Anniversary flowers are one of those traditions couples never seem to outgrow, whether it’s year one or year twenty-five. Some people plan the whole day months ahead. Others book the same Italian place every year and call it tradition. And some start searching for anniversary flowers in Chicago on a Tuesday morning when they realize that the big day is Friday.
Wherever you land on that list, flowers are the one detail you can’t skip. The right bouquet says “I remember,” “I’d do it all again,” or simply “you’re still my favorite person.” But you don’t need the biggest or most extravagant bouquet. You just need the one that’s perfect for your person.
So let’s make choosing part easy. Below, you’ll find the flowers that fit an anniversary best, what each one means, and how to get a fresh, hand-tied bouquet to your loved one anywhere in Chicago.
What Flowers Are Perfect for an Anniversary in Chicago
Before there were heart emojis, there was floriography. In the 1800s, flower dictionaries (yes, those were a thing) gave almost every bloom its own meaning, and a carefully chosen bouquet could carry a whole message. The dictionaries didn’t always agree, and some meanings have shifted since, but plenty of that old flower language still shapes what we give today. Here are the blooms that suit an anniversary best, and what they’ve been saying for centuries.
Red Roses: Romance That Never Goes Out of Style
In Victorian flower dictionaries, the rose meant one thing above all: love. Today, red roses carry that message more clearly than any other flower, and after years together, it still lands. Go for long stems and full, velvety heads if you want a traditional anniversary bouquet. You can see a few options in our red roses collection.
Pink Roses: Sweet, Gentle Affection
Pink roses had a playful side in the Victorian era. The soft pink Maiden’s Blush rose came with a flirty little message: “If you love me, you will find it out.” Today, pink roses lean toward admiration, sweetness, and gratitude for the everyday things: the coffee made just right, the patience on hard days, the inside jokes nobody else gets. Browse our pink roses Chicago collection for ideas.
White Roses: “I Am Worthy of You”
Here’s a meaning worth borrowing. In Kate Greenaway’s Language of Flowers, one of the best-known Victorian flower dictionaries, the white rose says “I am worthy of you.” (Not a bad thing to hear on an anniversary.) White roses also became a wedding staple, so they’re lovely for a first anniversary or a fresh chapter. Can’t choose between red and white? The Victorians had that covered, too: the two together meant unity. Take a look at our white roses.
Tulips: A Declaration of Love
Tulips once caused a full-blown frenzy. During the Dutch “tulip mania” of the 1630s, a single rare bulb could cost more than a skilled craftsman earned in years. By the Victorian era, the red tulip had a clear meaning: a declaration of love. They feel lighter and more playful than roses, with stems that keep bending toward the light (and growing, even after you cut them). They’re also the first real sign of spring along the Magnificent Mile planters, which makes them a natural pick if you’re choosing anniversary flowers in Chicago that time of year.
Peonies: Honor, Prosperity, and a Happy Marriage
Peonies have a longer story than most flowers in your vase. In China, where people have grown them for well over a thousand years, the peony earned the title “king of flowers” and came to stand for honor, prosperity, and a happy marriage, which is why it still shows up in wedding decor. (The Victorians, funnily enough, linked peonies to bashfulness. We’ll stick with the first meaning.) The catch? Their season is short, usually late spring into early summer, so if your anniversary lands in May or June, consider yourself lucky. When they’re in season, you’ll find them in our peonies collection.
Orchids: Rare and Refined Beauty
In the 1800s, Victorian Britain caught a serious case of “orchidelirium.” Collectors sent plant hunters around the world for rare species, and owning an orchid became the ultimate status symbol. Flower dictionaries simply called it “a belle,” a beauty worth admiring. Orchids still carry that sense of refinement today, and a potted orchid can keep blooming for weeks. If your partner never misses the Orchid Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden, you already know you’ve found your flower. Browse our orchid collection.
Lilies: Purity and Sweetness
Lilies know how to make an entrance: tall stems, wide-open petals, and, in scented varieties, a fragrance that fills the whole apartment. In Victorian flower language, the white lily stood for purity and sweetness, and lilies have appeared as symbols of devotion in art for centuries. One thing to know: in the US, white lilies often read as a sympathy flower, so for an anniversary, pink or mixed lilies feel warmer. (And if you share your home with a cat, skip them altogether, since lilies are toxic to cats.)
Calla Lilies: Magnificent Beauty
Victorian flower dictionaries gave the calla lily a meaning that’s hard to top: magnificent beauty. It even got its own Hollywood moment in 1937, when Katharine Hepburn delivered the line “The calla lilies are in bloom again” in Stage Door. Their sleek, sculptural shape looks nothing like the usual romantic bouquet, which makes them a great match for couples with a more modern, minimal style.
Carnations: The Flower of the Gods
Sure, carnations get a bad rap. Their botanical name is a bit more flattering: Dianthus means “flower of the gods” in Greek. People have grown carnations for around two thousand years, and today they stand for love, admiration, and devotion (especially in deep red). They come in dozens of shades, last impressively long in a vase, and add soft, ruffled texture to a bigger bouquet.
How to Order Anniversary Flowers in Chicago from Ode à la Rose
Our Chicago studio sits in the Fulton Market District, and that’s where our florists hand-tie every bouquet the same day it heads out. Same-day delivery runs seven days a week across Chicago and nearby suburbs, from the Loop and Lincoln Park to Hyde Park and Evanston. For same-day orders, check the cutoff for your chosen delivery window.
Ordering takes just a few minutes. Pick your bouquet, enter your recipient’s ZIP code and delivery date, and choose an available time window that fits their day. Add a vase, a little something sweet, or a personal note, which we print on a card and tuck right in with the flowers. You’ll see the full price, delivery included, before you check out, and from there, our florists take over.
Here are a few bouquets from our Chicago anniversary collection that we keep coming back to.
Amour
Amour is made with red Freedom roses from the high-altitude farms of Ecuador, with long stems and big, full blooms, tied tight with raffia. Choose 12, 24, or 36 roses to suit the occasion and your budget.
Brigitte
Brigitte is all pink Mondial roses, gathered into a full, round bouquet. Like Amour, it comes in 12, 24, or 36 roses.
Josephine
Josephine is pure white Mondial roses with a hint of blush at the center and a light green ruffle around the edges. There’s no added greenery. If white roses were part of your wedding bouquet, this could be a lovely way to bring them back for your anniversary.
Eros
Eros combines deep red Freedom roses with vibrant pink Mondial roses in one tight, raffia-tied bouquet. Choose 12, 24, or 36 roses.
Danielle
Danielle is nothing but lollipop-pink tulips, with sloping stems and leaves that flare out in every direction. The stems lean, curl, and keep growing right there on the kitchen table. Prefer something quieter? Its sister bouquet, Perle, swaps the pink for crisp white tulips. And for a fuller look, Edith gathers double tulips with lush, layered petals into a loose, natural bunch.
Sarah
If your anniversary lands in peony season, Sarah is the one to watch for. It pairs big, ruffled pink peonies with fresh eucalyptus. For something softer, Angelina mixes blush and white peonies with a few sprigs of eucalyptus. Availability varies through the year, so check our full peony collection for your delivery date.
Aria
Aria suits someone who likes mixed bouquets and deeper colors. Our florists built it around deep reds, burgundy, and pops of magenta, mixing Freedom and Free Spirit roses with snapdragons, anemones, and calla lilies.
White Orchid
If your partner would rather have a plant, our White Orchid is a living Phalaenopsis plant with eight to ten blooms, standing about 25 inches tall in a textured white ceramic pot with fresh moss. To make an even bigger impression, you can go with our Triple White Orchid arrangement. That one won’t leave anyone indifferent.
Grand Amour
For the milestone years, the ones that end in a zero or a five, there’s Grand Amour. It’s 50, 75, or 100 premium red Freedom roses, no filler, hand-delivered in a water-filled glass vase. Because of its size, we only offer it for same-day hand delivery in a handful of cities (Chicago happily included).
To see what’s available for your date, browse our anniversary collection, pick an available delivery window, and add a personal note.
The Best Anniversary Flowers Are the Ones That Feel Like You
If you know their favorite flower, start there. If you don’t, now’s a great time to find out (casually, of course).
Then spend a minute on the card. Mention a favorite memory from the past year or something they do that you appreciate. It doesn’t have to be a speech. A few words that sound like you will do.
Happy anniversary, and here’s to many more!
