Crown of Roses – The Daily Flower for 30 June

There’s a bit of a chicken and egg problem with the meaning of today’s flowers: are the floral coronets a popular choice for brides because they connote ‘reward for chastity’, or did they acquire that meaning because they’re the headdress of choice for ladies in white?

Actually, today’s floral emblem also has strong associations with a lady in blue: the Virgin Mary. Rosary prayer beads, with which the Lady Madonna is linked, derive their name from the Latin word for a crown of roses.

Don’t be fooled into thinking it's the exclusive preserve of the fairer sex, though. Roman soldiers were often festooned with these floral garlands before they went into battle. Which might explain why the rose-rich circlets are also said to symbolise superior merit.

Good for giving to: brides, maidens, ladies of the cloth, competitors and champions. Oh yes, and barflies – there’s a cocktail called a crown of roses.

Tags: flowers, roses, crown of roses, cocktail, floriography