The flower symbolises strength, victory, healing, and honour. It is also associated with moral character, intelligence and remembrance.
 In ancient Rome, the gladiolus was the flower of gladiators, with spectators covering the winner in their colourful blooms. 
In the mid-18th century, the first species was brought to Europe from South Africa and by the early 19th century, England had begun hybridising flowers, making them more suited to home gardening.
In Victorian times, gladiolus was considered so beautiful that it could pierce another’s heart with love. The flower also symbolised infatuation, love at first sight and faithfulness.

Each colour holds a different meaning: Red symbolises romance, love and passion; pink means compassion and a mother’s love; white represents innocence and purity; yellow indicates joy and friendship; purple means beauty and fortune. The gladioli is also the traditional gift for a 40th anniversary.

To extend your gladiolus vase life, trim up the ends of the stems before you place them in your arrangement. Make a fresh cut at a 45° angle using a sharp knife. Cutting the stem this way increases the surface area, which helps the flower draw more water. Replace the water in your vase or container every 2 to 3 days to keep it fresh.

Poppies grow in temperate climates throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and North America. The most recognisable poppy species are the Iceland poppy, Oriental Poppy, and California poppy.

In addition to being a remembrance symbol, poppies are connected to relaxation, recovery, sleep and death. In Greco-Roman myths, relatives placed poppy flowers on tombstones to offer eternal rest to the dead. Greek mythology associates the Poppy with Demeter, the goddess of agriculture, believing that poppies growing in your field was a sign that a bountiful crop would follow. In ancient Greece, poppies were associated with the gods; Thanatos (death), Morpheus (dreams) and Hypnos (the god of sleep).

Poppy flowers reportedly help to remember loved ones who have passed. In European cemeteries, where many soldiers were buried after World War I, the soil disturbance caused poppies to grow from the seeds that had laid dormant for years. In 1915, a military physician during World War I, John McCrae, penned the famous poem “In Flanders Field,” which starts with, ‘In Flanders Field, the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row’.

In “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” L. Frank Baum creates a field of poppies that causes Dorothy, Toto and the Cowardly Lion to fall asleep on the way to the Emerald City.

On Remembrance Day, many British citizens and former Commonwealth countries wear crimson paper poppies to honour those lost in battle each year. It is a symbol of remembrance, recognised in cultures around the world.