Memorial Day is a federal holiday in the United States that originally went by the name Decoration Day. When the holiday originated, it was specifically designed to remember soldiers on both the Union and Confederate sides that died during the Civil War. In the time since the holiday was originally created, it has been expanded to become a remembrance for all soldiers in the Armed Forces who have died while serving their country. Memorial Day is also a time of wonderful traditions that many people participate in, including a number of which that celebrate using gorgeous flowers in a wide variety of different ways.

One of the most important Memorial Day traditions worth knowing about is also one of the oldest. Back when the holiday was still officially referred to as Decoration Day, it was customary to have flowers of all types placed on the graves of fallen soldiers during ceremonies. The specific type of flower didn’t matter as much as the sentiment behind the act. This has become such a hugely important act that many people regularly place flowers on the graves of their loved ones all year round, regardless of whether or not they were a member of the Armed Services or died in battle. Because flowers were such an important part of the event from the start, many modern day Memorial Day traditions still involve the use of flowers in a variety of ways.

Another important Memorial Day tradition has to do with wearing a very specific type of red flower. The flower has been nicknamed the “Buddy Poppy,” the name of which comes from a poem that was written during the first World War. After the poem was published, the idea of wearing that specific type of red poppy to honor fallen soldiers became popularized and remains an important tradition to many military family members to this day.

A final important Memorial Day tradition worth knowing about has to do with flower arrangements that are used on the holiday. Many flower arrangements created for Memorial Day, both for placement on grave sites and for other purposes, are created using red, white and blue flowers during the holiday. Doing so makes them appear very similar to the American flag, allowing the arrangements to thematically fit in with the spirit of the day.