Flowers speak volumes. That was the emphasis of a recent Washington Post feature, which explored the sentiments behind specific blossoms and the etiquette of selecting flowers for different situations, including events, funerals and households with young children or pets.

“When you send flowers, you are sending a message,” the article’s author, Jura Koncius, wrote. “It’s up to you to decide how personal or proper the message is.”

Koncius consulted with several floral professionals, including Laura Dowling, former White House florist, and Shane Connolly, a London designer who created Kate Middleton’s wedding bouquet. They dispelled rumors (“sympathy flowers must be white,” “red roses are the only acceptable Valentine’s gift”) and shared their expert tips for choosing arrangements that reflect an individual’s personality, style and tastes and that respect the occasion.

The article also delved into floriography, the language of flowers, developed during the reign of Queen Victoria. Floriography assigned meanings to certain flowers to communicate emotions and feelings. For instance, daffodils represented new beginnings, daisies signified innocence and forget-me-nots implied true love and fidelity. Vanessa Diffenbaugh’s 2011 novel, “The Language of Flowers,” digs deep into the subject and features a Q&A with Society of American Florists CEO Kate Penn.

The Washington Post story provides excellent fodder for social media or a blog post. Share it with a caption naming some of your favorite flowers’ meaning — or tout your fluency in floriography and your eagerness to help customers knock their orders out of the park with something truly personal.

Katie Hendrick Vincent is the senior contributing writer for the Society of American Florists.