Classic Bouquets for Memorial Day

Classic Bouquets for Memorial Day

Blue Iris Holiday flowers Memorial Day red tulips Telstar tulips and iris bouquet

Memorial Day is coming up, and while I've definitely been daydreaming about my BBQ, beer, and sunshine lineup, I am also pointedly aware that Memorial Day is, at its heart, a bittersweet day -- a day to commemorate those who have offered their lives in service to our country. In fact,  Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, as it was a day dedicated to decorating the graves of soldiers with flowers, flags, and other symbols of honor.  

Using flowers has always been a simple, traditional, and beautiful tribute for Memorial Day; flowers indicate celebration, but they are also heralds of passing, observance, and remembrance.  They are a means of showing support, appreciation, and respect, while also providing a visual representation of life and love.  

I've been thinking of classic floral tributes for a classic day of commemoration, and my mind keeps coming back to the oh-so-patriotic combination of red tulips and blue iris. American-grown, of course.

Red tulips to represent the love and passion demonstrated by our veterans for our country, as well as the blood shed to protect our freedoms.  Blue Irises, which express courage, admiration, and tears shed for the fallen.

The gorgeous and classic combination of these two captures the color theme of an American Holiday while also including the association of commemoration, honor, and respect.

So, whether you are decorating a memorial,  celebrating your family members who have served, or honoring vets in your community who have given the ultimate sacrifice, consider adding some classic beauty to honor Memorial Day.  Have a look at the photos in throughout this blog to see what you can do with just a few bunches of tulips and iris. 

Enjoy and Happy Memorial Day.  

Memorial Day 2015

Memorial Day 2015

#americangrown #CAGrown Memorial Day Red white and blue

Ladies and Gentlemen, fire up your barbeques and throw your alarm clocks into the sea--Memorial Day is less than a week away! I'm sure a large portion of you are spending these afternoons daydreaming about the three-day weekend that lies ahead. I know I am, but amidst my preparations I have also been wondering:

"What is the best way to commemorate Memorial Day?"

Are hotdogs and beer enough? While I wholeheartedly agree that joining up with friends and family in celebration of our liberties is an excellent way to commend Memorial Day, we must also remember that this "Get Out of Monday Free" card is more than just a harbinger of sunshine and summer--it is a day of observance for those who offered their lives in service to our country.  It is a day to remember sacrifice.

One way to respectfully honor our veterans is with flowers.  Oftentimes, flowers indicate celebration, but they are also heralds of passing, observance, and remembrance.  For these occasions, flowers say things that words cannot.  They are a visual representation of life, beauty, and love, and are a means of showing support, appreciation, and respect.   

Photo courtesy of J. Hembree

This Memorial Day, honor our pillars of history by decorating the grave of a fallen soldier with flowers, send a thank-you bouquet to a living veteran, or simply add some red, white, and blue blooms to your home or cookout in memoriam. These flowers can serve to remind you of those who have faithfully served us. 

So, this Memorial Day, let's have fun, enjoy the sunshine, and commemorate those in the past that have helped build our present.