Lewis Miller Helps Celebrate National Best Friend’s Day

By Jill Brooke

Since today is National Best Friend’s Day, time to call a friend and let them know how you appreciate them. Better yet, send flowers.

Perhaps you can be inspired by Lewis Miller’s Flower Flash he just did in London. All those dreamy yellow roses and sunflowers in this pop-up which are ancient symbols of friendship and loyalty. Isn’t this just joyful and fun?

Surprising people with the joy of flowers is one of his signatures and just last week a trashcan bouquet inspired by Miller popped up in Raleigh, North Carolina as part of the North Carolina Museum of Art’s Art in Bloom.

These were done by Steve Taras of Watered Garden Florist and Only Cruz Gutierrez of Gourd Hollow Farm. Those in North Carolina now look forward to this annual tradition.

Of course, there are many inspirations for love and friendship.

Tina Barkley, one of the impresarios behind Fleurs de Villes had a team create this beautiful rose-studded heart for one of her many national and international installations. The floral panel was created by Fresh Floral Creations.

“People always respond to these floral love installations and they become almost “floral messages” that people like to take pictures in front of and send to others,” says Barkley.

In fact, rose motifs in decor is also trending as people who have navigated the pandemic have a heightened appreciation for the flower’s symbolism of love.

Roses are not only a flower that represents love in many forms but is the June flower. No wonder National Best Friend’s Day is celebrated in June.

It’s all about love. In Greek, unlike the English language, there are several words for various forms of love – the love you feel for friends, for family, as well as passion and lust for a lover.

As time has moved on, and people realize the importance of these other tiered relationships in the human experience, colors of roses have evolved to mean different sentiments in the language of flowers.

While white is purity, red is passion, ivory represents charm while peach is someone who is sincere and merits gratitude while pink is for someone who exudes femininity and refinement. Lavender has evolved to mean enchanting and yellow as we mentioned is the most popular choice for friendship since in the language of flowers it means friendship, joy and caring.

Whatever speaks to you, always express appreciation and love for others. Because in the roller coaster ride of life, having a few friends who make your life better, safer and more fun are deserving of a shout-out.

Especially today.

So send flowers, a rose vase, candlestick, serving piece or even a fabulous painting with a rose motif.

As Tennessee Williams said, “Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends we choose.”

Jill Brooke is a former CNN correspondent, Post columnist and editor-in-chief of Avenue and Travel Savvy magazine. She is an author and the editorial director of FPD and floral editor for Aspire Design and Home magazine