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The Flower LoungeThe Flower Lounge

The flowers behind the anniversary milestones

Explore the meaning behind traditional anniversary flowers and discover modern, seasonal alternatives crafted in The Flower Lounge’s signature style; personal, meaningful, and unforgettable.

Anniversaries are more than just a date.

They’re a celebration of everything you’ve built; the memories made, the moments shared, the quiet everyday love that makes a relationship truly yours. Whether it’s your first or your fiftieth, marking that milestone deserves a little beauty.

And what better way to say “I’d still choose you” than with flowers?

When it comes to anniversary gifting, many people look to tradition, and with good reason. Over the years, certain flowers have come to symbolise the unique qualities of each anniversary. But anniversaries can fall at any time of year, and not all traditional flowers are in season when you need them. Plus here at The Flower Lounge, we believe your love story is far too special to be bound by a list. We create flowers that are as meaningful, modern, and individual as your relationship.

So yes,  we’ll absolutely honour the sentiment behind traditional anniversary blooms. But we’ll also show you how to celebrate with flowers that feel uniquely you.

Traditional anniversary flowers…with a Flower Lounge twist

Here’s a look at the most commonly celebrated anniversary years and their traditional floral pairings… plus a few Flower Lounge thoughts on how we might interpret them with our signature style.

carnation, roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas
1st Anniversary: Carnation

Symbolises young, passionate love and devotion.
Try ranunculus or delicate spray roses for a softer, more romantic feel with a little more luxury.

2nd Anniversary: Cosmos

Represents harmony, balance and joy.
We love their wild, airy quality when in season a lovely addition to natural, meadowy designs. For that same soft, airy charm, try scabiosa.

3rd Anniversary: Sunflower

Symbolises adoration, longevity, and loyalty.
Bright, bold and full of joy, these are perfect for summer anniversaries. Out of season? Try golden craspedia or yellow roses for the same cheerful, sunny impact.

4th Anniversary: Hydrangea

Represents heartfelt emotion and gratitude.
A Flower Lounge favourite - full, generous, and packed with texture.

5th Anniversary: Daisy

Symbolises innocence and enduring love.
We use matricaria (chamomile daisies) for their dainty charm; sweet, playful and a little wild.

6th Anniversary: Calla Lily

Represents growth and beauty.
Not part of our usual style, we’d suggest tulips or delphinium for similar sculptural elegance.

7th Anniversary: Freesia

Symbolises thoughtfulness and grace.
We lean towards stocks or lisianthus for their similar fragrance and softness, both lovely alternatives.

8th Anniversary: Clematis

Represents creativity and reaching new heights.
A subtle favourite, we love the way clematis vines bring movement and whimsy to a bouquet.

daffodils, delphinium, clematis
9th Anniversary: Poppy

Symbolises imagination, peace and remembrance.
When in season, poppies are breathtaking! Out of season? We love anemones for their similarly delicate petals and striking contrast.

10th Anniversary: Daffodil

Represents joy, new beginnings and cheerfulness.
A springtime classic, daffodils bring energy and optimism to any anniversary arrangement. Not in season? Yellow tulips or garden roses offer a similarly uplifting feel.

11th Anniversary: Morning Glory

Symbolises affection and renewal.
Rarely used in floristry, but blue delphinium or scabiosa offer a similar light, open feeling.

12th Anniversary: Peony

Symbolises prosperity and a happy marriage.
When peonies are in season, theyre the ultimate showstopper - romantic and endlessly popular. Out of season? Garden roses or blousy ranunculus are our go-tos for that soft, layered feel.

13th Anniversary: Chrysanthemum

Represents loyalty, joy and truth.
We love using textured, garden-style varieties that add body and character to our designs.

daisy peony dahlia
14th Anniversary: Dahlia

Symbolises strength and a lasting bond.
A seasonal favourite - bold, sculptural and ideal for autumn anniversaries. Otherwise we often use richly toned lisianthus for a similar look.

15th Anniversary: Rose

The classic symbol of passionate love.
Of course! We offer a variety of colours and structures from the luxurious long-legged Niaomi stems to the garden pinks and yellows of spray roses.

20th Anniversary: Aster

Represents patience and devotion.
Not often used, but delicate scabiosa or chamomile can capture a similar daintiness.

25th Anniversary: Iris

Symbolises faith and admiration.
We don’t typically stock iris, though for similar elegance in blue tones, we suggest delphinium or lisianthus.

30th Anniversary: Lily

Symbolises beauty, devotion and renewal.
We use white lilies all the time, known for their long vase life, sophisticated scent, and graceful form. A timeless, striking option.

40th Anniversary: Gladiolus

Represents strength and integrity.
Gladioli aren’t a common choice for us. Instead, we recommend antirrhinum or delphinium for similar graceful structure and height.

rose, lily, antirrhinum
50th Anniversary: Yellow Roses & Violets

Symbolise friendship and enduring love.
We love the sunshine gold of yellow roses and recommend pairing them with seasonal purples like clematis a thoughtful, tonal nod to tradition.

60th Anniversary: White Orchid

Symbolises luxury, strength and rare beauty.
Not ideal for a hand-tied arrangement! But white hydrangeas or elegant garden-style roses offer a similar sense of refinement and grace.

rose hydrangea anniversary

Why change things up? Here’s what we believe

At The Flower Lounge, we craft flowers that feel personal and unforgettable.

Seasonal = spectacular

The freshest flowers are the most beautiful. We work with what’s in season, so your bouquet is vibrant, long-lasting and designed at its best.

Tailored to you

No two relationships are the same. That’s why we create arrangements that reflect your style, your story and your milestone.

We have a signature style

Loose, luxurious and full of character, our arrangements are known for their natural flow and indulgent textures, which not all flowers lend themselves to. But it’s what sets us apart, what we’re best at and why so many of our customers come back, year after year.

Ready to pick your anniversary bouquet?

Whether you know exactly what you want or haven’t got a clue where to start, we’re here to help.

Pop into our Didsbury shop, browse our online collection <here> or give us a call and well talk you through it.

Let us help you create something meaningful, modern and entirely you.

 

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