What to Give a Friend Who’s Spiraling? (Hint: It’s Not a Water Lily)

It all started with a text that read: “Do you think flowers can help with existential dread?”

Kara blinked at her phone. Her best friend Liv was in it again—fresh out of a breakup, deep into a job search, and somewhere between her fourth therapist and a sudden interest in dream journaling. It was July. It was hot. Emotions were melting.

Naturally, Kara knew exactly what to do: send flowers. Not just any flowers—July birth flowers. Because Liv was born in July, and Kara had been Googling “meaningful but not basic birthday gifts” while eating leftover pizza over the sink.

 Why Not a Water Lily?

Let’s get this out of the way. One of July’s birth flowers is the water lily, which sounds gorgeous and poetic… until you realize:

(1) It needs a pond. (2)It smells like absolutely nothing, and (3) Your local flower shop does not carry it (including us — sorry, pond people).

So while water lilies are great for Monet paintings and frogs, they’re not exactly bouquet-friendly.

 Enter Larkspur: The Underrated Star

The other (and far more bouquet-friendly) July birth flower is larkspur—tall, feathery, and just the right amount of dramatic. Honestly, it’s kind of perfect for Liv. Sure, it doesn’t have a scent… but neither did Liv’s last situationship, and we’re all trying to forget that anyway.

Fun fact: larkspur’s taller, moodier cousin, delphinium, often steals the spotlight in arrangements because it’s a bit showier and easier to find. Think of delphinium as the artsy sibling who wears deep blues and purples while larkspur keeps things soft and graceful. Both bring that vertical, elegant vibe that makes summer bouquets pop.

It doesn't have a scent, but that’s fine because neither did Liv’s last situationship.

Kara headed to her local Tarzana flower shop, The Flower Factory, and worked with our designers to build a bouquet that screamed,

“I see you. I love you. You are healing and maybe a tiny bit feral right now, but I support that.”

 

 What Larkspur Plays Well With

Since larkspur is airy and vertical, it needs a few well-chosen floral companions to feel complete. At The Flower Factory, we like to pair it with garden roses for softness and a hint of romance—the kind Liv deserves, obviously. Lisianthus is another favorite; it looks expensive and elegant but doesn’t demand the spotlight (ideal for someone in the process of rediscovering their own). To balance the height and bring in a bit of whimsy and drama, snapdragons are a must. And finally, we always add a touch of seeded eucalyptus—not just for movement and texture, but because it photographs beautifully for the Instagram Liv pretends she doesn’t still use.

 

📦 The Delivery Moment

Kara didn’t even tell Liv they were coming. She just selected same-day delivery and added a note that read:

“You don’t have to bloom right now, but I wanted you to have something beautiful while you figure it out.”

Cue the crying selfie reply 4 hours later:
“Why is this bouquet more emotionally stable than me???”

 The Takeaway

If you’re trying to show up for someone who’s rebuilding, realigning, or just slightly unraveling, skip the predictable. Forget red roses and carnations. Send them something thoughtful, symbolic, and just a little weird—like them.

We’ve got larkspur and all its best flower friends here at The Flower Factory. No ponds, no fuss—just blooms that say what words can’t. We serve the Tarzana and Los Angeles areas.

Send flowers to your favorite July human (even if it’s you).
Browse our latest summer bouquets or ask us for a custom design. We’ll build something as emotionally complex as your favorite friend.