Skip to Main Content

Starclaire Florist Floral Design History Blog

A Short Guide to the History of Floral Design




Florists are often relied on to impress brides, valentines, and all walks of life with their beautiful flowers and bouquet arrangements. However, this practice -- though certainly refined over the years -- is nothing new to the world.
Believe it or not, there are depictions of floral bouquets from as early as 2500 BC. The history of floral design is quite a fascinating one that spans from Egypt to America. Here's a brief look into that history.

The Flower Shops of Egypt The use of flowers in ancient Egypt was traditional for several purposes, but the most common were to include them in temple offerings and to use them as banquet hall decorations. Flowers like Acacia, roses, water lilies, violets, Madonna lilies, narcissus, jasmine, poppies, and especially the sacred lotus blossom were quite popular. In addition, fruit and foliage were often used to garnish a floral arrangement.


Florists of Ancient Greece

Unlike the Egyptians, people in Greece used floral arrangements more for adornment than anything else. In fact, flowers were often simply strewn on the ground in an effort to make it look beautiful. In addition, this was the time period where the horn of plenty was introduced. It was also adorned with flowers and herbs.

Floral Design in the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance saw a continuation of many Greek styles. This is largely thanks to the Romans, who took many Greek styles and updated them, passing them on to later periods of style. Flowers commonly used in this era included dianthus, daisies, lily of the valley, lilies, violets, roses, and primroses. During the later Renaissance, designs began to take on more complex and intricate forms.

Floral Design Today

Today, floral design can be seen everywhere you look. From local florists to flower delivery, beautiful bouquets are all over the place. Weddings and holidays are big events for florists all over the world. Taking from the Renaissance, these event arrangements can become quite intricate, weaving together many different kinds of flowers and accessories to create one beautiful arrangement.
Floral design has certainly evolved through the centuries, but the fact remains that it's one of the most beautiful and pleasing art forms that persists today.

Floral Design History-Starclaire House of Flowers