“The Grandmother of all flowers” 

Although known to be cultivated and much loved by the Japanese, legend has it that a Chinese Emperor gifted blue hydrangeas to a girl he loved to make up for neglecting her. However, research reveals that this magnificent flower was around some 50 million years ago.

The etymological meaning of Hydrangea stems from the Greek words Hydros, water and Angos meaning jar - and they do resemble an ancient water pitcher. Anyone who grows these flowers will know how much water they need to bloom and thrive.

My design tip – looking for the right container to display hydrangea? a pitcher or bowl works very well.

In the language of flowers, the meaning associated with the hydrangearange between cultures. To the Japanese the blue hydrangea represents heartfelt emotions and great understanding.

The Chinese say this flower symbolizes expressions of love, gratitude and enlightenment.

To the French – they hold a reverence deeply rooted in botanical history and are referred to as Hortensia. In Latin it simply means ‘from the garden’.