With commercial gardening and flower delivery such a huge modern enterprise, almost everyone has access to just about any flower they can dream of. And with so much symbolism and history attached to these flowers, it can be hard to know what message you are portraying with a gift of flowers. So heres a selection of some of the more popular flowers and a quick explanation of what they have come to mean:

Bluebells Shame or apology. A good way to say Im sorry
Cacti these long lasting plants (which are in this list because some varieties have flowers!) are symbolic of enduring friendship. A good gift for a best friend, family member or spouse.
Carnations a romantic flower with messages of love, but a more original choice than the classic rose or lily. Beware the stripey carnation though: this is symbolic of unrequited love and a way of saying sorry I dont love you!
Chrysanthemums Happiness and friendship. A good gift to share joy between friends.
Daisies the flower of childhood, symbolic of honesty and innocent love.
Forget-me-nots Just in case its not obvious from the name, these flowers are a way of saying dont forget me!
Geraniums These beautiful house flowers are one of the few that have nothing to do with love or romance, but are really just symbolic of a bit of fun! An original gift.
Heather a fragrant sprig that brings good luck as well as a nice fragrance
Lilies Of course there are many types of lily but the overall message is the same: a romantic one! However, lilies are more symbolic of innocent love and purity of heart, rather than lust and their unique shapes and styles make them a very effective way of making a lady smile!
Mistletoe This flower is associated with Christmas and is often hung around the home alongside holly. Tradition states that if a kiss is asked for when under a mistletoe flower, it can not be refused!
Orchids perhaps the most beautiful flower known to man, this amazing flower takes many varieties and is particularly popular in Thailand, where most of the breeding takes place. It is of course symbolic of love.
Petunias Not such a happy flower, these blooms are symbolic of anger or hatred so be careful who you give them to!
Poppies This classic flower has come to mean many things over the years. Used as a symbol of remembrance of victims of war it is seen every year on poppy day when we remember the people that fought for freedom. Also, as the poppy is widely used for opium production, this flower has become symbolic of eternal rest and ecstasy.
Roses we all know what red roses mean but remember that different colours can mean different things, most notably white for purity and virginity, orange for friendship and pink for joy.
Tulips these well known and uniquely shaped flowers are also symbolic of love and make an original alternative to roses.