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Graduation is an important milestone for the person who’s graduating as well as their loved ones. It marks the end of their hard work, all-nighters, study sessions, group projects, and presentations. While some people spend a pretty penny on graduation gifts, others may not have the same budget or even the same schedule. This list will help decide what flower to buy for your grad, whether you’ll be handing them the bouquet in person at the ceremony or can’t make the special day and deliver the bouquet to them.
Orchids

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Representing love, luxury, beauty, and strength. Orchids are delicate, exotic and graceful, and depending on the color it can have distinct meanings. Ideal colors for a graduation are usually purple, green and white. The color purple in orchid represents admiration, respect, dignity, and royalty. White symbolizes reverence, humility, innocence, purity, elegance, and beauty. Green is thought to bring good fortune, blessings, good health, nature, and longevity. Orchids are great for those who love to take care of flowering plants.
Roses

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Usually the most popular flowering plants seen at different occasions. A bouquet can come in a single color or a mix of various colors. Similar to orchids, their hue has differing meanings. Red signifies enduring passion; white is humility and innocence; yellow expresses joy and friendship; pink is gratitude, admiration and appreciation; orange equals enthusiasm and desire.
Peonies

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Available in a variety of colors and possesses the power to uplift mood. The common meaning of peonies includes romance, prosperity, good fortune, riches, honor and compassion, but they can also mean bashfulness. They are meant to symbolize a happy life, therefore, a great encouragement for post-graduation.
Hydrangeas

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Soft, ball-like flowers that come in different shades such as white, pink, blue and purple. Some connect the plant to vanity and boastfulness most likely reflected by its abundance of petals and lavish shape, but others suggest that a bouquet expresses gratefulness from the giver to the recipient.
Carnations

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A versatile choice for an array of occasions. It represents the flower of gods. White carnations are associated with pure love and good luck. Light red represents admiration, while dark red expresses deep love and affection. Purple implies capriciousness and pink carnations hold the most significant meaning, held by the belief that they appeared on earth from Virgin Mary’s tears, symbolizing a mother’s undying love.
Chrysanthemums

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These usually demand attention with its bold colors. They symbolize longevity and can improve health when taken as tea. The flower is a symbol of the sun and the Japanese consider the unfolding of the petals to represent perfection. Confucius suggested once that they can be used as an object of meditation. The Daisy-like look with the typically yellow center, symbolize optimism and joy.