Birthday
HydrangeasThe French writer Stendhal compared love to a delightful flower that you must have the courage to pick at the very edge of a precipice. No wonder flowers so often feature in love stories: they declare feelings, say thank you and offer support in hard times. Here are a few touching stories — simple ones that circulate online, and famous ones that went down in history.
5 touching stories
These short stories have been retold online for years. There is no way to check whether they really happened, but each one is a reminder of what matters.
1. A gift without money
A couple marked ten years of marriage at a hard time: both had lost their jobs and agreed not to buy anything. In the morning the wife came down to the kitchen to find a sea of wildflowers — her husband had picked them at dawn. The gift cost nothing, but she remembered it all her life.
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2. A caring dad
A daughter popped into a shop to buy soup for her sick mother and ran into her father. His trolley held soup, medicine, tissues, a disc of Mum’s favourite films and a small bunch of flowers.
3. He waited
A young woman lay unconscious for many months. Every day her partner came, told her stories and put fresh flowers by her bed. When she woke up, she thanked him first — and said “yes” to the question he had never had the chance to ask.
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4. Flowers every Friday
A florist recalled a serviceman who came in before a long deployment: he gave his wife flowers every Friday and didn’t want the tradition to stop. He ordered a bouquet for every Friday of the coming year — and the florist gave him a big discount.
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5. Every day is special
“Is it a special day?” a grandson asked when his grandfather turned the car towards the flower shop. “Every day is special,” the old man replied. “Your grandmother loves flowers, and I love to see her smile.”
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Famous love stories with flowers
- Joséphine and the roses of Malmaison. Napoleon’s wife built one of the largest rose collections of her time at Malmaison, immortalised by Pierre-Joseph Redouté in his famous “Les Roses”.
- The Taj Mahal. Shah Jahan built the mausoleum in memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal; its marble walls are inlaid with flowers of semi-precious stones.
- Queen Victoria’s myrtle. A sprig of myrtle from a posy given to Victoria was planted at Osborne House, and myrtle from that bush has since been added to the bouquets of British royal brides.
- The Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Legend says Nebuchadnezzar II built them for his wife Amytis, who missed the green hills of her homeland. Historians still debate whether they existed.
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How to say it with flowers
You don’t need to wait for a holiday — a bouquet “just because” speaks of love just as well. Think of the person’s favourite flowers, add a few words on a card and you have created a little story of your own. For ideas see love in a single flower and how to win a girl’s heart.
FAQ
Which flowers symbolise eternal love?
Above all red roses, as well as peonies, tulips and orchids.
Do you need an occasion to give flowers?
No — a bouquet for no reason is often remembered more than a holiday one.
Why is there myrtle in royal wedding bouquets?
It is a tradition dating back to Queen Victoria: myrtle symbolises love and a happy marriage.
A bouquet for someone you love is available with delivery in Kyiv from UFL.
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Author: Maria Svitlovir
Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.
