What Are the Designated Flowers for Each Month?

Many of us are fond of looking at the horoscope because we know our Zodiac signs. Somehow they seem to give a little spice to our life when we read on what is in store for us based on movement of the Sun, Moon and the planets in relation to our birth date. Women mostly, are also aware of their birthstones. Some buy jewelries with these stones that are assigned for each month, not only because they are very pretty to look at, but also because these precious stones traditionally tend to be associated with certain qualities.

But wouldn't it be interesting to also know about the flowers for each month? Aside from discovering the flowers assigned for the month we were born, it would be a brilliant idea to gift someone with the flowers for their birth month.

Here is the list and a few information about the flowers:

January: Carnation
Carnations have been traditionally associated with fascination, which is but fitting for the start and freshness of the new year. Its botanical name is Dianthus, which means divine flower. Carnation was the flesh-pink color that Elizabethan portrait painters used as background wash. The red carnation was said to mean "alas for my poor heart", while a striped carnation would mean refusal. If one would give a yellow carnation, it would mean disdain, while a pink one depicts a woman's love.

February: Iris
Iris is a lovely flower that has the shades of cool blue and snowy white. It represents faith, wisdom and hope. A stylized iris is the fleur-de-lis which descends from the white iris that grew in the city walls of Florence, Italy. Displayed against a red background, it became Florence's symbol. The Medici family reversed the colors in making the iris red to signal a change in political power. This actually led to a breeding program to hybridize a red iris. The iris is seen in the Quebec flag, and is the universal symbol of Scouting.

March: Daffodil
This is one of the first flowers of spring. It is a symbol of rebirth and rejuvenation. It also conveys a message of warmth and regard. The daffodil is the common English name for all narcissus species. This flower is the national flower of Wales. It is a famous flower associated with easter in some countries. During the Chinese New Year, this flower is commonly used for decoration.

April: Daisy
Daisies are associated with innocence. The large vibrant blooms of the gerbera daisy have made it a favorite among flower lovers and growers. Daisies are most popular for gardeners. They consider it to be "friendly" even to those who do no have the green thumb. Thus, it could be considered by kids and those who are beginners in gardening.

May: Lily
The lily holds a special place as May's birthday flower. It is wonderfully fragrant and represents purity. Its botanic name is Lilium and is derived from the Greek leirion, which is generally assumed to be the Madonna Lily. Somehow, lillies are the most common of flowers to be presented at funerals. This is because the presence of lilies tend to symbolize that the soul of the departed has received restored innocence after death.

June: Rose
Perhaps one of the most famous flowers of all, the rose conveys a wealth of varying symbolism. But it is mostly known to symbolize love and appreciation. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, rose was identified with their goddess of love Aphrodite and Venus. Early Christians identified the five petals of the rose with the five wounds of Christ. The red rose was eventually adopted as a symbol of the blood of the Christian martyrs, and it is highly associated with the Virgin Mary also.

Those who would give this flower should take in consideration the different meaning of each color. A red rose means love, pink means gentle feelings, while dark pink means gratitude. A light pink rose sends a message of admiration or sympathy; a white rose means innocence, purity, friendship and humility. A yellow rose would mean dying love or platonic love, but for German-speaking countries, it would mean jealousy and infidelity. An orange rose means passion; burgundy means beauty; blue means mystery; green means calm; purple means protection, as in parental love. A black rose may be difficult to produce but it is said to depict one's slavish devotion.

July: Larkspur
This flower is associated with lightheartedness and levity. Larkspurs can evoke the care-free days of summer we remember from our youth. It is an excellent dried flower by itself or as a dried flower accent.

August: Gladiolus
These flowers are named after the sword of the gladiator, and they carry a meaning of strength and sincerity. Sometimes, gladiolus are called the sword lily. Some species are small, but others appear to be sword-like, tall and spiky.They are attractive herbs that seem to seem to be enveloped in layers of tunics.

September: Aster
Aster is often used to accent different types of mixed flower arrangements, mainly because of its dainty features. Aster is known as a symbol of love also. Its name comes from the Green work for "star" and refers to the shape of the flower head.

October: Marigold
The marigold is known for its golden colors which is associated with autumn. Marigolds have come to be associated with affection. They are scented herbs and are mostly originally from Mexico. The name marigold is is derived from "Mary's Gold", a plant associated with the Virgin Mary.

November: Chrysanthemum
This flower represents cheerfulness because of its bright and vivid colors. In certain countries in Europe as well as in Japan, chrysanthemums are symbolic of death and are only used for funeral or on graves. Similarly, white chrysanthemums are used in China to symbolize lamentation. In other countries, however, it means honesty. In the US, it is regarded as positive and cheerful. Chrysanthemums were recognized as the official flower of the city of Chicago.

December: Poinsettia
Poinsettias traditionally symbolize success and good cheer. It has been associated with Christmas through a Mexican legend that involved gift-giving. The legend states that there was a child who could not afford gifts to offer Christ on Christmas eve, and instead picked some weeds on the side of the road. The child was told that a gift given in love would be acceptable in God's eyes. When brought into the church, the weeds miraculously bloomed into red and green flowers. Thus, these flowers became part of Christmas decorations. The ancient Aztecs regarded poinsettias as a symbol of purity.

Sources:
wikipedia
http://www.proflowers.com/birthdayflowers-month.aspx