2012 Olympic Flowers

Has everyone out there been glued to your televisions for the past week? With the London Olympics underway it’s a wonder I even stopped to write this blog!  I am simply in awe of these Olympians and the incredible talents they possess. Medal ceremonies, regardless of who tops the podium, nearly always give me chills, as the flags slowly rise and we pause for a moment to salute people who do what very few others can. And as the Olympic champions stand there, singing their national anthems with medals around their necks, they clutch bouquets of flowers – bouquets that have been specially designed for those Olympic Games to symbolize the best of the host country.

The London Olympic bouquets feature the classic English flower, the rose. The rose is England’s national flower, dating back to the Wars of Roses between the Houses of York (represented by a white rose) and Lancaster (represented by a red rose). When Henry Tudor took the throne and united the kingdom once again, he created the heraldic emblem called the Tudor Rose, which combines the two colors and which has symbolized England ever since.

The 2012 bouquets are grown entirely in England and include roses of pink, yellow, orange and green. In addition to roses, the bouquets include apple mint, rosemary and English lavender, chosen for their ability to provide fragrance without causing possible allergic reaction. They also include wheat, which symbolizes energy, the underlying theme of the London games. The design of the bouquet is divided into four to reflect the 2012 Olympic logo, as envisioned by legendary floral designer Jane Packer before her death in late 2011.

The planners of the London Olympics completely outdid themselves by planting wildflower meadows throughout the Olympic park and venues. These are the largest man-made wildflower meadows ever made in the United Kingdom, carefully sown exactly 77 days before the opening ceremonies to be in full flower by the start of the games. Click here to see more more photos of the wildflower meadows.