Popular flower arrangements for funerals

Flowers offer a timeless and heartfelt way to express sympathy and honour the memory of a loved one. Whether your tribute is simple or elaborate, personal or traditional, choosing the right flowers and arrangement can help convey your emotions with grace and respect.

Choosing the right flowers

Selecting flowers for a funeral or memorial service is a deeply personal decision. While seasonal availability and budget may influence your choice, incorporating the favourite blooms of the person you're honouring adds a meaningful touch.

Popular funeral flowers and colours include:

Lilies: Symbolise the restored innocence of the soul and are one of the most popular funeral flowers. They are a popular choice in both white and pastel shades.
Roses: Represent love and respect; white roses signify purity, while red roses express love and admiration.
Chrysanthemums: Symbolise honour, respect, and grief. They are a popular choice in both white and yellow varieties, especially significant in funeral traditions as a sign of tribute and remembrance.
Orchids: Convey eternal love and strength; often used in elegant arrangements. They are a popular choice in both white and pastel shades.
Carnations: Long-lasting flowers that symbolise admiration and remembrance. They are a popular choice in both white for innocence, pink for admiration, or mixed colours.
Gladioli: Represent strength of character and moral integrity. Recommended colour choices include white, pink, and red, symbolising purity, admiration, and respect respectively.
Hydrangeas: Express heartfelt emotions and sympathy. They are often used in soft blue, pink, or white to evoke sincerity, compassion, and calmness.
Delphinium: Symbolise dignity, openness, and joy. They are often used in blue, purple, or white to add a touch of elegance and calmness.
Freesia: Represent innocence, friendship, and trust. They come in bright colours like yellow, white, pink, and purple, bringing a fresh, cheerful feeling to arrangements.

Understanding flower colours and their meanings

The colour of your floral tribute can convey specific emotions and sentiments. Consider the following meanings when selecting your arrangement:

White – Symbolises purity, peace, and new beginnings. A common choice for funeral arrangements.
Pink – Represents grace, compassion, and gentleness. Ideal for adding a soft, feminine touch.
Blue – Evokes feelings of serenity, loyalty, and truth. Blue flowers are striking and memorable.
Yellow – Bright and uplifting, yellow flowers are often used in celebrations of life, symbolising friendship and joy.

For a more personal touch, families may choose flower combinations that reflect the deceased’s personality or interests such as their favourite colours, sports teams, or hobbies. For example, incorporating the colours of a loved one’s favourite football club, or mixing flowers in a palette that was meaningful to them, adds a heartfelt and unique element to the tribute. Choosing the right colours and styles helps create a meaningful, personalised floral arrangement that honours the loved one and provides comfort to those mourning.

Popular funeral flower arrangements

Once you've selected your flowers, the next step is choosing the right arrangement style. Here are some of the most common options:

Casket sprays - Large floral arrangements placed on or near the casket to express love and respect. Often featuring the loved one’s favourite flowers and colours, they serve as the main tribute at the funeral. Contact us for beautiful full or half-size sprays with professional delivery and setup at our cemetery locations.
Bouquets – Versatile and customisable, bouquets can be tailored to any size or budget. They often include a card or message of condolence. Posies are ideal for placing on gravesites or gifting to family members, offering a heartfelt tribute without overwhelming the moment.
Arrangement – Perfect for chapel services, memorial tables, or graveside tributes, arrangements come in different sizes and are versatile and thoughtful. They’re easy to transport, beautifully composed, and can be tailored to reflect the personality of the loved one. These arrangements show care and presence, especially when words are hard to find.
Sheaves – A flat-backed bouquet, ideal for laying flat or placing on a memorial. Sheaves offer a more structured alternative to traditional bouquets.
Sprays – Designed to be displayed on easels or atop caskets, sprays can be simple or elaborate and are often chosen by close family members.
Wreaths – Circular arrangements symbolising eternal life. Available in various shapes including round, heart, and pillow. Whether hung at a service or laid at a gravesite, wreaths make a dignified and meaningful statement.
Letter Tributes – Floral arrangements shaped into names or words such as “Mum,” “Dad,” or “Nanna.” These tributes are deeply personal and expressive.
Cross Tributes – A meaningful choice for those of faith, cross-shaped arrangements combine flowers and foliage to create a spiritual tribute.

Creating a thoughtful tribute

Floral arrangements are more than just decorations—they are expressions of love, memory, and farewell. Whether you’re honouring a life lived or offering comfort to grieving family and friends, flowers can speak volumes.

If you need assistance in creating a meaningful arrangement, our on-site florist teams at Cafe Vita et Flores, located at both Springvale Botanical Cemetery and Bunurong Memorial Park, are here to help. We’ll work with you to design a tribute that reflects your sentiments and celebrates the life of your loved one.