It’s the season for graduation, and everyone is in the mood to celebrate!

A popular graduation tradition in some regions of the country is to place a lei around the neck of the honoree. When you adorn your friend or family member with this iconic wreath or flowers, it signifies a deep sense of closeness and positive emotion. Leis are customarily bestowed when someone is arriving or leaving someplace special; they are often associated with one’s arrival in certain island locations. As a graduate is leaving their school behind and walking forward into a new life, the lei is a perfect symbol of their achievement. The most common leis are made of flowers, although they are also often comprised of vines or leaves. Orchids – particularly the dendrobium variety – are the most popular floral choice because of their abiding beauty; purple and white are the two colors of orchid most often selected.

Here’s An Idea: Matching the lei to the school colors is a fun and meaningful way to not only honor the graduate but to proclaim your pride in the (now) alma mater.

Flowers have always been useful to express specific emotions and feelings. If you are considering a floral bouquet for your graduate, you may wish to learn a few of the flower meanings that will ensure that your gift is not only stunning but full of meaning. For instance, in ancient Rome, the laurel leaf represented achievement and victory and still adds a strong green element to your arrangements. When designing floral bouquets, consider the addition of the purple iris, which indicates wisdom; or lavender roses, which stand for admiration. For a truly victorious rose arrangement, go for orange, pink and yellow together – orange roses say “I’m proud of you,” while pink roses indicate admiration and yellow roses signify the highest mark of distinction.

This graduation season, choose flowers which will honor all of their hard work and success. Peoples Flower Shops has every flower you need to give them the esteem they deserve.