Graduating from high school, college or university is a huge accomplishment, one definitely worth celebrating. If you're thinking of sending flowers for a graduation, you've come to the right place!
With so many beautiful blooms out there, it can be hard to know which flowers are best for graduations. Read on to find out our top picks for what flowers to get for a graduation.
Are flowers a good graduation gift?
It's probably best to start by answering this important question. We may be biased, but our answer is an emphatic "Yes!"
There's rarely an occasion for which a gift of flowers would be deemed inappropriate. In fact, flowers are there at most of the happiest moments in life, as well as many of the saddest. From weddings and anniversaries to birthdays and funerals, flowers are there to help us express our love, support and well-wishes.
Graduations are no exception. Whether it's a friend, a colleague, a family member or a fellow student who's graduating, flowers are the perfect way to show them how proud you are of how far they've come and where they're heading.
Plus, as they're posing for their graduation photos in their graduation garb, a bouquet of beautiful flowers will look amazing alongside that diploma in their hands!
What flowers are best for a graduation?
There's really no hard and fast rule on what flowers you should give someone for a graduation. A bright and flashy bouquet will help bring a sense of cheer and festivity to the occasion. A bouquet of their favourite blooms will make the gift feel more personal.
Some flowers have certain symbolic meanings that may make them feel a bit weird as a graduation gift. For example, red roses are typically seen as a romantic gift, so you may not wish to gift those to a graduating colleague.
To help you choose the perfect bunch, we've listed a few of our favourite flowers for graduations below.
Roses
A classic choice that is sure to please, roses are always a good option when it comes to graduation flowers. Roses symbolise love, appreciation, and admiration, making them the perfect pick to show your loved one how proud you are of their achievements.
The meaning of roses can change depending on their colour. For example, red roses typically symbolise love and passion, while white roses are often associated with purity, innocence, and new beginnings. Who you're giving the roses to, whether that be your child or your partner or a friend, can help determine which colour roses you should send.
Lilies
Another great choice for graduation flowers are lilies. These gorgeous blooms symbolize purity and innocence. This makes lilies an ideal choice for high schoolers on Graduation Day, as they leave school behind and go off to make their way in the world.
Plus, lilies are very long-lasting blooms, so your graduate can enjoy their beauty and their sweet fragrance for days or even weeks after receiving them.
Like roses, the colour of lily petals can affect their meaning. White lilies represent purity and innocence. But pink lilies signify wealth and prosperity, while yellow lilies are a symbol of gratitude. No matter what you want to say to your graduate with your flowers, you can find the perfect shade of lily to express it!
Something important to note about lilies is that they are extremely toxic to cats and can even be harmful to dogs and horses if ingested. If your graduate has a cat at home, it may be best to send them flowers other than lilies.
Sunflowers
Sunflowers are another excellent pick when it comes to choosing flowers for a graduation. Sunflowers have a very positive meaning associated with them. They symbolise happiness, strength, and positivity, all things you'd want to wish someone just starting out on their new post-graduate journey in life.
Inspiring happiness in whoever sees them, these big, bright blooms are sure to make any graduate smile on their special day—perfect for taking graduation photos!
Seasonal Natives
Australian native flowers are always a popular choice when it comes to flower giving. Whether the gradation is being held in the winter or in the summer, native blooms will be around to help mark the occasion.
Native flowers like banksias and kangaroo paws are unusual and beautiful, and can be made into striking additions to floral arrangements. Native flowers also have the added bonus of being able to cope with our harsh Aussie summers, so they'll still look fresh and gorgeous even if the weather is hot on Graduation Day.
If you're wondering if you should send your guy friends flowers on graduation day, we'd highly recommend sending them a bunch of seasonal natives. With their rustic, rugged look, native flowers have a certain neutrality about them that other flowers on this list do not.
Orchids
If you're looking for something a little more exotic for your graduate, orchids are a great option. You can gift someone a bouquet featuring orchids, or you could opt for an orchid plant, which would make a lovely, longer-lasting addition to any graduate's new home or office.
In terms of orchid colour, there's really no wrong choice. White orchids typically represent purity and elegance, while pink orchids signify love, happiness and appreciation. Green orchids are a symbol of health, good fortune and prosperity. Yellow orchids, on the other hand, represent new beginnings—this meaning is especially perfect for graduates as they enter an exciting next chapter in life.
Daisies
Daisies are a fun and cheerful choice of graduation flower. These pretty blooms symbolize innocence, hope, and new beginnings—all perfect sentiments to wish someone on their graduation day.
Plus, daisies come in a wide variety of colours, so you can pick the perfect shade to suit your graduate. White daisies are classic and chic, while yellow daisies embody happiness and optimism. Pink daisies, meanwhile, represent love and admiration.
Tulips
Elegant and cheerful, tulips are a great way to show your pride and excitement for a graduate and their achievements. A fun fact about tulips is that actually continue to grow after they're cut and placed in water, so your graduate can watch their bouquet grow taller day by day!
Tulips come in a wide range of colours, and each colour has its own meaning. For such a joyful occasion as a graduation, yellow tulips are a great option as they symbolise happiness and cheerfulness. White tulips typically represent purity and innocence, making them an ideal choice for high school graduates. Purple tulips signify royalty and majesty, which could be perfect for someone receiving a degree in a field like law or medicine.
Carnations
Another popular pick for graduation flowers is carnations. With elegant, ruffled petals that can be solid or two-toned in colour, carnations are a great longer-lasting alternative to peonies. They'll survive up to three weeks in a vase, so your recipient will be able to enjoy them long after their graduation day.
Peonies
If the graduation is in the spring or summer, you may get lucky and be able to gift your graduate a bouquet of peonies. Luxurious and elegant, these big, beautiful blooms are perfect for making a grand gesture on such an important day in someone's life.
Peonies typically symbolise good luck, prosperity and good fortune, so they're an absolutely perfect flower to send someone for a graduation.
Dahlias
Our final graduation flower pick is the dahlia. These stars of summertime are available in a wide range of colours and make for truly eye-catching additions to any flower arrangement.
Dahlias symbolise new beginnings and fresh starts, a lovely gesture for new graduates. Broken down by colour, red dahlias symbolise perseverance, pink dahlias symbolise kindness and yellow dahlias symbolise happiness—all qualities that any graduate would be proud to have.
Shop graduation flowers online at Floraly
Here at Floraly, we have a great range of beautiful, fresh flowers that would make wonderful gifts for graduations. From extravagant bouquets to simpler but no less beautiful posies, we have the perfect blooms to help celebrate this momentous occasion.
From sunflowers to roses to lilies, you'll find a great range of graduation flowers in our collection. Shop our range via the button below!
