Whether planted in the soil of a garden or flourishing in the bushes and trees, it is no question that flowers add depth and beauty to an otherwise ordinary landscape. The environment greatly affects the patterns of flowering seasons, like the calling of spring when gorgeous daffodils and tulips start sprouting everywhere. The bright azaleas chase away the winter dullness as they blossom while the grass starts to turn green.

Flowers contribute a lot more to the environment than just adding to its scenic beauty. They are essential in the elimination of the carbon dioxide and other toxins present in the air. They also play a vital role in our ecosystem. The entire honeybee community breeds on these flowers, which in turn affects the food chain. Flowers help draw the attention of birds and insects that play a part in the cross-fertilization of the flowers and in return, they help sustain the healthy surroundings of the flower by promoting its growth and protecting it from predators. Flowers function as a natural habitat for many different insects, helping sustain their life and helping our ecosystem flourish and grow. Without these flowers, some species would be at risk of extinction, which would ultimately affect the local wildlife that breeds on these insects.

For many people, flowers also carry emotional significance, symbolizing particular feelings such as providing comfort and sympathy and is often a part of many important life events. Receiving a flower bouquet on a special occasion or simply getting it as a gift is bound to bring a smile to the recipient’s face. The blooming splash of colours of the flowers would inevitably bring about a sense of joy for both the giver and the recipient. Different flowers have different symbolic meanings – with the classic red roses representing love, white roses conveying peace and purity and the bright yellow colour of the sunflower signifying warmth and longevity. It is no wonder that Singapore has so many fresh flower markets all around.

In addition, the scent of flowers has been found to relieve anxiety, reduce stress and relieve mild depression. This is just one of the reasons why aromatherapy is based on floral scented candles that can be used in the home. Stress is a big problem for many people and natural remedies like flowers can help to greatly reduce that. A case in point is lavender and how it helps improve short-term memory, relieve anxiety and proves to be excellent for relaxation. A certain combination of odors and colors can also have emotional and physical healing powers. Roses and lavenders for example, helps relieve insomnia and depression. It has been shown that the sweetness of flowers also improves social behavior. It is said that some flowers such as begonias have aspects of physical healing. When immersed in hot water, it can eliminate headaches and detoxify the body. This is why a lot of flowers are often infused into tea in order to get the full advantage of their healing properties.

Like Ralph Waldo once said, “The Earth laughs in flowers”. Flowers are not only a beautiful sight to wonder and admire, but also greatly contribute back to our ecosystem and our personal lives too.