The anniversary flower guide: year-by-year
Anniversary flowers are one of the oldest gift traditions still in everyday use — and one of the most misunderstood. The "list" most people remember is the British Victorian one, where each year corresponds to a specific flower (and material). It's surprisingly beautiful when you actually follow it.
Here's the full traditional list, with notes on color symbolism and what we recommend sending today.
The traditional year-by-year list
| Year | Flower | What it means | What to send |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Carnation | New, fascinated love | 24 white or peach roses (modern translation) |
| 2nd | Cosmos / Lily of the valley | Joy in the partnership | White peonies + lily of the valley accent |
| 3rd | Sunflower | Adoration, loyalty | Sunflowers + yellow garden roses |
| 4th | Hydrangea / Geranium | Heartfelt emotion | Hydrangea-forward arrangement, blush and ivory |
| 5th | Daisy | True love, loyalty | White spray + pink garden roses |
| 6th | Calla lily | Beauty, refinement | Architectural calla lily statement |
| 7th | Freesia | Thoughtfulness, trust | Mixed freesia bouquet, fragrant |
| 8th | Lilac | First emotions of love | Lilac & peony mix (spring) or substitute with lisianthus |
| 9th | Bird of paradise | Joyfulness, paradise | Tropical statement piece |
| 10th | Daffodil | Rebirth, regard | Yellow daffodils (spring) or yellow tulips |
| 11th | Tulip | Perfect love | Our Bloom Palette: Tulip Edition |
| 12th | Peony | Romance, prosperity | Signature Peony Cloud or Rosé Peony Garden |
| 13th | Chrysanthemum | Love and friendship | White or burgundy mum-forward arrangement |
| 14th | Dahlia | Commitment, dignity | Dahlia statement (Aug–Oct) or garden rose substitute |
| 15th | Rose | Deep, complete love | 24 red roses, no greenery — Infinite Passion |
| 20th | Aster / Day lily | Patience, wisdom | Mixed aster + day lily; modern translation: pink and lavender |
| 25th (Silver) | Iris | Loyalty, faith | White-and-silver bouquet — iris + ivory garden roses |
| 30th (Pearl) | Lily | Devotion, refined love | Stargazer lily or white Casablanca lily statement |
| 40th (Ruby) | Gladiolus | Strength of character | Deep red statement — Endless Romance 100 roses |
| 50th (Gold) | Yellow rose | Joy, friendship, golden love | 50 yellow roses (one per year) |
The color rules that actually matter
For anniversary flowers, color carries as much meaning as the variety. Get it wrong and you accidentally say "thank you for being a friend" instead of "I'd marry you again tomorrow."
- Red — deep romantic love. Safest anniversary color from year 1 onward.
- Pink — gentleness, gratitude, admiration. Wonderful for early years.
- White — purity, reverence, "starting again." Beautiful for silver (25th) or after reconciliation.
- Yellow — friendship and joy. Avoid for early-year romantic anniversaries — historically, yellow roses meant "let's just be friends." Yellow is right only at 10th, 50th, and golden milestones.
- Lavender / Purple — enchantment, "love at first sight." Lovely for early years or whenever you want to revisit how it felt at the start.
- Orange / Peach — desire, fascination, modern romance.
The "right number" of stems
If you want to be precise:
- 1 rose — "you are my one." Best at engagement, not anniversary.
- 3 roses — "I love you" in old French floriography.
- 6 roses — "I want to be yours."
- 12 roses — "be mine." Classic anniversary count.
- 24 roses — "I'm yours, every hour of every day." Most common adult anniversary count.
- 50 roses — golden anniversary or "you are unconditionally loved."
- 100 roses — "I will love you for the rest of my life." Saved for big milestone or proposal.
Modern translations, year by year
If you don't want to track down a literal lily of the valley in late November, here's what to send instead. These keep the spirit of the tradition without making your florist hunt for a flower out of season.
Years 1–5: garden-style romance
Soft pinks, peaches, ivories. Our Maison de Pivoine or Double the Beauty (24 Pink Roses) are textbook for years 1–5.
Years 6–10: confidence
Color saturation increases. Deep blush, coral, hot pink. The Rosé Peony Garden and Velour Blush Bouquet fit this era of "we know each other."
Years 11–15: statement
This is when one statement bouquet replaces a card. Signature Peony Cloud, Polychrome Petal Garden, or 24-stem red roses (A Grand Statement of Love) all hit.
Years 20+: heirloom
The bouquet itself should feel like a memory. Architectural arrangements, all-white, or our Endless Romance 100-rose bouquet for the truly major milestones.
What to write on the card
Three lines or fewer. Always handwritten if possible. The card lasts longer than the bouquet, and your partner will keep it.
If you're stuck:
- "Year {N}. Better than year {N-1}." — works every time
- "Still the best decision I've ever made."
- "Thank you for the life we're building."
- The first line you said to each other (the inside joke years later).
The one rule we always follow
Whatever the year, the bouquet should match the room they live in — not the bouquet they got last year. Pay attention to their vases, their wall art, the colors they reach for. The most meaningful anniversary bouquets are the ones that feel like they already belonged in the home.
Need help choosing? Call our atelier at (818) 919-5393. We design anniversary flowers daily and we'll suggest the right arrangement for the year and the room.