July sits right in the middle of summer, and its two birth flowers reflect that in very different ways — one reaching upward in a garden border, the other floating quietly on still water. If your birthday falls in July, or you are buying for someone whose does, you have two beautiful flowers to choose from, and each one carries a meaning worth knowing.

July's birth flowers could hardly be more different from one another, which is part of what makes them so lovely to have as a pair. Here is the story behind both, along with July's birthstone, and how they each find their way into the jewellery.

July's first birth flower — the Larkspur

Larkspur grows in tall, elegant spires, its flowers packed closely along the stem in shades that range from deep blue-violet to soft pink and white. The name comes from the delicate spur at the back of each bloom, said to resemble a lark's claw.

As a July birth flower, larkspur stands for love, joy and grace — a fitting trio for the height of summer, when gardens are at their fullest and evenings stretch on a little longer.

What I love about larkspur as a design is its movement. Even drawn still, it carries a sense of reaching upward, which feels like a lovely thing to carry with you.

July's second birth flower — The Water Lily

Where larkspur reaches up, the water lily rests low and still, its petals opening flat across the surface of quiet water. It has been treasured for centuries, appearing in ancient Egyptian art and in gardens the world over, prized as much for its calm as for its beauty.

As a July birth flower, the water lily's meaning is happiness, purity and innocence — a gentler note to sit alongside larkspur's boldness.

Because it floats rather than stands, the water lily often feels like a more unexpected choice — a flower someone has picked on purpose, rather than the obvious one.

[Photo: Water lily birth flower disc pendant, linked to product page]

Two flowers, one month

Having two birth flowers to choose from is one of the nicest things about a July birthday. Some people feel drawn to the larkspur, others to the water lily, and many like to wear both together — the upright flower and the still one, side by side.

There is no right answer. The meaning you take from each flower matters more than any rule, and both belong equally to July.

July's birthstone — The Ruby

Alongside the two flowers, July also carries its own birthstone: ruby, one of the most prized gemstones there is, its deep red long associated with passion, protection and vitality. In our birthstone pieces, ruby is always set as a genuine gemstone — never glass or synthetic — so if July's stone means something to you, you can be confident of exactly what you are wearing.

A meaningful July birthday gift

If you are looking for a July birthday gift for someone special — a mum, a daughter, a friend, a grandmother — a birth flower piece is a thoughtful way to mark it. Rather than something forgotten in a drawer, it is a small, personal thing she can wear every day, carrying her own birth month, or the months of the people she loves.

That is really the heart of why birth flower jewellery means so much to people. It is not only beautiful; it holds a connection to someone.

Wearing your July birth flowers

However you choose to mark a July birthday, the larkspur and the water lily both translate beautifully into a piece you can wear every day. Each birth flower design is my own — hand-drawn and unique to my studio in County Down. You can choose it as a hand-stamped pendant, struck by hand from my own metal stamp, or engraved onto a smooth disc, in sterling silver or gold filled.

You might choose a single larkspur pendant, pair both July flowers on a bracelet, or add a July flower to a family piece alongside the birth months of the people you love. Every piece is made to order, so it can be exactly the flower, or flowers, that mean the most.

Carrying July close

If you would like to carry a July birth flower with you — your own, or someone else's — you will find the full range in the birth flower collection at rebeccamayjewellery.com. Whichever flower speaks to you, I hope it helps you hold someone a little closer.