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Flowers at a funeral remind us of the transitory nature of life; we all sprout, grow, flower and one day fade. Seeing our own life’s cycle repeated in nature is oddly comforting, making flowers an important part of many culture’s end-of-life traditions. When faced with the loss of a loved one, many of us are at a loss for what flowers, plants or gifts of comfort to bring to a funeral and often leave this decision up to the florist. However, many find spending a bit of time looking at flowers to find just the right one a part of the healing process. Choosing a bloom that was their favorite, reminds you of them or displays a characteristic that they embodied in life is a lovely gesture and allows you an opportunity to reflect on how this person has made an impact in your own life’s cycle. There are many beautiful choices out there, but for a one-of-a-kind person, consider the crocosmia.
Bright red like a rose, but tall and stately like an iris, there is nothing quite like the gracefully arched stem of a crocosmia. Called by a variety of different names such as falling star, montebretia or coppertips, this classy flower has been grown in gardens around the world and has recently become a favorite flower of florists. Graceful, yet incredibly hardy, this perennial plant blooms in the heat of summer. Straight, green stems begin to curve towards the tip where a line of scarlet flowers bloom. Each individual blossom opens up in a dainty trumpet shape, protected by brightly colored sepals which will last for several weeks. As a cut flower, crocosmia are surprisingly long lasting. Unlike lilies that will brown and fade within a few days, these blooms will bring color and comfort beside a grave or in the home of family members during this difficult time.
Using crocosmia in a funeral arrangement is easy, due to the sturdy stems and length of each bloom. In a memorial wreath, crocosmia’s vibrant color looks wonderful next to white and red carnations or roses. They can be angled into a variety of shapes and will hold fast even on the windiest and wettest of days. In a blanket of flowers across a casket, the uniform nature of crocosmia’s blooms make it an elegant drapery. In a vase, consider mixing this vermillion flower with green or red hypericum berries, lilies or bright dahlias.
While funerals can be a challenging time, they are also an opportunity to consider the friends and family that make up the flowers in our own life’s garden and remind you to take time to smell the roses.
