Blooming Spring

xNewsThumbResizex481

As if taken somewhat by surprise, trees nationwide are jumping into colour. The UK has already been beset by a blaze of cherry blossoms, and by April we can expect to see our forests flooded with bluebells.

In cultures worldwide, spring is recognised as a time of life, rebirth and a return to nature. Every spring, thousands of people flock to green spaces to get a little bit closer to nature when it’s at its finest and in this article, we explain some of the reasoning behind the phenomenon.

Flowers Make Us Happy

If you have ever received or gifted a bouquet of flowers, then you will have noticed the positive effect that they have on individuals. They are popular gifts for Mothers’ Day, are usually present during Harvest Festivals and are essential at most weddings. No matter who you are, flowers will likely feature in your life at some point, but perhaps they should be even more prevalent?

The Science Behind the Beauty

Human happiness can be boiled down to some simple ingredients: dopamine, oxytocin and serotonin. These three ingredients are chemicals that are triggered in your brain by certain stimuli. Each chemical has many possible triggers that can vary for different people, such as different foods, and some people have less dopamine in their bodies to draw from than others.

Evolution

Flowers trigger the release of these happy chemicals in our brains partially because of their vibrant colours. Our brains have evolved to perceive bright colours as a symbol of growth and spring, and in humanity’s infancy, the season of spring was concurrent with the return of food and growth.

This led to flowers and their bright colours becoming synonymous with healthy times for early humanity. It signalled vital nutrition after a difficult winter, and this would fill anyone with happiness. Over generations, our brains came to automatically associate these bright colours with food, health and happiness.

In today’s world where food and bright colours are easy to come by all year round, the coming of spring doesn’t have quite the same grandeur that it once held for our ancestors. Nonetheless, we can all continue to benefit from our brain’s evolutionary reaction to flowers.

Woman hiding behind large bunch of sunflowers

Social Etiquette

It’s not just evolution that teaches us to take joy from flowers; current social rules and etiquettes imbue flowers with meaning beyond their physical beauty. For example, in some friendships it may be a staple to bring flowers during a house visit. The exchanging of fresh flowers in this situation displays respect and gratitude nature of friendships.

There are plenty of other circumstances where gifting flowers may take on a new meaning. While our brains react positively to bright colours in general, receiving flowers of particular colours can signal different meanings in different cultures.

Flower bouquet tied together with ribbon 'standing' on table in front of wooden background

Red flowers are often seen as a symbol of romantic interest, which when given spontaneously or during events like Valentine’s day can have a huge positive effect on the receiver’s mood.

For Mothers’ day, a popular choice of bouquet would include pinks or yellows. Yellow is often seen as a colour of happiness and friendship making it a perfectly suitable choice for a Mothers’ Day arrangement. Pink is also a good choice because it suggests friendship but is also linked with themes of nostalgia and familial bonds.

Seasonal blooms that could be incorporated into a spring bouquet include the daffodil, tulip and hyacinth. Yellows and pinks are not reserved solely for Mother’s Day; however, you may wish to gift one of these warm bouquets for a birthday or Easter celebration too. For more information regarding our beautiful bouquet service, please go to our gift bouquet page.

Planteria Group arrangement of flowers on the edge of a hotel reception desk

Don’t Worry!

There is a lot to think about if you want to create the perfect bouquet, but luckily for you, there are plenty of talented florists who can prescribe you the perfect flower arrangement after asking you a few questions relating to the receiver’s personality or hobbies.

One important thing to remember is that even if you don’t know your gerbera from your carnation, the simple act of sharing flowers with a friend or loved one is going to improve their mood. In a study done by the University of New Jersey, it was found that people who receive flowers feel less depressed, anxious or agitated after receiving flowers. They could even result in increased contact between family and friends, suggesting that the presence of flowers can even improve social skills.

Given the positive effects that bringing nature into our lives can have, it is important to spread the word – and plants – further. Biophilia is humanity’s innate love of plants, and it is a rising trend to bring more plants and flowers into our everyday lives.

This Spring, we will be supplying some of our clients with our seasonal window boxes which will consist of flowers such as the dainty snowdrop, brilliant hyacinth and cheery crocus. Don’t wait to improve your business’ kerb appeal with window boxes in the city.

You could also be improving your city’s greenery by petitioning for more green spaces in your city, putting office plants and flowers in your business premises to improve staff morale and output, or it could be as simple as remembering to give your friend a bouquet next time you visit.

Our happy staff arranging sunflowers


Our Service banner with plants in office.
Related articles