Flowers were very popular during the New Kingdom, they were appreciated visually and for their scents. Egyptians highly valued gardens, the majority were placed in Royal palaces and temples and later included pleasure gardens owned by the elite. Gardens needed continuous maintenance due to the desert environment and therefore the majority were obtained by those of the wealthier status. Rulers, for example Queen Hatshepsut and Ramses III, would take pots on their travels to preserve new flowers and trees found during their conquests. Rows of flowers were placed along the edges of ponds and mixed in between trees. Many favourite species included lotus flowers, daisies, mandrakes and poppies. Flowers symbolised rebirth as the flower would reopen every day after closing for the night, therefore they were extensively placed around homes, gardens, religious ceremonies and as decorative accessories.
To find out more about Ancient Egyptian amulets please see our relevant blog post: Egyptian Amulets and their Meanings.