June's Birth Month Flower: What It Means & Says About You

June's Birth Month Flower: What It Means & What It Says About You

This post is part of a 12-month series exploring birth flowers. Start here for an introduction and for a full list of all months.

June is the gateway to summer, its warm sunshine welcoming new blooms, and promising fun, relaxation and celebration. Getting married in June has long been said to bring good luck, and fairies and other enchanted beings are said to be particularly active this month.

If you were born in June, your birth sign is either Gemini or Cancer depending on which end of the month you were born. Your gemstone is a truly special one – the pearl. It is the only gemstone that is formed within a living creature, spun from oysters and mollusks.

And everything’s coming up roses when it comes to your birth flower! Yes, it’s that symbol of all things love and romance, the sweet, delicate rose.

June Birth Month Flower: Rose

Roses may be linked with Valentine’s Day, but their association with love and romance goes much deeper. Depending on which color you choose, you can send a whole host of messages to the recipient.

Red is traditionally associated with love and passion, and a single red rose in particular can speak more than a thousand words of smitten poetry. Choose pink for gratitude, orange for admiration and white for loyalty. But watch out for those yellow roses! They can symbolize friendship, but can also be a sign of jealousy.

If you claim the rose as your birth flower, it probably goes without saying that you have the heart of a true romantic. You value love, passion and deep relationships. Whether with a significant other or a dear friend, meaningful emotional connection is important to you. You can be counted on for your commitment, loyalty and devotion.

You might be the sentimental type, too, seeing art and poetry in every corner. The beauty of a summer’s day is not lost on you. You strive for beauty and harmony in all your surroundings and have an abiding appreciation for the finer things in life.

The Rose Through History

Roses have been cultivated and prized as far back as ancient China and Egypt. The Chinese used them primarily for medicinal purposes, and the Egyptians revered them for their aroma, often using them as decorations.

Later, ancient Greeks and Romans incorporated the rose into their myths and customs. The Romans in particular used roses extensively for decoration, scent, and as symbols of wealth and luxury. Roses were often used in elaborate feasts and celebrations, their petals tossed as confetti.

In Greek mythology, the rose was said to have been created when Aphrodite, goddess of love, emerged from sea foam.

Ancient roses survive to this day. The oldest living rose is believed to be located in Germany and is over a whopping one thousand years old!

Roses have a long history of being used for medicinal purposes. Various parts including the petals, hips, and essential oil extracted from the flowers have been used for everything from soothing skin irritations and inflammation, to reducing stress and anxiety.

If you’re feeling particularly romantic, you can turn dried roses into potpourri and enjoy it while sipping a cup of rose petal tea with your favorite person!

Want To Plant Them?

Roses come in a wide variety of cultivars, each with their own unique colors, sizes, shapes, and growing habits. Tea roses are popular for their large blooms and long stems. Climbing roses grow on long “canes” that can cover trellises, walls or fences. And miniature roses – just to name a few varieties! – can be grown easily in container gardens on a porch or patio.

Like love, roses can be fickle, so you may need to practice a bit before they’ll thrive under your care. Before planting, decide which type you want to grow. Some require more maintenance and pruning than others, but many varieties have been cultivated to be easier for hobbyist gardeners to manage.

In general, roses prefer full sun and rich, moist, well-drained soil. They aren’t fans of humidity, so be careful not to overwater in sticky summer conditions. Choose pest- and disease-resistant varieties for easier maintenance.

Many varieties can be pruned lightly in spring before new growth appears to encourage a season of abundant blooms. But check to see what the requirements are for your variety – climbing roses, for example, are typically pruned after they flower.

And of course, cut a few to show off in a vase as a centerpiece or eye-catching arrangement. For best results, cut them just after they bud but before the flower is fully open. Cut stems first thing in the morning with a sharp pruning blade and then you can arrange to your heart’s content.

Or if you’re feeling particularly crafty, you can press them into art, weave them into wreaths, twine them into garlands, or turn them into your own homemade potpourri.

Whatever you choose to do with them, they’re sure to bring a bit of extra romance into your life.

Bonus Flower: Honeysuckle

If roses are too ubiquitous for you, or maybe you’d prefer to leave them for Valentine’s Day, you may want to choose June’s second birth flower, the Honeysuckle. This fragrant bloom grows in clusters of tubular shaped flowers, in colors across the spectrum from white and yellow to purple, pink and red.

After the blooming season, flowers are replaced with equally delightful berries in shades of orange, pink or red.

Honeysuckle is often associated with joy, happiness, and positive energy. If you choose this flower for your birth month, you’re said to have a playful and spirited personality. Like Honeysuckle, you bring happiness and adventure into the lives of those around you.

Which birth flower appeals to you? Do any of these personality traits resonate? Whether you saw yourself in June’s flowers or simply love them and want to enjoy them in your yard, contact us for a consultation and we’ll work with you to develop a plan that incorporates all of your favorites.