Celebrating with Flowers and Greens on St. Patrick’s Day

It’s a green day on March 17! And no, not because it’s Earth Day, but rather, it marks the feast day of Ireland’s patron, Saint Patrick. What used to be a local feast is now a day celebrated in other parts of the globe as well.

With only a few days away from the merriment, let us delve in its rich history and how to properly celebrate it with the one of the most distinct symbolisms associated with it – green flowers, of course.

Who is Saint Patrick, anyway?

St. Patrick is a 5^th century Christian missionary. He became the first bishop of Armagh. He is widely recognized as the founder of Christianity in Ireland.

Several legends have been associated with St. Patrick. One of these legends credits St. Patrick as the one responsible for banishing all the snakes from Ireland.

Another popular story explains the history of a place called Aspatria (ash of Patrick), where his staff had turned into a tree.

These legends of St. Patrick gave rise to the most popular symbol associated with him and of the Irish culture. This is the shamrock. In Irish tradition, three is a mystical number, and St. Patrick used this in order to evangelize the people of Ireland about the Holy Trinity.

Why the green flowers in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day?

To celebrate his day, it is customary to wear the St. Patrick’s Day colors and symbols – shamrocks, green clothing and green accessories. Since the 1640s, the color green has been associated with Ireland. In Irish traditions, merriment and celebrations are marked with a variety of flowers. Below are some of the most popular flowers associated with St. Patrick’s Day:

Shamrock – It usually has three leaves, and it is said that St. Patrick has used this to symbol to evangelize the Irish people. Very rarely, you might find one with four leaves. The phrase “luck of the Irish” is tied to this rare flower, because although the plant is real, you indeed, need some luck to find one. Statistically, there are 10,000 three-leaf stems in a field of clovers for only every one of the four-leaf variety.

Bells of Ireland – Often referred to as shell flowers, are dainty, yellow-green blooms used to create wonderful floral bouquets, alongside other white and yellow flowers. These flowers are mildly fragrant with a spicy, peppery scent and symbolize good luck.  The name is a misnomer though, as these flowers are actually native to western Asia not Ireland.

Cymbidium Orchid – It is a delicate, unique flower with a pale lime-green color with each bloom having five points. Green orchid blooms specifically symbolize good luck, blessings and health.

Green Carnations – Since the 1900’s, green carnations has been a popular flower during St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The carnation flower takes its name from Greek origins, and it means “flower of the gods”.

On March 17, put on your best green clothing, join the parades, and don’t forget to send green St. Patrick’s Day flowers! Spread the luck of the Irish with flowers and blooms, always freshly delivered by Fiesta Flowers Plants & Gifts.

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