Amaryllis: Grow Love This Valentine’s Day

As we hit mid-January, now’s the time (yes, really now) to start thinking about Valentine’s Day. Here at Gardenuity, we like to view this holiday as a celebration of all loves, not just romantic, but love for family, for friends, and for our communities as a whole. 

There’s no better way to show your most special people just how much you care than through fresh, beautiful flowers. 

The tradition of giving flowers to loved ones can be traced as far back as Ancient Egypt, where the gift was presented both to lovers and to gods. The Ancient Greeks followed suit in the tradition, though the modern practice really began during the Victorian era. In a time where showing emotions was undesirable, flowers took on their own language, known as floriography. Each blossom had a specific meaning, and receiving a bouquet often meant deliberating over each and everyone for deeper significance. Books and guides were even published to aid confused decipherers. 

While the language of flowers has been largely lost today, there are still some varieties that are inextricably tied to their traditional meaning. For example, red roses are known ubiquitously to represent deep, romantic love. Yellow roses signify friendship and daisies a loyal sort of love. 

Interested in sending flowers with a special meaning this year? We suggest the beautiful and timeless amaryllis. 

A native bulb of Africa, the word amaryllis comes from the Greek amarysso, which means “to sparkle.” Greek mythology suggested that the blooms signified the love between the maiden Amaryllis and the shepherd Alteo. Legend says that Amaryllis asked the Oracle of Delphi for advice on how to win over Alto, and the oracle instructed her to stand in front of the shepherd’s house for 30 days, piercing her heart with a golden arrow. The flower then sprouted from her blood on the ground, and her shepherd was smitten. 

Good news: you don’t have to pierce your heart with a golden arrow to get an amaryllis today. Instead, you can get a beautiful, timeless bulb from Gardenutiy. This season, our waxed amaryllis come with an acrylic “Grow Love” tag, a motto that we use in both our relationships and in our gardens. And with these gifts, the love will keep on growing–waxed bulbs last longer than traditional cut flowers and require no watering or maintenance whatsoever. 
Shop for those you love now, and continue to grow love every day.