A flower bouquet is a collection of

flower A flower, sometimes known as a bloom or blossom, is the reproductive structure found in flowering plants (plants of the division Angiospermae). The biological function of a flower is to facilitate reproduction, usually by providing a mechani ...

s in a creative arrangement. Flower bouquets can be arranged for the decor of homes or public buildings, or may be handheld. Handheld bouquets are classified by several different popular shapes and styles, including

nosegay A nosegay, posy, or tussie-mussie is a small flower bouquet, typically given as a gift. They have existed in some form since at least medieval times, when they were carried or worn around the head or bodice. Doilies are traditionally used to bi ...

, crescent, and cascading bouquets. Flower bouquets are often given for special occasions such as

birthday A birthday is the anniversary of the birth of a person, or figuratively of an institution. Birthdays of people are celebrated in numerous cultures, often with birthday gifts, birthday cards, a birthday party, or a rite of passage. Many re ...

anniversaries An anniversary is the date on which an event took place or an institution was founded in a previous year, and may also refer to the commemoration or celebration of that event. The word was first used for Catholic feasts to commemorate saints. ...

or funerals. They are also used extensively in

wedding A wedding is a ceremony where two people are united in marriage. Wedding traditions and customs vary greatly between cultures, ethnic groups, religions, countries, and social classes. Most wedding ceremonies involve an exchange of marriage vo ...

s as well as Olympics Medal Ceremonies. Bouquets arranged in vases or planters for home decor can be arranged in either traditional or modern styles. Symbolism may be attached to the types of flowers used, according to the culture.

History

The arrangement of flowers for home or building decor has a long history throughout the world. The oldest evidence of formal arranging of bouquets in vases comes from ancient Egypt, and depictions of flower arrangements date to the

Old Kingdom In ancient Egyptian history, the Old Kingdom is the period spanning c. 2700–2200 BC. It is also known as the "Age of the Pyramids" or the "Age of the Pyramid Builders", as it encompasses the reigns of the great pyramid-builders of the Fourth ...

(~2500 BCE). The sacred lotus was often used, as were herbs, palms, irises, anemones, and narcissus. In some cultures, ancient practises still survive today, for example in

ikebana is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It is also known as . The tradition dates back to Heian period, when floral offerings were made at altars. Later, flower arrangements were instead used to adorn the (alcove) of a traditional Japan ...

, the art of flower-arranging that comes from Japan. The oldest known book on flower-arranging is Japanese and dates from 1445. Simplicity and linear form are core features of ikebana, which has had a great influence on Western flower arranging since the late 19th century. Flower-arranging as an art form was brought to Japan by Buddhist monks, who learned it while in China. In ancient China, flower-arranging developed into a highly refined art form, based on the principle that life is sacred, including the life of plants, therefore

cut flowers Cut flowers are flowers or flower buds (often with some stem and leaf) that have been cut from the plant bearing it. It is usually removed from the plant for decorative use. Typical uses are in vase displays, wreaths and garlands. Many garde ...

were used sparingly in carefully planned arrangements. Flowers were a traditional ritual offering among Buddhists, however, and remain so. In Europe, flower arranging as a formal art was first documented among the Dutch, who "in particular, painted wonderful informal arrangements of flowers ..In the 18th century, arrangements were used to decorate the houses of the wealthy families and the aristocracy." Flower symbolism is common in many cultures, and can be complex. In China, certain flowers symbolize seasons: white plum blossoms represent winter, peach and cherry blossoms represent spring, lotus represents summer, and chrysanthemums the fall.

Nosegay

The term "tussie-mussie" is sometimes used interchangeably with

. A nosegay was also known as a "talking bouquet" or "flower poesy" during the

Victorian era In the history of the United Kingdom and the British Empire, the Victorian era was the period of Queen Victoria's reign, from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. The era followed the Georgian period and preceded the Edwardia ...

, when they became a popular gift. Traditionally,

bride A bride is a woman who is about to be married or who is newlywed. When marrying, the bride's future spouse, (if male) is usually referred to as the '' bridegroom'' or just ''groom''. In Western culture, a bride may be attended by a maid, bri ...

s will also carry a small nosegay. Tussie mussies were introduced to England in the early 18th century, and were a fashionable accessory for young women by the early 19th century. A tussie mussie is a small circular bouquet like a nosegay, but carries symbolic meaning based upon the

language of flowers Floriography (language of flowers) is a means of cryptological communication through the use or arrangement of flowers. Meaning has been attributed to flowers for thousands of years, and some form of floriography has been practiced in tradition ...

, where particular flowers represent specific sentiments. They were commonly exchanged by lovers, who sent messages to one another based upon the flowers used in the bouquet. Traditionally, tussie mussies are arranged in a cone- or cornucopia-shaped container, made of tin or silver, with a chain attached for carrying the bouquet.

Language of flowers

Flower symbolism originated in Asia and the Middle East, where certain flowers, such as the lotus, were considered sacred, or at least to be associated with spiritual themes. This was often reflected in artwork, for example the use of

bamboo Bamboos are a diverse group of evergreen perennial flowering plants making up the subfamily Bambusoideae of the grass family Poaceae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family. The origin of the word "bamboo" is uncertain, ...

in Chinese art to represent longevity and eternity. The

was introduced to

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

in the early 18th century by Mary Wortley, Lady Montague, whose husband was Ambassador to

Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...

. By the Victorian era, almost every flower had a specific meaning attached to it. Small

or "tussie mussie" bouquets might include

chamomile Chamomile (American English) or camomile (British English; see spelling differences) ( or ) is the common name for several plants of the family Asteraceae. Two of the species, ''Matricaria recutita'' and ''Anthemis nobilis'', are commonly us ...

flowers, which a woman might send to a romantic interest to tell him "Patience";

goldenrod Goldenrod is a common name for many species of flowering plants in the sunflower family, Asteraceae, commonly in reference to the genus '' Solidago''. Several genera, such as '' Euthamia'', were formerly included in a broader concept of the gen ...

represented indecision.

Wedding bouquets

Traditionally the

will hold the bouquet, and the

maid of honor Bridesmaids are members of the bride's party in a Western traditional wedding ceremony. A bridesmaid is typically a young woman and often a close friend or relative. She attends to the bride on the day of a wedding or marriage ceremony. Tradit ...

will hold it during the ceremony. After the wedding the bride will toss it over her shoulder, and it is believed that whoever catches the bouquet is the next in line to be married. This practice may be related to the Golden Apple of Discord myth.

Wedding bouquet shapes

There are many different bridal bouquet styles from which to select. Brides typically choose the shape of their bouquets according to popular trends at the time of their wedding, however some choose bouquets which evoke another time period. While the language of flowers can contribute to a message to be conveyed about the couple, the shapes are a personal preference. The Posy bouquet is typically round in shape and is thought of as modern due to the small size and relative simplicity of the arrangement. It is also popular for the ease of carrying and passing-off during the ceremony. It can be composed of an expensive flower, such as a rose, or can be a sampling of country flowers. The Cascading bouquet is usually a large arrangement which tapers near the bottom. It was popularized as the arrangement of choice for the 1980s at the wedding of Lady Diana Spencer and the Prince of Wales at Westminster Abbey. It can, and is often, made up of many types of flowers and is enhanced with Baby's Breath and different types of greenery, such as ivy. This bouquet became less popular as bridal trends shifted towards simplicity, however it has found a resurgence in recent years. The Presentation bouquet saw a surge in popularity at the turn of the twentieth century. It is most frequently composed of a long-stemmed bud, such as the Calla Lily, and is cradled in the bride's arms, rather than carried by the stems. The following gallery shows popular bride's bouquet shapes, including cascading, hand-tied, nosegay, pomander, flower spray and Biedermeier. File:Kytice a formulář při uzavření registrovaného pratnerství.jpg, A modern arrangement. File:Bridalmadelenesgronska.JPG, A cascading bouquet shape, with long-stemmed flowers trailing down from the main bouquet. File:Wedding pomander with mum, hydrangea and aster.jpg, A pomander bouquet, shaped completely round and worn by a ribbon on the wrist. File:Bridal bouquet white pink rose stephanotis.jpg, A nosegay bouquet, a round shape and roughly a foot in diameter. File:WikiBride.jpg, A bride holding a hand-tied bouquet, consisting of long-stemmed flowers. File:White and green floral spray wedding decor.jpg, A "flower spray" bouquet attached as decor to a pillar. File:Biedermeier-Strauss.jpg, A sketch of a Biedermeier-style bouquet, with concentric rings of flower types and colours.

References