Is purple her favourite colour? Does Mum always love soft pinks? Maybe they are a bright yellow kind of person, or someone who adores calm white and green flowers. Choosing flowers by colour is one of the easiest ways to make your bouquet feel thoughtful, personal and beautifully them.
Our Auckland florists have put together this guide to popular flower colours, with examples of blooms that are often available in each shade. Flower availability changes with the seasons, but this is a handy starting point when choosing flowers for birthdays, thank you gifts, sympathy flowers, romantic surprises or just because.
Jump to a flower colour:
White flowers | Pink flowers | Purple flowers | Blue flowers | Green flowers | Yellow flowers | Orange flowers | Red flowers | More flower colours
Flowers carry feeling through colour. Soft pinks feel sweet and caring, yellows feel cheerful, whites feel peaceful, reds feel romantic, and purples feel creative and a little bit luxe. If you know their favourite colour, you already have a beautiful starting point for choosing flowers they will love.
A helpful florist tip: think in colour palettes rather than exact flower recipes. Some flowers are seasonal, and some colours, especially true blue, can be tricky to source year-round. Our florists will always choose the freshest available blooms in your selected colour style.
Colour meaning:
White flowers often symbolise peace, remembrance, sincerity, elegance and fresh beginnings.
White flowers are classic, calm and beautifully versatile.
Best for:
Sympathy flowers, elegant birthdays, engagements, anniversaries, new babies and peaceful thank you gifts.
Tone:
White flowers can feel fresh and peaceful, or crisp and sparkly like diamonds, when paired with lush foliage and beautiful textures. A lovely choice for anyone who loves a fresh, peaceful look.
White flowers are especially popular for sympathy flowers, where they feel soft, meaningful and peaceful.
Seasons:
White flowers are a staple in the florist shop and you will usually find white roses, chrysanthemums, gerberas, lilies and orchids.
View white and green flower bouquets >
Colour meaning:
Pink flowers often suggest kindness, affection, appreciation, sweetness and care.
Best for:
Mother’s Day, birthdays, thank you gifts, get well flowers, new baby flowers, friendship flowers and caring just-because surprises.
Tone:
Pink flowers are soft, sweet and heartfelt. They are perfect for someone who loves a pretty and feminine colour palette, from soft blush and ballet pink through to hot cerise and bold raspberry tones.
Pink bouquets can feel gentle and romantic, or bright and joyful, depending on the flowers and shades chosen.
Seasons:
Seasonal varities of pink blooms include lisianthus, lilies, chrysanthemums, gerberas, hydrangeas and snapdragons.
Colour meaning:
Purple flowers often suggest creativity, admiration, elegance, romance and a little luxury.
Best for:
Birthdays, romantic flowers, congratulations, thank you gifts, creative personalities, luxe bouquets and anyone who loves rich colour.
Tone:
Purple flowers are a gorgeous choice for someone who loves soft lilacs, mauves, lavender tones or dramatic jewel shades. They feel romantic, expressive and just a little bit magical.
Seasons:
Depending on the season, purple-toned bouquets may include flowers such as lisianthus, stock, statice, irises, orchids, tulips, hydrangea and roses.
Colour meaning:
Blue flowers often suggest calm, trust, thoughtfulness, serenity and something rare.
Best for:
Thinking-of-you flowers, peaceful sympathy flowers, new baby boy flowers, calm thank you gifts and unusual birthday bouquets.
Tone:
Blue flowers are peaceful and distinctive, but true blue blooms are not always available year-round. This colour is best chosen as a soft palette of blues, greens and whites, rather than one exact flower variety.
Seasons:
Seasonal blue flowers may include iris, delphinium, hydrangea, gentian, tweedia, nigella, sea holly and bluebells.
View blue, green and white flower bouquets >
Colour meaning:
Green flowers often suggest freshness, renewal, nature, balance and calm.
Best for:
Housewarming gifts, corporate gifts, modern birthdays, nature lovers and calm neutral flower arrangements.
Tone:
Green flowers and foliage create a fresh, botanical look. This colour palette feels natural and modern, and pairs beautifully with white, blue, cream, soft pink or pastel flowers.
Seasons:
Green flowers can include hydrangea, chrysanthemums, green roses, cymbidium orchids, bells of Ireland, anthuriums, leucodendron and fresh textural foliage.
View green-toned flower bouquets >
Colour meaning:
Yellow flowers often suggest joy, friendship, optimism, sunshine and cheer.
Best for:
Birthdays, get well flowers, congratulations, thank you gifts, friendship flowers and bright bouquets to cheer someone up.
Tone:
Yellow flowers are happy, bright and full of warmth. They are a wonderful choice when you want to send sunshine, lift someone’s spirits or celebrate something joyful.
Seasons:
Yellow flowers may include sunflowers, roses, tulips, daffodils, freesias, gerberas, chrysanthemums, snapdragons and ranunculus, depending on the season.
Colour meaning:
Orange flowers often suggest warmth, energy, confidence, enthusiasm and celebration.
Best for:
Birthdays, congratulations, thank you gifts, autumn flowers, bold personalities and cheerful celebration bouquets.
Tone:
Orange flowers feel vibrant and full of personality. They are ideal for someone who loves strong colour, warm tones, seasonal texture or a bouquet that feels bright and a little bit different.
Seasons:
Orange flowers may include roses, tulips, gerberas, lilies, ranunculus, poppies, marigolds, banksia, Chinese lanterns and bird of paradise.
View orange flower bouquets >
Colour meaning:
Red flowers often suggest love, passion, courage, drama and deep affection.
Best for:
Romantic flowers, anniversaries, Valentine’s Day, declarations of love, dramatic birthday bouquets and bold celebration flowers.
Tone:
Red flowers are rich, romantic and full of impact. They are the classic choice for love and passion, but they can also feel warm, confident and celebratory in mixed seasonal bouquets.
Seasons:
Red flowers may include roses, tulips, anthuriums, gerberas, lilies, orchids, nerines, waratahs and rich seasonal berries.
Colour meaning:
Brown flowers and botanicals often suggest earthiness, texture, warmth and natural style.
Best for:
Brown flowers and botanicals bring a warm, earthy and textural look to floral designs. They are especially lovely in autumn-toned bouquets, rustic arrangements and natural-style flowers.
Seasonal Botanicals:
Anthuriums, boronia, calla lilies, chrysanthemums, chocolate cosmos, dahlia, gerbera, mini gerbera, leucodendron varieties, lotus pods, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, slipper orchid, Singapore orchid, rose, scabiosa pods, chocolate sunflower, vines, twigs and zinnia.
Flower colours can vary by season, grower and availability. Some flowers are naturally available in many colours, while others are only around for a short time each year. If you choose a bouquet by colour, our florists will select the freshest flowers available in that colour palette on the day.
If a specific flower is important to you, please check with us before ordering. If the colour palette is more important than the exact flower variety, we can usually create a beautiful look using the best seasonal blooms available.
Ready to choose a bouquet? Browse our flower colour collections below, or explore our full range of fresh flowers for delivery across Auckland.
Want the florist deep-dive? Here is a longer list of popular flower names by colour. This list is intended as a helpful guide, rather than a fixed menu, as flower availability changes throughout the year.
Colour meaning: Cream flowers often suggest softness, warmth, elegance and understated beauty.
Carnation spray, standard carnation, celosia plume, dahlia, earlicheer, freesia, gerbera, mini gerbera, Asiatic lily, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, rose, miniature rose and tulip.
Alstroemeria, amaryllis, anemones, anthuriums, aster, calla lilies, white calla lily, spray carnation, standard carnation, caspia, chrysanthemums, dahlia, delphinium, frangipani, freesia, gardenia, gerbera, mini gerbera, gladioli, gypsophila, hyacinths, hydrangea, lilac, lily of the valley, Asiatic lily, Casablanca lily, longiflorum lily, lisianthus, nerine, cymbidium orchid, slipper orchid, moth orchid, Singapore orchid, paper whites, peony, poppy, king protea, protea varieties, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, scabiosa, snapdragon, statice, stephanotis, stock, thryptomene, trachelium, tuberose, tulip, water lily and zinnia.
Alstroemeria, anemones, anthuriums, aster, calla lilies, spray carnation, standard carnation, caspia, celosia plume, chrysanthemums, dahlia, freesia, gerbera, mini gerbera, gladioli, hyacinths, hydrangea, larkspur, Asiatic lily, Stargazer lily, La Reve lily, lisianthus, nerine, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, Singapore orchid, peony, poppy, king protea, protea varieties, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, snapdragon, stock, thryptomene, tulip, water lily and zinnia.
Ageratum, alstroemeria, anemones, aster, callicarpa, campanula, spray carnation, standard carnation, caspia, chrysanthemums, erica, freesia, gladioli, gypsophila, hydrangea, larkspur, lavender, liatris, lilac, lisianthus, moth orchid, Singapore orchid, rose, scabiosa, statice, stock, trachelium, tulip, violets and water lily.
Agapanthus, anemones, bluebells, borage, cornflower, delphinium, delphinium belladonna, forget-me-not, gentian, hyacinths, hydrangea, iris, love-in-a-mist, sea holly, tweedia, viburnum berries and water lily.
Amaranthus, anemones, anthuriums, bells of Ireland, berries, berzelia, bupleurum, green goddess calla lily, spray carnation, standard carnation, celosia, chrysanthemums, gladioli, hydrangea, hypericum, foliage, leucodendron varieties, lisianthus, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, slipper orchid, moth orchid, Singapore orchid, phyllica, pussy willow, Queen Anne’s lace, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, fresh wheat, vines and twigs.
Achillea yarrow, calla lilies, spray carnation, standard carnation, chrysanthemums, daffodil, freesia, gerbera, mini gerbera, kangaroo paw, Asiatic lily, cymbidium orchid, poppy, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, snapdragon, Sol d’Or, solidaster, sunflower and tulip.
Alstroemeria, small banksia, calla lilies, calendula, spray carnation, standard carnation, Chinese lantern, chrysanthemums, freesia, gerbera, mini gerbera, Asiatic lily, marigold, poppy, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, bird of paradise, sunflower, tulip and zinnia.
Alstroemeria, amaryllis, anemones, anthuriums, berries, spray carnation, standard carnation, celosia brain, freesia, gerbera, mini gerbera, gladioli, hypericum, kangaroo paw, leucodendron varieties, Asiatic lily, valotta lily, nerine, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, Singapore orchid, poppy, rose, miniature rose, tulip and waratah.
Colour meaning:
Burgundy flowers often suggest depth, richness, luxury and moody romance.
Amaranthus, anthuriums, aster, calla lilies, spray carnation, standard carnation, celosia plume, chrysanthemums, dahlia, gerbera, mini gerbera, hydrangea, leucodendron varieties, cymbidium orchid, mini cymbidium orchid, slipper orchid, peony, ranunculus, rose, miniature rose, snapdragon, stock, tulip and zinnia.
Not sure what is available right now? Read our guide to what flowers are in season now in Auckland.
Jo-Ann Moss is the Creative Director at Best Blooms, an Auckland florist providing fresh flower delivery across the city. Jo-Ann writes about flower gifting, floral care tips, and how to choose the right bouquet for every occasion.
15 May 2026, 12:32 AM
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