Diwali is a celebration filled with light, colour, family and tradition – and flowers are a beautiful part of the festivities. From vibrant marigold garlands decorating doorways to flower petals arranged in colourful rangoli, flowers help transform homes and gathering spaces for the Festival of Lights.
Here in Auckland, Diwali has become a much-loved part of our multicultural calendar. As florists, we’re naturally fascinated by the way flowers are woven into celebrations around the world, so we wanted to explore the flowers of Diwali, their traditions and meanings, and how you can bring the joyful colours of Diwali into floral gifts and decorations here in New Zealand.
Celebrating Diwali in Auckland this year? The BNZ Auckland Diwali Festival 2026 will be held on Saturday 31 October and Sunday 1 November at Aotea Square and Queen Street, with free entry.
Expect a colourful celebration of Indian culture with music, dance, food, arts and activities in the heart of Auckland.
Planning your visit? See the latest festival times, programme and visitor information on the official Auckland Diwali Festival website.
Diwali, also known as Deepavali, is the Festival of Lights, celebrated by millions of people in India and communities around the world. At the heart of the festival is the theme of light overcoming darkness, knowledge overcoming ignorance, and good overcoming evil.
Diwali traditions are wonderfully diverse. Celebrations differ between regions, religions, families and communities, so there isn’t one single way to celebrate Diwali. For many people, festivities include gathering with family and friends, preparing special foods and sweets, exchanging gifts, decorating the home, creating rangoli designs and lighting diyas – small oil lamps whose glowing light has become one of the most recognisable symbols of Diwali.
For many Hindu families, Diwali also includes prayers and offerings to Lakshmi, the goddess associated with prosperity and good fortune. Other communities have their own stories, meanings and traditions connected with the festival.
Flowers bring the colour and beauty of nature into Diwali celebrations. They may be used to decorate homes and entrances, woven into garlands, included in religious offerings, or arranged alongside lamps and other festive decorations.
Flower petals can also be used to create or embellish rangoli – intricate decorative patterns traditionally created at entrances and on floors. Rangoli may be made using coloured powders, rice, sand or flower petals, with designs adding a spectacular burst of colour to Diwali celebrations.
One flower in particular has become almost inseparable from the imagery of Diwali: the marigold. Brilliant orange and golden-yellow marigold garlands are widely used throughout India for festivals, religious occasions and celebrations, and at Diwali they can be seen draped around doorways and decorating homes and gathering places.
Interestingly, marigolds aren't originally from India at all. They are native to the Americas and were introduced to India centuries ago, where they became so deeply embraced in religious and cultural celebrations that today their glowing orange and yellow flowers are one of the most recognisable sights of Indian festivals.
Flowers are used in many different ways during Diwali, from garlands and decorations to floral offerings and colourful rangoli. Traditions vary across India and between families and communities, but two flowers have particularly strong connections with the imagery and traditions surrounding Diwali: marigolds and lotus flowers.
With their brilliant shades of yellow, orange and gold, marigolds are one of the flowers most readily associated with Indian festivals. During Diwali, fresh marigold blooms may be strung together into garlands and used to decorate temples, homes, doorways and other festive spaces.
The effect is spectacular. Masses of warm orange and yellow flowers bring natural colour to entrances and celebrations, looking especially beautiful alongside glowing diyas, candles and lights.
Although marigolds feel quintessentially Indian today, they have a fascinating history. The Tagetes marigolds widely grown around the world originated in the Americas and were introduced to other parts of the world centuries ago. In India, marigolds became deeply woven into religious ceremonies, festivals and celebrations – including Diwali.
The lotus has a different connection with Diwali. It is an important flower in Indian religious art and symbolism and is closely associated with Lakshmi, the Hindu goddess of prosperity and abundance, who is worshipped by many Hindu families during Diwali.
Images of Lakshmi commonly depict her with lotus flowers, and the lotus itself has long represented ideas including purity and divinity in South Asian religious traditions. Unlike the abundant marigold garlands used as festive decoration, the lotus is therefore especially relevant when exploring the religious symbolism behind Diwali flowers.
Of course, there is no single list of flowers that every family uses for Diwali. India has enormous regional and cultural diversity, and the flowers available locally, family traditions and the way Diwali is observed all influence the flowers that may be chosen. What remains wonderfully consistent is the use of fresh flowers to add colour, beauty and a sense of celebration.
One of the most beautiful parts of Diwali is the transformation of homes with light and colour. Families may clean and decorate their homes in preparation for the festival, with flowers, diyas, lights and rangoli all adding to the festive atmosphere.
Fresh flower garlands are a striking feature of many Indian celebrations. For Diwali, marigold garlands are often hung around entrances, doorways and places of worship, bringing vivid shades of orange and yellow into the home.
Flowers and foliage may also be incorporated into decorative hangings known as torans, which are displayed across doorways and entrances. Styles and materials vary, but fresh marigolds and leaves can create a wonderfully colourful welcome for family and guests arriving for Diwali celebrations.
Fresh marigold garlands aren't commonly available through New Zealand florists, but artificial marigold garlands and traditional Diwali decorations are available locally. Auckland-based Mandi Bazaar has a range of Diwali decorations and festival items, including marigold garlands, diyas and rangoli accessories.
Rangoli are decorative designs traditionally created on floors or near the entrance to a home. Intricate patterns can be made using coloured powders, rice, sand and other materials, while fresh flowers and individual petals can also be incorporated into the designs.
Floral rangoli can be especially spectacular. Petals and flower heads in contrasting colours are arranged into geometric, floral or other decorative patterns, sometimes with glowing diyas placed within or around the finished design.
You don't need an enormous display to take inspiration from this tradition. Even a simple arrangement of fresh petals and flowers surrounding a diya can bring together two of the loveliest elements of Diwali – flowers and light.
There isn't one prescribed Diwali colour palette. Instead, decorations are often wonderfully bright and exuberant, with rich oranges, yellows, reds, pinks and other vibrant colours appearing in flowers, rangoli, clothing and festive décor.
For a florist, it is hard not to be inspired by it. Layers of brilliant flowers alongside the warm glow of lamps and candles create exactly what flowers do so well – turning a space into somewhere that feels joyful, welcoming and ready for celebration.
Yes – fresh flowers can make a lovely gift for Diwali, particularly when visiting family or friends, thanking a host, or simply sending warm wishes to someone celebrating the Festival of Lights.
Diwali is traditionally a time for gathering and exchanging gifts, with sweets and other treats among the popular choices. Flowers bring something different to the celebration: a burst of fresh colour that can be enjoyed in the home throughout the festivities.
For a Diwali-inspired bouquet, we'd be drawn to the wonderfully vibrant colours seen throughout the festival. Think sunny yellow, golden orange, rich red, hot pink and jewel-bright tones rather than soft or muted flowers.
There is no need for a Diwali gift bouquet to contain a particular flower. A bright arrangement of fresh seasonal blooms can capture the joyful feeling of the celebration even when traditional Indian festival flowers such as marigolds aren't available from your local florist.
If you're choosing flowers for someone who celebrates Diwali, it's also perfectly fine to ask about their preferences. Diwali traditions vary enormously between families and communities, and choosing flowers you know the recipient will love is always a thoughtful approach.
Flowers can also be sent when you can't celebrate together in person. A colourful bouquet accompanied by a simple Diwali greeting is a lovely way to let family, friends, colleagues or neighbours know you're thinking of them during the festival.
Here at Best Blooms, we love the idea of creating a Diwali-inspired arrangement from the freshest colourful flowers available in Auckland at the time. Rather than trying to reproduce a traditional Indian marigold garland, we can take inspiration from the warmth, brightness and joyful colour of the Festival of Lights.
Diwali falls during spring here in New Zealand, which means our seasonal flower choices can be quite different from those traditionally associated with celebrations in India. That's part of the fun of creating flowers for a festival celebrated on the other side of the world – we can take inspiration from Diwali while working with beautiful fresh flowers that are actually in season in Auckland.
Traditional Indian marigold garlands, for example, aren't something you'll usually find on the flower markets we buy from. Instead, we'd look to the colour palette of Diwali for inspiration and choose the freshest seasonal blooms available in rich yellows, oranges, reds, hot pinks and other vibrant shades.
Flower availability changes from week to week, but spring gives us plenty of colourful possibilities. Depending on what's looking best at the markets, we might use bright roses, gerberas, chrysanthemums, alstroemeria, lilies or orchids, combined with seasonal flowers and fresh foliage.
For us, the aim wouldn't be to describe these as traditional Diwali flowers. Instead, we'd create a fresh New Zealand floral arrangement inspired by the warmth, colour and celebratory feeling of the Festival of Lights.
If you're sending flowers to someone celebrating Diwali in Auckland, choose something joyful and full of colour. Bright mixed bouquets and arrangements work beautifully, and our florists can select from the freshest seasonal flowers available on the day.
If none of these are quite right, you can send flowers in Auckland from our full collection. You can also leave us a message with your order if you'd like the florists to know that your flowers are being sent for a Diwali celebration.
Diwali has become a wonderful part of Auckland's multicultural calendar, with celebrations bringing together communities from across our city through food, music, dance, art and, of course, plenty of colour.
Diwali has become a wonderful part of Auckland's multicultural calendar, with celebrations bringing together communities from across our city through food, music, dance, art and, of course, plenty of colour. Whether you're attending a community celebration, gathering at home with family and friends, or sending your Deepavali wishes from afar, flowers are a beautiful way to share in the colour and joy of the occasion.
At Best Blooms, we're lucky to work in one of the world's wonderfully multicultural cities. Learning about the different ways flowers are used in celebrations like Diwali is one of the things we love about being Auckland florists.
You can discover more about the meaning of flowers in celebrations and traditions from around the world in our New Zealand cultural floral celebrations guide.
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.
02 October 2026, 05:46 PM
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