Importance and History of Funeral Flowers

It is a difficult period when a family member or a close friend passes away. The concept of funeral flowers actually started from the 18th century. In the year 1874-75 the president of the United States Mr. Andrew Johnson passed away but his body was not embalmed and resulted in foul smell before the funeral time. In order to mask the odour coming from the body the undertaker covered the casket and piled up loads of fragrant flowers over and around it. There was no foul odour till the time the funeral was over. This was how the funeral flowers came into existence.
Earlier there were flower ladies who used to carry flowers from the funeral place to the flower vehicle and also assist the funeral homes to arrange the flowers at the cemetery. The ladies were chosen very carefully and most of them used to be close friends and family members. It was considered as a great honour to be chosen as the flower lady. As time progressed due to hectic schedules the concept of flower ladies faded.
Funeral Flowers are also given with the belief that they are the best visual expression of love, care, sympathy and respect. Death is one such sad expression or feeling which cannot be expressed in words and so flowers do the work of talking and consoling in their own sweet and peaceful way. The flowers add more dignity and pleasantness to the sad and mourning atmosphere. Flowers represent eternity and immortality and so do the near and dear ones wish for the diseased.