sweet longing, you can build a bouquet of flowers that symbolizes love in all its beautiful shades.

In Greek mythology, aster flowers were believed to have been created out of the Goddess Astrea's tears. Over time, their melancholic beginnings have transformed into heart-felt meanings today. Typically, these vibrant flowers represent love in all its forms.

Densely petaled flowers, carnations are a common plant you'll find in flower beds, bouquets, and boutonnieres. They come in a rainbow of colors, but the red and white carnations are the only that reflect degrees of love. Red carnations represent a deep love while white ones reflect a pure, sweet love.

Just like carnations, camellias are one of those flowers that come with a multitude of meanings. You want to be careful about which color you choose because each of them represents a different facet of love. As with most red flowers, red camellias represent passion and desire, while the white ones speak to your adoration. In the middle, you have pink camellias which represent a romantic longing for someone.

If you find yourself in a Romeo and Juliet kind of situationship, then gardenias are the right love flower for you. Plucked from the evergreen shrub, red gardenias have historically represented a secret love between two people. So, a red gardenia would be a perfect flower to send a secret message to a loved one at work.

Tulips may pale in comparison to large, voluminous blooms, but once upon a time they were the most valuable plant in the world. New color combinations of Dutch tulips were highly sought after in the 17th century, leading to a type of 'tulip mania.'

Thankfully, it's not as hard as it used to be to find these colorful flowers, since practically every grocery store has a few on display. But red tulips are particularly special because you can use them as a declaration of love. If you're feeling brave, you might want to break your silence and send a red tulip to your crush.

Heliotropes are seemingly insignificant flowers that grow in little bundles and are perfect for plucking in the wild. While they may not be as striking as other greenery, their meaning certainly is. Only send a heliotrope to someone if you think of your love for them as everlasting and eternal. Devotion doesn't always have to be said out loud. Sometimes, you can say it with a handful of flowers.

A honeysuckle's meaning is just as sweet as its nectar. Affection and tenderness are at the heart of honeysuckle symbolism.

An ancient flower, yarrow has dual meanings - one wishing health and the other expressing love. Since yarrow root has medicinal properties, it has been closely tied to health and good fortune for centuries. Yet, it's also closely linked to love, particularly in times of hardship. So, if you're going through a bit of a rough patch, you might want to gift some yarrow to that special someone.

Last, but never least, we have the red rose. If ever there was a flower that represented love, it's the red rose. Signifying passion, desire, and the deepest feelings of adoration for someone, there's no wonder that it has become the calling card of Valentine's Day gifts everywhere.

Unlike your love, flowers aren't everlasting. When you're sharing your love through something as touching and intimate as a flower, the last thing you want is for it to die. So, here are a few unique and unexpected ways to transcend the circle of life and take flower language into the future.

Give Them a Flower-Pressed Journal

We know you worship your loved ones, and what better way to show your devotion than a blank journal filled with flower pressings of the best love-flowers in the garden? Pressing flower petals is as easy as gently taking one off the plant, laying it as flat as possible between the pages of a book (or journal), closing it and putting a lot of heavy objects on top. Eventually, they'll be preserved well enough to glue down. Don't forget to include a few words for your loved one about just how special they are within the pages as well.

Make an Origami Bouquet

The perfect way to make sure your bouquet lasts forever is to make a paper one. Origami is a highly impressive art form, and your partner will love that you took the time to make them something they could keep for many years to come. Check out an online tutorial for how-tos.

Sometimes words fail, and when they do, actions can be just as (if not more) meaningful. Planting yourself a garden full of love-filled flowers to bring love into your life is just as meaningful as sending a bouquet of your deepest devotion to your partner. Whether it's yourself or somebody else, you get to spread your love around freely, and there's no sweeter way of showing it than through a few lovely blooms.