Introduction
If you are a fan of the Olympics, we are sure you will have questions about the traditions behind what you see on the screen. The Olympic games date back to Ancient Greece when athletes were awarded olive leaf wreaths to commemorate victories.
Moreover, the medals were not awarded until later in the Game’s history. In Victorian times, flowers were usually first prepared for victorious athletes on the winner’s podium. It is a common practice adopted when the first modern Olympics was held in Athens in 1896.
Therefore, the Victorians gave each flower a meaning, and floriography is also used as a gift and a code of communication.
The Olympics greets the winners with the best fresh blooms, such as sunflowers, gentians, chrysanthemums, and lavender. If you want some freshly picked flowers, visit the link and get them delivered to your doorstep.
We are sure you are interested in learning more about the floral tradition at the Olympics.
In this article, we will emphasize the timelines of floral tradition straight from ancient Greece to the 2022 Beijing Games.
The Choice Of Flowers
The Olympic Games have begun to foster the concept of “living trophies,” where potted plants are presented to the winners instead of cutting flowers or a floral arrangement. Hence, this approach aligns with the principles of sustainability, allowing the athletes to care for and nurture them as a living symbol of victory long after they have received the award.
The selection of flowers awarded to the winner depends on region and sports, each with its unique significance and symbolism.
Roses: Roses are often called the queen of flowers as they hold a special place in sports awards. Similarly, their timeless beauty and intoxicating fragrance make them a natural choice for honoring athletes. Besides, the rose has long been associated with admiration, success, and love, which makes it a fitting tribute to athletes’ accomplishments.
Lilies: The flower comprises pristine petals and fresh fragrances, holding a deep significance across cultures. Therefore, the athletes are awarded with different sports competitions to honor them. We all know that lilies symbolize purity, embodiments, and honor of greatness. In addition, the bloom’s elegance is timeless, making it a perfect choice for recognizing athletes’ achievements.
Sunflowers: Also known as the symbol of loyalty and admiration, sunflowers are often selected as an award in cycling races. Therefore, the vibrant yellow flower also presents longevity. Thus, their ability to turn their faces to the sun throughout the day is considered a metaphor for the unwavering dedication and determination displayed by athletes in the pursuit of victory.
Orchids: The blooms are intricate and exotically alluring, which was used as an award in gymnastic competitions. However, these delicate blooms symbolize strength, grace, and beauty, mirroring the qualities displayed by gymnasts as they perform anti-gravity-defying routines. Furthermore, the orchids also embody sophistication and rarity, thereby adding an air of prestige to the accolade.
Evolution of Floral Traditions from Ancient Greece
The floral decoration at the Olympics undergoes meticulous arrangement. Thus, the bouquet has to meet a few criteria, which include being fragrance-free and able to withstand temperature changes.
Below is a timeline of the evolution of floral tradition in the Olympic games.
1. 1896 Athens Games
In ancient Greece, branches and wreaths were given as an award at both musical and sporting competitions. Therefore, historical records show that wreaths were given to the Olympics from olive branches taken from sacred trees. These trees usually grew near the temple of Zeus in Olympia. So, when the games were revived in Athens in 1896, the first-place winner received an olive branch wreath.
2. 1908 London Games
The original 1908 Olympic Games were planned in Rome after the 1906 eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Therefore, the medalists were awarded a bouquet of oak leaves. Similarly, in England, oak trees are considered a symbol of endurance and strength.
3. 1984 Los Angeles Games
Conroy, one of the renowned flower shops in Los Angeles, was awarded the task of creating the 1984 Olympics bouquets. To give it a distinct look, the florist added an orange bird of paradise and surrounded it with daisies, purple liatris, and yellow orchids.
4. 1996 Atlanta Games
The floral arrangement for the year 1996 Olympic Games was designed by the florist Mary Jo Means. Therefore, the florist had demarcated the representation of five flowers from the Olympic ring symbol. The bloom included tiger lilies, cockscomb, larkspur, sunflower, and tuberose. Each flower symbolizes immortality, loyalty, pride, love, and swiftness. Moreover, the arrangement includes olive trees, laurel, magnolia, and leucothoe.
5. 2000 Sydney Games
The large and bright-red waratah bloom is native to Australia and is the state flower of New South Wales. It was the prominent flower of the 2000 Olympic Games. The most exciting part of the floral arrangement for the 2000 Olympic Games was the uncertain time of flower blooming. According to Jamie Creer, the managing director of the Australian Flower Company, the blooms would be ready only three days before the games. Moreover, the bouquets comprised billy buttons, flannel flowers, waxflowers, white oak, and kangaroo, all collected from different regions of Australia.
6. 2004 Athens Games
The decision to use olive branches for the 2004 Athens Olympic Games was a meaningful acceptance of international competitions’ ancient roots. Therefore, the olive farms on the island of Crete played a vital role in this historic event by providing the branches needed to make 5,513 wreaths. Moreover, some farmers claimed their trees were millennia old, directly linking modern games with the ancient world.
Similarly, the wreaths were further beautified by including tansies, sea lavender, African daisies, and goldenrod to complete the bouquets. These blooms further blended tradition with a touch of modern aesthetic appeal.
7. 2010 Vancouver Games
The Quick Farm Floral Shop in Chilliwack grew about 10,000 green chrysanthemums for each bouquet. The floral arrangement included aspidistra leaves, monkey grass, hypericum berries, and leatherleaf to create an all-green arrangement, adding a touch to the chrysanthemum. Lastly, a blue bow was tied to the bouquets.
Therefore, to maintain the bestowal, a floral program was introduced for women with barriers to employment to help them start on a new career journey. Similarly, the trainees were a part of the production line, placing the bouquets together.
8. 2012 London Games
Susan Lapworth, a well-known florist at Jane Packer in London, conceived the design for the chic bouquets for the 2012 Olympic Games. Therefore, the herbs and flowers in the bouquet were grown in the UK and were arranged by floristry students across the nation. Roses ranging from orange to pink, yellow, and green were tightly gathered with apple mint, rosemary, wheat, and lavender.
9. 2016 Rio Games
Promoting sustainability, the 2016 Olympic Games floral arrangements were given to the athletes during the medal ceremony. However, in addition to greeting the players with flowers, they were awarded small sculptures of the Rio Games comprising a three-dimensional logo.
10. 2020 Tokyo Games
For the 2020 Olympic Games, the bouquets presented during medal ceremonies held a deeper meaning. Thus, the floral arrangement symbolizes recovery, resilience, and remembrance. Therefore, these flowers were sourced from regions that suffered greatly from the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, one of the most devastating natural disasters in Japanese history.
In a poignant tribute to lost loved ones, parents in Miyagi, a prefecture ravaged by the tsunami that followed the earthquake, planted sunflowers on a hill where their children sought refuge but tragically lost their lives.
Thus, the sunflowers, a symbol of remembrance and hope, contributed to the Olympic bouquets, connecting the global event to a local story of loss and resilience. Moreover, the bouquets also featured blue gentian flowers, known for their vibrant hue, which closely matched the logo of the Tokyo Games.
So, just like Miyagi, Iwate was severely impacted by the 2011 disaster, and the inclusion of its gentians in the Olympic bouquets served as a nod to the region’s recovery and strength.
11. 2022 Beijing Games
In an inspiring display of environmental consciousness and cultural preservation, the 2022 Olympic Games decided to forgo live flowers instead of knit ones, a significant step towards sustainability. Therefore, this innovative approach was highlighted by the involvement of Li Meili, a 70-year-old master in the traditional Shanghai wool-knitting technique, whose design emerged victorious for this purpose.
Thus, demonstrating an incredible communal effort, knitting groups from various cities throughout China dedicated approximately 50,000 hours to craft the required flowers meticulously. The flower arrangement included lilies, roses, and olive branches, culminating in 1,251 beautiful and eco-friendly bouquets.
Hence, this initiative reduced the carbon footprint associated with the games and poignantly reminded us of the importance of preserving traditional crafts and promoting sustainable practices in contemporary events.
Language Of Flowers
The Olympic flowers have held a symbolic significance in the sports culture for years. Depending on the shape, color, meaning, and fragrance, the blooms have been imbued with meanings that transcend aesthetics. Thus, these symbolic languages are also known as floriography, offering a unique direction to communicate and send messages through a careful selection of floral arrangements.
Furthermore, when these fresh blooms are presented as awards in sports competitions, the flowers take on an added layer of meaning. Hence, they become a visual representation of grace, victory, and honor, quantifying them as tangible reminders of the triumph achieved on the court or on the field.
Which Flowers For Olympics Medalists Carry Deep Meaning In Japan
Every medal winner carries a small bouquet of green, deep-blue, and yellow flowers tied with a blue bow if you have ever been turning to Olympic events.
Below are different flowers for Olympic medalists that carry a deep meaning in Japan.
1. Eustoma From Fukushima
Culturing green and frilly Eustoma in Fukushima, Japan, embodies a story of resilience and hope.
Thus, following the catastrophic events of a tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster that struck the area, causing profound loss of life and forcing numerous inhabitants to evacuate, the region faced bleak prospects.
However, amidst the devastation, a concerted effort to revitalize the economy and aid in recovery emerged through an unexpected avenue – floriculture.
2. Gentians From Iwate
In the north of Miyagi is Iwate, a coastal area devastated by giant waves. The prefecture produced most of Japan’s gentians, a small bright blue bloom.
Unlike Fukushima and Miyagi, which tackled growing new species of flowers earlier, Iwate has been increasing the number of flowers since the 1960s.
On the other hand, the bouquets also comprised the Olympic mascot, Miraitowa. Thus, the cartoon features a white and blue checkered headband, and the name is a combination of Japanese words: mirai (future) and towa (eternity).
Furthermore, the flower is meant to be a celebration of Japan’s future and past.
3. Sunflower From Miyagi
When the tsunami hit, it propelled gigantic waves to Miyagi prefecture. The unfortunate event led to more than 10,000 people being killed or went missing.
In the wake of the disaster, the parents came back to a hillside in Miyagi to plant sunflowers in memory of their children who went missing or died. Considering the unfortunate circumstance, the Olympics organized floral arrangements with sunflowers and other green.
Impact Of Flower Award
The presentation of flowers to winners of sports competitions extends beyond the symbolic meaning.
Thus, the flowers have a profound effect on the winners themselves. They further evoke emotions and serve as a tangible reminder of their dedication and hard work.
A bouquet of fresh blooms can automatically bring a sense of validation, joy, and appreciation to the victorious athlete.
Moreover, the flowers’ visual beauty and soothing fragrance can create a sensory experience that can foster a celebratory atmosphere, thereby leaving an everlasting impression on both the recipient and those in attendance.
Summing Up
Thus, the tradition of awarding flowers to athletes or winners of sports competitions is a captivating practice that marries the elegance of nature with the exhilaration of an individual’s achievements.
So, celebrating athletes’ triumphs, dedication, and resilience is essential, whether it is the classic beauty of roses, the purity of lilies, or the exotic allure of orchids.
Therefore, as the landscape continues to evolve, the choice of flowers might change, but the essence remains the same.
