Using specific flowers to express one’s thoughts and feelings preoccupied many a proper young lady and gentleman in times gone by. While the practice seemed to reach its modern apex in Victorian England, they were hardly the first society to evolve an entire language of flowers. The Persians had actually done it centuries earlier.
But today, it is the Victorian language of flowers that is best known, partly because much of it was written down – not just in the musings of young ladies in their daily journals, but gathered together in several books, including “Flower Lore: The Teachings of Flowers, Historical, Legendary, Poetical and Symbolic.” It was written by a Miss Carruthers, of Inverness and published (in England) in 1879. The tome became popular on both sides of the Atlantic and grew to become one of the standard sources for flower folklore and symbolism in England – and America.
The movie, “Kate and Leopold” of some years ago, even featured a scene, where Leopold – always the noble gentleman – advised Kate’s brother on how to build the perfect bouquet to win his lady love. It worked!
The following rough guide comes from that text:
- White Poplar or Abele – Time
- Acacia – Secret Love
- Almond – Hope, Haste, Watchfulness
- Amaranth – Faith, Imortality, Unfading Love
- Anemone – Brevity, Expectation
- Beech – Prosperity
- Belladonna – Fatal gift to a man
- Birch – Grace, Meekness
- Camelia – Excellence, Loveliness
- Carnation – Admiration
- Cherry Blossom (single) – Education
- Cherry Blossom (double) – False Hopes
- Clover – Fertility
- Columbine – Folly
- Cowslip – Pensiveness, Wining Grace
- Crocus – Youthful gladness
- Cypress – Mourning (note how many of the “Mourning” prints, needlework
- Pieces and even gravemarkers of the era featured the cypress)
- Daffodils – Regard
- Dahlia – Instability
- Daisey – Innocence
- Dandlion - Oracle
- Edelweiss – Daring, Courage, Noble Purity (remember the song from the “Sound
- Of Music?”)
- Eglantine – Poetry
- Elder Flower – Zeal
- Ferns – Fascination
- Forget-me-not- what else…Remembrance
- Grass – Usefulness
- Hawthorn – Contentment
- Holly – Good wishes
- Hyacinth – Games, Sport, sometime Woe
- Iris – Hope, Message, Light, Power, eloquence
- Ivy – Fidelity
- Jasmine – Admirability
- Lavender- Distrust
- Lime – Conjugal Love
- Marigold – Jealousy, Avarice
- Myrtle – Love
- Oak – Hospitality
- Pansy – Thought
- Peony – Lowliness, Bashfulness
- Primrose – Early youth, Lover’s doubt or fears
- Rosemary – Remembrance
- Rue – Mercy, Pity
- Sage – Domestic virtues
- Sunflower – Constancy, Devotion
- Sweet Pea – Departure
- Sweet William – Gallantry
- Tulip – Ardent love
- Violet – Steadfastness
- Willow – Forsaken love
- Zinnia – Thoughts of absent friends
As spring comes on and thoughts turn to gardens and design, why not plan some spaces with these botanicals, chosen to express your deepest thoughts?
