Birth flowers for July

July birth flower: larkspur and water lily

The July birth flowers are larkspur and water lily. In Australia delphinium is not in season in July, so the list below shows what is.

Larkspur, the annual cousin of delphinium, stands for lightness and an open heart. Water lilies mean purity.

In Australia, delphinium isn't usually in season in July, so look for imported stems or choose a seasonal flower from the list below.

The story behind the July birth flowers

July's birth flowers are larkspur and the water lily. The lists are English and American, and July there is midsummer, when larkspur fills cottage gardens and water lilies cover ponds. The Victorians, who wrote whole dictionaries of flower meanings, gave both a place in their books.

In Kate Greenaway's Language of Flowers (1884), larkspur means lightness and levity, and the water lily purity of heart. Larkspur is the annual relative of the perennial delphinium, and florists here usually sell tall blue spikes of either kind under the delphinium name. Its common name comes from the spur on the back of each flower, said to look like a lark's claw.

In Australia July is midwinter, and delphinium runs from about October to January, so it's rarely available for a July birthday. Water lilies are rarely sold as cut flowers here, although you can see them flowering in botanic garden ponds in summer. If the birthday person has their heart set on blue spikes, imported delphinium sometimes turns up, but call ahead because it isn't a regular winter line.

What winter does offer is a lot. Ranunculus is at its peak, with layer upon layer of thin petals in whites, apricots and deep pinks. Wattle is just starting and is about as Australian as a birthday bunch gets. Tulips give you the tall, upright shape of larkspur, and the purple ones come closest to its colour. Anemones are still at market as well.

Gift tip: Buy ranunculus with the buds just showing colour, because they open slowly over the following days in a cool winter house.