Petals in the Sunshine

“The Language of the Flowers”
Illustrated by Kate Greenaway
Flower Language, April 28, 2009
Flutterby Patch

During the Victorian era, people often gave each other flowers and used the “language of flowers” (sometimes called floriography) to express feelings that, because of the propriety of the times, could not be spoken. The flowers said it all. Each flower, herb, and vine had a special meaning, and it was important to carefully choose those that best conveyed just the right sentiments. Small bouquets of tightly gathered flowers and plants, called Tussie Mussies, were common. These “talking bouquets,” designed to carry specific personal messages, were often given by gentlemen suitors of the era to the young women they were courting. Books on the language of flowers, listing flowers in alphabetical order alongside their illustrations and meanings, were popular and helped to identify the hidden messages to be found in floral gifts. By the end of the Victorian era, greetings cards were also widely available, depicting an appropriate flower for each occasion. Today, we still “say it with flowers,” but no longer personally selected flowers based on their meanings. Instead, we choose flowers by color or preference and rely on the expertise of professional florists to create a perfect bouquet or floral arrangement.
 

A

• Amaryllis – Pride; determination; radiant beauty
• Anemone – Sincere (white)
• Apple Blossom – Preference
• Aster – Love; daintiness; I will think of it
• Azalea – Take care of yourself for me; patient; modest; Chiness symbol of womanhood

B

• Bachelor’s Button/Cornflower – Celibacy
• Baby’s Breath – Everlasting love
• Begonia – Beware
• Bellflower – Thinking of you
• Bluebell – Grateful; constancy
• Buttercup – Desire for riches; ingratitude; childishness

C

• Cactus – Endurance
• Camellia – Longing for you (pink) . . . You are a flame in my heart (red) . . . Waiting (white)
• Carnation – Affection; fascination; health; energy (general) . . . Woman’s love (pink) . . . Capricious; whimsical; changeable (purple) . . . My heart aches for you; pure love (red) . . . Disappointment; rejection; disdain (yellow) . . . Sweet and lovely; pure love; innocence; endearment (white) . . . Indecision (striped)
• Cherry Blossom – Kind and gentle; spirituality; beauty
• Chrysanthemum – You are a wonderful friend; cheerfulness; rest (general) . . . Love (red) . . . Slighted love; imperial (yellow) . . . Truth (white)
• Clematis – Mental beauty; art
• Crocus – Youthful gladness

D – E – F

• Daffodil – Uncertainty; chivalry; respect or regard; unrequited love
• Dahlia – Elegance; dignity; good taste
• Daisy – Innocence; loyal love; purity; faith; cheer; simplicity (general) . . . Beauty unknown to possessor (red)
• Dandelion – Coquetry
• Fern – Magic; fascination; confidence; shelter
• Forget-Me-Not – True love; memories
• Forsythia – Anticipation
• Fuschia – Taste

G – H

• Gardenia – Secret love; you are lovely
• Geranium – Gentility; esteem
• Gladioli – Give me a break; I am really sincere; flower of the gladiators
• Goldenrod – Precaution; encouragement
• Heather – Admiration; solitude (lavender) . . . Protection; wishes will come true (white)
• Hibiscus – Rare beauty; delicate beauty; gentle disposition
• Holly – Defense; domestic happiness
• Honeysuckle – Generous and devoted affection; bonds of love
• Hyacinth – Sport; games; flower dedicated to Apollo (general) . . . Constancy (blue) . . . I am sorry; please forgive me; sorrow (purple) . . . Play (red or pink) . . . Unobtrusive loveliness (white) . . . Jealousy (yellow)
• Hydrangea – You are cold; heartlessness

I – J – K

• Iris – Fleur-de-lis; your friendship means so much to me; I have a message for you; good news; glad tidings
• Ivy – Wedded love; fidelity; friendship; affection
• Jasmine – You are cheerful and graceful
• Jonquil – Love me; return my affection

L

• Larkspur – Fickleness (pink)
• Lavender – Devotion; distrust; faithful
• Lilac – First emotion of love (purple) . . . Youthful innocence; purity; chastity (white)
• Lily – High-souled aspirations (scarlet) . . . Virginity; purity; majesty; it’s heavenly to be with you (white) . . . I’m walking on air; false and gay (yellow)
• Lily (Calla) – Magnificent beauty
• Lily (Day) – Coquetry; Chinese emblem for mother
• Lily (Red Spider) – Never to meet again; lost memory; abandonment
• Lily (Tiger) – Wealth; pride
• Lily of the Valley – Sweet; trustworthy; tears of the Virgin Mary; return to happiness; humility; you’ve made my life complete
• Lotus – Far from the one he loves; purity; chastity

M

• Magnolia – Love of nature; natural
• Marigold – Pain and grief
• Mistletoe – Kiss me; affection; to surmount difficulties; sacred plant of India
• Morning Glory – Love in vain; willful promises; instability
• Myrtle – Love; Hebrew emblem of marriage

N – O – P – Q

• Narcissus – Self-esteem; egotism; formality; stay as sweet as you are
• Orange Blossom – Woman’s worth; bridal festivities; innocence; eternal love; marriage and fruitfulness
• Orchid – A belle; beauty; luxury; refinement; fragrance; Chinese symbol for many children
• Pansy – Pleasant thoughts; think of me; you occupy my thoughts
• Peony – Shame; happy life; happy marriage
• Periwinkle (blue) – Early friendship
• Petunia – Resentment; anger; your presence soothes me
• Poinsettia – Be of good cheer
• Poppy – Eternal sleep; oblivion; imagination (general) . . . Pleasure; fun-loving (red) . . . Consolation; dreams; peace (white) . . . Wealth; success (yellow)
• Primrose – Young love; early youth; I can’t live without you

R

• Rose – Eternal love; devotion; silence; innocence; wistfulness; virtue; purity; secrecy; reverence; humility (white) . . . Joy of life; youth; energy; desire; passion (light pink) . . . Perfect happiness; grace; trust; confidence (pink) . . . Gratitude (dark pink) . . . Romantic love; true love; I Love You; passionate (red) . . . Unconscious beauty (burgundy) . . . Desire; passion (coral or orange) . . . Love at first sight (lavender or violet) . . . Unity; flower emblem of England (red-and-white) . . . Joy; happiness; excitement (red-and-yellow) . . . Mourning (dark crimson) . . . Friendship; dying love; platonic love; jealousy; infidelity; apology (yellow) . . . Love at first sight (thornless)
• Rose (bridal) – Happy love
• Rosebuds – Beauty and youth; a heart innocent of love (general) . . . Pure and lovely (red) . . . Girlhood (white) . . . Confessions of love (moss)
• Roses (bouquet of mature blooms) – Gratitude

S

• Smilax – Loveliness
• Snapdragon – Deception; gracious lady
• Spider Flower – Elope with me
• Stephanotis – Happiness in marriage; desire to travel
• Sunflower – Hautiness; pure and lofty thoughts
• Sweet Pea – Good-bye; departure; delicate pleasures; thank you for a lovely time

T – U – V – W – X – Y – Z

• Tulip – Perfect lover; fame; charity; flower emblem of Holland (general) . . . Declaration of love; fame; charity; trust (red) . . . Beautiful eyes (variegated) . . . There’s sunshine in your smile; hopeless love; one-sided love (yellow) . . . Faithfulness (violet or blue) . . . Modesty (white)
• Verbena – Cooperative
• Violet – Watchfulness; faithfulness; honesty; love; I’ll always be true (blue) . . . Modesty; innocence; let’s take a chance (white) . . . Rural happiness (yellow)
• Zinnia – Lasting affection; loyalty (magenta) . . . Constancy (scarlet) . . . Goodness (white) . . . Daily remembrance; thoughts of absent friends (yellow)
• Zinnia (mixed bouquet) – Thinking (or in memory) of an absent friend

“The Language of the Flowers”
Illustrated by Kate Greenaway
Flower Language, April 28, 2009
Flutterby Patch

There is a language, ‘little known,’
Lovers claim it as their own.
Its symbols smile upon the land,
Wrought by nature’s wondrous hand;
And in their silent beauty speak
Of life and joy, to those who seek
For love divine and sunny hours
In the language of the flowers.

—From a handmade booklet given
as a gift from husband to wife, 1913
Missouri Botanical Gardens