One of the easiest (and best) ways to celebrate Earth Day is to plant a green life in the soil. All greenery helps the environment by absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the air. While plants and trees give back to the earth, they also may be used to commemorate and celebrate milestones, honor a loved one, mark a memory or just simply…because.

This Earth Day—and each Earth Day thereafter—plant a life to represent something special. Plants and flowers hold meaning and symbolism just like gemstones or crystals. Every month of the year is honored with a unique flower and birthstone that hold emblematic, spiritual and sentimental meaning. On Earth Day, celebrate family and friends by planting seeds that represent each individual, or choose flowers and plants that are symbolically linked to special memories.

 

PLANTING MEANING

While each month has its own symbolic flower, each flower masks a deeper meaning behind its petals. Red roses are a representation of love, so plant these crimson beauties to commemorate an anniversary or engagement. To honor a special friend, plant yellow roses (they symbolize friendship). Sunflowers represent happiness, so plant a Sunflower to celebrate the happiest of memories. Those remarkably tall bold sunflowers are representative of the sun and were actually beloved by the Inca…sunflowers also happen to represent the state of Kansas. Every state is represented by a flower. On Earth Day, honor your home state by planting your state’s symbolic flower.

Flowers also are attributed to certain holidays. Holly often represents Christmas, while carnations are typically give to mothers on Mother’s Day. Plant tall red roses for dads—tall red roses are the Father’s Day flower.

What plant or flower you choose to honor and represent a loved one on Earth Day doesn’t even have to fall into any definition or align with a flower’s particular meaning. If you love daisies, plant them to represent you…and your fondness for the flower. While selecting a special flower or plant based on meaning is symbolic, the true meaning behind any plant is the meaning you ascribe.

 

THE BEST SYMBOLISM OF ALL: SUSTAINABILITY!

Earth Day is the day to honor the planet—to do our best to protect and preserve our environment for future generations. Any green life you plant is one more life that will give back to Mother Earth. The most important thing anyone can do on Earth Day is to celebrate the green lives that sustain our human lives. On Earth Day, the honor belongs to the plants! One tiny seed will make a huge impact.

Does gardening light your fire?  Wander  organic gardens, seeing, smelling and tasting the bounty from the fertile soil. You can also get your hands dirty and get to know your vegetables by helping harvest for our delicious meals.

In Costa Rica, you’re surrounded 360-degress by rainforests with the most complex biodiversity found anywhere in the world. There’s no better way to celebrate Earth Day that booking a retreat that will connect you to nature in the most intimate of ways, right? ?