Floweristic - Pay Tribute With Flowers On Memorial Day

Flower Ideas For Memorial Day

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Pay Tribute With Flowers On Memorial Day

Floweristic :: Special-Occasion

The tradition of decorating the graves of fallen soldiers has been in existence since the time of the Civil War. Historical evidence shows that women living in the South honored soldiers by placing some sort of decorative items on their graves, as is indicated by the 1867 hymn by Nella L. Sweet titled "Kneel Where Our Loves are Sleeping" and is dedicated "to the ladies of the South who are decorating the graves of the Confederate dead." Though it's not clear what the decorations were, we can reasonably assume they placed flowers on the grave as we do today. Such honoring of the dead inspired a day of remembrance that we call Memorial Day, which extends our appreciation and admiration to all soldiers who died in the service of their country since the time of the Civil War.

Memorial Day is often a busy day for florists because so many people recognize the tribute that a beautiful bouquet or arrangement of flowers pays to those who have passed in times of war. When you plan to order flowers for a loved one's grave, it's a good idea to call a few weeks in advance to place the order. This will ensure that your florist will have the amount and types of flowers you'd like to include on hand. You'll need to indicate that the flowers are for placement in a cemetery and that they are for Memorial Day. Your florist will be able to create an appropriate arrangement that can be easily placed on a grave and withstand outdoor conditions for a reasonable amount of time.

Memorial Day arrangements often use flowers that are red, white, and blue to commemorate the service the person has given to our country. Carnations are a popular choice because they are long lasting and available in the proper colors. However, your Memorial Day flowers don't have to be limited to red, white, and blue or to the common graveside wreath. You can order the fallen soldier's favorite flower and simply tuck in a small flag to signify the arrangement is for Memorial Day. Or, you can order a beautiful bouquet of spring flowers and ask that they be bound with ribbons in our country's colors. Your florist may even carry ribbons with special script on them for Memorial Day.

If you're hesitant to place fresh flowers on the grave because you won't be available to remove them when they fade, ask your florist to create a silk arrangement. Although florists work chiefly with fresh flowers, many create beautiful artificial flower arrangements as well. Using artificial flowers will allow the arrangement to remain beautiful until you or someone else can return to retrieve them.

Writer's Resource Box:
Wesley Berry is the President of Wesley Berry Flowers, a successful multi-million dollar business that was established in 1946. He is also the Headmaster of the Professional Florists' Institute, a floral design school located in Michigan. Visit Wesley Berry Flowers on the web at http://www.800wesleys.com

Floweristic :: Special-Occasion

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