- Flowers for the Blind (The Most Scented)
Floral arrangements are often coveted for their vibrant colours. Not everyone can enjoy those colours. Individuals who are blind or visually impaired may not get the same sensory experience from receiving bouquets of flowers as fully sighted recipients. However, if you have a visually impaired loved one, he or she may still cherish the gift of flowers. He or she is just likely to take in and savor that gift in a different way.
- Perceptions of the Blind
Before you buy flowers for a blind loved one, it is important to understand how the blind perceive the world around them. Many studies have been done on sensory adaptations made by human brains when certain senses are lacking. Other senses often become much sharper as the brain rewires itself.
One way to create a bouquet for a blind loved one is to consider the sense of touch. Select flowers with different shapes and textures deliberately. That way, the recipient can “feast” on the bouquet with his or her hands. Many blind individuals are extremely good at feeling objects like flowers and visualizing them in their brains, especially if they have previously been sighted and become blind later in life. A second option is to select the most fragrant flowers to give to blind loved ones. Below is a list of several fragrant flowers likely to appeal to a blind person’s senses.
- Freesias
Among the most fragrant flowers you can add to a bouquet for the blind are freesias. Freesias originated in South Africa and come in many different varieties. They are some of the most popular flowers used in bouquets around the world today. Although usually admired for their vibrant colours, they also have a sweet, attractive fragrance. That scent is sure to appeal to your blind loved one.
Australia and Japan both use freesias to symbolize the start of spring, growth, or rebirth of sorts. Freesias are also considered symbolic of long friendships. If you have known your visually impaired loved one for many years, you can use freesias to represent that long-lasting relationship and your undying loyalty. They also represent purity in certain settings, and that can, in turn, help you show your devotion to a pure, enduring friendship.
- Gardenias
In the United States, gardenias are symbols of southern charm and hospitality. In fact, the southern American singer Billie Holiday was known for always wearing a gardenia in her hair. Gardenias are also symbols of strength, as well as mystery and allure. Worldwide, they also have a reputation for being symbols of gentility and purity. In France, Gardenias are often used in formal settings representing perfection and formality. There, they are among the preferred flowers to place in boutonnieres.
Each of those meanings is often associated with the physical appearance of gardenias. For example, white gardenias are associated with purity. However, when you give them to a blind loved one, the scent is the most important factor. Gardenias of all types have very sweet scents. They can easily conjure up memories of the great outdoors and sweet summer days.
- Roses
Roses are also flowers known for their bold colours, which are often associated with love and romance, especially when it comes to red roses. However, you can also use roses to express love and appreciation to a blind loved one. That is because they are also among the most fragrant flowers. When selecting roses for a bouquet for the blind, it is important to keep some important rose traits in mind. Using that knowledge, you can produce the perfect bouquet to elicit sensory stimulation. Those traits are as follows:
- Roses with darker colouration tend to be more fragrant than those with lighter colouration.
- Orange and yellow roses are fragrant but have non-traditional scents often described as resembling citrus scents.
- Pink and red roses have the most thought of rose scent.
- Roses with thick petals may be more appealing to blind recipients both due to their textures and the stronger fragrances associated with them.
- The more petals roses have, the more fragrance they typically produce.
- Warm weather makes roses more fragrant.
- Rosebuds and blooming roses have completely different scents.
- Chrysanthemums
One of the best types of flowers you can add to a floral arrangement for a blind loved one is the chrysanthemum. That is because there are so many different chrysanthemums available the different varieties also have vastly different characteristics. For example, some types of chrysanthemums have single blossoms on each stem. Others bloom in more spider-like patterns with many blossoms on a single stem. Your loved one can touch the varying blossoms to get a better sense of the floral arrangement and the individual flowers. He or she can also drink in the strong fragrance of those blossoms.
Chrysanthemums have different meanings in each country. In Japan, they are associated with the Imperial Family. All Asian countries also view them as symbolic of health and happiness. Chrysanthemums are also known as symbols of truth in Germany and Japan. Worldwide they are also known for being the flowers of truth and fidelity, as well as friendship. That makes them perfect as gifts for a friend or a romantic partner.
- Hyacinths
Hyacinths may not have the strong fragrances of some of the other flowers on this list, but they offer another advantage for the blind. They have entirely different scent profiles. It is unlike the citrus-like scent of certain roses or the perfume-like scent of other blooms. Instead, hyacinths have a distinctly sweet scent. They are so sweet smelling, in fact, that they are the preferred flowers to plant in gardens because they reduce insect activity.
In Victorian times, it was common to give hyacinths as symbols of playfulness and fun. Today, when you give a hyacinth to a blind loved one, you are giving a flower symbolic of peace, well wishes, and better days ahead. Hyacinths are perfect for including in a “get well soon” floral arrangement for those reasons. You can also present someone with hyacinths as symbols of friendship and devotion.
#chelseaflowers_london #chelseaflowers #flowers #OnTheBlog