17 Gorgeous Types of Flowers Your Girlfriend Will Love

Looking for that perfect gift for your girlfriend? Whether it’s a special anniversary, her birthday, a romantic date night, or you need to say, “I’m sorry… I messed up” (oops!) flowers make an ideal gift for that special someone in your life. But which flowers should you choose? It all depends on the occasion and the message you want to send. Read on to learn which flowers are the best for your girlfriend.

Are Flowers a Good Gift for Girlfriends?

Flowers make a wonderful gift for girlfriends. A bouquet or arrangement adds color and fragrance to any room and is perfect for an occasion.

Blossoms are a fantastic way to send messages, as well. In the language of flowers or floriography, each flower (and often, each flower color) has its own specific meaning. You can choose flower combinations that send very specific, even complex, messages to your loved one without ever saying a word.

Best of all, whenever your girlfriend looks at the beautiful blossoms you chose for her, it will remind her of you! In a nutshell, flowers are a great way to show your girlfriend just how much you care.

When Should I Give Flowers to my Girlfriend?

There’s no wrong time to give flowers to your girlfriend! You can mark any special occasion with a beautiful bouquet, whether it’s her birthday, she’s received a promotion or is graduating, or any other milestone that deserves recognition. Flowers are the perfect way to start off a romantic date night, to celebrate your anniversary, or to wish her a happy Valentine’s Day. And if you need to make amends, there’s no better way to say “I’m sorry” than with flowers.

The Best Types of Flowers to Gift to Girlfriends

Across cultures and periods, people have used flowers to communicate with each other for centuries. Using flowers to send coded messages really took off in the Victorian era, when floriography was all the rage. Today, blooms are still a perfect way to let your girlfriend know how much you care. Here are some popular flowers to gift to your girlfriend.

Roses

Nothing says “romance” and “passion” quite like roses, and a gift of red roses sends a message that’s all about romantic love. This connection stems back to Greek mythology when Aphrodite — the goddess of love — pricked her finger on the thorn of a white rose. A drop of her blood fell, staining the roses deep red.

Even the shade of red matters; to the Victorians, bright red roses stood for romance, while deep maroon roses stood for undying love.

Peonies

When given to a girlfriend, peony flowers symbolize love and romance. To the Victorians, peonies stood for happy relationships, happy marriages, and happy life. A gift of peonies means “you are worthy of love and affection” and tells your girlfriend that she’s desirable. Different colors of peonies send additional messages. Choose red peonies for their connection to love and passion, or throw in a few pink blooms to send the message of happiness.

Tulips

Red tulips have long been associated with love. A gift of red tulips was a strong declaration of love in Victorian times. The flowers’ love connection comes from a Persian legend of star-crossed lovers. When a princess fell in love with a lowly stonecutter, her family conspired through a series of deceptions to keep them apart. In despair, they both took their own lives, and drops of their blood fell to the ground. Here, red tulips grew, ensuring the lovers would be together forever.

Carnations

Carnations have long been associated with love, and deep red carnations mean love and affection. White carnations add the nuance of pure love into the mix, while pink carnations say, “I’ll never forget you.” In floriography, dark red carnations also mean “my heart aches for you.” A striped carnation says, “I wish I could be with you,” and it is a good choice when your girlfriend is far away.

Orchids

Orchids are an elegant way to show your girlfriend how much you care. These exotic flowers convey beauty and refinement and are a perfect gift for a stylish girlfriend. Pink orchids symbolize femininity, while red orchids stand for passion, love, and appreciation. The flowers have long been associated with sexuality; in ancient Greece, the plants’ tubers were associated with maleness and virility due to their shape.

Dahlias

The lovely dahlia flower comes in a rainbow of colors, sizes, and forms. Dahlia flowers symbolize several positive sentiments, such as beauty, honesty, and commitment. A gift of red, pink, and burgundy dahlias tells your girlfriend that you think she’s beautiful and are committed to your relationship. Dahlias can also stand for strength, making them a great gift when your girlfriend is facing challenges and overcoming obstacles.

Calla Lilies

With their unique shape and fragrance, calla lilies are a popular choice in floral gifts. In floriography, calla lily flowers symbolize beauty. In fact, their name comes from the Greek kallos, which means “beauty”. Ancient Greek myth ties the flowers to Venus, the goddess of love. Red calla lilies stand for romance, pink calla lilies have the additional association of admiration and affection, while purple calla lilies stand for enchantment.

Gardenia

The fragrant white flowers symbolize trust and hope, qualities essential to any successful relationship. If your girlfriend loves floral aromas, this is the perfect flower to add to her bouquet. In the language of flowers, gardenias mean “secret love.” In some Asian cultures, gardenias are a popular wedding flower and may be used in leis.

Forget Me Not

Add a touch of serene blue to your girlfriend’s bouquet with forget-me-nots. These little flowers may be small, but they’re rich in meaning. In floriography, forget me does not stand for true love. And, of course, they send the clear message that “I could never forget you” and “I’m eternally devoted to you.” While blue is the most common color, pink forget me not also has the added meaning of faithful love.

Camellia

The dramatic camellia is an ideal choice for your girlfriend. While the white camellia flower symbolizes care and adoration, the pink camellias stand for longing. The red camellia is associated with passion, romance, and desire. In floriography, a gift of red camellias would tell your girlfriend that she is a flame that burns in your heart.

Irises

If you’re looking for a springtime message of love and passion, consider giving your girlfriend a bouquet of yellow irises. Iris flowers symbolize passion and let your girlfriend know you find her both desirable and beautiful. A gift of an iris is also a way to send your compliments her way.

Hydrangeas

The eye-catching hydrangea is a stunning and Instagrammable choice of floral gift for your girlfriend. When pink, these big, lovely blossoms symbolize sincere emotions and heartfelt romance. Purple hydrangeas are a symbol of deep understanding. And if you need to tell her, “I’m sorry,” blue hydrangeas are associated with feelings of sincere regret.

Daffodil

Daffodil flowers symbolize the onset of spring and positive emotions. Though they’re not necessarily the best choice for a romantic date night bouquet, daffodils are a wonderful “just because” gift to brighten your girlfriend’s day. In Victorian flower language, these cheerful flowers also send thoughtful and affectionate messages, including “You’re the only one for me,” “My love for you is unequaled,” and “You make the sun shine for me.”

Chrysanthemums

Chrysanthemums, commonly known as mums, are imbued with rich meaning in many cultures worldwide. To the Victorians, a gift from red mums stands for deep, passionate love and strong feelings, while white mums stand for truth. Pink mums are an excellent choice in a new relationship, as they stand for affection. And if your love has been rejected? Send yellow chrysanthemums to signify a broken heart or slighted love.

Ranunculus

Like the red rose, the red ranunculus sends a message of passion and romantic love. If you’re looking for something out of the box, these lovely, fluttery flowers fit the bill for Valentine’s Day or an anniversary. Pink ranunculus adds an informal hint of charm, while white and yellow blossoms will brighten her day, say “congratulations” or “happy birthday,” or let her know you’re thinking of her.

Hyacinth

If you need to apologize to your girlfriend, saying “I’m sorry” with flowers makes your sentiments more sincere. A bouquet of hyacinths or bluebells sends just the right message. In the language of flowers, blue hyacinth flowers symbolize humility and constancy, while pink hyacinth means “love everlasting.” (Pro tip: Add some striped carnations to let her know you truly are sorry.)

Heliotrope

Also known as the cherry pie plant, heliotrope is an excellent choice when you need flowers for your girlfriend. In floriography, heliotrope flowers symbolize “eternal love,” and what could be more romantic than that? They also send a message of devotion, thanks to their connection to the Greek myth of Clytie, who loved the sun god, Helios. He transformed Clytie into a heliotrope flower, and every day, she turns her face (blossoms) and follows the sun as it travels across the sky.

Are Plants a Good Option for Girlfriends?

If you want to give your girlfriend a gift that will last and last, a living plant is a good option. When choosing plants, keep environmental conditions and plant care needs in mind. For instance, think about the light exposure in your girlfriend’s home and how much maintenance she’s able and willing to provide.

If you want your plant gift to have meaning, consider plants that offer good Feng Shui energy. Plants with heart-shaped leaves, for instance, are thought to attract love into one’s life.

Consider color, as well. Giving plants with pink or red blossoms or foliage can up that romantic vibe.

Wrap Up

Flowers are the perfect way to let your girlfriend know how much you care. Whether it’s her birthday, your anniversary, or a special date night, she’s achieved a milestone in life (or you need to say you’re sorry), and a beautiful bouquet of blooms shows her you’re thinking of her. Choosing flowers that send messages of love, admiration and affection will brighten her day and make her feel beautiful and loved, no matter the occasion.

Further reading:

• The best types of flowers for graduation gifts