Would you like to tell someone how you feel, but aren’t quite sure how to say it? Consider a gift of flowers. They have a love language all their own that can express exactly what’s in your heart without saying a single word.
Everyone knows that flowers are an expression of affection and respect, the perfect way to say “congratulations”, or “I care about you”, or even “I’m sorry”. But have you ever wondered why flowers are universally recognized as emotional messengers?
The answer is floriography, or the language of flowers, a traditional code of emblematic meanings associated with specific flowers that goes back thousands of years and has its roots in ancient cultures all over the world.
Some of the earliest flower meanings come from ancient Asian art and poetry. In Chinese culture specific flowers symbolize seasons and months and the color of flowers delivers a message, with red or pink blooms offering congratulations and wishes for good luck and happiness. In Japan the red rose traditionally speaks of romance, while the yellow rose conveys jealousy and the daffodil conveys a message of respect.
Floral symbolism was known and used in the western world during the middle ages, at least in part because the Christian Bible used flowers as emblems of love and courage, and Shakespeare equated flowers with specific meanings, such as rosemary for remembrance, pansies for thought, and violets for faithfulness.
But the floriography that most of us recognize today is largely a product of the Victorian era, when a burgeoning interest in horticulture conveniently coincided with a strict moral code that made open communications a risky business. The first dictionary of floriography was written in France in 1819, but the most well known floral meanings handbook was “The Language Of Flowers”, first published in 1884 and still in print to this day.
Love stuck Victorian suitors could make their feelings clear with the gift of a small bouquet called a nosegay. A gift of honeysuckle declared the giver bound to the recipient by the bonds of love, and before leaving on a trip he’d no doubt give a bouquet of white clover (“think of me”) and forget-me-nots. Alas for him if his beloved tucked a sprig of geranium (“simple friendship”) or heaven forbid, tansy (“hostility”) into his buttonhole.
In the modern world floral meanings aren’t so well known, but some remain well-recognized symbols of deep emotions. Orchids are a classic way to say “you deserve the best”, while daises are the cheerful voice of optimism, hope, and good wishes. White lilies speak more seriously, sometimes of purity and hope but often of loss, and of course red roses are the time-honored way of saying “I love you”.
The post Flowers Forever: How Flowers say “I Love You” without Words appeared first on Portfolio Princess.
