June Birth Flowers: The Rose and Honeysuckle

The Rose – love, passion, beauty and devotion.

The rose has long been the symbol of love and often favoured on Valentine’s Day as the flower of choice, however traditionally the violet was the true flower of Valentine. The Rose is steeped in history and folklore evidence has been found of fossilised roses dated over 35 million years old.

The symbolism and meanings behind the Rose

The Victorians rarely showed any public displays of affection, so the language of flowers was created to send potential lovers, or secret friendship  hidden messages. The rose that comes in many shades and style has more than a simple few symbolism.  Meanings often changed and were defined by the colour or type of rose sent to the receiver. Here are just some of my favourite examples.

Red Rose – You are beautiful and I love you. A favourite on February the 14th
Blush Pink Rose – If you love me you will discover it. We have a blossoming romance
Dark Crimson Rose – This deep, emotional shade shares signs of mourning those we have lost
Yellow rose – A rose colour you may wish not to receive symbolises jealousy and infidelity
White Rose – Pure in colour and in meaning. A white rose is full of charm, eternal love and heavenly innocence
White Rose but Dried – Even the dried flowers can hold meaning, the dried white rose a sign of death, preferably to loss of innocence
Dog Rose – A wilder flower with sharp thorns, but with tempting delicate blooms signifies both pleasure and pain

Little known facts about the June birth flower Rose

The rose is connected to many cultures and steeped in history. Legend says Cleopatra once purchased enough roses to fill a hall with eighteen inch deep carpet of petals to seduce Marc Antony. In Greek Mythology, Chloris the goddess of flowers is said to have turned a dead nymph into a rose. Then invited Apollo to warm the bloom, Aphrodite to lend her beauty, Dionysus to add sweet nectar. Chloristhen named the rose the “Queen of Flowers”

With its strength and beauty the Rose is the national flower of several countries including our own England, alongside the United States and the Maldives.

Rose are edible, and for centuries were in cooked or used for medicine because of their high in vitamin C and antioxidants properties. But like any advice on eating flowers or foliages please seek professional guidance on what is safe to consume, I am not an expert in this.

Today’s in Britain most famous rose breeder is David Austin. They historically spends years, often decades dedicated to cultivating new rose varieties. Recent roses revealed in the last two RHS Chelsea Flower Shows were to honour of King Charles, and the Sir David Beckham rose.

Today roses are a firm favourite to many gardeners and the flower of choice for wedding bouquets around the world.

Honeysuckle – affection, devotion, happiness, charm and bonds of love

A beautiful flower, with delicate petals and twisting vines. However it is often not the first garden flower people think of.

Honeysuckle is a flower that I have a personal connection to. Bring back memories of lying in my  parents garden with the sweet scent and breath taking blooms that hummed with the steady rhythm of buzzing bees all day long whilst they collected their nectar.

A quiet flower, with small blooming petals that weaves gently up trellises and over walls. Just like the roses it has its own connections to the past.

Symbolism and meaning of June birth flower Honeysuckle

Like the rose, the honeysuckle is filled with a variety of hidden messages;

Love and Affection: In the language of flowers Honeysuckle is sometimes seen as a symbol of love and affectionDevotion and Fidelity: In some cultures, honeysuckle is believed to represent devotion and fidelity in relationships.
Sweetness and Happiness: You cannot miss the sweet fragrance of honeysuckle on a warm summers day, bringing with it much happiness and joy.
Beauty and Charm: Honeysuckle’s delicate flowers and twisting vines are often admired for its beauty and quiet charm.

Folklore and some cultures believe that the Honeysuckle is a plant of protection bringing good luck and protection from evil spirits.

Little known facts about Honeysuckle

The Victorians claimed sleeping with a sprig of a Honeysuckle flowers under your pillow at night, you would fill your sweet dreams of visions of your true love. It is thought that this idea originated from Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, in which Titania compared her slumber to the way sweet honeysuckle encircles a barky elm.

“Sleep thou, and I will wind thee in my arms… So doth the woodbine the sweet honeysuckle / Gently entwist; the female ivy so / Enring the barky fingers of the elm. / O, how I love thee! How I dote on thee!”

The name Honeysuckle comes from the fact that the sweet nectar can be sucked from the base of the flower. No wonder Bees love to spend all day flying from flower to flower.

Like the rose Honeysuckle flowers are also edible, they can add a sweet flavour to teas, desserts and salads. Again please seek professional guidance before consuming plants in the wild.