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Southern springtime and sacred symbolism converge at Easter, as azaleas and dogwood mingle with lilies and daffodils, harkening Charleston to breathe deeply the sweet perfume of life in its fullness. The spring season is, in itself, a time of welcoming revival and rejuvenation, and in the Christian tradition, the Easter holiday celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after his execution on a cross outside of Jerusalem thousands of years ago. An Easter Lily seen at Tiger Lily Monday, April 14, 2025, on James Island.
Tiger Lily Florist arranges thousands of flowers ahead of Easter, decking out prominent Holy City locations like Hotel Bennett on King Street, as well as dozens of local churches and hundreds of homes in preparation for the biggest Sunday of the year. Since its founding in 1996, the small community-minded business has brought endless hues and shades of happiness to the hearts of many. “Spring flowers mostly come from bulbs or tubers, which represent renewal and rebirth, as with our faith during Easter with Christ’s resurrection,” said Tiger Lily owner Lisa Hays Holmes.
“Spring bulbs pair well with so many Lowcountry florals and add such a beautiful touch.” Beryl Wright and other coworkers process thousands of flowers before Easter at Tiger Lily Monday, April 14, 2025, on James Island. Her favorite flowers to work with at Easter are hyacinths, she said, because their ethereal fragrance elevates any arrangement.
Bulb flowers including Narcissis, tulips, ranunculus, hyacinths and iris gathered together in combinations with hydrangeas and roses make for the ideal holiday bouquet. “Churches are filled with Easter lilies and special pastel palettes of resurrection florals — so dramatic and pleasing,” Holmes said. Natasha Higgins arranges bouquets at Tiger Lily Monday, April 14, 2025, on James Island.
The shop always offers unique arrangements for the holiday popping with the purple, pink and blue hues of Lowcountry hydrangea, orchids, delphinium, snapdragons, spray roses and tulips. Since Laura O’Neill Ott was a child, Easter service always included a cross filled with flowers. Now she serves as an elder at Second Presbyterian Church downtown, the fourth oldest church in the Holy City, which also upholds the tradition.
At Second Presbyterian Church, a wooden cross is filled with colorful flowers on Easter morning. As congregants file into the church on Easter Sunday, they gently place their garden-grown or store-bought flowers on a wooden cross structure, she said. By the end of the service, the cross bursts with floral tints and textures.
“After Palm Sunday, it's Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, which are the saddest days of the Christian year,” Ott said. “So when you wake up Easter morning, you celebrate. Instead of having the cross with Jesus on it, it's a bare cross and you cover it in living flowers (as a) celebration of life over death.
It’s ending a really solemn time with joy, because that's what the crucifixion is about.” On Easter each year, the suffering and sacrificial death of Jesus culminates in the triumph of his resurrection with the symbol of a living cross of blooming flowers. Beryl Wright and other coworkers process thousands of flowers before Easter at Tiger Lily Monday, April 14, 2025, on James Island.
Delicate Easter flowers help us tap into the beauty of the present moment, whether they’re displayed in an altar centerpiece, a dainty bouquet, intricate installation or in nature. And each type has a special meaning. Easter Lily.
Purity, the resurrection of Jesus and new life. Its trumpet shape is said to represent the trumpet call of victory over death. Dogwood .
Sacrifice and redemption. It’s said that the wood of the dogwood tree was used to build the cross of Christ. The flower’s four petals resemble a cross, with a “crown of thorns” center and red-tipped edges symbolizing the crucifixion.
Azalea . Abundance, femininity and temperance. Azaleas are deeply tied to Southern springtime and are used to celebrate renewal and the beauty of creation.
Their explosion of color encapsulates the joy of Easter morning. Hyacinth. Peace, forgiveness and prayer.
Hyacinths are associated with rebirth and the coming of spring. In Christian symbolism, they can represent the peace found through prayer and forgiveness. Daffodil.
Hope, renewal, and new beginnings. Daffodils bloom in early spring and are seen as nature’s herald of Easter and resurrection, signaling hope of life after death. Tulip.
Love, grace and rebirth. Tulips are often seen as symbols of perfect love and are used during Easter to represent God’s grace and the renewal of life. Calla Lily .
Holiness, faith and purity. Calla lilies are sometimes associated with the Virgin Mary and represent holiness and the glory of Easter. Roses .
Love, sacrifice, resurrection and joy. The red rose can symbolize Christ’s sacrificial love. The white rose symbolizes new life.
The pink rose symbolizes joy and gratitude, embodying the celebratory nature of Easter Sunday. Roses are seen at Tiger Lily Monday, April 14, 2025, on James Island..
